You Could Ride With Us

I spoke with Briszeida Bullock about creating Bicibellas, developing brand partnerships, and inspiring women of color.

Briszeida was born and raised in Los Angeles, but in 2011, she decided that she needed a change of scenery. “Most people graduate high school and live on the campus in the dormitories. I didn’t do that. I went to community college and lived at home with my family. My mom’s a first generation Mexican-American and I’m second generation. In my mid 20s, I’m like, ‘I gotta get out of here.’ Briszeida’s job gave her the option to relocate to the east coast. She debated between moving to Brooklyn, Pittsburgh or Atlanta. She chose Brooklyn due to her desire to no longer sit in traffic. “When I was in LA, my work commute was 60 miles round trip. LA traffic is bad. It got to the point where I needed to expand my wings. It made sense to move to Brooklyn because of the public transportation and easy train access.” Funny enough, Briszeida found her commute in Brooklyn equally frustrating. “My job was a mile-and-a-half from my apartment. It took me 45 minutes to an hour to commute on public transportation. When I started riding my bike, it took me 13 minutes to get to work, so I started riding in New York for commuting purposes.”

Although Briszeida’s New York City bike journey began in 2011, it wasn’t until 9 years later, during the pandemic, when she started to participate in group rides. “We were so isolated and quarantined at home. At 7 PM, people would hit their pots and pans. We yearned for connection. It was like, ‘There’s a group ride? They’re meeting at Prospect Park in front of the arch, right?’” Briszeida had gone on group rides in LA with a group called Bike Crew 213, so she knew what to expect when she joined New York City based groups like TNSR, Good Co. Bike Club, and Knight Ryders. “We would show up at 7. I didn’t know anybody, but I just wanted to ride my bike. I was excited and looked forward to meeting with people.”

Briszeida’s participation in Knight Ryders eventually led her tobrand partnership opportunities. “When Adidas came out with their cycling line, it was through Knight Riders. They had me do a couple of photoshoots.”Brand collaborations were a result of posting cycling content on social media. “Once you start posting yourself as an athletic model and it goes viral, people start to recognize your face.” Briszeida found working with Adidas to be a cool experience, but was ultimately disappointed when she learned that she couldn’t keep any of the gear that she wore for the photoshoot. “Everything we all had on, we had to return it. They didn’t let us keep anything.” Adidas even made her return the socks that she wore. “I’ve been turned off by these brands. They are like, ‘We want you to wear this and take a photo.’ They post it and promote it, but I don’t get anything. It’s not worth it. I’m tired of it.”

Briszeida had a similar experience when she modeled for a Brompton x CHPT3 collaboration. “I went viral all the way in Spain. I was on their website. People were sending me pictures of me holding the bike.” In the photo, Briszeida is with a group of cyclists on a bridge in Gowanus, but she’s the only person holding up her bike. “I went viral on the Brompton Spain website and their IG. I never got anything for that. When I brought it to their attention, they were like, ‘Oh, we could give you a discount.’ I’m like, ‘No, just take my image off.’ I asked them to remove it because I didn’t think it was worthwhile. At some point, you’re like, ‘My likeness is being used,’ you know?”

One of the positive brand relationships that Briszeida developed is with the activewear company, Ostroy. “This guy, I forgot his name, but he’s a vegan cyclist with dreadlocks. He reached out to me and said ‘Ostroy is looking for people of color if you want to go to the shoot.’ I went. It was in Midtown and there were like 40 people there. It was a lot of people trying on boxes of kits. They had a photographer with a white backdrop. People were switching outfits, then they would pose and change.” Briszeida developed a friendship with Alex, the owner of Ostroy, and continued to work with them. Unlike other brands, Briszeida was fairly compensated for her participation. “He was like, ‘Oh, you could take a jersey.’”

Briszeida described the experience of modeling as eye-opening. “It’s good to see your photo and you’re known as that, but I deserve more than a discount for a free helmet or a free jersey. At the moment, it was fun. It was great to experience. I also like that my image was being shown and I was inspiring other women that look like me.” Briszeida explained that her biggest takeaway from promoting these brands was her ability to inspire women of color. “One girl from Jersey, her name is Michi, she was like, ‘I saw you on Ostroy and it made me want to rock Ostroy.’ Now she’s a cycling influencer. Seeing me inspired other women, influenced them to be like, ‘Hey, I could ride a bike too,’ or ‘I can wear that kit too,’ brown girls and black girls. I know I did that.”

In April 2022, Briszeida continued to inspire women when she created the social riding group, Bicibellas. “That was me trying to gather women that were of all levels of riding to join like, ‘Hey, let’s meet at the park and we’ll do a chill ride.’ Briszeida understood that women may sometimes feel deterred from riding due to factors beyond their control. “I’ve been sent messages like, ‘Oh, I want to ride, but I’m nervous, I’m scared,’ or they’re just intimidated, especially with other men around. I’m like, ‘You know what? I like to motivate, right? You could ride too. Let’s go outside and ride.’” Another factor that could cause skepticism among women that Briszeida accounted for was the pace of the ride. “People will be like, ‘Oh, you ride fast.’ I’m like, ‘I can ride fast, but I could also slow it down and ride as a social group with friends.’”

