A ride through the woods with friends may be all we need to rebuild our connections to the land And each other.
Help us Introduce Kids
To The Outdoors
All kids deserve to be able to experience the freedom and joy of riding their bikes in a safe place. They deserve to run and play and explore the wonders of nature. But it's not just about the outdoors being fun, research shows it greatly impacts mental, physical and spiritual health and is essential to their healthy development.
Michelle Kondo, a research social scientist with the USDA Forest Service said "patient diagnoses and chronic illness risk are too often related to where an individual lives and their proximity to green spaces." Due to generations of systemic and institutional oppression, this problem disproportionately affects Black, Latino and Native American children.
While part of Detroit has experienced a renaissance, too many Black, Native and Latino families have been left behind. Crime is still high. Poverty is still high. We still face food deserts and have to worry about abandoned, dilapidated buildings. It's not a fun, beautiful or even safe place for many of our kids to play and grow.
We want to change that. And you can help.
Join The Adventure!
There are a lot of ways to get involved. From making a financial donation, to becoming a volunteer, or simply subscribing to our YouTube channel, we really appreciate all the ways our supporters contribute.
Volunteer
A great way to support what we’re doing is to come out and ride with us. Or fix some bikes. Or is you’re not the outdoorsy type, we could use some help writing grants. There’s lots of ways to make a difference.
Make a Donation
We always need bikes. We provide bikes and helmets for our young cyclists to use during our excursions. We also give away bikes that are in good condition, but perhaps not suitable for the trails. We also use broken bikes during our bike repair clinics. If you are in Metro Detroit and have a bike you're no longer using, there's a good chance we'll have a use for it and we'll even come pick it up.
The experiences we're creating for our young adventurers are free for families, but insurance, gas, bike parts, park passes, and snacks are not. Even a small donation could buy a part a bike needs to be made rideable for our youth.
Donate a Bike
Host A Clinic
Most of our adventures are private events for our youth groups. However, some are open to the public as a fundraiser for one of our partners (or ourselves). So, if you've ever wanted to learn more about bikes and do your own repairs but don't know how, one of our professional bike mechanics can teach you. We provide tools and parts, and you can either learn to fix your own bike, or practice on one of ours.
Partner With Us
We welcome organizations that work with children in nature-deprived areas to reach out and take advantage of our programs.
Share Our Story
Sharing is just as important as donating. We depend on donations to keep this operation running and the more people we reach, the better. But it's not just about finances. To make the outdoors welcoming for everyone, we have to change the narrative, break the stereotypes and show the world that Black, Latino and Native Americans DO belong in the outdoors.
latest News
We Give 100%
We're a pretty lean operation. We have minimal overhead costs, are run by volunteers and we don't spend any money on fundraising. Everything goes toward creating fun, educational, outdoor experiences for our kids.
100 Million people in the U.S. do not have easy access to green spaces.
THE NATURE GAPMany communities in the U.S. are not able to simply step outside to enjoy the wonders of nature. This is what we call “The Nature Gap” – It's a disparity that disproportionately impacts communities of color and low-income households, denying them the physical, social, and emotional benefits of spending time in nature. This gap is not a result of individual choices, but rather a systemic issue rooted in historical segregation, racial violence, and economic inequality. It's a gap perpetuated by biased narratives and stereotypes, and its effects are still felt today.
Programs
We've developed the following programs designed to give kids the tools and skills to fix bikes and be safe, skilled cyclists, enable them to ride bikes on trails that are not typically accessible to them, and encourage stewardship, appreciation, and decolonization of the outdoors.
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We encourage our young cyclists to explore, ride, and experience the outdoors like they never have before with guided rides on paved, gravel and mountain biking trails. We provide bikes, helmets and snacks for the day.
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Our young cyclists will learn age appropriate skills to maintain and repair their bikes from one of our professional bike mechanics. Topics include how to properly lock up a bike, cleaning and lubricating the chain, changing flats, and making adjustments for fit and performance.
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For kids to be safe riders, they need to be seen, and heard. By providing bells and lights, we can reduce crashes, and make riding even more fun. Helmets DRASTICALLY reduce serious brain injuries. Thanks to the DALMAC Fund, and we were able to give away 250 helmets in 2025.
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In 2025, we introduced traditional Indigenous lacrosse, or baaga'adowe, a sacred game gifted by the Creator, deeply rooted in Indigenous identity, community, and wellness. Many of the Native youth we serve have never had the chance to play due to limited access to equipment or culturally grounded instruction. By partnering with traditional stick makers Rick Woods and RJ Smith, we’re committed to teaching the game with integrity and care. Baaga'adowe has become part of our camping trips, family events, and bike programs offering even more opportunities for movement, cultural connection, and healing through teamwork.
We Need
Volunteers!
Why Mountain Biking?
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Mountain biking combines the familiar activity of riding a bike with the therapeutic advantages of being in nature and the thrill of navigating hills, turns, and obstacles.
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It provides great exercise, challenges individuals, and fosters opportunities for personal growth by encouraging risk-taking and stress release in a positive manner.
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Mastering mountain biking enhances agility, balance, and confidence, making cyclists safer not just on the trails, but in urban environments as well.
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Through mountain biking, we can introduce our youth to the outdoors. It is our hope that they will fall in love with nature, cycling and become happy, healthy, protectors of the land.
Empowering Kids to Take care of their bikes
Our young cyclists face many challenges and barriers to experiencing the outdoors. One of them is the ability to keep their bikes working. There are many great organizations that provide free bikes to underserved kids. However, without the means to maintain and repair those bikes, they can only ride so long.
We want to empower kids and keep them riding by giving them the skills, knowledge and tools to maintain their bikes. And as economic and environmental instability continues, more people will rely on bikes for transportation. Being safe, skilled, confident cyclists who can complete their own repairs will be a huge asset for them. And by fixing bikes, we keep them out of the landfills, so the planet benefits too.
74% of communities of color in the contiguous United States live in nature-deprived areas, compared with just 23% of white communities
Because of this disparity, Luki Bike Adventures was created for and develops programming catering to the needs of foster kids and youth from historically marginalized communities of color. However, all are welcome to participate and no child shall be excluded on the basis of race, color, or ethnicity.
Bicycles as vehicles of change
We have lost our connections to the land, and to each other. Without those connections, we have nothing. Everyday, and everywhere you look, you can see signs of us falling apart.
Maybe it's silly. Maybe they're just bikes. But maybe taking a ride through the woods with friends is the very thing we need to rebuild those connections. Maybe, that's all we really need to save ourselves, and the world.