First Ride Fundraiser

Part Fundraiser. Part Reunion. 100% Party.

National stats show that fewer kids are riding bikes today than ever before. We’re here to change that—and we’re doing it the best way we know how: by bringing our community together for an unforgettable night out.

Join us on October 14th for the 2nd Annual First Ride, Big Dreams benefit. We’re swapping our lycra jerseys for party attire, filling the room with fun, friends, delicious local food & drinks, and throwing an evening dedicated to getting more kids on bikes across Oregon.

Through our Jump Start program and Summer Kids Camp, we’re helping kids build confidence, health, and find lifelong joy on two wheels. Your support = more kids riding. Every ticket and every donation puts more kids on bikes, spreads more joy to families, and creates healthier, more connected communities across Oregon. You’re not just funding programs—you’re fueling a movement.

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Kids Need Bikes More Than Ever

Do you remember your first bike ride? For many of us it was a transformational moment. But fewer kids today are riding bikes and, shockingly, lots of kids aren’t even learning how to ride. Access to a bike for an Oregon child means:

• Better mental health and reduced anxiety
• Stronger cardiovascular health, balance, and coordination
• Confidence, freedom, and joy that can last a lifetime

In the 2025–26 school year, at more than 60 schools across Oregon, our program instructed 9,128 students—a 17% increase over the previous year!

How You Can Help

It’s a common misconception that our event fees cover all of Cycle Oregon’s programs. In the past, our rides generated revenue for grants that supported good work across many Oregon communities. But to keep events accessible today and grow the reach of our programs in the future, we’ve grown our mission. Today, we depend on donors and supporters like you to keep events accessible, hire the people that teach kids new skills and grow the number of kids and adults that we can reach with our programs.

Here’s what you support when you donate:

• Summer Bike Camps 2027 – Building on our successful 2025 pilot program in Portland, we expanded with more camps in Portland while adding camps in Hillsboro and Bend for 2026. Camps include loaner bikes, helmets, scholarships, and even a new bicycle giveaway program—ensuring every child has the chance to ride, regardless of income.
• Jump Start Bicycle Education: In partnership with ODOT Safe Routes to School, we’ve already reached more than 22,000 students in 60+ schools, with nearly a quarter of kids learning to ride for the very first time. In the last year alone, we reached 25 Title I schools.
• Mobile Bike Repair & Rodeos: We already bring bikes, repair services, and education to communities that don’t have local resources. From The Dalles to Eugene to Hillsboro, we’ve served hundreds of youth and families through bike rodeos. Next step: building a full-time mobile repair and education program to serve rural Oregon.
• Bike Giveaway Program: Our first new bike giveaway was held at Dorena School in Dorena, Oregon in 2025. The school has participated in our bike safety education programming since 2022 and we worked closely with school staff to identify need and select 20 students who would most benefit from the gift of a new bike, helmet, lock and riding accessories. This program will grow annually in partnership with bike industry leaders, community groups and donors like you.