The idea behind Bicibellas was to establish a ride that provides good energy, good vibes, and a chill ride for women. “Even if it’s just laps around Prospect Park, ending up at a taco stand for margaritas afterwards, I just wanted to chill. I was trying to promote and inspire, because people follow me on social media, they see, and they get inspired. That’s what the space is for. It’s like seeing somebody cook a recipe. It’s like, ‘Oh, I want to try that,’ so, I did the same thing with cycling.”

The first Bicibellas ride was sponsored by Lululemon. “I had a friend named Tony and he worked for Lululemon. He collaborated with me. I went to Lululemon and I had a shopping spree. I picked out whatever I wanted. It was great. They provided 15 to 20 fanny packs to the first people that registered through Eventbrite. It was a big thing.” For the inaugural event, participants met up in front of Brooklyn Library where photos and videos were taken. Despite this event being promoted exclusively for women, men showed up as well. “Guys always message and say, ‘Can we come?’ I don’t mind if guys come, just be there to support us. That’s what I ask the guys. Be there to support. If you want to sweep, you can help sweep, but I don’t like when guys are in the front and they’re trying to take over the ride or trying to mansplain. Like, I don’t need that. Guys are welcome, but just, you know, fall back.”

Bicibellas ran over the course of a couple of years and rides were planned twice per month during the warmer riding seasons. For their season openers, Briszeida collaborated with a yoga instructor named Kyle Jones. “I did a 15 mile bike ride, then we ended in Downtown Brooklyn, and he ended the group with bike yoga. It was called Bike and Flow.” Briszeida explained that doing deep stretches following a bike ride was beneficial because cyclists often focus so much on riding that they don’t remember the importance of stretching. “Sometimes we forget. We just ride, ride, ride, and we don’t stretch.”

Bicibellas is no longer an active group after Briszeida moved to Virginia in 2025. “Kyle was already a yoga instructor before we collaborated. I think he started doing bike yoga last summer. He started doing it by himself.” If you’re sensing a theme here, Briszeida is no stranger to collaboration. The last Bicibellas ride was in collaboration with the apparel brand, Orion. “We labeled it as a singles ride. It was basically for people to meet and be respectful. One time, we ended at a brewery and everyone got a free drink ticket. It was really nice. Everyone had a beer, we were sitting by the water, everyone was talking. We had a photographer there.” While Bicibellas is no longer active, Briszeida is proud to have created it. “I’m proud of what I’ve built with Bicibellas, but I’m equally proud to be a product of NYC cycling culture. The inspiration has always gone both ways.”

In Fall of 2022, Briszeida completed her first 100 mile ride. The first step toward that happening was when Briszeida met a member of Century Plus Crew during a group ride in Philadelphia. In May of 2022, she traveled with a group called Kings Rule Together - Queens Rule Together Racing, or KRTQRT. “I met one of the girls of CPC in Philadelphia. There was a season opener of another club that I was part of, KRTQRT. I took the train, I just traveled by myself. I didn’t know anybody. It was my first time that I brought a road bike. I learned how to clip-in like a month before.” Briszeida rode with the B group and met a member of CPC. “She was like, ‘You can do it. You could ride with us.’ She saw how I rode in Philly. It was hilly and I did 60 miles in one day. I was clipped in and I felt good. I felt strong. The only thing was that I had to stop. Every time I climbed, I had to stop on the top to catch my breath. Once I did, I would keep going. That’s how I started riding with CPC and increasing my miles.”

Briszeida’s first century ride was with Century Plus Crew and three additional cycling clubs. The route for this ride was from Brooklyn to Bear Mountain and back. “I like surprises. Sometimes I like to get into things and not know details. I heard Bear Mountain is hard.” Briszeida felt confident in her fitness level during this time. She had a maximum mileage of 80 and felt ready to push it to 100 on the ride to Bear Mountain. “Woke up in the morning, it was cold. We met at Grand Army Plaza. It was 5:45 AM. There were about 20 of us.” The route took the group up into Manhattan toward the George Washington Bridge. From there, they rode up 9W and stopped at the 9W Market where they ate breakfast and sat by the fire pit to warm up. “I had a breakfast sandwich and a coffee. That refueled me, good energy. We keep going, keep going, and it’s fun. I had my speaker. I always have my music which helps me push me through some miles.”

