The Taiwan Bicycle Exporters Association (TBEA) has committed $50,000 per year for three years to the Bikes Belong Foundation. The investment will go toward Bikes Belong’s Bicycling Design Best Practices Project, which works to increase bicycle use in America by adapting and implementing state-of-the art international best practices in infrastructure and urban design to make bicycling safer, more comfortable and more appealing. The SRAM Cycling Fund has matched this $50,000 contribution for 2010.

Read the rest of the news release here.

It’s (the official) Bike to Work Week! I know a few cities and areas have already held their own BTW days, but according to the League of American Bicyclists, this week is the real deal. As long as we’re talking official, Bike to Work Day is this Friday the 21st of May.

For most Americans, it’s time to break out the 10-speed or the old mountain bike for their annual bike commute effort. For most readers of this blog, though, I would assume either an existing regular or occasional bike commute or, as is the case with me, the kick-off event to “bike commute season.” My bike commuting is not so much weather influenced (San Diego/Orange County weather anyone?) as it is by the distance and kids’ schedules. School summer vacation schedules typically make my 44.8 mile (according to Google’s biking directions) each way commute possible. I throw in a Metrolink train between Oceanside and San Juan Capistrano to trim some time off Google’s estimated 4 hour and 8 minute ride to work (and actually enjoy the ride up the coast with views of the Pacific and the surfers and dolphins playing in it).

Speaking of Google biking directions, below is Google’s widget that you’re able to embed on your website. In the spirit of Bike To Work Week, I have it pre-populated with our office’s address in case you happen to be coming down to visit us and can use a bike. The widget’s also there to motivate/assist my co-workers planning to ride to work this week who don’t normally do so and help us do well in the Specialized Commuter Cup challenge. You can do it team!

It’s a decent show of the common sense aspect of using a bike to get to work. They even have an “expert” on who highlighted some important stats such as how most Americans live within 5 miles of work. The focus is more on the health benefits, but I’ll take whatever positive mention of cycling the mainstream media give us.

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Self Magazine, featured in the video, has a “Biking Guide” up on their site with tips and product suggestions for new cyclists.

Also interesting to note that near the beginning, Roker says it’s time to “break out the Schwinn” when referring to bikes. I wonder if “break out the Trek (or Specialized) would mean more to people under 40?

BUT, the content more than makes up for it. I’d heard going into the this morning session at the annual spring gathering of the bike industry’s leaders that there was going to be an announcement made by one of the advocacy groups. When I saw Tim Blumenthal of Bikes Belong, Jenn Dice of IMBA and then the CEO’s of the two largest US bike companies, Mike Sinyard of Specialized and John Burke of Trek, walk up onto the stage, I had a feeling it would be something big. I reached for my little Sony point-and-click digital camera that also shoots video and captured the proceedings. Who knew it would be so compelling?

If you didn’t read the coverage or were not fortunate enough to be present, here’s the background. The BLC this year hosted about 200 “heads of state” of most of the major bike manufacturers and suppliers in the United States. Pretty much a who’s who of the industry including the presidents, CEO’s, general managers, owners and/or marketing directors of companies like the two listed already, plus Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo, Raleigh, Dorel, Performance, Scott USA, Ritchey, Giant, Haro, Crank Brothers, SIDI… you get the idea. They all gather to network, improve the business climate, discuss the state of the industry and work on areas to improve conditions for cyclists and ultimately grow sales of bikes. It’s really an amazing event and, as is the case with many conferences, the time during the meals and breaks in between sessions are some of the most beneficial and gratifying. I make it a point to find a table during the meals with no one I know to force myself to make new acquaintances and contacts. With essentially everyone in the room being a client of ours in some way, you can understand the value in attending for us.

So, apparently, in the weeks leading up the BLC, Jenn Dice from IMBA had been discussing with John Burke about some serious new challenges that they were facing on access issues. John asked what IMBA needed to mount an effective defense and he in turn committed to supporting it. He also told her to reach out to “Mike over at Specialized.” With that base of initial support from the two big guns in the industry, they decided to formally announce the new Public Lands Initiative at the BLC and to take advantage of all the assembled people with enough authority to write big checks on behalf of their corporations to try to reach the funding goals for the program.

Following the introductions and speeches by Dice, Burke and Sinyard, was an amazing sign of industry solidarity, belief in the role of advocacy in growing the industry and more than a little peer pressure. While many companies committed right there on the spot, many more joined in throughout the rest of the day and the conference (after a quick call to their CFO back home, perhaps?), and the $300,000 first year goal was surpassed and approached the two-year $600,000 goal finishing up at $587,000. Pretty amazing.

The quality of the video is not great as a result of the device and the indoor lighting and sound, but the spirit is inspiring. I caught a number of companies making their on-the-spot pledges of support and tried to note them all during the video. I added the complete list of 38 companies (including us, of course!) at the end. And remember, it’s not too late to email Jenn and make a pledge if your company hasn’t already. Retailers: note in the video that your peers at Wheel & Sprocket and Performance join in with support in the video so don’t feel like this is only a supplier issue!

Here’s a link to IMBA’s official news release about the initiative.

This is an ideal opportunity to network and discuss bicycle advocacy best practices. Join the conversation that makes our communities bicycle friendly and our industry stronger.

Refreshments will be served.

Date: Wednesday, September 23
Time: 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Location: Planet Bike booth #1425

presented by: Planet Bike, Bikes Belong and Interbike

See the invite/event on Facebook here.

I’ve heard some discussion of the effect that a bike sharing program would have on local retailers. Would the availability of free or low-cost loaner bikes cause less people to buy bikes for themselves?

