This post was updated November 15, 2024, to reflect new vote tallies.
CalBike endorsed eight candidates for the state legislature and one bike champion in a county race. Six of those nine candidates won their races, one lost, and two are still too close to call.
California State Assembly gets five new bike champions
In the Assembly, we’re excited to welcome five new active transportation supporters that CalBike endorsed:
Catherine Stefani, Assembly District 19: San Francisco
Nick Schultz, Assembly District 44: Burbank
Robert Garcia, Assembly District 50: Rialto
Jessica Caloza, Assembly District 52: Los Angeles
Sade Elhawary, Assembly District 57: Los Angeles.
We look forward to working with these new members and the fresh perspectives they will bring to the legislative process.
Unfortunately, Colin Parent, who we endorsed for Assembly District 79 in La Mesa, has lost. Clarissa Cervantes in Assembly District 58, Corona, is behind her opponent, but the race is very close, ballots are still being counted, and the margin is getting smaller, so we’re still keeping our eye on this race.
A new ally in the Senate
Our endorsed candidate for Senate District 25, Sasha Renée Pérez, will join the California State Senate when the new session begins in a few weeks. Pérez is a strong ally who wants our state to get serious about addressing the state’s housing crisis if we intend to tackle the climate crisis. She told CalBike that active transportation and public transportation funding will be one of her top priorities, and we look forward to working with her.
The Bike Mayor in a tight race for county supervisor
John Bauters was dubbed the “Bike Mayor” during his time on the Emeryville City Council (the mayor position rotates among council members). He is famous for getting to regional commission meetings by bike and documenting his travels on his prolific Twitter feed.
CalBike endorsed Bauters for Alameda County District Supervisor because of his track record of bringing safer streets to Emeryville. The margin between the two candidates in this race makes it too close to call at this time.
Thank you to those of you who volunteered for, donated to, or voted for these candidates.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/i-voted-sticker-lot-1550340-scaled-e1583538108252.jpg6081996Jared Sanchezhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngJared Sanchez2024-11-13 18:20:132024-11-15 17:39:43Bike-Friendly Candidates Elected in California Races
Last week, the California Transportation Commission released staff recommendations for the 2025 Active Transportation Program (ATP). The news is dire: $2.5 billion in requests were made, but the California Transportation Commission (CTC) had only $100 million to award in statewide grants, enough to greenlight just 13 projects over the two-year funding cycle.
Budget cuts that punch down at vulnerable road user safety
The ATP was one of only two transportation programs cut in the 2024 budget, despite the fact that it’s the only statewide funding source for biking and walking infrastructure projects and is chronically underfunded and oversubscribed, even without budget cuts. The governor initially recommended cutting all the funding from this program; negotiations with the legislature restored $200 million, allowing the ATP’s Cycle 7 to proceed, even though it was only able to fund 4% of the applications.
The total funding available for the three components (statewide — $84 million, small urban/rural — $16 million, and $68 million for Metropolitan Planning Organizations) that comprise the ATP is $168 million for Cycle 7 instead of the normal amount, which varies from $300 million to $600 million. This leaves an unprecedented shortfall in funding for the CTC’s most oversubscribed and competitive program.
A tiny but critical transportation program
The projects funded by the ATP are critical to meeting California’s climate, safety, and equity goals. The state budget agreement reached in 2024 leaves room for additional funding that would allow additional projects to be built, though there’s no guarantee the funds will become available. And, even if the legislature finds an additional $400 million for the 2025 ATP, program needs will continue to remain greater than the funding the state allocates for this vital program.
Only nine projects have so far been recommended to receive funding through the statewide component and four for the small urban and rural component in the 2025 ATP. These projects were scored at 95 points or higher, which means only the very top projects got funded, while many worthy applications will have to look elsewhere for funding or may not get built.
CalBike advocates for more money for the Active Transportation Program
For CTC to have approved projects scoring at least 85, which for the most part are very strong and deserve funding, the ATP would need an additional $1 billion in funding. Two years ago, CalBike advocated for the state to spend $2 billion on bikes and succeeded in increasing the ATP allocation to $1 billion for Cycle 6. That allowed the CTC to greenlight many more active transportation projects, but it wasn’t enough to fund all the worthwhile proposals. However, that year saw a budget surplus, and the governor has tried to claw back those additional funds in the past two deficit years.
The ATP should get at least $1 billion in funding every cycle. That’s not enough, and it’s still a tiny fraction of California’s transportation spending, but it would be an overdue signal that our state understands the value of active transportation in fighting climate change and making our streets safer and more equitable. We’ve said it before — California can’t be a climate leader if it continues to invest in highways instead of active transportation and transit. We look forward to working with state leadership this year to significantly restore the ATP through the budget process and not allow further reductions to the program.
The ATP is a classic example of induced demand, also known as “build it and they will come.” Since the program’s inception, the volume of applications for funding has grown. More significantly, the number of high-quality projects that significantly improve the safety and comfort of people who bike and walk on California’s streets has increased.
