We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Patty Nilsen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Patty, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

Necessity was this single mother’s incentive for Invention
When I moved to Boulder, the land of all-star athletes, I didn’t fit the mold of most Boulder teams. I didn’t have the time to participate in mandatory races or show up at every team ride.
When I showed up at my first cyclocross race, I realized I was the only one without a team affiliation. Drawing on my background in athletic apparel design, I decided to create my own club. I still enjoyed amateur racing and riding. I wanted camaraderie, reliable rides, and to do it all in a stylish, feminine way.
Most teams come with racing requirements, pressure, and ego. Petunia Mafia asks for zero obligation from members. We offer green, blue, and black level road, gravel, and mountain bike rides all week at various times.
Our only rule? “No angry ovaries”—which is just our way of saying: be kind.
Women are social creatures. When we’re on the saddle, we talk about our kids, partners, and jobs as much as we do our gears and chamois. But don’t let our sassy kits fool you—those chats often happen over 4+ hour rides.
What makes me proud is that seventeen years later, we’re 424 women strong and have served thousands of riders over 400 rides a year.

Patty, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My journey began with my passion for amateur mountain bike racing and cycling since childhood. This athletic foundation led me to spend nearly a decade helping to design and create Cannondale cycling apparel. I then worked designing active apparel for major global brands like Nike, Athleta, and prAna before deciding to leverage my extensive experience to start my own club. The combination of deep technical knowledge from my years in performance apparel, paired with my willingness to be unapologetically bold—contrasting colors and layering patterns—sets us apart while riding on the roads and trails of Boulder.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

What I find most rewarding about being creative is the entire journey—from gathering inspiration across countless sources to drafting multiple design variations, considering each team member individually. I think about their skin tones, their preferences, even something as specific as how much pink they can tolerate. It’s like choosing an outfit for 400 bridesmaids: you want everyone to feel great, look amazing, and ride with confidence. The pressure is intense, but when those kits finally arrive and we’re all rolling out together as a unified pack in matching gear, the reward runs deep.

If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?

Our team thrives thanks to our sponsors, who contribute through tiers of paid and in-kind support. Boulder businesses love partnering with us because we’re not typical twenty-something bike racers living out of vans. Our members are educated, working women with disposable income—a demographic that resonates with local businesses.
We’ve built strong relationships with law firms, coffee shops, breweries, salons, and retailers throughout Boulder. A local gym, BFit hosts “Petunias Lift Heavy Shit” classes, while Rags Consignment store offers us exclusive discounted shopping nights each month. This generous support enables us to host team parties, picnics, and happy hours, and helps covers our operational costs.
In return, our sponsors may receive logo placement on our jerseys, listings in our team directory, and features in our newsletter and social media. These are true partnerships with businesses that are proud to support the Petunias!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://petuniamafia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petuniamafia/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/petuniamafia/

Image Credits

Francois Lebeau