Meet Trailnet’s New Rides Manager, Matt Hartman

Matt has been heavily involved in expanding St. Louis’ bicycle culture for years and we’re so happy he’s the newest member of our team. He has organized rides all over St. Louis that have drawn people from all over the country. He’s also worked at a number of bike shops, even starting his own in the heart of Gravois Park. His attitude toward bicycling and its potential for building community will bring a new energy to our rides and events.

Here’s what Matt has to say about his new role:

I’m thrilled to take the helm as Trailnet’s new Rides Manager. I have a lot of experience producing events on a local and national level. My hope is to get Trailnet’s events on riders’ “bucket lists” across the country. Bicycling in this region is rewarding because of the dynamic neighborhoods and unique buildings. St. Louis is an old city with unparalleled architecture and so many of the fine details of our 100-plus-year-old buildings are better appreciated while riding a bicycle.

I think we can continue to elevate our current events and create new, exciting, experiences that will have national pull. St. Louis is primed to be a city that bicyclists love. I’m ready to draw people from all over to see why this is an awesome place to ride your bike.

I’m excited to advance the St. Louis bicycling community that I’ve helped nurture over the years. When I moved back to St. Louis after graduate school, I didn’t know anyone who rode regularly like I did, so I would literally chase down other bicyclists in the street and introduce myself. I wanted to know more about biking in the city. Thus, SpokedSTL was born. This organization was used as a brand to organize rides within the city. SpokedSTL later morphed into a competitive team racing group at the Penrose Park Velodrome. We were also very active in the early fundraising efforts for resurfacing Penrose.

Around this time, I began working in local bike shops, starting at South Side Cyclery, then Big Shark Bicycle Company. I later opened my own Bike shop on Cherokee Street: Spoked Bikes and Stuff. With Spoked Bikes came Spoked Adventures, which focused on programming multi-day trips including bike-packing, camping, canoeing and climbing. Following the closing of Spoked Bikes, I managed The Cyclery’s service depart in Shiloh, IL.

I was drawn to Trailnet because I believe it’s making a lot of progress for biking and walking in St. Louis. Cycling is such a multi-faceted experience. It benefits the individual by serving as an affordable mode of transportation and a recreational experience that improves health and fitness. It also services the planet by decreasing the number of cars on the road and reduction carbon emissions. I’m excited to help usher in the next era of bicycling in St. Louis.

Stay tuned for our upcoming rides calendar!

Cheers,

Matt