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AMERICAN
BICYCLIST
THE BIG IDEAS LESSONS FROM SEEING AND
ISSUE THE ROAD BELIEVING
People, places & policy What we learned Integrating all
that are leading the from a year of Bicycle residents' lived
way to bring bicycling Friendly Community experiences in our
to the masses pg 10 visits pg 36 streets pg 42
Winter 2015 WWW.BIKELEAGUE.ORG
AMERICAN BICYCLIST
CONTENT
Winter 2015
THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE
PEOPLE
Innovative leaders charting new courses 12
PLACES
Models to make biking better at all levels 28
POLICY
Scaling solutions to help more people ride 38
THINK BIKE
INFOGRAPHIC: What’s in and what’s out in
active transportation? 24
Photo of Nick Drombosky by Kris Mortensen
BFA WORKSTAND
IN EVERY ISSUE A year on the road for Bicycle Friendly
Communities 36
02 VIEWPOINT
03 INBOX EQUITY & WOMEN BIKE
Seeing & Believing all residents' lived
04 COGS&GEARS experiences in our streets 42
44 BICYCLE SOLUTIONS
AMERICAN BICYCLIST MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED AS A BENEFIT TO MEMBERS OF THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS. IF YOU’RE NOT A MEMBER, AND
YOU WANT TO RECEIVE THIS MAGAZINE AND SUPPORT THE INNOVATIVE ADVOCACY DESCRIBED WITHIN, JOIN THE LEAGUE AT BIKELEAGUE.ORG/JOIN.
ON THE OVER: Truly big ideas change the landscape — and Slow Roll Detroit has transformed bicycling in the Motor City. The photo on the
cover was taken by co-founder Mike MacKool at a 2014 ride.
VIEWPOINT
BIG IDEAS: PAST AND FUTURE
In 1880, a group of “wheelmen” had a very » Our Advocacy Advance partnership
big idea. They gathered fellow cyclists with the Alliance for Biking &
representing newly formed bicycling Walking has leveraged $475 million in
clubs from cities across the country public funding for bicycling and walking
in Newport, Rhode Island, to create projects and programs since 2011.
the League of American Wheelmen.
The League became the national voice » Our Equity and Women Bike programs
for people a-wheel, and it laid the are re-writing the playbook for the
groundwork for one of the most powerful entire movement to ensure our
and influential movements of the late relevance and value to the next
19th Century. generation of Americans.
The Good Roads movement
spearheaded by the League not only But we’re not the type of organization population as a whole, but to be more
pressed for bicyclists’ access to our public that’s content to spin its wheels. We’re engaged in using the bicycle to help solve
streets but also pushed for improvements committed to raising the bar on the critical problems facing individuals,
that enhanced mobility for all. It was a measure and definition of success — communities and the nation.
big idea that revolutionized travel in the and rapidly advancing the pace at which To make that change, we believe in the
United States. bicycling is embraced by and accessible power of People, Places and Policy —
As we enact our new strategic to all Americans. In our new strategic and in this issue of the magazine we’re
plan in 2015, we’re renewing the big, plan, we’ve set ambitious goals around lifting up some of the big ideas that
bold thinking of our founders and transportation funding, street safety and promise to shape our history... just like
reinvigorating our mission to “lead the the make-up of the movement itself. And those “wheelmen” did so many years ago.
movement to create a bicycle-friendly we’ve committed to a style of leadership While we couldn't be more thankful
America for everyone.” No doubt we’ve built on listening and learning, not just for your support and membership, I
made tremendous progress. from longtime supporters, but from invite you to join us in thinking bigger.
new partners whose perspectives will Just as we did 135 years ago, we need to
» 1 in 5 U.S. residents now live in a challenge us, as well. come together to build the ranks and
League-designated Bicycle Friendly Essential to that transformation is our influence of the League itself. In this day
Community with BFCs in all 50 states. continued belief that the bicycle has the and age, we need to amplify our message
potential to transform our communities
» More than 1,500 active League Cycling more than ever to be heard. With your
and the lives of individuals like never help championing the League, we know
Instructors have been trained to teach
before. No longer will we promote we can once again create a revolution: A
our standard-setting Smart Cycling
bicycling solely for bicycling’s sake — Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.
program to thousands nationwide.
it’s far bigger than that. We’re doing
» With the National Bike Summit we the deeper and more impactful work of
continue to influence federal policy, transforming the League and helping
including the passage of a national goal our member clubs and affiliates to not
to reduce bicyclist fatalities in 2014. only be more representative of the U.S. Andy Clarke, League President
2 AMERICAN BICYCLIST
INBOX
INBOX
But American Bicyclist is just one of Kansas typically doesn't hit the radar
FROM THE EDITOR the ways we're sharing critical informa- when it comes to cycling, but we are
In 2013, we were excited to debut a re-
tion and inspiring stories. We have daily quietly gaining traction. With dedica-
designed American Bicyclist. In the up-
content on our blog — bikeleague.org/ tion, focus and fight we'll prove to ac-
date to our historic publication we gave
blog — and a thriving community of complish some amazing things—and
the magazine a more sophisticated feel,
tens of thousands on Facebook (face- the League is part of that! Since we're
integrated more graphic elements and
book.org/leagueamericanbicyclists) and in the center of the U.S., what's to say
crafted more elevated content.
Twitter (@bikeleague). Kansas can’t be the “center” of cycling.
In 2015, we're raising the bar again.
We look forward to engaging with you, —Wade McGuire, Lawrence, KS
We're growing from 32 to 48 pages;
hearing your stories and working to-
evolving from a quick read over Sunday
coffee to a dense quarterly you can delve
gether to build a Bicycle Friendly Amer- FROM TWITTER
ica for everyone. Please don't hesitate to
into day after day. contact me at carolyn@bikeleague.org if @MarenEHill: Respect to @BikeLea-
We've listened to your feedback and you have story ideas or questions. gue: Streets aren't safe unless we're all
learned that our members aren't just ex- —Carolyn Szczepanski, safe bit.ly/seeingandbelieving
cited about bicycling—you're stewards Director of Communications @urbanadonia #BlackLivesMatter
of the environment, as well. We, too, be-
lieve that bicycling can make our nation
more sustainable and energy indepen- THANKS BFC STEVE! FROM INSTAGRAM #IBIKEIVOTE
dent, and we're looking at how we can In 2014, Steve Clark, the League's Bicycle
go green in our operations, as well. By Friendly Community Program Special-
increasing the page count and decreas- ist traveled to 77 cities for BFC visits. The
ing the frequency from six to four times response was phenomenal. Read more
per year, we're bringing you the same about this travels on page 36.
