FITaos Bike Programs – 2025 Wrap Up and Thank You
2025 was an amazing, fun, and successful year of FIT bike programs with expanded, diverse offerings for youth (after school, summer, in-school, community programs, trail stewardship, and special events) including:
After School Bike Clubs
Bike Rodeos
Building Bikes Building Futures
Girls Bike Day
Bike Swap
2 Summer MTB Camp Sessions
Riding for Focus program
Team FITaos Spring/Summer youth race program
Middle School MTB Race Team
High School MTB Race Team
Ride the Rift
Trail Maintenance
Women’s Group Rides
Way back in 2002, we added after school bike clubs and Team FITaos to the FITaos world and have been rolling and growing since then. With Susie and Sean now focused primarily on the bike programs, we are able to spend more time planning, preparing, training coaches, brainstorming improvements, reaching out in the community, fundraising, and riding bikes with kids. Susie even hopped back into a few fun races after a very long break!
All of our programs instill elements of independence, physical health and fitness, mental health, trail etiquette, rules of the road, land stewardship, goal setting, commitment, teamwork, leadership, sense of place, adventure, and so much more.
In 2026, we will continue to strengthen our incredible coaching staff that includes both paid coaches and volunteer coaches. We also have stellar youth coaches – high schoolers who have experience in our bike programs and show interest in becoming leaders and mentoring younger riders. Inspiration, enthusiasm, knowledge, decision making, confidence, are all shared and modeled by each and every coach.
Throughout the year, we maintain over 50 bicycles of all sizes, including a fleet of race-level bikes. Owning a bike is not a requirement for participation in these programs. Vans, trailers, tools, parts, camping gear are just some of the additional infrastructure we have gathered over the years, thanks to generous donors and directed grants.
In 2025, we received grant funding and private donations to support programs (scholarships, equipment, transportation, coaching, outreach) including grants from Outride, LOR Foundation, TSV Give a Kid a Lift, and more. Team FITaos sponsors support all programs with logos proudly worn on the Team FITaos jerseys. Ride the Rift event sponsors completely covered the cost of hosting this free, annual community event and also help support program scholarships. All of these efforts combine to help us ensure access to bikes, coaching, and fun for any child who wants to participate.
How can you support FITaos Bike Programs in 2026?
-Make a meaningful donation (designate for “bike programs”)
-Volunteer to ride with kids
-Participate in a ride program
-Become a sponsor of Team FITaos, Ride the Rift, or our high school and middle school race teams
-Volunteer to help maintain bikes
-Purchase a team jersey, shorts, water bottle, and/or socks
-Support trails in our community
-Share ideas with us
-Be a good steward and share the trails with a smile and a hello
If you believe in the power and freedom of a child riding a bicycle, please consider supporting our bike programs as we pedal into our 30 year FITaos anniversary!
Thank you for supporting us in our vision of enriching the lives of our children by sharing the freedom of riding a bike, the beauty of our trails, and the building of healthy community in Taos. We look forward to you joining us to celebrate 30 years of FITaos in 2026! Happy New Year. Please reach out anytime to discuss ways you can be involved in our bike programs.
Susie Fiore 575-770-2391
FITaos Founder (1996) and Bike Program Director
Sean Cassily 575-779-3729
Head Coach
