The Freewheelers of Spartanburg

What The Freewheelers of Spartanburg does

The Freewheelers of Spartanburg, Inc. is a Spartanburg, South Carolina non-profit community cycling club that delivers education and promotion of bicycle safety and serves as a forum for amateur sports competition and touring. The organization's roots trace to 1975, when founder John Bryan and friends inaugurated the Assault on Mt. Mitchell, a 246-mile round-trip ride to the highest point east of the Mississippi; the Assault on Marion (74.2 miles) was added in 1994 to broaden participation, and both events are today capped at 800 finishers by National Park Service rules. The Freewheelers Cycling Association (FCA) was incorporated as a separate 501(c)(3) in 2015 to handle the Assaults and charitable programming. Membership is the foundation of the business: single dues are $35/year and family dues are $50/year (valid through December 2026), giving members supplemental accident medical insurance on posted rides, access to a private Groups.io message board, eligibility for sponsored events, and discounts at partner bike shops. The club runs daily/weekly group rides across multiple pace groups from locations throughout Spartanburg County, organizes charity events including Miles for Mammograms (benefit to the Bearden-Josey Center for Breast Health Mammogram Assistance Fund) and Tour de Paws (Spartanburg Humane Society), and conducts cycling safety education in partnership with the Spartanburg City Police Bike-Ped Division. Ancillary revenue streams include event registration fees (e.g., $50 member / $65 non-member early bird for Miles for Mammograms) and Giordana-branded kit sales (Vero and Scatto styles) ordered in periodic drops with 5-6 week delivery.

The technical footprint is intentionally lightweight: a WordPress-hosted site (freewheelers.info) powered by the Courage theme, with auxiliary channels including a Facebook Group, Instagram (@freewheelers_cycling), a Groups.io private email board, and Zeffy for online membership payment and event registration. Leadership is provided by an elected board led by President Kristie Thome and Vice President Michael Forrester, with directors covering Touring, Racing, Membership, Bike Advocacy, Bike Shop Liaison, Safety, plus a Treasurer, Secretary, Web Administrator, ex officio Directors of the Assaults (Jenn Chew and Jamie Prince), and Board Members at Large (Dave Coggins, Rober Barnes, Cheryl Miller). The organization holds no patents, trademarks, or external investment, and is operated under a mutual partnership model with Ki-level bike shops (Trek Store of Spartanburg, Freehub Bicycles, Greenville Cycling & Multisport), apparel partner Giordana, state advocacy group Palmetto Walk Bike, and the local Partners for Active Living (PAL). Recognition includes a 2018 Spartanburg Christmas Parade Sparkle City Award and a 2018 League of American Bicyclists bronze-level Bike Community designation for Spartanburg.

Name

The Freewheelers of Spartanburg

Legal name

The Freewheelers of Spartanburg, Inc.

Website

https://freewheelers.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Freewheelers of Spartanburg is a non-profit cycling club serving Spartanburg and the Upstate South Carolina region, offering weekly group rides, the Assault on Mt. Mitchell and Marion endurance events, charity rides, and bicycle safety education to recreational and competitive cyclists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Cycling Club Services

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Cycling Events (Road Races, Gran Fondos, Sportives) (MPAKAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bike Rental, Demo & Tour Operators (Retail-Adjacent) (CRAMAHAJ)

Keywords

• Recreational cycling club
• Cycling safety education
• Amateur cycling events
• Bicycling advocacy
• Group cycling rides

Headquarters

HQ city

Spartanburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Single memberships at $35/year and family memberships at $50/year, valid through end of December 2026. Membership provides supplemental accident medical insurance on club rides, access to private message board, and supports bicycle advocacy.
2. Cycling Kits and Merchandise: Sale of branded cycling kits (jerseys, bibs, shorts, vests) through Giordana partnership. Kits sold periodically with 5-6 week delivery times.
3. Event Registration Fees: Registration fees for charity rides and events such as Miles for Mammograms (early bird: $50 members, $65 non-members) and Tour de Paws.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Freewheelers of Spartanburg is a non-profit bicycling club that provides annual memberships granting access to weekly group rides, supplemental accident medical insurance on club rides, and a private member message board. The organization organizes signature cycling events including the Assault on Mt. Mitchell (a 74+ mile endurance ride since 1975) and charity rides, alongside cycling safety education programs and a member discount program with partner local bike shops.