amount of content with a much lower
carbon footprint. Steve, I really appreciate your recommen-
You can still look forward to the same dations and words of wisdom. This week
type of content you've come to enjoy — the city brought together some really in-
personal narratives about the joy of bicy- spiring groups, advocates and individu-
cling, insider accounts about the growth als to work on our next Bicycle Friendly
of a Bicycle Friendly America, in-depth Community application. Thanks again.
stories about the most innovative advo- —Brian Shevock, Colorado Springs, CO
cacy campaigns and cutting-edge evolu- @pedalchic: Make time to vote today!!
tions in cycling education. And, in this The visits were game changing. You We'll have #bikeswag with any purchase
format, we'll have more room to tell added amazing insight, value and knowl- when you show your sticker in the shop
those stories in new, dynamic ways. edge to each of these communities! today! #ibikeivote #biketothefuture
GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK! Email your comments to carolyn@bikeleague.org; send a letter to 1612 K St NW, Ste 308, Washington, D.C. 20006; or chime in on Facebook
(facebook.com/leagueamericanbicyclists) or Twitter (@bikeleague).
AMERICAN BICYCLIST 3
COGS&GEARS
MEMBER
SNAPSHOT:
Frank Peters Frank Peters
Frank Peters first got involved with orga- tion. After my term, I didn’t know what the electric bike industry and enjoyed
nized bike advocacy just five years ago — to do with myself so I became an angel walking the halls of the capitol, not as
but he’s got a long history when it comes investor at large and traveled the world, a lobbyist, but as an electric bike user.
to cultivating big ideas. The founder of speaking about angel investing and entre- I’m 62 years old. I need to be on a bike
a company that produces software used preneurship in Istanbul, Moscow, Barce- every day to stay in shape. And I’m a bit
widely on Wall Street and an expert on lona, Madrid, and many locales! physically handicapped. I’m the perfect
angel investing, Peters has a unique per- representative of someone who needs an
spective on entrepreneurship, innovation, SO WHEN YOU’RE LOOKING TO INVEST IN THE NEXT BIG IDEA, electric bike, and I found that resonated
and how that intersects with bicycling. He WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU LOOK FOR? with a lot of people in the capitol. Prob-
shared his thoughts with the League. You’re looking for passion in the individ- ably in every state capitol in the country
ual and you’re looking at the team to see, staffers are going to meetings talking
SOME OF THE BIGGEST IDEAS OF THE PAST 30 YEARS HAVE is this somebody you can work with over about how to get people out of single
COME FROM THE COMPUTING REALM AND YOU SPENT A GOOD the long term? And I think one thing family automobiles. They’re not sustain-
PORTION OF YOUR CAREER CREATING AND BUILDING SOFT- we’ve learned as investors working with able. They’re ruining our environment,
WARE — HOW DID YOU GET STARTED? startups is that the original idea always our living spaces, and the air we breathe.
Well, I was there at the beginning of changes. We kind of joke among our- Electric bikes have the potential to get
the personal computer age—and I was selves that we like an idea or a concept, people out of their cars, and that resonated
also mostly unemployed at the time. I but we know it will change as they en- with a lot of people in the capitol.
was struggling to make ends meet, but counter the marketplace. So you ask, are
I was entrepreneurial. I didn’t fit into the these people willing to embrace change WHAT ARE SOME OTHER BIG IDEAS YOU’RE SEEING IN THE
corporate model, so I was out talking to or are they locked into their idea?... I BIKE MOVEMENT RIGHT NOW?
people. Everyone was keen on personal think I surprised a university audience We really need to do everything we can
computers—to have one and use one to a couple of weeks ago by telling them, to encourage green lanes and protected
help automate their businesses. It just on the order of 60 percent of all invest- bike lanes to get more people on bikes.
so happened that one person I called ments an angel investor makes will fail. I always say here in Newport Beach that
on was a local stockbroker and, 15 years It’s hard to pick the winners, so what we painting a stripe down a major arterial is
later, 25,000 Wall Street folks were using have to do is diversify. And I see this as not going to get more moms and kids on
the software we created. I get to know bicycle advocacy, too. We bikes. That’s a slow process, and one of
have to identify who are the people really the things I’ve observed in myself com-
AFTER THE SUCCESS OF YOUR OWN COMPANY, YOU GOT IN- making a difference in their community ing from the business world and then
VOLVED IN HELPING OTHER ENTREPRENEURS, RIGHT? and do what we can to help as many as into the municipal environment is, in the
I dedicated myself to working with en- possible, because we don’t know where it business world, as the CEO you just say,
trepreneurs and I thrived in that envi- will take root. 'This is what we’re going to do," and you
ronment. Tech Coast Angels is one of go to work. In government, of course, it
the largest angel investor groups in the I KNOW ONE OF THE BIG IDEAS YOU’RE INVOLVED WITH NOW takes years to make change happen.
nation. I joined as a member, working on IS PROMOTING THE USE OF ELECTRIC BIKES.
their due diligence projects screening en- I spent much of the past year in Sacra- HEAR MORE FROM PETERS TAKE ON BICYCILNG ON HIS PODCAST
trepreneurs, and, over 11 years, I worked mento at the state capitol... For me it was AT CDMCYCLIST.COM
my way up to chairman of the organiza- very satisfying. I met a lot of people in
4 AMERICAN BICYCLIST
COGS&GEARS
CLUB
SPOTLIGHT:
Corporate Bike Clubs ChewBika
We typically think of bike clubs as a than the five years since college,” High formation to its members, it maintains
leisure time activity, but, thanks to a said. “Los Angeles just didn’t seem like an active e-mail list and uses internal so-
growing number of Bicycle Friendly a place where it was feasible. You could cial media channels.
