Boston Cyclists Union
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersEast Boston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Boston Cyclists Union firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Boston Cyclists Union
- Legal name
- Boston Cyclists Union
- Website
- https://bostoncyclistsunion.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Boston Cyclists Union industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cycling Advocacy
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bicycle Programs & Bike Share (Parking, Repair, Rentals) (EDALAKAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Bikeshare (Station-Based/Docked) (TLAFAMAE)
Keywords
Where Boston Cyclists Union is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- East Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Boston Cyclists Union business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individual supporters through EveryAction platform, with various giving levels and donation history self-service capabilities.
- Foundation Grants: Funding from local and national foundations supporting general operations and specific programs. Major supporters include Barr Foundation, Conine Family Foundation, Lawrence & Lillian Solomon Foundation at Trailblazer level, and T4MA at Champion level.
- Membership Fees: Annual membership program with standardized commitment levels for business supporters and individual members.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | BlueBikes subsidized passes for limited-income riders |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Boston Cyclists Union product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Boston Cyclists Union is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that advocates for safer, people-centered streets in Boston through grassroots organizing, policy campaigns, and community programming. It delivers free bike repair through Bike Kitchens and Bike to Market, subsidized BlueBikes passes for low-income riders, and data-driven activism via BCU Labs interactive maps.
Product overview
Boston Cyclists Union is a nonprofit cycling advocacy organization offering a suite of programs and tools. Core offerings include BCU Labs (data and analytics division with interactive tools including a Crash Map, Stress Map, and Project Tracker), bike repair programs (Bike Kitchens at multiple locations and Bike to Market at farmers markets), advocacy campaigns for safer streets and cycling infrastructure, Bluebikes partnership for subsidized bike-share access, and organized events. The organization focuses on making cycling safe, accessible, and equitable across Greater Boston neighborhoods.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BCU Labs Data and analytics division that builds interactive tools — including a Massachusetts Crash Map tracking bicycle accidents, a Stress Map for low-stress routing, and a Project Tracker for upcoming street changes — to support cycling advocacy and help residents, advocates, and policymakers identify safety priorities.
- Bike to Market Free bike repair service delivered at farmers markets in Boston neighborhoods with limited access to bike shops, teaching repair skills while providing affordable parts to local riders.
- Bike Kitchens Do-it-yourself community bike repair workshops held at multiple Greater Boston locations, where trained volunteers provide tools, parts, and expertise so riders can learn to maintain and repair their own bicycles.
- BlueBikes Subsidized Pass Program Partnership program that distributes subsidized BlueBikes bike-share passes at $5 per year to limited-income Boston riders, lowering the cost barrier to cycling-based transportation.
- Community Events and Rides Organized community cycling events, group rides, educational workshops, and advocacy gatherings held across Greater Boston to build community, advance cycling skills, and support advocacy campaigns.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30,000 bike trips per day in Boston supported by advocacy efforts
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Boston Cyclists Union
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Boston Cyclists Union technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Boston Cyclists Union partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bikes Not BombscoreKey campaign partner collaborating on equity-focused bike and bus lane advocacy in Egleston and Nubian Squares. Partnership includes community organizing, resident training, and joint advocacy for safe streets in underserved neighborhoods.
- LivableStreets AlliancecoreCollaborating on organizing Bostonians to shape streets and advance bike, bus, and pedestrian projects. Joint campaigns for Warren Street and Malcolm X Boulevard improvements.
- DotBikecoreDorchester-based neighborhood bike group partner, part of the grassroots organizing network supporting equity-focused advocacy in communities of color.
- JP BikescoreJamaica Plain neighborhood bike group partner in the grassroots organizing network.
- Rozzie BikescoreRoslindale neighborhood bike group partner in the grassroots organizing network.
- Bike Safe BostonminorAdvocate-level business supporter contributing to the organization's mission.
- B&W LawminorAdvocate-level business supporter providing legal/professional support.
