June
2010

CycleMAYnia puts bike culture into gear



Tweed Ride, Photo by Christine Bourgeois.

• From last summer’s idea of expanding Bike Week into a month of innovative bicycle activities, to the actual realization of CycleMAYnia, the process has involved dozens of people and hundreds if not thousands of hours. Our community is stronger and richer because of your efforts. We thank you all!
• 
  
  Cycle Chic Bike Fashion Show. UCSB's Bike To Work Day.
  
  
  
  Santa Barbara's Bike from Work Day . Blessing of the Bikes. Photos by Ralph Fertig.

---

Traffic Solutions’ Bike Challenge

• As this goes to press in late May, the month-long Bike Challenge consists of 375 bicyclists representing 33 different employers competing for prizes and glory. Employers are grouped into five size categories, and the five leaders so far are Blackbird/Van Atta, Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, Santa Barbara Air Pollution Control District, Yardi Systems, and Santa Barbara City. Will they keep their leads? WIll non-company teams beat them? To find out, follow them here.

---

Vulnerable user bill dies

• Last April, the California Assembly Transportation Committee voted down AB 1951, the Vulnerable User Bill. Although many admitted the need to fill in a legal gap, lawmakers couldn’t bring themselves to make drivers more accountable for choices that lead to serious injury of pedestrians, bicyclists and other vulnerable roadway users. You can read about this injustice at the SF Streetsblog.

---

Bicyclist hand-held phone bill amended

• The senate bill SB 1475 proposed earlier this year to increase fines for drivers and establish them for bicyclists who use hand-held devices to phone, text or email has been altered. It now proposes reduced fines for bicyclists, but keeps them higher for motorists. The bill language, amended four times since its introduction last February 13th by Senator Joe Simitian, says this about bicyclists:
• "Prohibits a bicyclist from riding a bike while using a handheld wireless device, text messaging, or using any wireless communications device in any manner. In doing so, the bill establishes a base fine of $20 for an initial violation of using a handheld phone and $50 for subsequent violations. Specifies the fines imposed will be the total amount collected, and that no other penalties, assessments, surcharges fees, or any other charges will be imposed."
• The bill has more hurdles before it becomes law: we’ll be following it.

---

Communities benefit from road bike rides



Some of the 780 cyclists take off from Santa Barbara’s Ledbetter Beach for the second day of the two-day Multiple Sclerosis ride in 2007. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Santa Barbara county has some wonderful paved roads that lend themselves to all kinds of recreational rides. From the 4500-cyclist Solvang Century to the 2000-rider Solvang Prelude to dozen-person pampered bicyclist tours, we host about 100 annually. Nobody has estimated the financial benefit that these rides bring to our county. However the Bikes Belong Coalition, a national bicycle industry organization, has collected data from over 1700 US road rides that can give us an idea of how much we benefit. Their 2008 results show:
• More than 1,700 US recreational road riding events were organized during the year.
• 88% of those events were one day long.
• About 1.07 million Americans participated in those recreational road riding events.
• Total 2008 revenue from recreational road riding events topped $240 million.
• Riders additionally spent nearly $140 million on food, lodging, and other purchases at these events.
• Given that data, we can roughly calculate a regional benefit. Assume that 8000 cyclists are attracted to those rides in Santa Barbara county. That means that over a million dollars was spent on food, lodging and related purchases. And event revenue would add $1.8 million. In addition, local bike shops and related manufacturers benefit from the sales of bikes, accessories and clothing to cyclists enticed by a charity or family ride or tough 200-mile challenge, bringing a total to over $3 million. And that’s not including mountain biking, competitive races, club rides or everyday travel.

---

Bike-sharing meeting

• On May 19th, representatives from Gravity Cycles, bike-sharing system consultants, came to Santa Barbara. The City’s Dru van Hengel arranged a meeting with a cross section of interested parties, most of whom are Bicycle Coalition members.
• David Clark and Russell Altman described their business as one that tailors a system to community needs and budget. They described two that they’re installing in Boulder, Colorado. One has six enclosed bike corrals at transit stops with bikes available for a day at a time. The other is a traditional "high turnover system" where many people rent the same bike throughout the day.
• Most everybody at the meeting felt that a bike-sharing system would be successful at least in the city of Santa Barbara, and possibly elsewhere in the South Coast. The challenges involve choosing an appropriate technology, arranging locations, setting up subscriptions, monitoring bike conditions, servicing everything, and paying for it all. Gravity Cycles is willing to proceed further in investigating our specific requirements.