Businesses (BFB), cycling is becoming tell all that changed the first time we Sowing the seeds of better bicycling,
embedded in the workplace as well. In convinced her to ride to lunch with us. DOW AGROSCIENCES organizes weekly rides in
fact, we’ve seen a number of BFBs have Riding a borrowed bike, halfway down the spring, summer and fall for all its em-
the Big Idea to launch bike clubs for the first block she yelled, ‘I can’t stop ployees. For folks who aren’t ready to hit
their employees to encourage commut- smiling!’ Soon after that, she bought a the road, they also host four spin classes
ing and build community. bike of her own and, before we knew it, each week at the beginner, intermediate,
At PHELPS, a California-based communi- she was riding the 10-mile commute to and advanced levels. For additional edu-
cations and marketing company, they’re work a couple of times each week.” cation, the bike club provides food for
getting the word out to employees thought with lunch seminars that feature
through a bike club with a BIG name. guest speakers from local bike advocacy
“ChewBika started a few years ago "Most importantly, ChewBika groups and teach employees about bike
when a couple of the regular bike com-
muters decided to head down to Venice
has inspired and given people maintenance, safety, and share the road
programs.
for lunch by the beach,” said staffer Wes- who haven’t ridden in years a Known for health and lifestyle maga-
ley High. “Not only did they get to take a zines like Fitness and Better Homes and
ride along the Pacific Ocean, but it took chance to throw their leg over Gardens, MEREDITH CORPORATION is taking a
less time than it would to drive. Soon,
word got around about our Friday bike
the saddle and get moving." page out of its own publications by mak-
ing bicycling part of its internal culture.
adventures, and more bikes starting pop- The Des Moines-based company is
ping up around the office.” And ChewBika is in good company forming bike clubs, cycling groups, hav-
While they started with just a few peo- across the country. ing lunch-and-learn sessions and pro-
ple, the crew quickly became part of the In Boston, BOLOCO isn’t just creating moting community events so they can
company culture. delicious burritos, but cultivating an provide as many opportunities for em-
“In addition to our weekly Friday appetite for bicycling among its Bean ployees to get involved as possible.
lunch ride, we have our own T-shirts and Town employees, too. Team Boloco, the As High emphasized, bike clubs can
help others with information regarding employee bike club, participates in a be a small investment with a big return.
all sorts of bike questions, from rules of number of local events, including May- “What’s so great about ChewBika is
the road, to fun places to ride around or Menino’s Hub on Wheels Ride, and that it gives everyone a chance to take
the area,” High said. “Most importantly, even sponsors external groups like the a quick reprieve from their busy work
though, ChewBika has inspired and giv- Back Bay Cycling Club. week to just have fun,” he said. “Great
en people who haven’t ridden in years a Down in Washington, D.C., the WORLD people, fresh air, good food and two
chance to throw their leg over the saddle BANK BIKE CLUB provides information to staff wheels — if that’s not a way to get people
and get moving.” about bicycling events in the capital re- back on a bike, I’m not sure what is!”
One example: Gabby Gonzalez, the gion and works with the Bank to spon-
company’s talent coordinator. sor special events of interest to cyclists, LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BICYCLE FRIENDLY BUSINESS PROGRAM
“She hadn’t ridden a bike for more like maintenance classes. To provide in- AT WWW.BIKELEAGUE.ORG/BUSINESS.
AMERICAN BICYCLIST 5
COGS&GEARS
WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?
Find out at the 2015 National Bike Summit!
1 2
This year marks the 15th anniversary of a in on how the bike movement can add malls into valuable suburban real estate.
Big Idea: Uniting the voices of bicyclists value to other issues and find powerful Dunham-Jones will inspire us to believe
on Capitol Hill. champions in health, community devel- that the suburbs can be saved for bicy-
The National Bike Summit debuted opment and the business sector. cling, and document how the bicycling
with just a couple hundred people gath- So what kind of discussions can you community can plug into that effort.
ering in a modest Congressional meeting expect? Here's just a few key topics.
room. Now it’s the biggest annual bike » BUILDING A LEADERSHIP PIPELINE: A major les-
advocacy event in the country with our » VISION ZERO: Cities around the country are son learned from last year’s election was
presence anticipated and embraced by setting goals of reducing traffic fatali- that picking the right candidate matters.
smiling staffers and members of Con- ties to zero in a set period of time. How Kara Hollingsworth, principal of politi-
gress eager to don a bright bike pin on have these policies changed transporta- cal leadership at Wellstone Action, will
their lapels. tion policy, and how are leading advo- discuss the components, process and
And this year, we’re upping our game. cates advancing Vision Zero campaigns best practices to develop an effective
The 2015 Summit articulates a new di- in their communities? We'll hear from candidate recruitment and leadership
rection for bike advocacy; one that sums Leah Shahum, the former executive pipeline for your local organization.
up the League's new strategic direction: director of the San Francisco Bicycle
Bikes add value in so many ways. Instead Coalition and leader of a new national The Summit will also feature the
of saying “Look at what the bike has effort around Vision Zero. NATIONAL FORUM ON WOMEN & BICYCLING. Building on
done for us!” we're asking “How can the its success by digging deeper, the Forum
bike help you achieve your goals?” » RETROFITTING SUBURBIA: Ellen Dunham- will focus on a Big Idea that will drive
That’s a significant shift for the move- Jones, Professor of Architecture and change at all levels: creating more diverse
ment, and this year's Summit theme Urban Design at Georgia Tech, co-wrote leaders, and proposing new systems of
— BIKES+ — focuses on new ideas for ex- the book on Retrofitting Suburbia and leadership to infuse more creativity and
ponential growth and building strong maintains the only database document- innovation into the bike movement.
