Portland caters to seemingly every niche of cycling culture, but when Quinn Lindstrom started getting more serious about road riding this past spring, she discovered one big vacancy—she couldn't find a single club in town composed of transgender cyclists.

"It wasn’t that there weren’t trans-inclusive groups; there just wasn’t a local, trans-led cycling space for transgender people,” says Lindstrom, one of the approximately 1.4 million adult Americans who identify as transgender.

Rather than ride alone or wait for someone else to start the group she was looking for, she found herself in a position where she could create a "by trans people, for trans people" cycling group in the city—which led to Transgender Riders United (TRU).

The TRU cycling group has been growing steadily with group rides and social events ever since. We talked with Lindstrom about what TRU means to its members, and how trans cyclists (and their allies) nationwide can help start and support groups like this one. (Learn about all the wonderful niches of cycling culture in Bike Tribes!)

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BICYCLING: How did TRU actually get its start?

Quinn Lindstrom: TRU started from conversations with Leah [Benson] at Gladys Bikes. I’d gone into the shop when I was first getting into cycling in Portland. I inquired about women’s groups that were genuinely inclusive—not just saying they were, but then the riders stare at you the whole time. Those are the sorts of passive-aggressive behaviors that can cause emotional damage and eat you up from the inside.

Leah spread my question on social media, and while there were a lot of likes and shares, nothing solid came of it. She’d already had a lot of trans riders come into the shop. I think because of the shop’s attitude of ‘If you think you belong here, you do.’ It’s an open, welcoming space. But after a couple weeks of not hearing about a trans-inclusive women’s ride, I went into the shop again. Leah asked if I’d be interested in starting one, and that she’d support me if I chose to do so. When I heard that, I thought, ‘Geez, I’ve only been road riding here for two and a half months! I’m passionate about cycling, but I’m still a beginner. Can I even do this?”

Looks like you could! How did you manage to get it rolling?

I said, ‘I’ll do it, sure. I don’t know how, but I’m willing to learn.’ There were two months of planning, where I joined a lot of Facebook groups to learn what other people were doing, and networked with a lot of local bike shops; so many just asked what they could do to support the group, from discounts to event space. Everyone opened their hearts and minds to the group before it even had a name. I didn’t have to kick in any doors, which I honestly thought I’d have to do. I think it just took a person willing to say ‘Okay, let’s do this.’

What were some of the challenges for starting TRU?

I think that in order for a cycling group to truly be for trans people, you have to accept the reality that we are seriously maligned and have significant difficulty accessing employment and social services. We couldn’t do this as a racing team or a road team, which often require significant capital. It’d be impractical, and out of touch with reality to assume the group would be dedicated to road riding and racing. While many trans people in Portland and the US do have access to road bikes, far more trans people will likely only have access to beater bikes, or have no bike at all. A trans group that is trying to make members only ride a certain kind of bike, or certain kind of way, would be completely out of touch with the challenging reality of living as a trans person in our society.

How has the group grown since you started?

Our Facebook group now has over 60 members, which is a mix of trans people and allies. I’m starting to think about adding faster rides, and some road-specific rides. While that’s where my personal interest lies, I’m trying to focus on events that can include the greatest portion of the community at one time.

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Do you have any rules in the group?

The only rule in TRU that I enforce is: no judging, of any kind, ever. No gender policing, no appearance policing, and no bike policing. None of that. The group is there as a way to get away from policing. To ride your bike away from problems like that.

What have you learned about growing a riding group?

The advice I received before starting TRU was not to plan too much, and to avoid over-planning rides. Open the rides up to variation based on who shows up and what they want to do. Our first ride was a great example: The riders who showed up had faster bikes and were athletic, so we dumped the original plan and did a more challenging, faster-paced route.

There will always be at least three of us on any TRU ride. I know it will take time to grow the group, but in the meantime, we need to maintain a solid amount of rubber on the road to show people that stuff is happening. That’s one of the big reasons I realized we needed a trans cycling group. I used to be in a position where I was shy about riding with cis-gender cyclists. I ended up being completely wrong about that attitude being present in Portland’s cycling community. Everyone has been super warm and welcoming to me, but I know that there are other trans people out there, and all that’s stopping them from riding is that they don’t want to do it alone. Or what bike shop is a safe space for them to ask questions and get into cycling.

What are some of the concerns that trans cyclists have?

The concerns of trans cyclists are often the same concerns as other cyclists. That’s a frequent thing: Trans issues are often the same as general human rights issues. It’s a matter of perspective. I think there are perceived and literal barriers—with racing organizations, especially. When I started, my perceptions of how other, non-trans cyclists would be towards me were wrong. Based on my experiences around here, I would encourage trans cyclists to be bold and get out there. To try to remove any personal, psychological barriers that may be impeding them from getting on a bike.

Any messages you want to send to trans cyclists, maybe in other cities, who are looking for a group like TRU?

As a trans cyclist looking to get into riding, know you’re not alone. You might feel like you’re impeding or disturbing other cycling groups, but I’ve found that you just need to get out there and make yourself a little vulnerable. Maybe you got burned going to a bike shop and had a bad experience. There are certainly shops in Portland that don’t have the environment I look for in a shop. But in general, I think most cyclists are just happy to see anyone, no matter who you are, or how you identify, getting out there and riding.

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And what can trans allies do to support groups like TRU?

To be an ally to trans cyclists, you should be an ally in the same way you would be to trans people in general. Don’t judge a book by its cover, ask people about their pronouns and preferences, and don’t police presentation. Just try to be a decent person. Be reasonable and accommodating. Maybe someone won’t have access to the coolest bike. Or maybe someone will be worried about saddle choice and saddle issues that don’t align with your assumptions about their gender identity. You just need to be compassionate, show consideration, and listen.

Trans cyclists need to be more forgiving of allies who are honestly trying. I know a lot of wonderful allies who mess up pronouns, and mess up terminology—like using ‘transgender’ as a verb or standalone noun. It’s just an accident.

How can someone start a group like yours, or make their events more inclusive?

One person just needs to say, ‘Hey, I’d love to pilot a program that helps trans people get into riding.’ One of the easiest ways to tweak it would be to switch a women’s night at a bike shop to a WTF night—that’s Women, Trans, and Female-identified. By just switching up the name, you might get more people, and you let any trans people in your community know that they’re welcome there.

Social justice and bike justice—how do the two overlap for you?

Bike justice matters significantly in trans groups. Considering common socio-economic injustices for trans people, I think it necessitates considering that any trans cycling group must also consider the aspects of the group that center around social and bike justice. Having a bike, being able to get fit, get outside, go places, and have agency and control in your life are vital when everything else might feel like it’s gone completely mad. The fact that you can go out, pick a direction, and just go, and no one can control you: It’s amazing and liberating.

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