This dedicated funding source, which CalBike’s advocacy helped establish, tapped into a deep well of unmet need for separated bikeways, sidewalk gap closures, protected intersections, and more. Californians want and need the ATP. California should fully fund this program, which provides great value for a fraction of the cost of building or maintaining highways.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/thumb-3.jpg367550Jared Sanchezhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngJared Sanchez2024-11-08 13:18:412024-11-08 13:18:42Active Transportation Program Struggles After Deep Funding Cuts
The path to achieving critical safety improvements on California streets is rarely straightforward. CalBike supports and sponsors legislation, but bills are often amended, sometimes in ways that remove the teeth from a measure, and even those that make it through can be vetoed. But a veto or amendment isn’t the end of the road for CalBike. We continue to find ways to help move the campaigns for good ideas forward.
One example is Senator Scott Wiener’s Safer Vehicles Save Lives Bill, SB 961. A provision to require side underride guards on trucks to prevent fatalities during collisions was removed in committee. The remaining provision, the addition of intelligent speed assist (ISA) technology to cars sold in California, passed the legislature but was vetoed by the governor. Neither of these safety campaigns started or ended with this bill, however, and CalBike continues to work with partners to advocate for safer vehicles — and you can join the campaign.
Preventable fatalities in truck crashes
While you may not have heard the term “side underride guard,” you likely know that people on bikes and in cars can be injured or killed if they are pulled under a semitrailer or box-type truck during a collision. The side underride guard is an inexpensive piece of equipment to add to these vehicles that can help prevent serious injuries and fatalities in the event of a crash. CalBike partner Eric Hein, father of Riley Hein, who died in a side underride crash, has detailed the problem of underride crashes and the promise of side underride guards, if you’d like to learn more.
The people who die in these crashes aren’t statistics — an acceptable death rate over a certain number of miles traveled. Riley Hein was driving to high school on I-40 when a semi drifted into his lane on a curve in the road, wedging his car under a trailer that lacked a side guard. The truck dragged Riley for half a mile and caught on fire. Riley died at the scene. He was 16 years old.
Eric Hein has become an advocate for side underride guards on trucks, as have many family members whose loved ones have needlessly died in underride crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recognized that side underride guards are a valuable safety feature for 50 years. Yet, in the face of opposition from the trucking industry, it hasn’t made a rule requiring them.
California has a chance to take a different approach. The California Highway Patrol has the power to require side underride guards in California, and Eric Hein has spearheaded an administrative petition asking them to do so. You can support this effort by sending emails to Sean Duryee, Commissioner of California Highway Patrol, and Kenneth J. Pogue, Director of the Office of Administrative Law, to express your support for side underride guards. You can send both emails with one click using CalBike’s action tool.
Intelligent speed assist at the federal level
ISA is a technology that’s currently available and required on all cars in the EU. It notifies drivers, with a sound or vibration, when they go more than 10 mph over the speed limit. Speed is a factor in many fatal collisions, particularly those involving vulnerable road users. Giving drivers a safety reminder will reduce speeding and provide calmer streets that are safer for people biking and walking.
The Safer Vehicles Save Lives Bill, which would have required ISA in California, got a veto from the governor this year. In his veto message, he said this should be regulated at the federal, not state, level.
NHTSA recognizes the effectiveness of ISA in reducing speeding but has not recommended requiring it on all cars in the U.S. CalBike joined with America Walks and Families for Safe Streets to send a letter to the president and vice president, asking them to require ISA on vehicles in the federal fleet.
Washington, D.C. recently adopted ISA and some cities, including D.C., have ISA on their municipal fleets. Installing speed warnings on fleet vehicles is an excellent way to pilot this technology, and it will have the effect of slowing traffic as other drivers travel behind cars equipped with ISA.
CalBike will continue to join with our partners to advocate for this safety technology.
I grew up in downtown Sacramento in a household without a car. From a young age, I understood that transportation was how we accessed opportunity. If something was close enough to walk or bike, or a bus or light rail route went there, we could access it. If not, that was not an opportunity open to us.
Experiencing the world through this lens — you could call it the opposite of the windshield perspective — made me want to build a world where car ownership wasn’t the key to unlocking opportunity. It led me to a career in planning and, in 2023, to a leadership position at CalBike.
While my household does own one car, the milestones in my life are more centered around active transportation: my toddler’s first ride on the back of my bike, her first balance bike, her first walk around the neighborhood on her own two feet. But I never forget the experiences that led me here, which are common to so many Californians who rarely get a voice.
Car-free adventures
As a kid, it didn’t seem odd to me that my family did not have a car. My mom still rode the road bike she’d had since the 1970s to get to work and took the bus or light rail longer distances. Everything I needed to do seemed to be a walk, bike, or bus ride away.
Transportation often felt like an adventure, and getting to the destination was part of the fun. At times, it could be inconvenient to need to plan several bus connections to get to a weekend swim meet on the other side of town or ride my bike to school with my heavy backpack, but it was part of my family’s way of life, and I didn’t think much about it.