partnerships to get us there. We'll zero ing the transformation of dead shopping The Forum will help you define your
6 AMERICAN BICYCLIST
COGS&GEARS
AMERICAN
BICYCLIST
THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS
The League of American Bicyclists' mission is to lead
the movement to create a Bicycle Friendly America
for everyone. As leaders, our commitment is to listen
and learn, define standards and share best practices
to engage diverse communities and build a powerful,
unified voice for change. The League represents the
interests of the nation’s 57 million bicyclists. With a
current membership of 300,000 affiliated cyclists,
including 25,000 individuals and 700 organizations,
the League works to bring better bicycling to your
community. Contact League officers, directors or staff
at League of American Bicyclists, 1612 K Street, NW,
Suite 308, Washington, DC 20006-2850, 202-822-1333;
bikeleague@bikeleague.org, fax: 202-822-1334.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Diane Albert, dianealbert@bikeleague.org
Steve Durrant, stevedurrant@bikeleague.org
Jay Ferm, jayferm@bikeleague.org
Alison Hill Graves, Secretary, alisonhillgraves@bikeleague.org
Tania Lo, tanialo@bikeleague.org
Rob Gusky, robgusky@bikeleague.org
Karen Jenkins, karenjenkins@bikeleague.org
Ann Rivers Mack, annmack@bikeleague.org
Matt Moore, mmoore@qbp.org
3 Nicole Preston, Vice Chair, nicolepreston@bikeleague.org
John Siemiatkoski, Chair, johnsiemiatkoski@bikeleague.org
Gail Spann, gailspann@bikeleague.org
Eric Swanson, Treasurer, ericswanson@bikeleague.org
STAFF
Lili Afkhami, Development Director
Andy Clarke, President
Steve Clark, Bicycle Friendly Community Program Specialist
Alison Dewey, National Bike Summit Czar
Darren Flusche, Policy Director
Ariell Heacox, Membership & Education Coordinator
Liz Cornish Jones, Women Bike Manager
Adonia Lugo, Equity Initiative Manager
Ken McLeod, Legal Specialist
Elizabeth Murphy, Communications Manager
Amelia Neptune, Bicycle Friendly Business &
University Program Manager
Bill Nesper, Vice President, Bicycle Friendly America
4 Alissa Simcox, Education Director
Carolyn Szczepanski, Communications Director
All photos by Brian Palmer (1) U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Anthony Foxx, at the 2014 Caron Whitaker, Vice President, Policy
Summit (2) Katie Monroe of the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia, celebrating having biked Scott Williams, Membership Director
from New York City to Washington, D.C. with 10 other women (3) Participants from Mis- Nicole Wynands, Bicycle Friendly Community &
Bicycle Friendly State Program Manager
souri prepare for Lobby Day at the 2014 Summit (4) Delegates from Massachusetts meet with
Sen. Elizabeth Warren during Lobby Day at the 2014 Summit
AMERICAN BICYCLIST MAGAZINE
Editor: Carolyn Szczepanski
personal destiny in the bike move- who do not identify as women assist Designers: Nicole Reinertson, Carolyn Szczepanski
ment. Where can you be most ef- women in co-creating a bike move-
fective? How can you use your ment that truly believes in making American Bicyclist magazine (ISSN 0747-0371) is pub-
lished four times yearly by the League of American Bi-
authentic leadership style to drive bikes accessible to all? cyclists, Inc. to help the organization achieve its mission
results in your community or at your Don’t miss the chance to net- to educate the public and promoteawareness of bicycling
issues. ©2015 League of American Bicyclists. Reproduc-
place of business? work with hundreds of bike leaders tion in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
And how can we build a bike and be part of the Big Ideas that Article queries should be addressed to carolyn@bikelea-
gue.org. Your submission of manuscripts, photographs,
movement that values powersharing, will propel the movement in 2015 or artwork, is your warranty that the material in no way
building community, respecting di- and beyond. Don't wait: Early-bird infringes on the rights of others and that the material
versity of personal experience, and rates expire at the end of January! may be published without additional approval. Opinions
expressed by writers are their own and do not necessarily
challenging traditional notions of Learn more and register at www. reflect the policies of the League.
leadership? How can bike advocates bikeleague.org/summit.
AMERICAN BICYCLIST 7
COGS&GEARS
SMART CYCLING UPDATED
New manual, graphics make education more accessible
No matter where you live, you’ve seen So, how can you use these graphics?
it. Maybe in a television commercial.
Maybe on your street. The visibility of » If you’re a League Cycling Instructor, integrate
bicycling is on the rise. them into your presentations.
But we know that translating that in- » If you’re a bike shop owner or public official,use
terest into sustained ridership requires them in posters, flyers and other handouts to
great bike education that makes folks spread the word about bike safety.
of all ages and abilities feel safe and » If you’re a bike advocate or club leader, use them
comfortable traveling or exercising on as promotional pieces for bike safety courses or
two wheels. other teaching opportunities.
That’s why, over the past year, we’ve
been taking a close look at how we can We didn't stop with the graphics. We
improve our Smart Cycling curriculum overhauled our entire student manual,
to improve the tools for our more than too. We’ve replaced the technical speak
1,500 active League Cycling Instructors with language any lay person can un-
(LCIs) and make it more accessible to derstand, while still providing crucial
the general public. Our solution? Make information for all riders, from a begin-
it more visually appealing and easy to ner buying his first bike to the seasoned
understand. cyclist who needs tips to fine-tune her
For instance, LCIs have long relied comfort on long, group rides. We’ve
on one another’s illustrations to help brought the content alive with bright,
students learn specific bike safety ma- professional photos and made the infor-
neuvers. We decided it was time to mation more dynamic with infographics
have a professional help us turn those and checklists.
complex concepts into instantly com- The manual, graphics and Quick
prehensible images. We commissioned Guide are just some of the efforts to
Stephen Haynes to create more than 30 make the education program more acces-
new graphics that show simple steps, sible and relevant. We’re not nearly done
like how to fit a helmet or properly lock yet; stay tuned for more on our blog and
a bike, as well as trickier maneuvers, like the next issue of American Bicyclist.
riding through multi-lane intersections
and navigating different types of pro- SEE THE CHANGES AND ORDER MATERIALS TO BOOST
tected bike lanes. YOUR EFFORTS AT WWW.BIKELEAGUE.ORG/RIDESMART.
8 AMERICAN BICYCLISTCOGS&GEARS
LCI CORNER GIVING
Thank you to the following
Bringing humor to bike education organizations and individuals who
contributed to the League, above
When California’s "Three Feet for Safety and beyond membership dues, in
Act" took effect in September 2014, the September and October 2014.
Orange County Transportation Author-
ity decided to ditch the conventional ORGANIZATIONS INDIVIDUALS
public service announcement to bring
awareness to the new law. $5,000+ $5,000+
Trek Bicycle Jim Spann and
Instead of a dry message telling driv- Corporation Gail Copus Spann
ers that they’re now required to leave at Giant Bicycles The Estate of
least three feet of space when passing a SRAM Andrew Janz
bicyclist, we infused our 30-second vid-
$1,000+ $1,000+
eo message with humor. That way, view- Sea Gull Century Nathaniel Sharpe
ers of the message could laugh as they Ride and Family
learned — and hopefully share the mes- Colleen Zinn
sage with others. $500+
Arlington Heights $500+
Many other bicycle safety messages Bicycle Assoc. Paul Bartlett
have been created from the perspective Twin Cities
of the bicyclist. But cars are the primary Bicycling Club $100+
Vancouver Bicycle Stephen Boughton
mode of transportation, especially in
Club David Bowie
Orange County. So it was important to laughter results in a memorable message Michael Brown
reach drivers by creating something dif- when you’ve witnessed those behaviors $100+ David Buchanan
ferent, relatable and memorable. — or even acted that way yourself. Bike Delaware James Chapman
Perimeter
So we used humorous situations in- The results speak for themselves. Jim Coppock
Bicycling Assoc. Richard Ducotey
spired by common pet peeves about per- OCTA’s Three Feet for Safety Act video of America, Inc.
Paul Epton
sonal space. A parking lot, an elevator, a has received overwhelmingly positive Silver Wheels
Don Fell
theater, a hot tub – all places that require feedback and has been viewed nearly Cycling Club
Jack Goodman
Starved Rock
a respectful distance. 500,000 times on Facebook and You- Cycling Assoc.