Not so, according to Mr. Vesco. “Bike sharing spurs retail sales of bikes,” he stated emphatically. Paraphrasing his reasoning, he said that all of the additional bikes on the road as a result of a sharing program “rebalance” the public space and the relationship between bikes and cars. Bike sharing places a critical mass (in the most positive and sharing sense of the term) of bikes onto the streets causing people to see cycling in the city as safer.

And safety, as we’ve all heard from so many non-cycling friends of ours, is one of the major points of resistance for more mainstream adoption of cycling. With more bikes on the streets, though, drivers are more aware of and are more accepting of their right to be there. The perceived added safety of so many other fellow cyclists encourages more people to get into cycling and to buy a bike.

Here’s a recent piece of local bike sharing news for those of us in Orange County, California: “European style” bike-sharing to begin in Newport Beach.”

As Mr. Vesco said at the beginning of his presentation: “Nothing is stronger than an idea whose time has come.” Amen.

While I have been to other lobbying events in DC before, this was first my first experience with the bike industry. From the moment the Summit opened on Wednesday with inspiring words from House representatives Earl Blumenauer, Dan Lipinski and Doris Matsui, it was easy to see that cycling is getting a lot of government attention. This theme continued as several politicians made personal appearances over the Summit to thank the industry for its efforts and to outline new cycling-related legislation. At a Bikes Belong Coalition reception, Republican Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania was so close he actually grabbed my badge lanyard – now that’s personal interest from Washington’s elite. This slew of celebrity sightings really caught my attention, as my previous trips to Washington haven’t provided as many photo opps – most of the meetings and parties I had been to in the past were attended by aides and staff members, with only polite invitation declines from major leaders.

The cycling industry, though, seems to be able to attract the Hill’s firepower – which is an exciting position to help direct change. From California’s Diane Feinstein to Utah Oregon’s Jeff Merkley, it seemed that everyone was eager to put a bright bicycle pin on their lapel. I think this suggests two critical success factors for the industry – we have excellent advocacy leadership in Tim Blumenthal and Andy Clarke, and they have led Bikes Belong and The League of American Bicyclists to be at the forefront of cycling policy and have forged numerous relationships with key policy makers. Congratulations to both and all that supported them to produce such a world class event.  

Furthermor, the political attention suggests that the cycling industry has an amazing opportunity – with all of the modern problems of traffic congestion, pollution, obesity and more – the bicycle really has an opportunity to be a tool that is used to literally change the world. Many prominent leaders already have the bicycle in mind to help drive agendas toward a more positive tomorrow with expanded bike paths and road infrastructure, less carbon emissions and children riding to school once again.

Next time the Summit rolls around, I highly encourage you to join the crusade. The more solidarity the industry can show Washington, the more chances we have to influence change. I think you’ll be proud to join industry colleagues and you really have the opportunity to be part of the legislative process – our timing couldn’t be any better to ensure that the bicycle continues to play a critical role in American history.

[Editor's Note: Andy is Interbike's Show Director]

Along with that good news, I’m constantly surprised by all the new advocacy groups that seem to keep popping up. Mattew Modine, the actor, was featured on the Freewheelin’ blog signing out a bike to use on a ride in support of the group that he works with called Bike For a Day. Here’s a brief excerpt from their website:

A fun, open and proactive invitation designed to inspire individuals, communities, governments and corporations to take a step towards solving the current environmental issues.

A global initiative bringing together people who choose to ride a bicycle rather than use gas-powered motor vehicles, immediately reducing their carbon footprint.

Supports organizations that restore and protect our environment and make biking safer and more accessible for everyone.

BICYCLING CAN HELP CHANGE YOUR WORLD

The BFAD website says that they plan to launch on September 20, 2008. I wish them all the best in their efforts.

You can also follow Freewheelin happenings via Twitter.

The website for the Freewheelin’ program is here and you can also follow them on Twitter under the bikesharing account name.

In the video, Avery Stonich from the BBC and Dan Oftedahl from Humana talk about the program and you get to see the wareheouse where the bikes are all being assembled. Hopefully you won’t see the pre-roll ad for a truck like I did. Gotta love contextual advertising.

Here’s the link to the original article that goes along with the video.

Case in point is this article in the LA Times by staff writer Leslie Earnest on commuting by bike that Lance pointed out to me on Tuesday (I live in San Diego County so I don’t get the LAT): “Bikes Help Commuters get around gas prices“. Now there’s been no shortage of articles in the mainstream, non-endemic media lately about the growth in cycling as a response to rising energy costs, but I think it’s important to highlight this exposure that our industry is getting – especially when it’s the cover story of the business section of such a widely read paper such as the LA Times.

Customer being helped at Cynergy Cycles in Santa Monica, California

The gist of the article is pretty typical: more people are riding bikes because of high gas prices. The quality parts of the article are that it focuses on the business aspect and how sales are up as a result of the energy situation and features quotes from a variety of industry members on the subject including Tim Blumenthal of Bikes Belong, Amanda Schulze of Burley Design, Fred Clements of the NBDA and Bruno Maier of Cannondale Sports Group.

The article is accompanied by a couple of photos taken at Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles, and also has interviews with retailer Rock N’ Road Cyclery of Orange County. Matt Ford of RNR comments at the close of the article that bike sales are “up double digits.” Jim Whitsett of Cynergy states similarly that he’s seen a jump of 20% just over the last 30 days. Good news for the industry for sure, but Clements of the NBDA cautions that the majority of sales in shops are still from recreational purchases and that segment is sensitive to the bad economy and people watching their spending more carefully.

Similar situation across the country?