As I headed toward adulthood, I started to notice that there were plenty of opportunities that weren’t open to us as a household without a car. We never really went on vacations; our common out-of-town trip was to visit San Francisco by Amtrak, a journey I enjoy to this day. As a single mother, my mom’s job opportunities were limited to employers within biking distance or on bus or light rail routes, and changes in weather or bus routing and schedule could easily change her ability to get to work on time.
Advocating for families like mine
My childhood memories include my mother getting stuck at the end of a light rail line when the bus stopped running after regular commute hours and having to get a cab home she couldn’t afford. When we got free tickets to Disney on Ice, we had to take a cab from the suburban arena. My mother said later that she wouldn’t have entered the drawing for free tickets if she had realized the bus to the arena didn’t run as late as the show. Where and when we could go on public transit were limiting factors in our lives.
My experiences growing up in a car-free household that depended on public transit and biking to get around helped lead me into a career working to make it safer and easier for people to get around without a car. As an advocate for integrating land use and transportation planning early in my career, I worked to help local and regional planning better meet the needs of families like mine, who couldn’t just hop into a car to get to work or the doctor.
Working as a transportation planner for over a decade, I focused on developing plans for safe, convenient, and connected bicycling and walking facilities in cities and towns throughout California, as well as programs to help people feel empowered to bike and walk to access their daily needs.
Coming to CalBike is the culmination of a nearly 20-year journey to make California communities better for people like my family — people who can’t afford to own a car or aren’t able to drive. I work with our dedicated staff to craft policy to facilitate the design of better bicycle infrastructure, more funding to build it, and more programs to get people on bikes. We work with partners throughout the state who are on the frontlines, impacting local policy and projects, getting more biking and walking facilities in the ground.
And I connect with our members and supporters, who all have their own reasons for being part of the movement: combating climate change, making communities safe for kids getting to school, creating economic prosperity and community health, and ensuring that collisions don’t take the lives of any more loved ones.
Believing in a better world — with lots of protected, connected bikeways
To me, being a bike advocate is an exercise in radical optimism. I hold a vision of the future where people are able to feel the wind on their faces and enjoy the journey to work, school, and other destinations without fear of traffic violence — where people from all walks of life can get physical activity and stay healthy through transportation, supporting our environment, and saving themselves money in the bargain.
I’m working to make the world a bigger and more welcoming place for the millions of people like my mother who can’t afford a car or choose not to drive. I want all Californians to do or be whatever they can dream up without the need to drive a car to get there.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Kendra-with-bike-cleaned-e1730850461882.jpg10722049Kendra Ramseyhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngKendra Ramsey2024-11-05 15:40:382024-11-05 15:48:51Why I’m a Bike Advocate
In a state where 4,000 people die annually and many more are injured due to traffic violence, some California cities are freaking out because teenagers on e-bikes…did a wheelie? The ultra-conservative enclave of Huntington Beach enacted a draconian law last year that allows police to impound bicycles of youth found to have violated its (probably unconstitutional) provisions. Now, Santa Barbara is considering an ordinance based on the Huntington Beach law.
The popularity of e-bikes — and the confusion of small motorbikes with e-bikes — has led some local governments to declare states of emergency and restrict and penalize people on e-bikes. There have been very few fatalities, almost exclusively caused by car drivers hitting people on e-bikes, so the car is the problem in those cases.
There have been increased interactions between people riding e-bikes, including out-of-class bikes that might more properly be classified as mopeds, and pedestrians on shared paths. This can be scary, especially to older pedestrians, and it’s understandable that communities want to create an atmosphere of safety on mixed-use paths. Criminalizing e-bike riders doesn’t solve this problem and, in fact, creates more safety hazards than it fixes.
CalBike has created a toolkit advocates can use if local elected officials propose regulations that will discourage or prevent people from riding e-bikes (and all bikes). Scroll to the bottom of this post to download it.
6 reasons to oppose criminalizing e-bike riders, even if you don’t ride an e-bike
To paraphrase a famous saying, “First they came for the e-bikes….” Over-policing of e-bikes hurts everyone in the bicycling community and impedes public safety. Here’s why everyone who supports active transportation should speak out against unfair e-bike regulations.
All bike riders will be targeted. Some e-bikes are obviously electric, but many look very similar to acoustic bikes with a battery tucked discreetly against the frame or even hidden inside the frame. When police target e-bike riders, they are bound to harass some people riding acoustic bikes as well.
Bike police stops are racist. An in-depth investigation by the LA Times showed police disproportionately pulled over Black and Latino bike riders, and data from other municipalities has revealed the same pattern. Who is most likely to get pulled over for a suspected e-bike infraction? Who is most likely to have their bike impounded? Riders who are “other,” “outsiders,” or “a threat” — in other words, BIPOC bike riders.
Traffic stops can have fatal consequences. Police encounters, especially for men of color, can turn deadly. E-bikes almost never kill anyone, but police officers do. Even nonfatal stops can leave bike riders physically and emotionally traumatized. No one should have to go through that to ride a bike. California has moved to decriminalize things like “jaywalking” to reduce the frequency of police encounters; criminalizing e-bike riders is a move in the wrong direction.
