COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Major Taylor Cycling Club is bringing representation to biking.

Keith Brown was not preparing for a normal bike for a ride. He is President of the Major Taylor Cycling Club of Columbus, which held its first annual community bike ride on June 11.  

The club is named after Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor, who set many cycling world records and was the first Black World Champion.

“Guys just used to gang up on him and he just kept beating them all,” said Brown. “He never gave up and just kept beating them all and became World Champion.” 

Decades later, Major Taylor's legacy would live on in the wheels of Major Taylor Cycling Clubs around the country. His hard work and perseverance inspired the one in Columbus. 

“I don’t care what it is, it can be racism or just people blocking your way, you just don’t stop,” said Brown. 

Brown found himself at Fairwood Park ahead of the Club’s first annual community bike ride. He grew up mainly seeing white men on bikes, making this community bike ride not only about exercise but representation and unity. 

“That's also what inspired me to ride is you didn’t see anyone else out here like us and I was like we can do this, why can’t we do this?” said Brown. “This is why we ride in certain neighborhoods and drive on these roads and they’re like oh my gosh.” 

The event had health screenings and healthy food trucks to promote a healthy lifestyle both in and outdoors.

“You can ride until you're 80,” said Brown. “We have a couple members who are in their eighties so you can ride as long as you want, so this is one of the things that we’re pushing for our folks.”

The community bike is already scheduled again for next year.