Canyon Bicycles

In the spring of last year, the German brand began outfitting the country’s first HBCU cycling team, North Carolina’s St. Augustine’s University, with cyclocross bikes and filmed a YouTube series to promote the squad. “Most new riders have no idea who [pro cyclists] Mathieu van Der Poel or Jan Frodeno are,” says Canyon USA president Blair Clark. “But if they see something like St. Augustine’s team, they begin to see a place for themselves.”

Partly funded by the raffling of custom Canyon Ultimate CF SLXs, the team is the brainchild of professors-turned-coaches Mark Janas and Umar Muhammad. Muhammad draws inspiration from Major Taylor, cycling’s first African-American world champ. “One surprising lesson I have learned so far is being the first at something [matters],” Muhammad says. “Even if it’s not perfect.”

The 12-member co-ed crew isn’t fazed by the challenge of starting from scratch, either. “You can’t be around the team and not develop a six-pack from laughing too much,” quips Falcons rider Brandon Valentine-Parris. “We’re a fun group that knows how to work hard and produce positive results.”