Demonizing bike riders makes everyone less safe. Studies have shown that when drivers view people on bikes as less human, they are more likely to drive dangerously around them. Cities that treat e-bike riders as criminals invite car drivers to drive too close, cut off bike riders, or menace them with their cars, increasing the risk of injury or death.
Criminalizing any kind of bike riding makes people less likely to ride. Getting around on any kind of bike is economical, healthy, and fun. But getting on a bike is less appealing if you think you might be subject to a $500 fine or have your bike impounded. If you are forced to ride in fast-moving traffic or restricted from bike paths, going out for a ride might not seem like much fun.
It’s the wrong solution to the wrong problem. Our planet is heating and we need to drive less and bike, walk, and take transit more. If there are too many e-bikes clogging up a city’s streets, treat bike congestion the way you would treat car congestion and build more bikeways, bike paths, and shared-use paths. If there are conflicts between pedestrians and people on e-bikes, build even more bikeways with fast lanes or bicycle highways that provide limited-access through routes. Restrict where people can drive cars and make space for active transportation. These measures aren’t as easy as writing a law blaming everything on people riding e-bikes, but they will make streets safer for everyone.
What is and isn’t an e-bike
One of the challenges with e-bikes is that California regulations haven’t caught up with the surge in the popularity of e-bikes. That has allowed new companies to bring out models marketed as e-bikes that have settings like “off-road” that allow the bikes to travel faster than the maximum 28 mph of a Class 3 e-bike. Many of these vehicles don’t fit California’s definition of an e-bike.
CalBike supported bills this year to clarify e-bike classifications and require safety certifications for e-bike batteries to prevent fires. We are working with legislators to develop additional sensible regulations to keep everyone safe on e-bikes in California.
We believe regulating the e-bike market and e-bike use should be done at the state level. For example, if age limits on e-bike riding change from city to city, a rider could break the law, without realizing it, just by crossing a municipal boundary.
And, as noted above, the local ordinances that have been considered or put into effect don’t address these safety concerns but rather penalize all e-bike riders — and everyone who rides a bike.
How to use CalBike’s toolkit
We wish we could weigh in on every new e-bike ordinance, but in a state the size of California, it’s not possible. We’re counting on local bicycle coalitions, advocates, and concerned citizens to stand up against anti-bike regulations.
In the toolkit provided in the pdf below, we include common provisions we’ve seen in e-bike regulations and responses to them. We also include talking points you can use when testifying at a city council meeting about a proposed law and a template letter to send to your local elected representatives.
Thank you for being a bike champion and standing up for the rights of all bike riders.
The 2023 Daylighting to Save Lives Bill, AB 413, authored by Assemblymember Alex Lee and co-sponsored by CalBike, prohibits parking within 20 feet of most crosswalks. It allows cities to use that space for other purposes, such as bicycle parking, that don’t restrict visibility. Its provisions took effect on January 1, 2024, and cities are allowed to ticket violators starting January 1 of next year.
Giving car drivers better sightlines at intersections will make walking and biking safer — this law is a significant step forward for Vision Zero. However, passing the bill is only the first step. It allows communities latitude in signage, painted curbs, and enforcement, so effective implementation is vital to the success of this new law.
Assemblymember Lee follows up
Following up on the hundreds of bills that become law in California each year is a daunting task that is usually left to state agencies and administrative staff. But Assemblymember Lee is continuing to work on this critical measure. His office recently issued an implementation guide to help local governments put daylighting into effect.
“AB 413 saves lives through a simple and effective solution to improve road safety,” Assemblymember Lee said. “Intersections are some of the most dangerous portions of our roads, and daylighting will make them safer for everyone. More than 40 states have already implemented daylighting laws prior to AB 413, and I’m glad that California is joining the rest of the country on improving road safety.”
CalBike is working with Assemblymember Lee’s office to spread the implementation message. We’re coordinating with local bicycle coalitions, who will be the main drivers of implementation, through their relationships with local elected officials and public works staff.
Even if a city doesn’t add signage or red paint to indicate the daylighting area, police can issue tickets. However, in most cases, daylighting intersections is an inexpensive fix that CalBike and other advocates hope public works departments will implement so drivers know where they are and aren’t supposed to park. It will take all of us — advocates, interested residents, and local governments — working together to ensure this vital measure gives maximum protection to vulnerable road users.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ab-413-cropped-scaled.jpg12402560Jared Sanchezhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngJared Sanchez2024-11-04 12:43:112024-11-04 13:27:31Daylighting Law Will Save Lives
As CalBike celebrates its 30th anniversary, it’s an excellent time to look at one of our accomplishments that turns 10 this year: the Protected Bikeway Act of 2014, AB 1193. Authored by Assemblymember Phil Ting and sponsored by CalBike, the bill created a new class of bike lane: Class IV, also called cycletracks. These are on-street bikeways separated from vehicular traffic by a physical barrier, and they have been a game changer for bike riders in California.
Before the Protected Bikeways Act
Before our bill was signed into law, Caltrans design standards didn’t allow bike lanes separated by bollards, curbs, planters, or other barriers, even though other states were implementing protected bike lanes and NACTO had issued design guidance.
