Bike Build Shout-Out to Bicycle Depot in New Paltz, NY

The COVID-19 pandemic may have forced the Physical Education classes at Highland Middle School (HMS) in New York’s Hudson Valley to pivot virtually this fall, but students have a new reason to get outside and get moving, thanks to a generous grant from Outride and support from local retailer Bicycle Depot in New Paltz, NY.

Outride’s Riding for Focus program recently donated 36 brand-new custom bicycles to supplement Highland’s existing — but aging — fleet. The grant also supplied everything the school would need to get students riding, from new helmets and maintenance equipment to instructor training and cycling curriculum. 

Mike Milliman, Highland Middle School Physical Education Teacher and Champion, gave a big shout out to Bicycle Depot in New Paltz for lending a hand at a crucial time. “When the bikes were delivered, I contacted the owner of Bicycle Depot, Mike Neuman, and he offered to put all 36 bikes together, free of charge,” Milliman said. The shop is located right next to the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail and a short distance from the Monhonk Preserve and Minnewaska State Park so some pretty cool trails and roads nearby.

photo credit: John Cullinan

When Milliman applied for the Outride grant two years ago, he was surprised to learn that only 12 percent of HMS students knew how to ride a bike. He began sharing cycling tutorials during his virtual Physical Education classes to improve students’ understanding of basic skills and increase their comfort levels.

Mike has plans to grow the cycling program at HMS. Given the school’s proximity to the Hudson Valley Rail Trail and the Walkway Over the Hudson, that future likely includes more opportunities for students to get outdoors and explore everything their community has to offer.  

Read more in this recent Times-Herald Article