In this episode of Cycling Culture Club Connections, Miles sits down with Ama Nsek, three-time US national champion, privateer road racer, and one of the most thoughtful voices on diversity, development and the future of cycling.

Ama shares his journey from mountain biking as a kid with asthma in Southern California, through racing in Europe on the US junior national team, to building a privateer programme that puts grassroots development and community at its core. He talks candidly about what it feels like to be a black man in a predominantly white sport, the mental friction of racing in Europe, and why he came back to cycling after nearly walking away for good.

They also explore the racing scenes in Colombia and Mexico, the joy of salsa dancing, and why making the right friends might be the most important thing anyone can do in cycling.

Key Topics

• Growing up with asthma and discovering the bike through mountain biking
• The US junior national team and racing in Europe as a 17-year-old
• Being a black man in professional cycling and the reality of racial barriers
• Three national championships and what they meant
• Building a privateer programme around racing, social media and community
• Youth development and bridging the gap for the next generation
• Racing and riding in Colombia and Mexico
• Why Cycling Culture Club felt like the right fit

Links

• Ama on Instagram: @amansek
• Ama on YouTube: Amaette Nsek
• Ride for Racial Justice: @rideforracialjustice
• Follow us: @cyclingcultureclub

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Makesi Duncan is the founder of DadBod Cycling, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Brooklyn, New York. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, raised in Brooklyn, Makesi came to cycling post-pandemic and quickly turned a personal frustration into a community movement. From donating bikes to kids in his neighbourhood to competing at SBT GRVL three times, his journey is one of relentless positivity, community building, and an unshakeable belief that anything is possible if you shoot your shot.

In this episode we cover:

• How Makesi got into cycling during the pandemic and why he was immediately hooked
• The birth of Dad Bod Cycling and the kit frustration that started it all
• Building a nonprofit: grants, partnerships, and how to ask for the world
• Riding in New York City — what it's really like versus the reputation
• The DBC NYC Cycling Tour and why he's bringing riders to Brooklyn
• Three attempts at SBT GRVL, including altitude sickness at mile 60
• Being a Black cyclist in the gravel world and disarming people with a smile
• Raising three daughters bike-adjacent and what that means for representation
• The SRAM Community Program and what's coming in 2026

Links:

• Dad Bod Cycling on Instagram: @makesiduncan
• DBC NYC Cycling Tour: wetravel
• TD Five Boro Bike Tour: fiveborobike.org
• Cycling Culture Club: cyclingcultureclub.cc

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Cycling Culture Club Connections, Miles speaks with Alisha Zellner, Community Specialist at SRAM and the driving force behind its global community programme.

Alisha shares her journey from mental health and law enforcement into the cycling industry, and how her lived experiences shaped a programme designed to support underrepresented communities in cycling. From her research into systemic barriers, to leading initiatives that create real access and opportunity, this is a conversation about listening, trust, and building something that truly reflects the people it serves.

They also explore the power of the bike as a space for healing, connection, and change, and why community work must start with those closest to it.

Key Topics:

• The SRAM Community Programme and how it works
• Building community led initiatives through listening and trust
• Barriers to cycling and representation in the sport
• From law enforcement to the cycling industry
• Bike Ride for Black Lives and the role of cycling in healing
• Creating sustainable change through community partnerships

In this episode of Cycling Culture Club Connections, Miles sits down with Wango, a Nairobi based multidisciplinary creative working across photography, design, and storytelling with Team Amani.

Wango shares his journey into cycling through creativity, documenting riders across East Africa and capturing moments that reflect a bigger cultural shift within the sport. From the World Championships in Rwanda to life at altitude in Iten, this conversation explores what it means to tell stories from within your own community.

They talk about representation, creative process, and why showing up matters more than anything else.

• Storytelling and documenting cycling in East Africa
• Team Amani and building pathways to the global stage
• The impact of the World Championships in Rwanda
• Representation in cycling media and creative spaces
• Creative process across photography, design, and art
• Community work and cultural storytelling in Nairobi
• Why showing up is everything

In this episode of Cycling Culture Club Connections, Miles sits down with Llori Sharpe, former national champion of Jamaica and one of the Caribbean’s most inspiring voices in cycling.