Class I bikeways are physically separated from traffic, but these are off-street paths. While Class I bikeways are low-stress and appealing to many riders, they can be hard to construct due to high costs and space limitations.
Class IV bikeways, on the other hand, can be added during roadway repaving projects and don’t require the acquisition of off-road rights of way, though there may still be issues with repurposing road space from driving or parking to active transportation. California had a few of these separated lanes before this law was passed. But local governments, concerned about liability if they built infrastructure not sanctioned by Caltrans, were still mostly adding Class II bikeways, which are delineated by paint only.
“The Protected Bikeways Bill gave engineers the last big tool they needed to design safe roads for people biking anywhere. They were practically prohibited from building them prior to that bill,” said Dave Snyder, who was CalBike’s Executive Director during the campaign to pass and implement this law. “Then we had to promote them to engineers and planners all over the state. We also educated elected officials so they knew the importance of protected bike lanes in case their engineers were recalcitrant, which happened.”
Next step: implementation
Before communities could install new, protected bikeways, Caltrans had to issue design guidance, and it didn’t do that until December 30, 2015. Caltrans’ design information bulletin on Class IV bikeways has been updated, mostly recently in 2022, and connects to other more recent Caltrans design guidelines for Complete Streets. Physically separated bikeways, which have been shown to reduce fatalities for all road users, are an element of many Complete Streets designs. So, legalizing these lanes 10 years ago now supports the Complete Streets Law, which CalBike sponsored and helped pass this year.
But passing the law and getting design guidelines from Caltrans wasn’t the end of CalBike’s work to promote protected bikeways. With help from Alta Planning + Design, we published and distributed a four-page brochure and hosted a webinar to inform planners and public works departments, as well as advocates, about the new regulations.
You may have noticed a proliferation of Class IV bikeways in your community, along with innovative ways to create the separation, such as putting parked cars between bike riders and traffic. Robert Prinz, advocacy director for Bike East Bay, shared this chart showing the explosive growth of protected bikeways in East Bay communities.
Prinz told us that, in the cities that have built protected bikeways, more are going up. But, he said, “There are still a lot of areas where there has been no movement, now almost nine years after they were officially permitted.”
Separated bikeways breed more separated bikeways. “In the areas where more projects have been built, there is a growing acceptance and appreciation for the value of separated bikeways, but in places where they aren’t as common, we are still often starting at square one, regardless of progress a few towns over,” Prinz said. “One of my goals here in the East Bay is to have at least one Class IV bikeway project on the ground in every one of these places within five years, but even this will be a challenge.”
In the 10 years since CalBike helped pass the Protected Bikeways Act, Class IV protected lanes have become the gold standard for bicycling infrastructure in California. It’s an example of what CalBike does best. Changing the standards for bikeway design at the state level may sound wonky and obscure, but it paved the way for safer streets for thousands of Californians, and we continue to reap the benefits today.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/sfclass4-e1551115570253.jpg478957Laura McCamyhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngLaura McCamy2024-10-24 14:25:422024-10-24 15:48:00Taking Stock of Protected Bikeways 10 Years Later
Below is a guest post from Carol Kachadoorian, executive director of dblTilde CORE, Inc., reporting on the 50+ Cycling survey, which is conducted with funding from the Mineta Transportation Institute and San Jose State University.
With older adults comprising an increasing percentage of our population, a focus on how to ensure they remain mobile, independent, and engaged is important. The 50+ Cycling Survey, Year 4, conducted by dblTilde CORE, Inc., in partnership with the Mineta Transportation Institute, sheds light on how older adults are adapting to changes in their physical and mental abilities in order to continue cycling.
The survey helps answer questions such as:
How important is cycling in a person’s life as they age? What do they want from cycling?
What can older cyclists do to mitigate the effects of aging on their cycling so that they can continue to cycle into their 70s, 80s, and even 90s?
What infrastructure designs and operations benefit older cyclists?
Some older cyclists get a different bike, such as a tandem, trike, or e-bike. Others change where they cycle by limiting their rides to trails or with others. One older cyclist told me, “The older I get, the more I need safer and more comfortable circumstances to cycle.”Here’s a closer look at what the Year 4 survey (and a sneak peek at the Year 5 responses to date) reveal about how aging impacts cycling and how to keep the enjoyment going.
The impact of aging on mobility
Mobility habits naturally evolve with age. These habits can be described as a bell curve that follows childhood to adulthood to the third stage of life, going from dependent mobility to independent mobility and back. Many older adults eventually stop driving due to physical or cognitive changes. In fact, AARP data indicates that while 80% of people over 65 are still driving, this number drops sharply to 35% by age 80.
The 50+ Cycling Survey shows that cycling remains an attractive option for those looking to stay active and independently mobile. For many older adults, cycling can be a key mode of transportation for independent mobility, so they don’t have to rely on others or public transportation.
Cycling also offers opportunities for valuable social engagement through regular cycling outings with friends, supported or unsupported cycling tours, or having bicycle-related conversations during social gatherings or at the local bike shop. For example, 85% of those responding to the Year 5 survey say they ride for leisure or social activity and 65% for fitness.