---

Wet Willy Sez
byWilson Hubbell

• Dear Wet Willy: I sometimes get cuts in the tread of my bike tires and have learned to place a patch on the inside of the tire casing (where the cut is) to keep the cut from expanding. Is there anything I can put in the tread cut on the outside of the tire so that it is not exposed to the road or trail? — John
• Dear John: This is a problem that most cyclists encounter sooner or later. Wet Willy has used a black rubber-like product that is intended to seal motor vehicle windshields to, instead, seal tread cuts on bicycle tires. The stuff is packaged in a toothpaste type tube and is available from your local auto parts store. One tube should last you the rest of your life!
• I’ve also heard that Super Glue / Krazy Glue type products work well in tread cuts, but have no personal experience with them. Basically, almost anything that fills the cut and stays in place when you ride should work, provided that there is a patch (also know as a "boot" on the inside of the tire casing).
• With some bike tires becoming as expensive as car tires, finding something that works in tread cuts is more important than ever. Thanks for asking the question!

---

California bike-friendly rank drops. Again!

• Ouch, this hurts. The League of American Bicyclists identifies cities, businesses, and states as to their degree of "bicycle friendliness." The state ranking is now in its third year, and other states continue to surpass us on the ladder of achievement. In 2008, California ranked 7th. Last year, we slipped to 14th place. And the latest ranking released in mid-May shows us now in 19th place. Six states clambered up the ladder of friendliness over us: MD, FL, KS, MA, MI and VA. Only Illinois slipped more than California did.
• The League looks at several measures of bicyclist support in each state, derived from their 95-question survey. California ranked great in legislature, good in infrastructure, good in enforcement, average in policies, programs, below average in evaluation, and lousy in bike education.
• Read results here.

---

Bike/walk to school mode share stabilizes
by Ralph Fertig

• We’re all painfully aware that children are no longer biking or walking to school like they did decades ago. The good news is that the decline in active trips has apparently stabilized over the past 14 years according to the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS). The above graph shows how children aged 5-14 have traveled to school over the past 40 years.
• The NHTS, sponsored by the US DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics and Federal Highway Administration, collects data on travel by Americans. It gathers trip-related data on mode of transportation, duration, distance and purpose of trip, plus related demographic, geographic and economic data.
• While only 12% of students aged 5-14 in 2009 biked or walked to school, part of that low share reflects the increasing distance they have to travel. In 1969, 41% students lived within a mile of school; today only 31% live that close.
• Out of today’s 31% who live within a mile of school, 38% of them do bike or walk. This means that virtually none of the others living more than a mile from school bike or walk—they all travel by auto or bus.
• So if we want more active travel for children, schools must be closer to residences. Deb Hubsmith, director of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, stated "we must work together with school systems to site schools near the children they serve, so that distance will no longer be such a barrier to making the active choice for the trip to school."
• Even for those elementary and junior high schools within a mile of homes, the 38% who currently bike or walk represent a decline since 1969 when 88% of those nearby students biked or walked. Today’s close-in students who are driven are an obvious target for shifting to a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.
• That potential for growth is a challenge for safe routes to school funding offered to us by the US government, California, and our county’s new Measure A half-cent tax. There is a potential increase in federal funding because the 6-year transportation act is being renewed later this year. Hubsmith states, "There is so much momentum across the country to get children more physically active and healthy. We must ensure that Congress provides additional funding so that more schools can benefit from Safe Routes to School funds to make the necessary safety improvements."
• You can read about the NHTS surveys here. And the national Safe Routes to School website is here.

---

Dealing with “stranger danger”

• Anybody who is working to encourage children to actively travel to school and elsewhere in their community will have to contend with protective parents who cite possible abduction or molestation by strangers as the reason for driving their children around. Here are some ways to address their fears.
• There is safety in numbers, so find walking or biking buddies, or join a walking school bus or bicycle train led by adults.
• More eyes on the street, both adult and children, mean safer streets. Don’t surrender the streets to possible criminals—take the streets back.
• It’s important to teach children how to deal with uncomfortable or potentially dangerous situations.
• Depriving children of freedom is not the answer—teach them responsibility and self defense skills appropriate for their age.
• It’s important to keep in mind that nearly all kidnappings are not stranger related but are custody battles. Stranger kidnappings do happen, but they are magnified out of proportion by sensationalistic media, distorting society’s perceptions. Finally, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that rates of violent crimes against 12–19 year olds have declined by 38% between 1973 and 2003.

