Major Taylor Cycling Club of Topeka, KS
Come enjoy a ride with The Major Taylor Cycling Club, Topeka KS chapter.
Start cycling with us!
Marshall Walter "Major" Taylor
American bicycle racer Marshall Walter "Major" Taylor was born in Indianapolis, IN on November 26th, 1878, and died on June 27st, 1932 in Chicago, IL at 53 years of age. He was world cycling champion in 1899, American sprint champion in 1900, and set numerous track cycling records. Nicknamed “Major” in his youth in Indianapolis and later known as “the Worcester Whirlwind” after his adopted hometown in Massachusetts, he was the second African American world champion in any sport (after Canadian-born bantamweight boxer George Dixon of Boston won his title in 1891). For decades he was the only black athlete to win a world championship in cycling or any other sport. In the Jim Crow era of strict racial segregation, Taylor had to fight prejudice just to get on the starting line. He faced closed doors and open hostility with remarkable dignity. In his retirement he wrote his autobiography, “The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World.”
I know that a good many champions have entertained the thought that the more they discourage youngsters, the longer they would reign. However, this theory never impressed me, and I always made it a point to give youths the benefit of my experience in bicycle racing.
— Major Taylor
Our Story
The Major Taylor Cycling Club of Topeka was organized to bring our community together. We welcome everyone as we are a club without barriers. We promote a healthy lifestyle, sense of community and local partnership through various levels of cycling. We are dedicated to safe, fun, and enjoyable cycling thoughout the state of Kansas and beyond.
I have been riding for about forty years. I was living in Colorado riding mountain and road bikes. About ten years ago I spent the majority of my time on my road bike. Through the years I would come home (Topeka, KS) for Memorial and Labor Day weekends, riding with BeeGee and Howard. Five years ago I found out about Major Taylor through the Major Taylor Cycling Club of Denver. During that time I introduced BeeGee and Howard to Major Taylor and sent them their first Major Taylor riding jerseys. In 2022 we had the idea of starting a club in Kansas. In 2023 the Major Taylor Cycling Club of Topeka (MTCCT) was formed with seven members and counting. — Ron Scales (president)
I have always been into sports thoughout my life. I played bad basketball, baseball and ran track. To stay healthy and active, I started running after my collage days. Running all the distances out there, even four marathons. I started riding my bike with a great friend of mine named Jerry Armstrong, who ended up owning Capps bike shop. I have rode in 13 RABRAI, which is Register Annual Bike Ride Across Iowa. During that time we started a group called the BBC "Black Bike Club". We rode and trained together to go on the Iowa bike ride. Also we rode the "Hotter In Hell 100" three times. I'v been riding a total of 45 years. I've always tried to keep the groups together, but with age some members dropped out. Now with MTCCT, together we promote new black riders into riding in Kansas. — Ralph BeeGee Bryant (Sargent at Arms)
How it Started
The Topeka chapter of Major Taylor CC is a new club that started in 2023. Although our chapter is new, our members have been riding for over 40 years. The founders each started individually for fitness and fun, but later joined together to promote and expand the sport of cycling in the the community.
The Topeka Riders