A growing number of bicycle options for older riders
Once limited to a handful of choices, people who cycle can now choose a bicycle that specifically fits their needs or wants. For older adults, selecting the right bike from the range of choices increases the likelihood that they will continue to cycle as they age.
It is common for older cyclists to have different bikes for different purposes. One man in his mid-60s responding to the Year 4 survey noted, “I occasionally use a road bike (it’s not as suitable for poor road conditions, so the hybrid is my primary bike). I also use a tandem when with my spouse, transporting goods, or picking up another person.” Those with tandem bikes are typically couples, as this response suggests, especially when one of the couple is not as strong a rider or has a medical condition that makes a two-wheel bike difficult. For example, one respondent said, “I wanted to be able to ride further and faster than I could ride on my own, and my partner is more technically skilled on a bicycle than I am.” Another person sees his tandem as part of “relationship building — whichever direction your relationship is going, you will get there twice as fast on a tandem.”
A small percentage of older adults opt for an adult trike: 3.6% in the Year 4 survey. This is often due to balance issues or because they need a cargo bike for carrying groceries and other purchases. Three-quarters of these trikes are e-assist.
However, the reluctance to purchase a trike may be a sense of going backwards physically. One person put it this way, “If I can’t ride a two-wheeler anymore, it’s time to hang it up.” This sentiment was echoed by someone who is trying to have an open mind: “Getting over my trike shame (I was the last kid in Grade 1 to give up trike).” About 40% of those from the Year 4 survey don’t anticipate getting a trike. Several people said they would get one when they are older; others pointed to a specific birthday, such as 80, 90, or 100. It’s unclear if these comments were tongue-in-cheek or not.
Many seniors are turning to e-bikes
As you might guess, e-bikes are a popular choice for older cyclists, and they have the potential to revolutionize mobility for seniors. Still, a good percentage of those responding to the survey each year don’t expect to get an e-bike. Over the years we’ve offered the 50+ Cycling Survey, e-bike ownership rates have grown from 3% in Years 1 and 2 to 8.2% in Year 3, 17.5% in Year 4, and they have jumped to 29% to date in Year 5. Thirty percent of these are past-year purchases.
As older adults begin to feel physical limitations such as reduced strength, balance, or endurance, e-bikes offer a practical solution, as long as an older adult’s balance and strength allow them to ride what is often a heavier bike with faster speeds. With features like pedal assist and motorized power, e-bikes make it easier for seniors to cover longer distances, tackle hills, and ride for extended periods, all while reducing strain on the body.
For many survey respondents, switching to an e-bike has allowed them to continue cycling even after they’ve stopped driving. In fact, some participants reported using e-bikes for the majority of their local trips, shifting away from cars altogether. This trend points to the growing importance of e-bikes in promoting active transportation and improving the quality of life for older adults.
Life changes lead to more cycling
Contrary to the assumption that people cycle less as they age, the survey reveals that life events such as retirement, moving to a bike-friendly community, or gaining a new partner can actually increase cycling frequency. Many older adults find that with more free time, they can incorporate cycling into their daily routines — whether it’s for transportation, leisure, or fitness. In fact, when asked under what circumstances they would stop cycling, 36% of those responding to the Year 5 survey say they expect to continue cycling.
Participants in the survey shared how e-bikes have enabled them to explore their surroundings in new ways. One respondent noted, “I discovered nearby cycling infrastructure [like rail-trails] that I was not aware of before.” Another mentioned, “I decided to cycle to less crowded grocery stores and do so more frequently.” These stories highlight how e-bikes not only support mobility but also provide opportunities for discovery and enjoyment.
Adapting to changes: Staying safe while cycling
As with driving, cycling requires some adjustments as people age. The survey offers insights into how older cyclists adapt their habits to stay safe.
For instance, many respondents avoid cycling at night or in bad weather, and they stick to quieter roads or bike paths to reduce the risks associated with high-traffic areas. Some older cyclists use radar detection systems or louder horns to stay aware of their surroundings, while others have switched to step-through frames or a trike for added stability.
One Year 4 survey respondent said she was cycling more because she “…attended a road biking class and feel more confident to join hillier and longer rides.” These small changes allow older adults to continue cycling safely while accommodating the physical challenges that come with aging. More information on how older cyclists can make small changes to keep cycling is available in this article.
The health benefits of cycling
Cycling isn’t just about getting from point A to point B — it’s also a powerful way to improve both physical and mental health. The 50+ Cycling Survey highlights the many health benefits that come with regular cycling, particularly for older adults. From improving cardiovascular fitness to boosting mental well-being, cycling — especially with the help of e-bikes — offers a low-impact, enjoyable way to stay active.
For many older adults, e-bikes have also become a tool for enabling social engagement, especially if it means they can keep up with stronger cyclists or cycle with others in places with challenging topography. Whether cycling with friends or participating in local cycling events, e-bikes help older adults stay connected to their communities, reducing feelings of isolation and improving their overall quality of life.
