Lucky for Brian

Who is Brian? (Hi Brian!)

Brian Holdt is a treasured member of the Lefty Cycles team and he deserves a blog post dedicated to his constant support and expertise. He is an inaugural board member of the Lefty Cycles Project, Inc., owner of Airline Cycles in East Hampton, and close friend to our founder, Dylan Howley. 

From the moment this idea to fix up bikes and distribute them to people in recovery started, Brian was there with his knowledge and humor. Becoming an official nonprofit and developing the best model for this organization to thrive includes learning curves, but Brian always offered important insight to keep Lefty Cycles moving forward. Not only is he a bicycle expert, small business owner, and established member of the CT cycling community, his bike shop continuously finds ways to uplift Lefty Cycles and its mission. 

We are striding past the 450th donation and without Brian, that would not be possible. At the start of 2024, we needed a solution to a bicycle storage issue, with little to no price tag. During a board meeting, Brian said he would ask around and see if he knew of any opportunities. Within a few days, he secured a storage unit (shoutout to Global Self Storage in East Hampton). That’s Brian!! Airline Cycles (Brian's shop) opened in 2016 and is located near the Airline State Park Trail. Their website describes the local business as “the classic small town America bike shop, where cutting edge technology meets old school community”.

With the support of Brian, Airline Cycles, and a few all-star board members (Steph & Casey), The Lefty Cycles Project, Inc., donated over 20 bicycles plus helmets/locks to NFA students and other Norwich Youth at the end of March. Funding for this project came from a CT Department of Transportation microgrant and collaborative efforts with NFA’s cycling team and their amazing coaches. 

In May, the team was proud to participate in a Suicide Prevention Awareness event with Norwich Youth & Families. With the help of our bicycle inventory (storage space) and access to quality helmets and locks, the team was able to provide bicycles and safety gear to over 20 people (mostly children). Without Brian, this would not have been possible. It's been our busiest year for bicycle distribution by far.

The photo linked to this post shows Brian in blue, along with cherished board members Steph & James, our founder (Dylan) and honorary associate, Mo$. We continue to plan for the second half of 2025 and will share additional gratitude themed blogs throughout the Summer/Fall. Stay cool and go for a bike ride if you can! If you or someone you know have a bicycle that is no longer in use, please contact Lefty Cycles to schedule a donation pickup and follow our socials to hear about future events.