CYCLING FOR A CAUSE

At Signature, our mission is simple — to deliver a world-class cycling experience. That might mean buying a bike, a component, or an accessory — but more important than any of those is what you do with the bike, and where cycling can take you. At Signature Cycles, we see ourselves as a community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about cycling. And like any true community, we believe in sharing with others, looking beyond ourselves, and giving back whenever possible.

Whether or not they have a direct connection to cycling, Signature supports a range of charitable organizations through donations, volunteer time, and active involvement. Last year, we dedicated significant time to collaborating with Best Buddies, a nonprofit that supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), helping them find jobs, build friendships, and live fulfilling lives.

Signature has a personal connection to Best Buddies. Ruedi, a co-owner of Signature and a central figure in our community, has a son who was born with Downs syndrome. As Ruedi shares, “this naturally created for me and my family a need and desire to get engaged with vulnerable people and populations at risk.” He has since committed much of his time to supporting organizations that improve the lives of people with special needs, and currently serves as President of The Arc Westchester, a community support organization also supporting these individuals. Additionally, fellow co-owner Abraham’s wife has dedicated the past 25 years to improving living conditions for adults with developmental challenges — a lifelong passion. With this deep-rooted connection, it was clear to all of us at Signature that Best Buddies was an organization we had to support.

This desire to help others has led us to some incredible cycling experiences and meaningful opportunities to support at-risk communities. A recent experience, and one of the best cycling experiences we’ve hosted at Signature Cycles was a visit from Mark Cavendish, as well as a talk and ride with the legendary cyclist. Cavendish, who holds the record for the most Tour de France stage wins (35), needs little introduction. Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme has called him “the greatest sprinter in the history of the Tour and of cycling.”

Like Ruedi, Mark has a close personal connection to childhood disability and understands the unique impact that sport — and sports figures — can have on children. Speaking in 2024 about his son, he said, “How riders and sports people react to him gives me a massive scope and perspective on what my role means as a sportsperson […] it gives you a sense of what your roles and responsibilities are.” Sport is not only a powerful tool for fundraising, but also for inspiration, empowerment, and personal growth — helping people find find a sense of peace and space within busy or difficult lives.

After a small meet and greet, we were treated to an interesting and insightful talk by the great champion. He spoke passionately about his love for cycling, and how it allowed him reach incredible high points in his life, as well as work through challenging moments. He spoke too about how fortunate he feels to be able to make a difference for this important cause through cycling, combining two key passions in his life. The talk was followed by a Saturday morning ride unlike any other — riding alongside Cavendish transformed our familiar routes into something magical.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without Best Buddies, who partnered with us to make this unforgettable event happen. The organization has a long-standing relationship with Mark, who has generously given his time to support their fundraising efforts. At Signature, we’re deeply grateful — to the organizers, the volunteers, and most of all, to our incredible community for showing up and supporting the cause.

But this isn’t the last time you’ll have the opportunity to ride alongside Cavendish. As well as discussing cycling, Mark was here to promote the Best Buddies Challenge New York, a 100 mile sponsored bike ride that he’ll be leading in October.

Over the past 25 years, Best Buddies has built one of the premier charity rides in the country, featuring full support, celebrity guests, and an epic celebration at the finish line. The ride goes from New York City to Glenmere Mansion in the Ramapo Mountains — and it's an event we knew we had to be part of.

We’ll be riding with our Signature Cycles team, and we’d love for you to join us and help fundraise for Best Buddies! Click the link below to visit our fundraising page and choose your fundraising commitment. We’d love to keep growing our team, and ride with even more of our community on October 4.

If you have any questions about the event, feel free to reach out — we’d be happy to chat!