---

Cranky’s Bikes now open for business
by Jim Cadenhead



Rebecca Long chats with a customer outside Cranky’s Bikes, 1014 State Street in Santa Barbara. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• My name is Jim Cadenhead, I grew up in Portsmouth, Virginia. My first bike was a little, white thing, a hand-me-down from god-knows-where. I loved it. At age six, I got my first 20"—a Huffy that I had to mount with help from a kitchen pot as a step-stool.
• As a kid, I rode everywhere, then at 13 switched to BMX bikes. It didn’t impress the girls like I hoped, instead it got me hooked in bikes, breaking bike and body parts in the process. Gradually, I expanded to mountain bikes, and then road rides that included a solo cross-country tour in 1997.
• I started working at bike shops at 16. A bike messenger for 9 years. Mountain bike tour guide summers. Bicycling magazine’s test group mechanic. Teacher for LA’s Bicycle Kitchen community bike shop. Started bike shop Orange 20 Bikes. Rode through Japan with my girlfriend, Rebecca Long.
• The riding in and around Santa Barbara is incredible. It could easily become our nation’s cycling capital. However, we probably won’t do it without the benefit of a large umbrella organization that represents all of us and provides a political pulpit that soapboxes, club rides, and complaining cannot. I joined the Bicycle Coalition because we need an organization 10,000+ people strong. We need an organization that pushes for cyclists’ rights—rights as traffic, rights to yield at stop signs, rights to ride off-road, rights to ride skateparks, rights to safe routes to school, and much more.
• At Cranky’s, our philosophy is simple: If you love your bike, you will ride it more. We want you to be happy and have a great time. Come by and visit us at 1014 State Street, and check www.crankysbikes.com any time.

---

Register for July LCI training seminar

• Reservations will be accepted through the middle of June for the July 23-25 League Certified Instructor (LCI) training course. With certification, you will qualify to teach bicycle safety education in the US under the auspices of the League of American Bicyclists. The instructor for this course is Chris Quint from Long Beach.
• In order to qualify, you have to have taken either our Street Skills for Cyclists class or another League of American Bicyclists (LAB) "Traffic Skills 101" class.
• The training seminar costs $200. For general seminar details, contact Christine Bourgeois at 899-3728 or cbarreb@gmail.com. To learn about the LAB education programs, go here.

---

Bici Centro activities

• Our Bici Centro community bike program is offering extensive services. Below are hours for various groups. Info at www.bicicentro.org or phone 617-3255.
• Monday, volunteers only, 4:00-8:00 PM
• Tuesday, youth only, 3:00-6:00 PM
• Tuesday, "Learn Your Bike" classes, 7:00-9:00 PM
• Wednesday, Spanish-speaking only, 4:00-7:00 PM
• Thursday, open shop 4:00-7:00 PM
• Friday, Mechanics Modules, 7:00-9:00 PM
• Saturday, open shop 2:00-5:00 PM

---

Kids’ summer biking



The weekly BMX Summer Camp at Elings Park will take place eight times this summer. Here are some 2009 BMX camp bikers. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Bicycling opportunities for young people abound this summer in our county, both week-long camps and single day events. Details are here.
• Kidical Mass Santa Barbara, June 26 and August 28, sponsored by Marin Sigurdson. The free rides start at different locations and go to different places.
• Summer Cyclers, June 14-18 and June 21-25, sponsored by Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation, our Bicycle Coalition, and Bici Centro. Ages 10-14. Pedal to different parts of Santa Barbara as a group while learning bike handling skills. Santa Barbara Junior High, 9:00 AM-12:00 noon.
• Safety Town, every week June 14-August 2, sponsored by Soroptimist International. Ages 4-5. Learn bike and walking safety, plus challenging situation behavior. Learn bike and walking safety, plus challenging situation behavior. At six schools—Foothill, Franklin, Aliso, El Camino, Isla Vista, and Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian Preschool, 8:30 AM-12:00 noon.
• Mountain Bike Skills Camp, July 5-9, July 12-16 and July 19-23, sponsored by Elings Park and Bici Centro. Ages 7-14. Experienced instructors guide bikers through the basics of trail etiquette, riding skills and bike maintenance. Daily 9:00 AM-12:00 noon.
• BMX Summer Camp, every week, June 7-August 2, sponsored by Elings Park. Ages 5-12. The BMX camp is designed for riders of all levels and abilities. Improve basic skills, learn track etiquette and get a great workout. 9:00 AM-3:00 PM.
• Street Skills for Cyclists Class, July 15 and 17, sponsored by our Bicycle Coalition. Ages 14 and up. Learn how to ride confidently with traffic in an urban setting. At the Granada Garage Bikestation, Santa Barbara.

