Major Velocity Houston is named after Marshall “Major” Taylor, the first African American to win a World Professional Cycling Championship.He began as an entertainer at the age of 13 and was hired to perform cycling stunts outside a bicycle shop while wearing a soldier’s uniform, which resulted in the nickname “Major”.
On August 10, 1899, Taylor won the world 1-mile championship in Montreal, defeating Boston rival Tom Butler, making him the second black world champion athlete, behind bantamweight boxer George Dixon.What made Taylor's achievement so historic and special was that he was a man of color who overcame the institutional racial barriers of his day to become a world champion cyclist.For more information about Major Taylor, go to http://www.majortaylorassociation.org. About Us
Major Velocity Houston is a recreational cycling club open to all levels of cyclists from beginners to the competitive racer. We have several riding groups to ensure that all members are able to have an enjoyable, yet challenging ride to help get them to the next level.Our main objectives are to:
1. Provide a means to bring various peoples together through a shared interest in cycling in an effort to bring cultural diversity to the cycling community.
2. To assist our members in improving their riding abilities and reaching their goals of cycling competence, fitness, and endurance.
3. To actively participate in cycling-related activities involving minority communities to serve as role models in an effort to better the community.