- Urban DirtminorAdvocate-level supporter in the cycling community.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Boston Cyclists Union competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- League of American Bicyclists: National bicycling advocacy organization with state and local affiliate structure. Comparable function at national scale; broader remit than BCU but uses similar advocacy, education, and policy levers.
- Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA): Statewide transportation advocacy coalition in which BCU is a member. Comparable coalition-based advocacy model and overlapping funder relationships (T4MA is also a BCU Champion-level supporter).
- PeopleForBikes: National bicycle advocacy and industry coalition. Operates at broader scale with industry and policy focus, comparable to BCU's advocacy model but with more national remit and stronger industry funding.
- National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO): Association of city transportation departments that shapes bike infrastructure standards and design guidance. Indirectly comparable to BCU as a stakeholder shaping the same policy and infrastructure agenda from the municipal side.
Direct peers
- Transportation Alternatives: New York City-based advocacy nonprofit for safer streets, bike infrastructure, and equity-centered street design. Closest large-city peer to BCU in mission, tactics, and community-organizing advocacy model.
- MassBike: Massachusetts statewide bicycle advocacy nonprofit. Closest statewide cycling advocacy peer to BCU, sharing legislative priorities (bike infrastructure funding, Complete Streets, automated enforcement) and overlapping donor and volunteer bases.
- Bikes Not Bombs: Roxbury-based youth cycling nonprofit and BCU campaign partner. Operates bike repair, earn-a-bike, and equity programming in many of the same neighborhoods BCU targets (Dorchester, Roxbury, Egleston/Nubian Squares), making it the closest mission-aligned peer.
- LivableStreets Alliance: Boston-area multimodal advocacy nonprofit collaborating directly with BCU on Warren Street and Malcolm X Boulevard campaigns. Operates the same community-organizing model around bike, bus, and pedestrian infrastructure, making it the closest peer in mission, geography, and tactics.
- WalkBoston: Boston-area pedestrian-focused advocacy nonprofit. Operates in the same metropolitan advocacy ecosystem as BCU, sharing targets (City of Boston, MassDOT) and frequently co-files campaigns, making it a directly comparable advocacy peer.
Emerging players
- Streetsblog: Urbanist media network covering bike, pedestrian, and transit advocacy at the city level. Comparable mission and content-driven advocacy approach; functions as a media/amplification peer rather than a direct service competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Boston Cyclists Union social profiles
Digital presenceBoston Cyclists Union financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Boston Cyclists Union leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Boston Cyclists Union funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Boston Cyclists Union M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Boston Cyclists Union
What does Boston Cyclists Union do?
Boston Cyclists Union is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that advocates for safer, people-centered streets in Boston through grassroots organizing, policy campaigns, and community programming. It delivers free bike repair through Bike Kitchens and Bike to Market, subsidized BlueBikes passes for low-income riders, and data-driven activism via BCU Labs interactive maps.
Is Boston Cyclists Union a public or private company?
Boston Cyclists Union is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Boston Cyclists Union founded?
Boston Cyclists Union was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Boston Cyclists Union based?
Boston Cyclists Union is headquartered in East Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Boston Cyclists Union make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation Grants and membership Fees.
Who are Boston Cyclists Union's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are League of American Bicyclists, Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA), PeopleForBikes and National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO). Direct peers are Transportation Alternatives, MassBike, Bikes Not Bombs, LivableStreets Alliance and WalkBoston. Streetsblog is listed as an emerging player.
Does Boston Cyclists Union have an API?
No public API is recorded for Boston Cyclists Union.
What industry is Boston Cyclists Union in?
Boston Cyclists Union's product category is Cycling Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAKAE, Bicycle Programs & Bike Share (Parking, Repair, Rentals), with a secondary code of TLAFAMAE, Bikeshare (Station-Based/Docked). Its NAICS code is 81341 and its SIC code is 7997.