The future of cycling for older adults
The 50+ Cycling Survey paints a promising picture of the future of cycling for older adults. As more communities embrace bike-friendly infrastructure and its benefits and the range of bicycles available allow older cyclists to adapt — whether by switching to a tandem, a trike, or an e-bike — we can expect to see an increasing number of older adults taking to the streets and trails.
Cycling can serve as a lifeline for older adults looking to maintain their independence, improve their health, and stay connected with their communities. With support and the right bike, such as an e-bike, older adults can continue to cycle, staying active and engaged for years to come.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Kellie-Morris-0428-scaled-e1729732893755.jpeg9042560CalBike Staffhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngCalBike Staff2024-10-23 18:23:192024-10-23 18:23:19Cycling and Older Adults: Insights from the 50+ Cycling Survey
As we roll into CalBike’s 30th year, it’s time to take stock of where our organization is today. We’ve increased our reach and influence over the years, but we also face challenges heading into our next 30 years.
Strength in numbers
I’ve heard from members and supporters that they think of CalBike as a large organization. We have spearheaded successful campaigns that change the way bikeways and active transportation infrastructure are built throughout California. We are a go-to source for information on programs we helped create, such as the Active Transportation Program.
That level of influence might conjure an image of a large staff scurrying through a warren of offices in Sacramento — the all-powerful bike lobby at work! But that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
CalBike has a full-time staff of four (including me), plus two part-time staffers. There are no offices at all; we went fully remote during the pandemic. We sometimes bring in consultants to help with specific projects. We run a lean operation and our ambitions are sometimes bigger than our finances.
CalBike is able to accomplish so much because of two factors. The first is our amazing staff, each of whom approaches their role with dedication and thoughtfulness. Our relationships in the capitol and state agencies, coupled with policy and technical knowledge, combine to make us effective strategists and advocates, as well as a resource to others. The second factor behind our accomplishments is our coalition. We work with local bicycle coalitions as well as pedestrian and transit advocates across California to lift up their priorities and bring strength in numbers to our campaigns. We partner with organizations working on environmental issues, social justice, disability rights, and other issues to create powerful, intersectional coalitions that lawmakers listen to.
We also get strength from everyone on our list: everyone who reaches out with words of support, raises a concern, or makes a donation. You are the power that drives our pedal strokes!
Heading into 2025 and beyond
As we start our next 30 years, the vision CalBike champions is more critical than ever in the face of rising inequality and an ever more dire climate crisis. Facing the urgency of these needs, I wish I had better news to report, but the truth is we are struggling to raise the funds we need to keep functioning at our current capacity.
While we are smaller than some local bicycle coalitions, CalBike is an efficient and effective advocate. Gifts to CalBike are an investment in better biking, helping us win more victories, like winning $1 billion for bikes. Bills we champion, like the Protected Bikeway Bill of 2014 pave the way for safer streets across California, so supporting your statewide bicycle coalition supercharges the efforts of your local bike advocates.
CalBike couldn’t have achieved the many accomplishments over the past 30 years without our members and supporters. It takes a village to make our streets safe and welcoming to everyone.
Join CalBike for the next 30 years of active transportation
Like a lot of nonprofits, CalBike has experienced a drop in donations. I’m confident we’ll emerge from this setback stronger than ever, with the help of our fabulous supporters.
Here are some things you can do:
Join CalBikeand your local bike coalition. We work together to achieve the changes you see on your local streets. Passing laws at the state level makes better biking possible at the local level.
Ask your friends to join. Get together to make a group donation. Throw a bike party and raise funds. We know the bike community is creative — for help getting started, or for CalBike swag to include email andrew@calbike.org
Buy CalBike merch. Have you seen our new quail art? It’s awesome, and it comes on fabulous items like baby onesies. My toddler loves her shirt.
Become a monthly donor. Monthly donations take a small bite out of your budget but give CalBike predictable funding that helps meet our operating expenses. To take a page out of public radio’s book: $10 a month is two cups of coffee (or innertubes).
If you can’t donate right now, you’re still a vital part of our community, and community is what makes us strong. Together, we will launch CalBike into 2025 and beyond, stronger than ever.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/evanbdudley_CALBIKE-24-015-scaled.jpg17082560Kendra Ramseyhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngKendra Ramsey2024-10-23 12:37:172024-10-25 19:50:09Where CalBike Is Today
One of the best ways to pass better laws around active transportation is to elect bike champions. Elected leaders who understand the value of safe streets for people biking, walking, and taking transit are critical allies in our work to bring better biking to all Californians. So, each election cycle, CalBike endorses candidates who we hope will become the next generation of bike-friendly leaders in Sacramento.
We only endorse candidates in tough races or running for open seats. If we don’t have an endorsement for your assemblymember or state senator, that doesn’t mean they aren’t a bike champion; it may just mean that theirs is a safe seat. We generally endorse only candidates for state seats, but we occasionally endorse someone running for a local seat, as is the case with one of our endorsements this year.
Here are nine excellent candidates who we expect to be strong allies in the campaign for safer streets. If you are in one of their districts, please vote for them and share this endorsement. If not, we’ve linked to their websites where you can find other ways to support bike-friendly leadership.
