Growing up Puerto Rican in El Paso, Texas, Suzie Reel felt like she wasn’t white enough for the white kids and not Mexican enough for the Hispanic kids. She was white, Latina and searching for belonging.

“I always felt like I didn’t have my place,” Reel says. “Even in college, I felt like everyone wanted me to pick one or the other. So, when I found out about The Cycle Effect last year, it really resonated with me.”

Resting upon the transformational powers of belonging, The Cycle Effect (TCE) combines mentorship and mountain biking, serving up programs for 10- to 18-year-old girls with a mission to empower young women and build stronger communities.

In 2010, Tam and Brett Donelson set out to create an opportunity for young women in Eagle County, built around the idea that committed and driven kids should be able to participate in a sport they’re passionate about, no matter what their background. Through Donelson Coaching, mountain biking provided the means for these athletes to escape the stresses of high school life and to learn lifelong skills.

Launching in 2013, The Cycle Effect began with just three volunteer coaches and 10 eager young women in Eagle County. Over the past decade, the nonprofit has grown to over 50 coaches and 300 young women in four counties (Eagle, Summit, Routt and Mesa). In 2023, TCE will serve 100 women in its Mujeres y Pedales (Women & Pedals) group, which is similar to its original girls’ mountain bike program but supports Latina women 18 years and older. TCE will also recycle over 100 used bikes to community members in need this year through its growing (Re)Cycle bike match program.

Research has shown that participating in sports can have abundant benefits for young people, including improved physical health, increased self-esteem and a sense of belonging and community. By focusing on young women who identify as BIPOC, Latina, low-income and/or at-risk, the program addresses systemic inequities that limit access to outdoor sports and recreation.

It’s the belonging piece that caught Reel’s eye when TCE kicked off its Fruita chapter last year. She could see that same struggle to feel included in her then 11-year-old daughter as she transitioned into middle school and tried to find her place among her peers.

“After the first Cycle Effect practice, she had the biggest smile on her face,” Reel says of her daughter’s April introduction to the program. “She has found that community and that space where she feels safe to be herself. I have seen a happier, more confident child.”

Her daughter had never mountain biked before joining TCE team and, today, jumps out of bed for the 7 a.m. summer practices — before the Western Slope day gets too hot — eager to get outdoors and on the trail.

“I feel like The Cycle Effect has done a lot for me self-confidence-wise,” Reel’s daughter says. “I used to be super self-conscious and nervous. When I first went to The Cycle Effect, I was thinking there was going to be a ton of judgey girls there. But when I got there, everyone was super welcoming and helpful, encouraging each other. They help me make myself a better person.”

TCE provides everything girls need to mountain bike — bikes, shoes, racing jerseys, bibs. It’s a true come-as-you-are organization and team. Girls can expect year-round programming, spanning 80 days, with the main season happening between May and October. During winter months, TCE participants are hitting local gyms together, strength training and riding stationary bikes, and giving back to communities through volunteer work.

Programs are structured to provide mentorship, oftentimes considering what courage looks like, knowing your own limits and recognizing and being okay with them. The focus is always on connecting girls to a community of peers that can be a support system and help them foster a sense of belonging, drive and community.

“It is clear that our youth are facing huge challenges,” says TCE co-founder Brett Donelson. “The disconnect they feel from nature, their families, their communities and each other has never been larger. They need these spaces to create connections and feel like they belong. The work we do is more complex than ever, and we are more committed than ever.”

What’s next for The Cycle Effect? Donelson and team are looking at creative strategies to build out current programming and evolve with athletes’ needs.

“We believe that we’re just getting started in terms of how to be most effective around mentorship, empowerment and changing lives on mountain bikes,” Brett Donelson adds. “I believe we’re looking at a bright future of helping to enrich our communities.”

Learn more about The Cycle Effect and get involved at thecycleeffect.org.

Originally published in the Fall 2023 issue of Spoke+Blossom.

A Look Back On A Decade Of Empowerment + Community Building: The Cycle Effect Celebrates 10 Years