A "KNOWN SUPPLIER" is an organization, individual, or company that we work with who shares our sustainable & ethical values to create custom merchandise to further their mission of humanizing the apparel industry.

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Bike Bus World & their founder Sam Balto are on a mission to get kids moving before school to help them succeed academically and to strengthen the communities where they live. So what exactly is a Bike Bus?

A Bike Bus is an organized group ride that takes place on the way to school along a pre-planned route. Students and family members can join anywhere along the route, and as they do the fun only builds.

There are hundreds of Bike Buses that take place around the U.S. and hundreds more that happen across the globe. This is a movement that is gaining momentum for all the right reasons, and it has even caught the attention of a number of celebrities who have joined Sam & his Bike Bus ride in Portland, Oregon. Folks like Justin Timberlake, Benson Boone, Zara Larsson, & Alex Warren have all ridden with kids on their way to school. (Perhaps you may have even seen one of these rides on social media!)

We even started one at my sons' elementary school in the last year, so I can attest the the positive benefits and total joy this movement is making possible. But instead of hearing that from me, I thought it'd be fun to hear directly from the founder Sam Balto himself.

As a way of helping the organization raise more funds — and to spread the word on what Bike Bus is — we created a collection of merch which you can find HERE.

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How do you describe what a "Bike Bus" is to new people?

A Bike Bus is a group of children, parents, and community members riding bikes to school along a designated route with a set meeting time. It can be done weekly, monthly or seasonally, and it's a fantastic way to build community, provide kids with physical activity before school, and bring joy to everyone involved.

Where did the initial inspiration come from to start your first Bike Bus?

As a Physical Education teacher, I previously organized Walking School Buses in Boston, MA, and Portland, OR, and saw the positive impact they had on students and the community. In 2021, I saw a video of a Bike Bus in Barcelona, Spain, and wanted to try it at my school in Portland. We launched our first Bike Bus for Earth Day in April 2022 and have been doing it every Wednesday since.

What have been some of the highlights from the Bike Bus movement as it has continued to grow?

Some of my favorite moments are when kids tell me they learned to ride a bike specifically to join the Bike Bus, or when they start riding independently without their parents. I also love seeing my students riding to school on non-Bike Bus days and around the neighborhood. That is what it is all about—helping kids build the independence and autonomy to move around their community.

You have had a number of celebrities join your Bike Bus, who would be your next dream guest?

My top five dream guests would be The Rock, Taylor Swift, Shaq, Jack Black, and Bad Bunny. Anything is possible!

You have a background as a PE Teacher. What do you see as the biggest benefits of the Bike Bus as a means of getting to school?

I call the Bike Bus the Swiss Army knife for school and community issues because it solves so many problems at once. It means different things to different people, but I personally love how it gets kids outside and moving. It also helps build their independence, which, as a parent myself, I know can be hard to navigate.

What was the experience like giving your first TEDx talk, and what was the main theme of your message to the audience?

Giving a TEDx Talk has been on my manifestation board for years. I wanted to use the opportunity to show people what is possible when we focus on joy, children, and community. All children deserve to feel seen and valued by the people around them, and the Bike Bus is just one of many ways to achieve that. (WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW!)

Of the Bike Bus merch collection that we helped you create, what item do you find yourself going back to over and over?

I really love the Bike Bus trucker hat—it has a clean design and is fun to wear. I have also been amazed by how effective the "Ask me about Bike Bus" shirt and hat are; people truly do come up and ask me about it whenever I wear them.

SHOP BIKE BUS MERCH