Llori shares her journey into the sport, from a childhood rooted in swimming and running to discovering cycling through triathlon. What started as an unexpected transition quickly grew into a competitive career that has seen her represent Jamaica on the international stage.

The conversation explores the realities of racing from a country where cycling infrastructure and pathways are limited, the challenges that come with visas and international competition, and the pride that comes with representing Jamaica in the global peloton.

Beyond racing, Llori reflects on the role of community in sport and why visibility matters for riders coming from underrepresented cycling nations.

This is a conversation about resilience, opportunity, and the responsibility that comes with riding for something bigger than yourself.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Cycling Culture Club Connections, we flip the script and Miles hands over hosting duties to Head Cheerleader, Merida Miller. She sits down with Miles, the founder and diversity advocate behind Cycling Culture Club to explore cycling as a space for connection, community and change.

Miles shares how his relationship with the bike has evolved beyond performance and productivity, becoming a place to slow down, think, and reconnect with himself, his heritage and his own diversity. Together, they talk about community, letting go of expectation, and why cycling does not need to be loud or competitive to be meaningful. Do you want to know why Cycling Culture Club exists? This is the podcast for you.

Key Topics:

Building Cycling Culture Club around people and stories

Cycling as a reflective practice

Letting go of performance driven narratives

Community, creativity, and connection

Finding value in quieter rides

Diversifying cycling and why that matters

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Cycling Culture Club Connections, we flip the script and Miles hands over hosting duties to Head Cheerleader, Merida Miller. She sits down with Miles, the founder and diversity advocate behind Cycling Culture Club to explore cycling as a space for connection, community and change.

Miles shares how his relationship with the bike has evolved beyond performance and productivity, becoming a place to slow down, think, and reconnect with himself, his heritage and his own diversity. Together, they talk about community, letting go of expectation, and why cycling does not need to be loud or competitive to be meaningful. Do you want to know why Cycling Culture Club exists? This is the podcast for you.

Key Topics:

• Building Cycling Culture Club around people and stories
• Cycling as a reflective practice
• Letting go of performance driven narratives
• Community, creativity, and connection
• Finding value in quieter rides
• Diversifying cycling and why that matters

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cycling is more than movement. It is identity, connection, and sometimes resistance. In this episode, we share an open-hearted conversation with Donna, a journalist, rider, mum, and inclusive cycling ambassador. Donna speaks warmly about building confidence through group rides, holding space for underrepresented riders, and finding balance on and off the bike.

Highlights:

• Discovering confidence and kinship through cycling
• Why visibility and representation matter, especially for older women
• The joy of breaking stereotypes with every pedal

Subscribe for stories that explore cycling as culture, community, and empowerment.

#CyclingCultureClub #InclusiveCycling #DonnaMcConnell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cycling is about more than sport. It is about freedom, community, and belonging. In this episode, we speak with Samra Said, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Cycle Sisters, an award-winning organisation that empowers Muslim women to take up cycling and ride with confidence.

Samra shares the story behind Cycle Sisters, from its beginnings in East London to the national network it has become. She talks about representation, visibility, and how cycling can create powerful change through community and shared joy.

This conversation celebrates sisterhood, faith, and the importance of creating spaces where everyone feels welcome on two wheels.

Highlights:

• The story of Cycle Sisters and its mission
• How visibility and representation inspire confidence
• Overcoming barriers for Muslim women in sport
• The importance of community and joy in cycling

Subscribe for more stories that celebrate cycling as culture, connection, and community.

#CyclingCultureClub #CycleSisters #InclusiveCycling #SamraSaid #CyclingPodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we meet Gil Lavi, creative director, rider, and cofounder of RUBBER N’ ROAD, a bespoke cycling apparel atelier in New York City. Gil shares how the bike connects him to family, fuels his competitive spirit, and inspires performance innovation. Through design, resilience, and two wheeled relationships, he weaves a story about what it means to ride with purpose.

Key Moments:

• Growing up with cycling as a connection to home and heritage
• Founding an atelier focused on creative performance and resilience
• Why consistency and effort on the bike shape how he lives and designs
• How cycling teaches focus, managing setbacks, and chasing fleeting joy
• What it means to blend creativity, competition, and community through cycling

Links:

• Rubber n Road
• Gil on Instagram
• Gil's bio on Cycling Culture Club
• Follow us: @cyclingcultureclub

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.