---

May Coalition meeting topics

• Our May 4th monthly Bicycle Coalition meeting was held at noon in downtown Santa Barbara, with 15 people talking about these topics:
• Wilson Hubbell showed photos and talked about bike touring in Portugal. He and his wife toured for two weeks, finding good roads and friendly people.
• Sarah Grant announced that 70 video cameras will soon be installed to manage traffic flow at Santa Barbara intersections.
• People talked about the large turnout at Santa Barbara’s Earth Day, with successful outreach efforts and new memberships.
• Everybody was encouraged to attend and tell others about CycleMAYnia events and Traffic Solutions’ Commute Bike Challenge.
• Jim Cadenhead described his newly-opened bike shop "Cranky’s Bikes" in Santa Barbara. He is an avid supporter of our advocacy efforts.
• Ralph Fertig announced that we will co-sponsor the Environmental Defense Center’s social hour on May 14th.

---

We thank our active members

• Please thank and support these Bicycle Coalition business members:
• Bicycle Bob’s, Santa Barbara
• Nett & Champion Insurance Services, Santa Barbara
• Pedal Power Bicycles, Santa Maria
• Dr J’s Bicycle Shop, Solvang
• Hazard’s Cyclesport, Santa Barbara
• Chris King Precision Components, Portland, Oregon
• Santa Barbara Pedicabs, Santa Barbara
• WheelHouse, Santa Barbara
• Santa Barbara Bikes To-Go, Santa Barbara
• Tailwinds Bicycle Club, Santa Maria
• We welcome these new members: Michael Iza, William Edelstein, Bill Wellman, Allison Trimble, Laura & Bernie Donner, Howard Booth, Paula Rodriguez, Kirsten Zecher, John Pierpont, Mikki Jee, Benjamin Preston, David Burby, Scott Bull, Warren Crone, Leann Turner, Rogelio Gonzalez, Rafael Murillo, Noel Nunez, Nik Hladyniuk, Juan Esquivas, Hector Avila, Anna Acuna, Fernando Estevez, and Eric Wilder.
• And we appreciate those who renewed their memberships: Thomas Matthais, Erik Wright, Evan Minogue, Dru van Hengel, Tracey Singh, David Lawson, Earl Johnson, Diane Wondolowski, Mike Abbott, Andy Cranmer, Ken Jurgensen, Jim Heaton, Michael Chiacos, Jocelyn Quick, Michael Kwan, Nicola Gordon, Fran Cerami, Kim & Peter Shingle, Jean Thompson, and David Ramsthaler.

---

UCSB forges ahead with bicycling



Crowded bike parking near the UCen may be eased with added capacity under the fig trees to the east. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Thanks to the Associated Students BIKES committee, self-imposed student fees, and a supportive administration, bike facilities on the large campus are keeping up with an increasing demand. Over 10,000 students, staff and faculty bike on campus, sometimes creating bikepath congestion when classes change.
• The AS BIKES committee has been increasingly active since we founded it in 1998. They survey needs through tabling campus "Bike Gripe" sessions, seek online suggestions, monitor bike rack usage, work with the Campus Security Organization in tagging and impounding abandoned bicycles, and bike around campus checking conditions first hand.
• Over the past two years, new bike racks have been installed, parking areas created, paths repaved, tree root damage fixed, and obstructing planters removed. Work is typically done during academic breaks. Coming up this summer are three projects:
• Replace racks and shrubbery at the Student Resources Building
• Resurface the bikepath west of South Hall
• Resurface the Storke Tower bicycle roundabout.
• You can join the BIKES meetings during the academic year, or follow their progress at www.as.ucsb.edu/bikes.