Michael Kerr
You may not ride a bike, but you likely Tube. While bike safety is a serious is- Jane Leiby
Michael Neupauer
know how awkward it can be when some- sue, a little humor can go a long way.
Thomas Nuckols
body encroaches on your personal space Watch the video at bit.ly/octa3feet. Robert Oppliger
by sitting too close in a movie theater or Matthew Robins
parking within inches of your car door. — Nathan Wheadon is the Marketing Robert Sabo
Comedy always works best when a Program Administrator at the Orange John Schaffers
John Siemiatkoski
person can say, “I’ve been there.” The County Transportation Authority
AMERICAN BICYCLIST 9What will it take to transform bicycling from a choice
made by 1% of commuters to an appealing mobility option
for 100% of U.S. residents?
The
Photo by Joe Gall:
Slow Roll riders in Detroit
10 AMERICAN BICYCLIST
BIGThe League looks at some of the people, places and policy
poised to accelerate our progress, widen our perspectives and
make biking accessible to all.
Issue
AMERICAN BICYCLIST 11PEOPLE We’re a human-powered movement in more ways than one. Sure, it’s people who propel their bicycles, the engine of the elegantly simple but powerful machine. But cycling is also an activity that inspires passion, that invites us to see things differently and helps us realize our vast potential. At the League, we believe that bicycling brings people together— and when that happens, we come up with ways to make life better for everyone. Here are some of the people who inspire us — and who are bringing us together to become a more powerful, united movement. 12 AMERICAN BICYCLIST Photo of Megan Odett by Maggie Smith
THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE: PEOPLE
ties. They talk about their bikes at the biking a viable transportation option for
FAMILY BIKING: school dropoff, on the playground, at every age. It's an idea that's growing up
WE ARE THE 80 PERCENT church. The information spreads almost
in secret, like a cult.
fast—but it’s going to take a village to
raise it right.
Big ideas are a lot like children. They’re But what if parents had the equip-
ment, information and infrastructure so — Megan Odett
unpredictable. Challenging. A little scary. founder, Kidical Mass DC
Each one has the potential to change the that they didn’t have to expend so much
effort seeking out ways to bike safely (pictured left)
world. And like children, big ideas grow
and grow and grow. with their children? What if having a
baby didn’t mean a 10–20 year sentence
Members of the U.S. bicycling com-
munity have been asking themselves lots of car dependence? What kind of leaps 80% 23%
could the women’s cycling movement
of hard questions lately. Who are we real-
make if we got Mom out of the minivan
of Americans 44 of the U.S.
ly serving? Who’s been included — and
who’s been left out? And most impor- and onto a bike? or younger have population is
tantly: how can we do better? We have at least 1 child 18 or younger
just scratched the surface in examining "Here’s my challenge to our
how our work can better reflect the com-
munities we serve.
movement: Don’t just settle for
So let’s talk about those communities. safe routes to school— build safe
According to the U.S. Census Bureau,
13 percent of Americans self-identify as
routes to everywhere."
black, 17 percent as Hispanic or Latino,
4 percent as LGBTQ. Oh, and 80 per- Here’s my challenge to our movement:
cent of them are or will be parents. don’t just settle for safe routes to school-
That’s not a typo: U.S. Census data re- build safe routes to everywhere. Think
veals that 80 percent of Americans age younger than 8 (and older than 80, for
44 and under have at least one child. Ad- that matter). Give families the equip-
ditionally, 23 percent of the entire U.S. ment, information and infrastructure
population is 18 years old or younger.
Currently, nearly three-quarters of the
they need to bike together.
In return, these families will spread 228 MILLION
U.S. population—228 million people— their love of cycling throughout their
communities and become the best am- U.S. RESIDENTS HAVE OR ARE CHILDREN.
either have or are children.
Parents who bike with their kids are bassadors bicycling has ever had. THAT'S NEARLY 3/4 OF THE POPULATION.
the next frontier in the bike movement. The real big idea is that we can make
These families have the potential to
transform the face of bicycling, to flip Harriett Tregoning
it from the problematic “scofflaw” and
“hipster” stereotypes to the ultimate
reflection of Americana: lawn-mowing,
tax-paying, PTA-attending citizens.
People. Just like us.
What are we doing to remove barri-
ers for these young families? Right now,
they’re not finding what they need within
traditional channels. Would-be family
cyclists laboriously search online for the
few dealers that stock the equipment they
need and order fancy electric-assist cargo
bikes, or they scour Craigslist for third-
hand bikes because their reasons for bik-
ing include the need to save money.
Then they find each other. They form Kidical Mass Long Beach, photo courtesy of Allan Crawford
Kidical Mass rides or Family Bike Par-
AMERICAN BICYCLIST 13THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE: PEOPLE
new stops and stations on this commuter
rail line that will serve this community.
Leaders are doing planning and prepa-
ration in the community to make sure
poor households and small businesses
there don’t end up getting pushed out
because of the attractiveness of a new
transit project. Opening stations gives
critical access to jobs and opportunity
to a very underserved population, but
thoughtful planning is needed as a bul-
wark against displacement, which hap-
pens in some instances if communities
aren’t thoughtful.
WHAT ROLE DO BICYCLING AND BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE
PLAY IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR RESILIENCE?
Harriet Tregoning Bicycling for transportation is some-
thing that can be a lifelong activity. One
provided about $250 million in grants
HARRIET TREGONING: to communities to do planning. It’s a
of the things that will indicate whether or
not we live longer, whether we age grace-
CREATING RESILIENCE partnership for sustainable communi-
ties, collaborating with the Environmen-
fully in good health or not, is whether
we’re getting activity as part of our daily
THROUGH BIKING & HOUSING tal Protection Agency, HUD and the lives and biking is a really excellent way
U.S. Department of Transportation. For to build physical activity into daily life. I
It’s Harriet Tregoning’s job to create many communities, these issues come
opportunity. A bike commuter, Tregon- think that’s going to be increasingly im-
together… One of the biggest things portant to us as society but also to indi-
ing is the new Director of the Office of
Economic Resilience at the U.S. Depart- viduals. Places where biking is possible
ment of Housing and Urban Develop- "Advocates [for biking and afford- are also places where walking is also very
prevalent.
ment (HUD). She comes to HUD after able housing] should be working This also means the attractiveness of
most recently serving as the director
of the District of Columbia’s Office of together to make sure we have neighborhoods improves. It helps to
revitalize neighborhoods. How much
Planning, spearheading several projects, permanently affordable hous- household income goes to transporta-
including the implementation of the
city’s bikeshare system. In her new role, ing working with infrastructure tion? It’s the second largest expense for
a household, just behind housing. De-
Tregoning said her boss, HUD Secretary improvements." pending on income, it can be as much or
Julian Castro, likes to say HUD is the
“department of opportunity.” more than housing — especially if you
grantees are working on is economic de- live a long distance from your job and
“Creating more opportunity—that's velopment, making communities more
the singular thing about our nation,” she are spending a lot using and maintaining
economically competitive and inclusive. and paying off automobiles.
