John Wilkinson lived on two wheels.

At 6-foot-2 and “not a bit of body fat” (even with scarfing down a dozen donuts every Saturday), the 41-year-old mechanic and former bike shop owner was the rider everyone tried to hang onto during long gravel pulls. In the cycling community, he was known as @gravelgoon—part gearhead, part storyteller, and always generous with advice. He had recently moved to the Front Range with his partner, trading Missouri humidity for Colorado climbs and a chance to keep sharing his knowledge. He brought it all with a quiet humility that earned the respect and affection of many.

What happened on May 18th at 95th & Avocet

Late Sunday morning John was finishing a training loop when a blue Toyota Highlander veered into the bike lane, struck him, and fled. He died a short time later. Within days, law enforcement arrested a 23-year-old suspect who now faces felony charges.

Why this loss demands action — not just grief

78 % rise in pedestrian & bicyclist deaths statewide since 2015.
560+ cyclist crashes in Boulder County alone between 2018-2023.

These aren’t “accidents”; they are policy failures. John’s empty saddle is one more data point in a crisis that is stealing riders, runners, and walkers every week.

Why John’s family chose The White Line

The White Line attacks the problem on three fronts John would cheer for:

Data that dials in solutions — building the nation’s first open Data Center of Excellence on vulnerable-road-user crashes.
Policy that protects people — pushing lifesaving tech like Automatic Emergency Braking that detects cyclists and pedestrians.
Stories that move hearts and budgets — amplifying victim voices to turn public will into political action.

Every dollar raised here fuels those initiatives—and every result is shared openly so advocates everywhere can copy/paste progress.

Your gift is doubled—$1 → $2 up to $5,000

John’s family and the crew at Wabi Cycles, where John worked and collaborated on new products from early 2024 into 2025, are matching donations dollar-for-dollar. Give now to keep John’s spirit—relentless, generous, in motion—alive on Colorado roads and far beyond.

“Biking and riding were his life… He rode hundreds of miles a week.” —Bob Wilkinson, John’s dad

Donate. Share. Speak up.
Let’s turn John’s final ride into a safer Route2Change for everyone.

Keep John’s Wheels Turning

Join the Match Challenge for John Wilkinson and the White Line