Bike Club is a new organization created by second-year San Benito High School math teacher Benjamin Pang, who exposes students to bicycle education, the healthy benefits of riding and makes sure not one student gets left out.

“I think it’s one thing that this school is missing. Biking is a sport but no one can see it,” said Pang, who hopes to accommodate those students who might feel left out in other sports with this new club. “I’m trying to collect the rebounders, you know, the people who aren’t fit enough to wrestle, who aren’t big enough for football, who aren’t tall enough for basketball. Those students might not have anything to go to and Bike Club might be right for them.”

Club member, Samantha Torres, a sophomore, said that she decided to join the club after watching a bicycle show on television that reminded her how much she missed biking. It also motivated her to get fit and start riding once again. She said she hopes her participation will allow her to gain strength and make new friends.

A big challenge that this club faces is students not having bicycles of their own, so the club provides loaner bikes for those students in need.

“Biking is an expensive sport. But only as expensive as you want it to be,” said Pang. So far, funding has been the biggest challenge. The fees are high for coverage of insurance and also race fees. Bike Club plans to have fundraisers throughout the year to raise more money with events such as participation at BLTs, car washes, and fixing bikes.

Senior Nubia Resendiz, who is not a member of the club, shared her opinion about the newly-formed Bike Club.

“I think it’s great that we have such wide variety of clubs to accommodate everyone’s preference in activities. It’s good to see that our school only keeps growing and clubs such as Bike Club create strong characters for students.” Currently, the club has eight active members and is hoping to at least have 15 by the end of the school year. Meetings are every Wednesday in Room 458.

Pang said he will not give up on this club. “I’m in it for the long run, not for the short run,” he said.