said. “Our belief that we can come from Many places realize that transportation
very humble beginnings and achieve al- Bicycling helps you to become a
choices are an important part of a com- car-light household, or even car-free
most anything… Having transportation petitive and inclusive economy.
choices is a part of that.” household. That greatly lowers the trans-
For instance, the Fairmont Line in portation expense. It works in synergy
We spoke with Tregoning about bik- Boston, runs through a few communities
ing, her new job, and the intersection of with communities with a lot of transpor-
that have highest African-American and tation options. These are all very impor-
transportation and affordable housing. highest Hispanic share of any neighbor- tant pieces of infrastructure that make
YOU’RE CURRENTLY THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF hood population in the Greater Boston biking possible. When there is a critical
ECONOMIC RESILIENCE AT HUD — WHAT DOES THAT MEAN area and there has been no transit service mass of bicyclists and facilities, that’s
ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS? there. The commuter train runs through important in terms of sharing the road
these communities but it doesn’t stop. and having a safe environment in which
Earlier in the administration, HUD There's been some effort now to realize to bike. Everyone using the road should
14 AMERICAN BICYCLISTTHE BIG IDEAS ISSUE: PEOPLE
expect to see different users, cars, buses, to have connecting destinations. Getting
pedestrians, bikes, street cars — that’s land use right is incredibly important. STUDYING HAPPINESS:
the safest environment. And there are many issues involved. It’s a
public safety issue: With more people on
RESEARCHING WHAT MATTERS
HOW HAS YOUR ROLE CHANGED COMING FROM THE CITY the streets, creating safety in all kinds of Why do we bike? As advocates, we’re
PLANNING OFFICE TO HUD? ANY GOOD LESSONS LEARNED neighborhoods is a very positive thing. quick to point out the benefits we can
THUS FAR? If you were concerned with crime, this measure: It burns calories, reduces air
Cities have to do things that make sure is a great strategy to be working together pollution, relieves traffic congestion and
housing is affordable. People bike and with land planning agencies to take steps costs less than car ownership. But, for
walk in all communities, even when it’s to improve public safety. those of us who ride, we know there are
really taking your life in your hands. even bigger upsides to cycling: Biking
DO YOU HAVE ANY BIG IDEAS THAT YOU’RE WORKING
Providing opportunities is a way to fos- makes us feel good.
ON AT HUD RIGHT NOW THAT MIGHT RELATE TO THIS
ter economic mobility, but we don't do And now there’s data to prove it.
CONVERSATION?
enough to guarantee housing affordabil- Thanks to researchers at Clemson and
ity. What we’ve seen in the past dozen I’m very proud of the bikeshare system the University of Pennsylvania, a study
years is that, when we start to invest in we launched here in D.C. Bikeshare released in 2014 made it official: Folks
transportation choices, you see changes has become a gateway for bicycling for who bike to their destinations are the
in property value. These are huge chang- people who hadn’t been biking before. It happiest. Using the American Time Use
es in some instances, unless you put makes it possible for you to be a bicyclist Survey, collected by the Bureau of Labor
measures in place to protect affordability in almost any city that you go to. But — Statistics, Eric Morris and Erick Guerra
for the population that's there. This is and there’s a big ‘but’ here — we have a were able to determine the average mood
why so many communities are trying to bit of a digital divide, whether we’re talk- felt by people during different types of
do planning and put in zoning and guar- ing bikeshare or car-sharing, like Zipcar, travel — and the demeanor of cyclists
antees that will enable investments to be or Uber. It’s credit card enabled. A lot was significantly better than car drivers,
made and communities to prosper. of our more low-income households do passengers or public transit riders.
not have access to credit. This creates an Talk about a selling point for cycling.
WHAT ROLE DO BIKE ADVOCATES PLAY IN AFFORDABLE unfair divide and exacerbates disparities “Happiness is one of the most ancient
HOUSING? WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE CONNECTION POINT that are already going on. This is an es- subjects researchers have thought about:
OR AREA OF COLLABORATION THERE? sential service as opposed to a discre- how do you live the good life?” Morris
tionary good. It needs to be fixed. told us. “With modern data gathering, we
They should absolutely be working hand
can finally get some empirical answers
in hand. Poor people walk and bike the Read our full interview with Tregoning with evidence rather than just specula-
most, so if you’re an advocate for bik- on the League blog: www.bikeleague.org/blog tion. Happiness is very widely studied
ing and walking, you are an advocate
in economics and psychology, but the
for low-income housing. It’s a necessity —Interview by Liz Murphy study of happiness has come late to the
for lower-income households. You’re al-
ready natural allies. Even improvements
in walkability, changes in zoning that
give choices and bike facilities can affect
housing prices. These advocates should
be working closely to make sure we have
permanently affordable housing working
with infrastructure improvements.
IF IT WERE YOUR JOB TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE BIKING, WOULD YOU WORK IN HOUSING? LAND
USE AND ZONING? TRANSPORTATION?
I think what people neglect most is land
use. If there is no destination within bik-
ing distance or walking distance, you can
create the facility, but there’s not really
a ‘how’ or ‘why’ for people to use it. A
functioning transportation system has
AMERICAN BICYCLIST 15THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE: PEOPLE
field of transportation, urban planning
and cities.” "What are the opportunities
Morris isn’t a bicyclist himself, and,
honestly, didn’t go into the research with the community sees for
any sense that cycling would play sig- itself—and how do we sup-
nificantly into the findings. And while
the magnitude of the results — the far port that with our passion,
more positive moods of bicyclists even the bicycle? In that mind-
when controlling for the physical health
of the traveler — was surprising, the no- set, there’s a shift, forcing
tion that bikes give us a mental boost is us, who are very passionate
backed by other research.
