Mark Speeks, a Detroit native and cycling advocate, is on a mission to prove that there's no bad weather only bad clothing. He bikes year-round, including frigid Michigan winters, and promotes bicycles as transformative tools for individual health and economic advancement in lower-income households.
Speeks' personal lifestyle is also a model for empowerment in his adopted hometown. He believes that cycling can address the majority of Detroiters' needs, with over 200 miles of bike lines established along the city's streets. However, cyclists aren't using the infrastructure at a volume consistent with the city's population.
To address this issue, Speeks has launched Major Taylor Michigan Cycling Advocacy (MTMCA), an organization formed to promote awareness and guidelines for proper cycling. MTMCA aims to introduce and support bike usage as basic transportation, not just for youth but also for professionals and families.
Through Bikes 4 Employees (B4E), professionals in the downtown area have received about 250 bikes, including helmets, reflective vests, tools, and other equipment and accessories. This program connects staff who live more than a half-mile from their workplaces with resources and supports those who need assistance.
Speeks also partners with agencies like the City of Detroit, Henry Ford Health, Wayne State University, and others to provide bike lanes, safety education, and logistics support for employees and students. The goal is to create a community where everyone is accountable to each other, individually and collectively.
The organization's efforts aim to address doubts about issues like safety of neighborhood surroundings, street conditions, and other matters that could discourage residents from cycling. By promoting cycling as a means of transportation in everyday life, MTMCA hopes to normalize this mode of transportation and create a more sustainable future for Detroit.
Speeks believes that people need advocates to support them in using bikes and that his organization is the expert in communicating with the city to make bike lanes safer and more accessible. As he says, "We want to normalize cycling as a means of transportation in everyday life."
Speeks' personal lifestyle is also a model for empowerment in his adopted hometown. He believes that cycling can address the majority of Detroiters' needs, with over 200 miles of bike lines established along the city's streets. However, cyclists aren't using the infrastructure at a volume consistent with the city's population.
To address this issue, Speeks has launched Major Taylor Michigan Cycling Advocacy (MTMCA), an organization formed to promote awareness and guidelines for proper cycling. MTMCA aims to introduce and support bike usage as basic transportation, not just for youth but also for professionals and families.
Through Bikes 4 Employees (B4E), professionals in the downtown area have received about 250 bikes, including helmets, reflective vests, tools, and other equipment and accessories. This program connects staff who live more than a half-mile from their workplaces with resources and supports those who need assistance.
Speeks also partners with agencies like the City of Detroit, Henry Ford Health, Wayne State University, and others to provide bike lanes, safety education, and logistics support for employees and students. The goal is to create a community where everyone is accountable to each other, individually and collectively.
The organization's efforts aim to address doubts about issues like safety of neighborhood surroundings, street conditions, and other matters that could discourage residents from cycling. By promoting cycling as a means of transportation in everyday life, MTMCA hopes to normalize this mode of transportation and create a more sustainable future for Detroit.
Speeks believes that people need advocates to support them in using bikes and that his organization is the expert in communicating with the city to make bike lanes safer and more accessible. As he says, "We want to normalize cycling as a means of transportation in everyday life."
anyway, i think mark speaks' mission is pretty cool! i've lived in detroit for years and biking around the city is actually pretty easy once you get used to it. but yeah, proper clothing makes all the difference 
. what's not to love about bikes though? they're like a superpower for your health 
. and it's awesome that mark speaks is trying to promote bike usage in lower-income households - we need more initiatives like this! 
this dude Mark Speeks is literally changing the game in Detroit! I love how he's all about promoting cycling as a way to improve individual health and economic advancement in lower-income households. It's so refreshing to see someone using their passion to make a real difference. 
I'm all for bike lanes and safety education, it's about time we prioritize sustainable transportation options. MTMCA is doing amazing work, especially with the Bikes 4 Employees program - who wouldn't want free bikes and gear? 
let's get behind this movement and make cycling a norm in everyday life! 
But seriously, it makes sense that he's trying to get more people on their bikes - its good exercise and can save people money on gas. The idea of giving bikes to people who work downtown is also genius! My friend lives in a small apartment in the city and sometimes she gets frustrated with traffic, so having a bike would be awesome for her. And I love that Mark Speeks is teaming up with all these organizations to make bike lanes safer and more accessible. Maybe one day it'll be easy for everyone to get on their bikes and ride around the city without worrying about anything! 
. but if we have the right gear and some support, anyone can ride a bike year-round! and it's not just about individual health benefits - this stuff can also bring communities together 
. mtmca is doing some great work by promoting bike lanes and education, so more people feel comfortable using them. 
- Theodore Roosevelt. I think Mark Speeks' idea is genius! By giving people bikes for work, they'll not only get some exercise but also save money on gas & parking. It's all about changing the mindset, like Mark says, normalizing cycling in everyday life.
. If we can't even get folks on bikes, especially the ones who need it most, like professionals and families with limited mobility, something's gotta change 
. Speaks' idea of making bike usage a basic right is actually kinda genius 
, but only if we're willing to listen to experts like him 
. It's not just about throwing more bikes out there, we need to fix the streets and neighborhoods that are scaring people off from cycling 
. MTMCA's partnership with local agencies is a step in the right direction, but we gotta keep pushing for more 
. And Speaks' whole "no bad weather" thing? It's actually a pretty solid point about accessibility 
.
! He's like, totally on point about people just needing the right gear to get out there and ride, you know? I mean, I've been there, lived in some crazy cold spots myself, and yeah, bad clothing can definitely make a difference 
.
. As someone who's always been a fan of biking (had my first ride at age 8 
. The idea that there's no bad weather just bad clothing is so true! Who needs a fancy car when you can ride a bike through the snow? 
