Community Spotlight: Social Ride Maluku

Social Ride Maluku is a cycling community and non-profit foundation based in the Netherlands, built around the Moluccan diaspora. Founded in 2019 from a WhatsApp group and a simple idea, it has grown into a nationwide movement with unofficial chapters across four provinces, a presence on Dutch national television, and a 300km ride that made history.

Tell us about Social Ride Maluku

Social Ride Maluku is a cycling community poured into a non-profit foundation. Our season begins like every road season with the Primavera and ends in September. Our formula is doing a ride according to the Dutch Touring Cycling Association (NTFU), guided by ride leaders. Usually two distances, around 80km and 120km. At the end of every ride, our tradition is to eat a rice table together.

Over the years, SRM got shaped by core values: Passion for Cycling; Respect for everybody, not closing out any other cyclist; and Family, because we act and ride as a family. Nobody gets left behind.

Cyclists from all over the Netherlands have joined. We now have unofficial chapters in South Holland, Zeeland, Groningen and Drenthe, and naturally the rides start from those provinces too. The rides are usually on road, but we have experimented with off-road rides as well. Note that SRM always rides. Rain, sun or cold cannot stop us.

Dutch National Television

In 2024 and 2025, Social Ride Maluku reached Dutch national television with a shared documentary about our cycling community. The Netherlands is certainly a cycling nation, as you know. But a cycling community of coloured cyclists is a rare thing. We wanted to change that.

Sustainable collaborations

In 2025, we collaborated with RRVDM2006 (Ride and Rock for the Moluccans 2006), a foundation which collects money for children in the Maluku islands to have a better school environment. They have done this for 20 years via an organised motorcycle ride. Now road cyclists are contributing too. At the end there is a big party in the Moluccan neighbourhood of Middelburg.

Also in 2025, Social Ride Maluku became a formal foundation. Our purpose is to create a connection within and with the Moluccan community, using sports and specifically road cycling as a tool.

75 years of Moluccan diaspora in the Netherlands

In 2026 we celebrated 75 years of the Moluccan diaspora in the Netherlands. One of the rides is called the Big One: a crossing of the Netherlands from Rotterdam to Appingedam, simulating the arrival of the first generation Moluccans. We completed it with a group of 23 riders within 12 hours.

Where are you based and who do you serve?

We are based in Hendrik Ido Ambon, South Holland, and serve throughout the whole of the Netherlands.

What sort of riders are part of your community?

Most of us are second, third and fourth generation Moluccan diaspora, but we also have riders from other backgrounds. Experienced and beginner cyclists are both part of the community.

Do you target any specific groups?

We do not target any specific group. All cyclists are welcome. We actively support people from other backgrounds who want to start something similar, and we are open to sharing our experience and knowledge.

Tell us about your community activities

Basically all our rides are a community activity. It is like a family day out, but on road bikes. Serving throughout the whole of the Netherlands means the scenery is always different. The Netherlands is beautiful, especially when the routes are made by locals who know the special places.

The founder's story

Social Ride Maluku started in 2019 as a lark within a WhatsApp group. The idea was simple: organise a social ride with as many Moluccans as possible. Nash was one of the more enthusiastic cyclists in that group. Action speaks louder than words.

The first ride went from Zwijndrecht to the Belgian border and back. 120km in total. Twelve cyclists completed it, and afterwards they ate at a Moluccan restaurant. History made.

In 2021, SRM celebrated 70 years of Moluccan diaspora in the Netherlands. Nash arranged a goody bag for every rider, printed with one word: Community.

Find Social Ride Maluku

Instagram: @social_ride_maluku

Strava: Social Ride Maluku

Website: socialridemaluku.com

Email: socialridemaluku@gmail.com