There were varying age groups on the ride, which required more stoppage time to regroup and refuel. There were also cyclists who experienced flats along the way, so that also delayed the group. By the time Briszeida checked her Garmin and realized she was 50 miles in, the group hadn’t even reached Bear Mountain yet. When they finally reached Bear Mountain, Briszeida was concerned about the distance she already traveled and her ability to make it up the mountain. “I remember saying, ‘I’m not going to do it. I’ll wait for you guys. I’m going to stop in front of it and I’ll let you guys go.’” When Briszeida expressed this skepticism, one of the cyclists on the ride, Kevin Joseph of the group Island Luncatics, gave her reassurance. “He was like, ‘This is Baby bear. You could do Baby bear.’ He’s like, ‘Keep going,’ so I kept going.” Kevin continued to be a motivational force for Briszeida beyond the Bear Mountain trip. “Kevin was instrumental in my athletic growth. He pushed me to complete my first century, motivated me through that final stretch up Bear Mountain, and later encouraged me to compete in my first duathlon; where I placed third in my category. He helped me see myself as more than a commuter or community rider, but as a competitive athlete.”

That interaction inspired Briszeida to continue despite the fact that she was struggling to get up the mountain. “I was like, ‘I can’t stop now. I was riding, pedaling, and grinding. I kept shifting gears. I was praying, I was talking to my ancestors. I think I spoke to my grandma. I was like, ‘Lord, please give me… I did not stop. I did not get off my bike. I refused. I pushed through.” Briszeida described the Bear Mountain climb as a long and winding road. Throughout the climb, she saw cars parked and thought she was at the top, only to realize that there was more riding to do. “When I finally got to the top, people were going at their pace, right? You meet at the top. When I got off my bike, I thought I broke my ass. Sorry for the language, but I couldn’t walk. I was in a lot of pain.” At the top, the group took photos and took in the moment, but couldn’t stay for long because they had to ride back to the city before it got too dark. Briszeida hit the 100-mile mark when the group hit Strictly Bicycles, a bike shop in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Briszeida didn’t have much time to celebrate this milestone because the group informed her that they needed to ride all the way back to Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. “I’m like, ‘I’m done.’ I said, ‘I’m going on the first train I see.’ As soon as I crossed the George Washington Bridge, I got on the nearest train and took it home, but I accomplished my 100 miles.”

Bicibellas had already been established by the time Briszeida completed her first 100-mile century ride. It’s a prime example of how motivating and inspiring others is a two way street. Beyond the Century Plus Crew members who pushed her to ride 100 miles, there have been several cyclists who have given Briszeida the motivation to pursue her cycling goals. “I started riding with TNSR around 2021. The ride leaders there, I’m still friends with to this day, Chunk and Jess. Chunk is a solid dude. Those are two dope cyclists that I admire. They also inspired me to ride fixie. Jess and Chunk would be riding a fixie, doing 35 plus miles the whole night.”

Once Briszeida learned how to ride a fixed-gear bike, she participated in the fixed-gear race, Harlem Skyscraper. “I wasn’t affiliated with a race team, I just jumped in. That shit was hard.” Briszeida also got the opportunity to participate in the fixed-gear race, Formula Fixed, in her hometown of Los Angeles. “I was one of the first girls they asked to do it. They offered me a stipend, a hotel, and a flight. So, I did it. I didn’t make it to the finals, but I was there.” Briszeida used this experience as an opportunity to visit family and learn more about racing. “It was fun. It was a little scary, but I learned a lot about fixies because when you ride a fixed-gear bike on a street versus on a tight course, you have to change your gear ratio and the tires.” During this time, Briszeida befriended fellow Formula Fixed racer, Brittany O’Neal. “Brittany is another person I want to highlight. She’s the person that inspired me to race. Like, I look up to her. She’s an amazing, very nice, kind person. When we were at Formula Fixed, she was giving us tips. Like, how to clean our tires with alcohol. She’s like, ‘Make sure you get alcohol and just rub the tire, so you don’t have any grease that might make you slip.’ So, very cool riding with the pro, because she’s a pro, right? She’s won championships. That’s another person that’s inspired me.” Briszeida referred to Brittany as her SHEro, something she later clarified to be a combination of the words “she” and “hero.”

Briszeida recently left New York and is settling into her new life in Virginia. “Cycling has brought me a lot of joy. It’s brought a lot of great people in my life. Biking in New York is like no other. There’s no other city like it. The vibes are immaculate.” Although she is no longer in New York City, Briszeida is excited to discover cycling in her new city. “Relocating to Richmond is exciting. I’m looking forward to riding. This place has beautiful bike trails and access to mother nature.”

Despite no longer living in New York City, Briszeida doesn’t plan to stop motivating and inspiring others. “As this next chapter unfolds, Bicibellas has been on pause: not from lack of love, but from international growth. Andre and I are excited to share that Baby Campbell will be arriving this summer.” Briszeida wishes to continue the mission she set out on when she created Bicibellas. “As an Afro-Latina woman who built Bicibellas to create a safe and affirming space for black and brown women in cycling, stepping into motherhood feels like a natural extension of that work. Community-building and family-building are both sacred acts. This season has called me to slow down, nurture life, and pour inward, trusting that what we’ve built will continue to echo.” As for Bicibellas itself, it’s on pause for now, but there is a bright future ahead. “Bicibellas will ride again, stronger, wiser, and rooted even deeper in purpose. This isn’t an ending. It’s an evolution.”