“First, exercise really elevates your about bikes, to slow down
mood,” Morris said. “But also, I think and listen and learn."
you’re probably made happier on a bi-
cycle because you feel you're achieving “I think, traditionally, with
something. It’s been shown that people well-intentioned nonprofits
don’t like tasks that are way too hard for there’s a tendency to go into
them — but they do like a task that is [new communities] with ‘How
Ed Ewing
difficult and they can just accomplish can we help you?’” Ewing said.
it. From bicycling, you get that sense peers. “One thing that I’ve noticed in
of mastery and proving to yourself that In 2007, Ewing joined the staff of the doing the work, even more so now in the
you’re skilled, rather than just sitting and Cascade Bicycle Club, a Seattle-based diversity and inclusion role, is to change
riding in a bus or a car.” advocacy group, to build its Major that language and look at it as: What are
What does that mean for marketing Taylor program. Over the course of six the opportunities the community sees
biking to the masses? While cycling has years, he created a model initiative aimed for itself—and how do we support that
plenty of perks, this type of research at “empowering under-served youth with our passion, the bicycle? In that
helps advocates make the ultimate pitch. through cycling by promoting positive mindset, there’s a shift, forcing us, who
“Bicycling has got a lot going for it,” physical, emotional and social develop- are very passionate about bikes, to really
Morris said. “Finding that people are ment.” Now, he’s taken on a broader lens slow down and listen and learn. What
also quite happy while doing it is one
as Director of Diversity and Inclusion, the bike means to us will mean some-
more thing that suggests we should put
a new position that’s put Cascade at the thing different to the community and
more effort into promoting it.”
forefront of a deepening effort to define we need to be very, very mindful of that.”
Thanks to researchers like Morris we
and envision what equity means for the In many ways, that level of listening and
can say with a straight, er, smiling face
bike movement. learning is new territory for many bike ad-
that bikes make us healthier and happier.
Ewing has been in his current posi- vocacy organizations. And even starting
tion for little more than a year but has the conversation is, well, scary. But Cas-
—Carolyn Szczepanski
a lifetime of experience, starting with cade, with Ewing at the helm, has stepped
being a young black man on the youth into the discussion in a sustained way.
DIRECTOR OF racing scene. “At bike races people were “That conversation starts from very
DIVERSITY: A NEW TITLE like, ‘Who is this kid?’ ” Ewing told me authentic place; not ‘You should be do-
several years ago. “There’s this fishbowl ing this’ or ‘Shame on you, Seattle.’ That
FOR THE NEW MAJORITY effect of everyone staring at you—and never works,” he said. “To have a real
you just want to ride your bike.” conversation we start with: There are ar-
In less than 20 years, the number of paid As the first local bike advocate with eas in Seattle that don’t have access [to
bicycle advocacy staff has skyrocketed, diversity and inclusion as his primary fo- the resources for biking or health and
growing from a few dozen in the mid- cus, people are looking to Ewing again. wellness] and here’s how we’re showing
1990s to more than 400 in 2012. Many And he’s taking a thoughtful approach, up. It’s a very a-ha moment for a lot of
of them have similar job descriptions, starting from the foundation of how bike people. For me, being African Ameri-
focusing on communications, advocacy advocates see their work — especially in can and sharing this message, I can say,
or education — but Ed Ewing has a title less-resourced communities they haven’t 'Hey, I didn’t know. I had an idea, I knew
that's still entirely unique among his been engaged with in the past. [these disparities] existed, but I didn’t
16 AMERICAN BICYCLISTTHE BIG IDEAS ISSUE: PEOPLE
know to what extent.' But once you do "It's time for everyone in cycling to con-
know there’s a greater responsibility, a BIKE SHOP OWNERS: sider bike shops a cornerstone of the
social responsibility to share that with THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE solution in addition to traditional in-
frastructure. It's time for advocates to
the greater community and say this is
what we’re doing about it. Our passion Far too often bike shops are at the mar- begin viewing bike shops as part of the
is the bicycle and how the bike can trans- gins of the conversation about improv- infrastructure rather than as something
form these areas, but it has to be very au- ing and increasing bicycling. Advocates separate. It's time for consumers to con-
thentic without pointing the finger and and elected officials are focused on infra- sider this bigger picture when making a
leading by example.” structure — bike lanes and cycle tracks purchase..."
What does that example look like? and multi-use trails. Many would argue
“For us, it really started with a state- it’s time for that definition to change. "Bike shops as infrastructure is more
ment we put out that equity, diversity At the 2013 National Women’s Bi- than mere semantics. If bike shops are
and inclusion matter to Cascade and cycling Forum, Adonia Lugo, now infrastructure, the fight for the future
here’s what we’re going to do about it,” the League’s Equity Initiative Man- of the independent dealer becomes more
he said. “By sharing that out to the great- ager, shared the concept of “human than a marketplace issue. If bike shops
er community, a lot of existing partners infrastructure” — the existing social net- are infrastructure, the continued de-
were waiting for us to have this kind of works, community groups, and shared cline in the number of bike shops across
conversation — because they’re having ideas about transportation that make the country is every bicycle advocate's
it, too… So they found immediate align- bicycling possible for more people. problem..."
ment in what we’re doing. And it also If infrastructure is about people as
created new interest, especially in the well as pavement, should we spend more As we’re learning in our Equity Initia-
women bike movement. A lot of mem- time focusing on our allies in retail? A tive and Women Bike program, though,
bers and community partners have been long simmering sentiment, Fred Clem- the current retail infrastructure still has
waiting for us to pedal forward; to start, ents, the director of the National Bicycle gaping potholes. Many communities
not only talking about these things, but Dealers Association, brought that notion — disproportionately low-income and
actually doing something about it.” to the forefront with a widely read piece communities of color — have little or no
in 2014. access to retail or repair services, living
With examples like Ewing, and a topic
in vast bike shop deserts. Advocates like
as big as bike equity, here’s hoping diver-
"There’s more to infrastructure than Brian Drayton, founder of Richmond
sity is included in many more workplans.
asphalt, concrete and off-road trails," Spokes, are working to change that.
Read more from Ewing in our recent re-
Clements wrote. "Many bicycle dealers While calling attention to bike shop
port The New Movement: Bike Equity
are becoming increasingly vocal that deserts and lack of investment from tra-
Today at www.bikeleague.org/equity.
they are infrastructure too, and that a ditional bike organizations and the in-
robust future for cycling in America re- dustry in communities of color, Drayton
—Carolyn Szczepanski
volves around bike shops..." has pioneered new ideas to provide both
"It's time for everyone in cycling
to consider bike shops as a
cornerstone of the solution in
addition to traditional infrastruc-
ture. It's time for advocates to
begin viewing bike shops as part
of the infrastructure rather than
something separate."
