About Major Taylor Michigan
Named for a champion. Built for a city.
We use bicycles to get Detroit kids to school. Along the way, we hand them a sport they can keep for life.
Recognized & Supported By
Detroit's work, recognized nationally.
From the Governor's office to the oldest bike advocacy group in the country, these partners have backed the work.
- League of American Bicyclists
Office of Governor Gretchen WhitmerProclaimed September 15 as Major Taylor Day
- Major Taylor International Cycling Alliance
Major Taylor International Cycling Alliance2026 Trailblazer Award, Marco Speeks
- Michigan Science Center
City of DetroitSupporter of our work
Wayne State UniversitySupporter of our work
Henry Ford HealthSupporter of our work
Our Goal
Half of Detroit's trips, by bike, by 2050.
We call it 50 by 50. It is a 25-year plan to change how a city moves. Detroit gave the world the automobile. We want to show what a city looks like when the bicycle becomes its engine of opportunity. That change starts with kids.
One in three Detroit households has no working car. Chronic absenteeism in Detroit schools sits at 61%. Every program we run chips away at both.
Access
Bikes and gear for families and workers who need reliable transportation.
Skills
Riding and safety education so kids and adults ride with confidence.
Culture
Making cycling a visible, everyday part of Detroit life.
Infrastructure
Racks, routes, and safe conditions that make riding practical.
Our Namesake
The fastest man on two wheels. Left out of the story for a century.
Marshall "Major" Taylor (1878 to 1932) was a Black American cyclist who became world champion in 1899. He was an international star years before Jackie Robinson or Jesse Owens. He raced through open hostility that would have ended most careers. For most of the last century, his name was missing from the story cycling told about itself.
We ride under his name so Detroit kids grow up knowing it. In 2025, our campaign led Governor Whitmer to proclaim September 15 as Major Taylor Day. Michigan became the first state in the nation to honor him this way.
The next goal is a Congressional Gold Medal and a permanent place in how American history is taught.
- World champion
- 1899
- State to proclaim Major Taylor Day
- 1st
- Major Taylor Day in Michigan
- Sept 15
Our Founder
Meet Marco Speeks.
Marco founded Major Taylor Michigan Cycling Advocacy on one conviction. A bicycle, used with purpose, can break the cycle of missed school and missed work. He rides Detroit year-round, snow included. Most of his days are small wins: a school visit, a new bike rack, one more person with a way to work.
This award belongs to every Detroit family we have served, every child who has learned to balance on two wheels, and every worker who rode to their job because they finally had a reliable way to get there.
- 2026 Trailblazer Award, Major Taylor International Cycling Alliance
- League Certified Instructor
- Led Michigan's Major Taylor Day campaign
Our Programs
Six programs. One rider for life.
Each program meets riders at a different age. Together they turn a first wobble into a daily ride.
Pre-K to 3rd grade
Skills
Stride & Glide
Balance bikes build confidence before fear sets in.
Elementary
Skills
Bicycle Safety Town
Kids learn the rules of the road on a mini streetscape.
Schools
Infrastructure
Operation Rack & Roll
Secure bike parking at schools along the Greenway.
Middle school
All ages
Culture
Bike Buses
Trained adults lead kids to school together on the Greenway.
Adults
Access
B4E: Bikes for Employees
A commuter bike with no money down, repaid through payroll.
Give
Help us keep the wheels turning.
Every dollar goes into bikes, racks, helmets, and the people who teach kids to ride them.
Sponsor a Kid
Put a bike, a helmet, and safety training in one kid's hands.
Sponsor a School
Fund racks and a bike bus route for a school on the Greenway.
Sponsor a Program
Underwrite a full program like Safety Town or Stride & Glide.
Prefer to give time? Volunteer with us