Shredding Stereotypes: Salt Lake City’s Radical Adventure Riders

As a national program, Radical Adventure Riders (RAR) describes itself as a “movement,” but after speaking with Mel Dahud, Rachael Hall and Carly Sands, three of the RAR Salt Lake City chapter organizers, it has every characteristic of a flourishing community.

The first RAR group started in 2017, which, according to its website, has an interest in “gender inclusivity and racial equity in cycling and the outdoors … by providing education, connection, resources and support for the community and industry.” Today, RAR has 20 chapters nationwide; the Salt Lake City chapter began hosting events in 2021. RAR Salt Lake City now runs several events per month, often collaborating with like-minded, local meet-up groups such as Salt Lake Area Queer Climbers (SLAQC), Wheelie Spoked and the Beehive Bike Polo Club. Last fall, they even partnered with the RAR Moab chapter to host over 30 participants on a bikepacking trip through the southeast desert of Utah. They also host introduction to mountain biking clinics, bicycle maintenance workshops, film screenings and group rides.

“Getting into bikes can be difficult as a female in a male-dominated space and I just want to make that transition easier for everyone I meet.”

RAR Salt Lake City is volunteer-run, led by passionate organizers who manage social media, send outreach emails, pull together a newsletter, communicate with community partners, plan monthly programs and brainstorm ideas for the future. “It doesn’t feel much like work because I enjoy it,” says Dahud. She seems to always be thinking of new opportunities for RAR, conjuring up ideas throughout her day. Sands describes the group by saying, “We’re all so passionate about community building that there are always ideas running through our heads for RAR.”

Hall has made a long-time commitment to the cycling community. She describes building her first bike at a bike co-op in Montana as “life-changing.” Today she is car-free, relying solely on her bicycle to get to work and around town. “Getting into bikes can be difficult as a female in a male-dominated space,” she explains, “and I just want to make that transition easier for everyone I meet.” In regards to the cycling-based events RAR hosts, bringing together femme, transgender, women and non-binary folks (FTWN-B) as well as Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), “the energy is a lot different. It just feels better,” she says.

Dahud, an experienced trail runner, says she started mountain biking and just “fell in love with it.” After a tough start—falling over the handlebars on a challenging trail—she improved her technique with the help of supportive friends. She says she appreciated that the group didn’t care “if [she] was super slow, but they just wanted [her] to be on the trail and have fun.”

“We’re all so passionate about community building that there are always ideas running through our heads for RAR.”

Sands had biked prior to moving to Salt Lake, but stopped for a few years following the death of a close friend who was hit by a car while riding a bike. She sought out the Salt Lake City chapter of RAR after learning about the group from her sister, an organizer for another RAR chapter. She says that RAR expanded her community and made her feel more safe biking again. “Cycling is empowering and a great way to meet people,” she says.

Sands says that they “try to gear RAR events toward accessibility in a historically intimidating space, to create an environment without obstacles.” So, while many of the programs are built to introduce mountain biking, urban group rides or bikepacking to new participants, Dahud wants people to know that “there’s something for everyone, no matter your skill level.”

The RAR organizers are currently working to build a gear library to provide more low-cost resources for those just starting out on a bike or those honing their skills. They’re also looking for new ways to enhance their winter events and will continue their commitment to bringing the community together.

To learn more about RAR Salt Lake City, check out radicaladventureriders.com/chapters/salt-lake or find upcoming events on their Instagram page @rar.saltlake.

Read more about cycling in SLC:
Wrenching It Out : Local Bike Mechanics
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