Fred Clements (right), photo courtesy of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News
AMERICAN BICYCLIST 17THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE: PEOPLE
jobs and affordable biking to disinvested nated Bicycle Friendly University).
neighborhoods. His “scalable model” CYCLING STARS: The wheel transforms your bike into
revolves around portable, pop-up shops
that contain all the resources to get a
MAKING BIKING FAMOUS an electric-hybrid that can be controlled
through your smartphone. “The Wheel
community rolling. Beyonce loves to bike to work. Her sister, is a robot for your bicycle, inside the cas-
“Imagine getting a container stocked Solange, rode to her wedding last year. ing is a motor, batteries and an embed-
with everything you need for a bike Philadelphia Eagles’ linebacker Connor ded control system with about a dozen
shop,” he explained. “Picture the hard- Barwin would rather get on his bike to sensors that help the Wheel to deter-
est-case neighborhood in Detroit; one get around town than use his electric car. mine how much assistance to provide,”
with a couple of gardens and a bunch of Actress Naomi Watts picks up her kids said Assaf Biderman, CEO of Superpe-
bombed-out houses. What if you could from school on her heavy duty WorkCy- destrian, the entity licensed to sell and
rally enough support to do a pop-up bike cles ride. Heck, Oscar award winners are distribute the product.
shop for that community, where they Celebrity influence is powerful. With
even personally bankrolling innovation
would set up and run it on their own a mission of creating a Bicycle Friendly
within bicycling.
terms?” America for everyone, the increased vis-
The traditional retail landscape is ibility of A-list stars on two wheels cer-
evolving as well, with folks like Sarah Is the rise in bicycling super- tainly doesn’t hurt the cause.
Johnson asking those same types of stars a watershed moment for Now, to figure out how we get Jared
questions. Leto to join our Board...
The owner of Omaha Bicycling Com- the bike movement? —Liz Murphy
pany, Johnson used her 14 years of bicy-
Is the rise of cycling superstars a water-
cling retail experience to create a model
that exemplifies her values as an advo-
shed moment for the bike movement? POWER TO THE
cate and bucks many bike retail norms. The power of the celebrity in this
country is deeply embedded. It’s quan-
PEOPLE: CROWDFUNDING
She hates credit, so she owns all her
inventory. She keeps the shop closed two tifiable, too. The entertainment industry INNOVATION IN BIKE SAFETY
days a week so she can go on camping sees revenues well into the hundreds of
trips and participate in local advocacy billions of dollars annually. And now, it You might find it odd for a reflective
meetings. She's spent $0 on advertising. appears, some of its biggest names are gear company to leave the safety talking
The result is a successful business that's throwing their support behind bicycling, points out of its marketing to consum-
not only getting more people on bikes in publicly and financially. ers. But for Nick Drombosky, that’s what
Omaha, but serves as an advocacy entry Case in point: Oscar award winner makes his Pittsburgh-based company,
point for many of her customers. Jared Leto recently gave an undisclosed Fiks:Reflective, work.
Clearly, the best retail infrastructure amount to the Copenhagen Wheel, an His company’s tagline says it all: “Stay
isn’t a one-way street. innovation out of the Massachusetts In- safe without looking like a traffic cone.”
—Carolyn Szczepanski stitute of Technology (a League-desig- “Safety doesn't sell to a big market–
AN ABBREVIATED LIST OF BIKING CELEBRITIES:
» Solange & Beyonce Knowles » Jared Leto » Naomi Watts
» Kate Hudson (and her family) » Elle Macpherson
» LeBron James » Serena Williams » Taylor Swift
» Katy Perry » Pink » Brad Pitt » Angelina Jolie
» Jake Gyllenhaal » Julia Roberts » Patrick Dempsey
See more celebs on bikes at pinterest.com/eleanorsnyc/celebrities-on-bikes Solange Knowles and Alan Ferguson, by Geoffrey Franklin
18 AMERICAN BICYCLISTTHE BIG IDEAS ISSUE: PEOPLE
CROWDFUNDING INNOVATION
A growing number of bike entrepreneurs are
entering and changing the market through
crowdfunding, like Fiks:Reflective launched
on Kickstarter.
» $8,000
GOAL
» 255
BACKERS
» $14,700
RAISED
Photo of Nick Drombosky by Kris Mortensen
safety sells to mothers and then safety in 52 countries. He’s also in talks with to high-end fashion. Beyond spurring
sits in the bottom of a drawer,” Drom- large retail brands about collaborating sales, though, bikes are winning hearts
bosky said. “We make cool products that on new products. The success, he said, is and minds by building bridges through
people want to use, want to brag about, embedded in his products’ simplicity. the arts.
and post pictures of. Look at our Insta- “Fiks:Reflective isn't innovative in the One example lurks deep in the heart
gram or Facebook: we have 15-year-old way that most of us think about innova- of Texas: the larger-than-life Austin Bike
kids all over the world wanting to get tion,” he said. “It isn't going to change Zoo. Created a decade ago by Jeremy
their hands on our products. Find a safe- how we live or even how we ride bikes. Rosen, the menagerie includes an 80-
ty products company that has that.” What makes Fiks:Reflective innovative foot rattlesnake powered by six riders,
Fiks:Reflective is one of dozens of is how we took an existing technology butterflies that flap their colorful wings
upstarts that used Kickstarter to launch and material and designed simple solu- with each pedal stroke and a praying
products that are revolutionizing cycling tions to deal with a very basic problem.” mantis that accommodates riders with
safety and taking bike appeal to new disabilities.
heights. For Drombosky, Kickstarter’s —Liz Murphy “I was always interested in bicycles be-
insurgence came at just the right time. cause they gave me freedom as a young
It provided a relatively low-risk way to
try his hand at something new — some-
THE ART OF person,” Rosen said. “I started making
my own bikes and then the Bike Zoo
thing he believed could work. PERSUASION: MAKING started as a collaboration of both bike
“At the time, it was the middle of the builders and puppet makers.”
recession, and as a college drop-out BICYCLING BEAUTIFUL Twenty years ago, Rosen was visible on
there weren’t a lot of prospects out there, the streets as a Critical Mass rider, a bike
so I thought I would pitch the Wheel Whether you marvel at the precision of messenger and foe of car culture in New
Stripe idea on Kickstarter to see if I cutting-edge components or the simple York City. Now, blending the mechanics
could make some money to keep from efficiency of the human-powered ma- of cycling and the art of public spectacle,
draining what I had from my previous chine, bikes are beautiful. Their form is his vision is different. Whether he’s par-
company,” he said. elegant and their function is an invita- ticipating in a city festival, performing
He was right. His project was funded, tion to freedom and joy. at a private wedding or riding the rattle-
and Fiks:Reflective products are now In the commercial realm, bikes have snake across the U.S.-Mexico border, his
distributed in nine countries and Drom- become media darlings, used to pro- cause is bigger than bikes. “I really do
bosky manages direct-to-consumer sales mote everything from health insurance enjoy getting more people to ride, but I
AMERICAN BICYCLIST 19You can also read