Catherine Stefani, Assembly District 19: San Francisco
Catherine Stefani brings a progressive yet mindful approach to highway expansion funding; in her questionnaire, she said, “I am generally opposed to highway widening and expansion projects and would be opposed to such efforts in Assembly District 19. Through induced demand and the encouragement of more driving, especially from suburban and exurban communities, we are only inviting more gridlock, congestion, and pollution into our state’s urban cores, such as the dense communities throughout the westside of San Francisco and northern San Mateo County.”
Stefani is a worthy candidate for the state legislature and can prove to be a key champion for safe streets in the state legislature.
Nick Schultz knows it’s imperative that every transportation project over the coming decade aims for and achieves a reduction in vehicle miles traveled by encouraging the use of mass transit and alternative transportation options. He’s willing to discontinue project funding for road expansion projects already in the pipeline and supports the transition from our historically car-centric transportation infrastructure into one that embraces all modalities of transportation.
Schultz is a worthy successor to bicycle champion Laura Friedman, who is running for Congress. His answers to CalBike’s questionnaire indicate that he understands the need to increase funding for active transportation infrastructure and will be a strong advocate in Sacramento.
Robert Garcia believes California’s car dependence is holding us back from our zero emissions goals and that we should take much of the funding we use on car-dependent infrastructure and put it toward building accessible, affordable mass transit systems and pedestrian infrastructure. He supports increased efforts to repair and connect our sidewalks, make our bike lanes safer with physical barriers, and push for higher housing density to make these solutions more effective.
A current school board member, Garcia supports devoting more of California’s transportation budget to active transportation. His answers to CalBike’s questionnaire demonstrated his support for prioritizing low-income communities of color for transportation funding.
Jessica Caloza thinks California should look at our transportation budget and how it prioritizes projects that increase vehicle miles traveled and GHG emissions. A former LA Public Works Commissioner, she wants to realign our environmental goals with our climate standards.
Caloza’s answers to CalBike’s candidate questionnaire showed a strong desire to work with active transportation and environmental advocates to shape better state policy. She understands the need to prioritize low-income communities for infrastructure funding.
Sade Elhawary believes our representatives have a moral responsibility to create the change and growth needed to measurably improve the lives of those in overlooked communities throughout the state — regardless of pushback or opposition –– and that our budget must reflect a feasible path to net zero carbon emissions. She wants to make unwalkable communities accessible to people on bikes, scooters, and public transit.
Elhawary understands that an investment in environmental justice will pay dividends in the future. Her responses to CalBike’s questionnaire show that she’ll be a passionate advocate for communities of color and disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Clarissa Cervantes understands that California needs to shift away from being a car-dependent state. She believes we must prioritize investments in our public transportation system and in infrastructure that increases transit ridership, advances our climate goals, and improves safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and other modes of transportation.
A Riverside City Council member, Cervantes would prioritize shifting our state transportation budget to make substantial investments in disadvantaged communities across California. She would work to empower the communities most impacted by pollution to choose their own goals, strategies, and projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution.
Colin Parent wants our transportation funding to match our climate and mode-share goals. The CEO of Bike Advocacy organization Circulate San Diego, he knows we need to also be spending substantially more on transit, bike, and pedestrian facilities. Our actions must match our words and commitments.
Parent, also a city council member in La Mesa, has worked to prioritize funding for communities that have endured the most crashes and deaths, which are overwhelmingly communities of color and low-income areas. In his responses to CalBike’s questionnaire, he expressed a desire to introduce a bill in the legislature that prioritizes spending those dollars in areas that have suffered from historic and racist disinvestment, as well as areas that have suffered the most injuries and deaths.
Sasha Renée Pérez knows that lack of housing and urban sprawl have dramatically increased our carbon emissions and negatively impacted air quality throughout California. She wants our state to get serious about addressing the state’s housing crisis if we intend to address the climate crisis. She would also work to reduce diesel truck congestion and emissions, increase affordable access to renewable energy sourcing, particularly in dense and low-income communities, while expanding access to new green jobs as part of the transition away from fossil fuel jobs.
If she is elected to the State Senate, active transportation and public transportation funding will continue to be one of Pérez’s top priorities. She recognizes that if our state wants to make an impact on climate change, we must get people out of their cars and into buses, trains, and on bikes. Additionally, she would do more to incentivize denser housing near our transit and city centers to decrease vehicle miles traveled.
John Bauters, Alameda County District Supervisor, District 5
John Bauters has a proven record for championing safe streets in the Bay Area. In 2020, John was the only member of the 22-person Alameda County Transportation Commission to vote against the widening of State Route 84. Simultaneously, through his ACTC leadership, he successfully reprogrammed those expansion funds for local street safety investments adjacent to the initial highway project proposals.
If he is elected to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, active transportation and public transportation funding will continue to be among Bauters’ top priorities. We hope that he will be able to fully implement Alameda County’s first Countywide Bikeways Plan, which envisions a 400-mile network of connected, safe bike routes throughout the county.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/bike_the_vote.png5821920Jared Sanchezhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngJared Sanchez2024-10-10 16:33:382024-10-10 16:34:13Bike the Vote in the November General Election
