October 5, 2020
Moots, the iconic hand-crafted bike company based in Steamboat Springs, CO, has climbed onboard the 2020 Children’s Rights Challenge as a corporate sponsor. Here we have a quick chat with Moots owner, Brent Whittington, to talk about his company, his love of cycling, and the high-performing, gorgeous bike everyone is talking about.
Join ChallengeOh, definitely my love of cycling, which has been part of who I am since I was a kid. I grew up in Arkansas and remember riding eight miles on old dirt roads with my brother and a buddy to pick up our personal pan pizzas. Kid heaven. My parents had no idea. Freedom and the open road on a bike have never lost its appeal for me.
It was 2014, and I decided to leave my corporate job where I was serving as the COO, and formerly as the CFO, of a large telecom company. I wanted to chart a very different path and was looking at buying a business that would be right for both my family and me. I certainly never thought it would be a bike company. It turned out I found the perfect fit.
It’s the way the bike rides. These bikes are works of art – high-performing, handmade to last, of lightweight durable titanium. Our craftspeople are not just designers or fabricators. They are truly cyclists who understand the nuances that make a bike really great. They put their souls into every bike they build. I think that’s one reason people who find joy on a bicycle feel such an emotional connection to their Moots bike.
In April and March, it was terrifying, and we were really worried. But then it turned out to be incredibly good for cycling. With people staying home, they are not spending money on travel and hotels. They aren’t going to the gym. Meanwhile, cities around the world are allocating more bike lanes. So, it has turned out to be great for business. And for people – because cycling brings happiness and health to your body and your soul. People need that more than ever right now.
One of our specialty retailers in New York told me about what you do. I’m a parent. My life is my kids, spending time with them, supporting their dreams. To know that there are children out there who don’t have that is heartbreaking. I want them to know there are adults out there who care. I want them to find the grit to get through to the other side, to a better life. I want to lend our voice in support of Children’s Rights and everything you do to help make that happen.
Thanks, Brent. Let’s get riding.
Starting on October 10, 2020, teams of friends, families, celebrity supporters, and co-workers will come together to launch the 2020 CHILDREN’S RIGHTS CHALLENGE, a two-week national fitness challenge hosted on the fitness app Strava. For each hour of fitness (cycling, running, walking, swimming, yoga, etc.) logged on Strava, we will raise funds for Children’s Rights.
An integral part of our fall #1Nation4Children campaign, our goal is to collectively log 500,000 hours of fitness to represent the nearly half a million kids in foster care in the United States. To reach our goal we will need 50,000 participants to log 10 hours of fitness for over 2 weeks.
Help us log 500,000 hours of activity to help raise awareness and funds to fight structural biases, racism, and generational poverty for children.
*Download Strava and join Club Children’s Rights to meet your teammates and receive in-app updates on the 2020 Children’s Rights Challenge.
*Please note you can participate using the free version of Strava. You do not have to upgrade to participate.
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