#7: Push the Pace 🚴
A biking club in Brooklyn
Wellness communities are not all run clubs. Biking clubs have taken off in the past 12-18 months as well, alongside the rise of urban infrastructure to support more biking-friendly major cities like Paris and New York.
As more people turn to biking for convenience and climate reasons, the culture around it is changing too.
This week, we spoke with Lauren Santiago, co-founder of Push the Pace alongside Tony Vidal, about how they’re building something bigger around bikes.
Push the Pace (Brooklyn)
What began as a shared love for cycling has grown into a platform that blends movement, identity, and community. Push the Pace creates space for riders often left out of mainstream bike culture, centering underrepresented voices through storytelling, functional design, and intentional in-person events. From group rides to curated gatherings, they’re shaping a cycling culture that’s expressive, inclusive, and rooted in real connection.
Q&A with Lauren, co-founder of Push the Pace.
Q: What do you think your space is tapping into right now that people are craving?
People are really craving honest connection—especially through shared growth. With Push the Pace, we’ve seen that cycling can be a powerful entry point into that. When people show up for a ride or a live event, they’re not just coming for fitness—they’re coming to be part of something that feels real and inclusive. Vulnerability, mental health, community—that’s what sticks with people. And when they hear or see someone else being open about their journey, it inspires them to open up too. That’s the space we’re creating.
Q: Have you heard anything from the people who attend your events that surprised you?
What surprised me most is how simple the need really is—people just want to ride and build bonds. For almost everyone we've spoken to, biking is a release for them and a vehicle for connecting with others. Whether it’s through riding itself, or sitting down after to eat together, they’re looking for ways to connect. That’s something we saw clearly with our "Eats, Bikes & Life" event. Food opened the door for deeper conversation. Another thing we’ve noticed is that the most engagement we’ve gotten—both in person and through content—is when we highlight regular people, not big-name influencers. The real stories are what resonate most.
Q: How do you see your community impacting Brooklyn and its future?
We’re helping reshape what cycling culture looks like not just in Brooklyn but in NYC overall. A lot of people of color haven’t always seen themselves reflected in this space—and we’re working to change that. Whether it’s by giving riders opportunities to be in front of the camera, or hosting events that highlight local clubs and brands, we’re building something that’s grounded in ownership and visibility. Our goal is to launch the first cycling festival in NYC centered around diversity in biking (featuring black and brown-owned bike clubs & businesses)—and we think that kind of event can have a real impact on the culture here.
Q: What makes a brand partnership feel forced vs. organic to you?
A forced partnership is when a brand just wants to show up, put their name on something, and then bounce. We've seen certain brands who don't cater to our demo but are trying to check that diversity box by asking for logo lock-ups / placement without wanting to have a conversation about goals or long-term opportunities. We've said no. That doesn’t work for us or our community who would see right through that. An organic partnership is when the brand really takes the time to understand what we’re about—and wants to build something with us that supports our riders and adds to the experience. That could be helping us create content, showing up to events, or making space for our community’s voice. It needs to feel like a collaboration, not just a transaction.
Push the Pace just wrapped up a partnership with Rivian, which integrated seamlessly into their biking afterparty as a space to gather.
Where to find them next?
Follow them at @pushthepacecollective for upcoming events.
For brands looking to partner with Lauren, Tony and Push the Pace, email us at connect@offlinetalent.com.
We hope you enjoyed edition #7 of Offline Weekly, a newsletter featuring up-and-coming offline communities.
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