Black Watts: A Community of Fathers Bringing Cycling to Everybody

06/16/22 • 29 min

What started as a fun way to get out of the house during lockdown soon evolved into a community of over sixty people looking to make a difference. In 2020, Chad Bennett, Aquil Jannah, and Chris Harvell put together a Fathers Day ride consisting of just fourteen people riding eighteen miles. What they found was something far greater. With the spark of an idea and a passion for the camaraderie that cycling creates, they founded Black Watts—a group of cyclists that would work to help make cycling accessible to as many people as possible.

From the start, Black Watts would be more than just a cycling club. It would be a group of dedicated husbands and fathers that would work to subvert stereotypes and improve mental health and wellbeing for black fathers and families through cycling.

In this episode, Chad, Aquil, and Chris join us to discuss the mission of Black Watts and the difference they’re making in their community. Though it started as a club for husbands and fathers, they’re determined to make Black Watts an “everybody” group. They discuss the challenges people of color face when they get into cycling, how we can work to make cycling a more inclusive experience, and what their hopes are for the future of cycling.

Check out Black Watts’ podcast, More Watts, here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Kh2zr1dXjCHn6UK6yxYc5?si=6b3b12f0f6fd4426

Check out Black Watts’ podcast, More Watts, here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Kh2zr1dXjCHn6UK6yxYc5?si=6b3b12f0f6fd4426

Previous Episode

Lizzie Deignan: A Mother and a Champion Looks Back and Forward

Life is unpredictable and crazy, and very rarely, if ever, does it go to plan. Professional cyclist Lizzie Deignan can undoubtedly attest to this. When asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Becoming a cyclist was never in her vocabulary; however, life had other plans.

In the latest episode of "Better with Bikes," hosts Eric Bjorling and Richie Burke interview World Champion, Olympic medalist, four-time British National Champion, and 2021 Paris-Roubaix Femmes winner, Lizzie Deignan. They cover everything from her surprising introduction to cycling, the decision to have a child mid-career, and making history with the 2021 Paris-Roubaix win.

Though Lizzie has accomplished much throughout her career, she is far from over. She has a second child on the way but mentioned she's far from retiring and looking forward to the next adventure. Lizzie Deignan has proven herself to be a trailblazer in women's cycling and women's sports; we are proud to have her representing our team, and we look forward to what she will accomplish in the future.
For more Better with Bikes content: https://www.instagram.com/trekbikes/

Next Episode

We’re Giving Away a Bike (and more!): The BWB Revival Episode

Eric Bjorling is back for the revival of Better with Bikes with his new co-host, Richie Burke. The two discuss Richie’s rich history with Trek–considering he’s the son of Trek’s President, John Burke, there’s a lot to unpack here–what’s to come in future episodes, and our Better with Bikes giveaway! So join us as we explore diverse, unknown, and behind-the-scenes stories of people making the world a better place through cycling.

To enter giveaway: https://kingsumo.com/g/aoylow/treks-better-with-bikes-podcast-giveaway

Giveaway: To celebrate the revival of our podcast, we’re giving away a Trek Verve Hybrid bicycle to one first-place winner, a Bontrager Starvos WaveCel Helmet to three second-place winners, and a Trek Circuit Jersey to three third-place winners.

To enter, visit https://kingsumo.com/g/aoylow/treks-better-with-bikes-podcast-giveaway

*Giveaway ends 8/03 @ 11:59 PM CDT. Winner will be notified via email & announced on Trek’s Instagram story on 8/4. No payment or purchase necessary to enter. Must be 18+. Must reside in the US. This giveaway is by no means sponsored, administered, or associated with Apple or Spotify. Exclusions apply.