Product overview

The Freewheelers of Spartanburg operates as a non-profit bicycling club offering a unified membership-based service portfolio. The core offerings center on Cycling Club Membership (providing insurance coverage and access to Weekly Group Rides across multiple skill levels), major cycling events including The Assault on Mt. Mitchell and Marion (the organization's flagship annual endurance events), and Charity Rides such as Miles for Mammograms and Tour de Paws. Supporting services include Cycling Education Programs for safety training, a Member Perks discount program through partner bike shops, Supplemental Accident Medical Insurance coverage for members, Club Kit merchandise (Giordana-branded cycling apparel), and Bicycle Touring Services. The organization also advocates for cycling safety and infrastructure through partnerships with Palmetto Walk Bike and operates the Freewheelers Cycling Association (FCA) as its 501(c)(3) arm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cycling Club Membership
• Weekly Group Rides
• The Assault on Mt. Mitchell and Marion
• Charity Rides
• Cycling Education Programs
• Club Kit (Cycling Apparel)
• Bicycle Touring Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Club membership grew from 130 (2017) to 234 (November 2017), demonstrating community value
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Partners for Active Living (PAL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary community partner working to make Spartanburg County a healthier, more livable community through walking, bicycling, and physical activity promotion. PAL and Freewheelers co-host events including the Spartanburg Criterium.
• Palmetto Walk BikecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide bicycling and pedestrian advocacy organization. The Freewheelers support Palmetto Walk Bike through donations and legislative lobbying efforts at the state level.
• Trek Store of SpartanburgmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal bike shop offering Freewheelers members 10% discount on accessories (excluding Garmin) and $20 off purchases of $50 or more. Serves as pickup location for club merchandise. Hosts early Saturday group rides.
• Freehub BicyclesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTwo locations (1832 B Woodruff Rd Greenville and 110 S Main St, Travelers Rest) offering active Freewheelers members 10% discount including 1 bike per year. Additional 5% for active and retired military, police, and fire personnel.
• Greenville Cycling & MultisportminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBike fitting studio offering Freewheelers members 15% off fittings and 10% off merchandise. Uses Retul fitting technology with over 6,000 bike fittings performed.
• Fix'd Concierge Bike ServicesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMobile bike service offering Freewheelers members 10% off parts.
• GiordanamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCycling apparel manufacturer producing branded Freewheelers cycling kits (jerseys, bibs, shorts). Kits available in Vero (club cut) and Scatto (performance) styles.
• Spartanburg City Police Department - Bike Ped DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw enforcement division focused on cyclist and pedestrian safety. Officer Lee Raines provides educational talks on animal incidents and safety, and coordinates bike safety programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Charlotte Blue Blazes Bicycle Club: Carolinas-based recreational cycling club offering organized group rides, racing, and touring events. Comparable as a regional membership-driven cycling club with a similar weekly group ride model, member insurance offerings, and charity ride participation.
• Greenville Spinners Cycling Club: Local South Carolina cycling club offering group rides, races, and member services in the Greenville area. Directly comparable as a community-led recreational cycling club with weekly rides and annual events serving a similar Upstate SC market adjacent to the Freewheelers' Spartanburg footprint.
• Carolina Cycling Club: Community cycling organization serving the Carolinas with organized group rides and racing. Directly comparable membership-based cycling club model with similar weekly ride cadence and amateur racing focus.

Broad incumbents

• League of American Bicyclists: National bicycling advocacy organization that rates Bike Friendly Communities and lobbies for cyclist rights. Comparable as the broader national counterpart whose recognition the Freewheelers achieved (Bronze Level Bike Community), but operates at industry/advocacy scale rather than local club scale.
• USA Cycling: National governing body for cycling in the United States, sanctioning races and clubs. Comparable in its amateur sports competition and racing focus, but operates as the national sanctioning body rather than a local community club.
• Adventure Cycling Association: National non-profit dedicated to bicycle travel and touring with a comprehensive route network and member services. Comparable as a member-supported cycling organization with a touring focus, but operates at a much broader national scale.

Regional players

• Palmetto Walk Bike: South Carolina statewide bicycling and pedestrian advocacy organization that the Freewheelers actively support. Comparable as a cycling advocacy entity operating in the same geography, but focused on policy and infrastructure rather than organized rides and events.
• Bike Upcountry SC: Upstate South Carolina cycling resource and route organization. Comparable as a regional cycling advocacy and route-promotion entity in the same SC geography, though it focuses more on tourism and route discovery than ride organization.

Others

• Partners for Active Living (PAL): Spartanburg-based non-profit promoting walking, bicycling, and physical activity. Comparable as a local community partner promoting active lifestyles in Spartanburg County, though it is a broader health-focused non-profit rather than a dedicated cycling club.
• Greenville Cycling & Multisport: Greenville-area bike fitting studio and retail shop offering member discounts to Freewheelers members. Comparable as a cycling retail/service partner operating in the same Upstate SC cycling ecosystem, though it is a commercial bike shop rather than a club.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/freewheelersSpartanburg
• Instagraminstagram.com/freewheelers_cycling
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freewheelersclub

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Freewheelers of Spartanburg