February 2024

The year is off to a quick start, with several FCBC group bike rides already completed and many more exciting activities planned through the year.  Find out more below.

In this month’s Newsletter:

• The major activities for FCBC in 2024 have been determined by the Board.

• The next Bike Station Free Bike Repair Clinic is on Saturday, February 17 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm in the Tower District.

• FCBC is partnering with Rubber Soul Bicycles for a weekly bike ride to the town of Friant.

• Fresno bicycling infrastructure is explored with a completed tour of freeway pedestrian overcrossings and an upcoming tour of Class I bike paths in northeast Fresno.

• The next FCBC General Membership and FCBC Board meetings are scheduled on Thursday, February 15 at 6:30 and 7:00 pm, respectively.

FCBC Planned Events for 2024

Every January, the FCBC Board of Directors meets to plan out the activities for the new year.  Here are the highlights:

• The BIke Station is going strong and will continue to be held monthly.

• For May is Bike Month, plans are being made for a Ride Through History.  FCBC will also work with the City of Fresno Active Transportation Advisory Committee (ATAC) for a Ride with the Mayor.  Bike to Work Day is tentatively set for Thursday, May 16, and FCBC will have an energy station at the Tower Theatre, as in years past.

• FCBC is making plans to bring a League Cycling Instructor (LCI) Seminar to Fresno in early summer.  FCBC will also schedule Smart Cycling courses, including parking lot drills, in preparation for the LCI Seminar.

• The WTF (Women - Trans - Femme) Rides will be held periodically.

• In November will be the World Day of Remembrance (WDOR) and Bike Prom.

• As more in-person activities are planned, the virtual Bike Café meetings will be curtailed, but there may be an in-person Bike Café for a change of pace.  Suggested topics for Bike Café are always welcome at events@fresnobike.org.  

The Bike Station

Our recent Bike Station event marked the beginning of a fantastic year, with a warm welcome back to our dedicated volunteers.  The bike clinic saw tremendous success as we provided tune-ups for 15 bikes, creating a ripple effect of positive change in our community.

During the clinic, our passionate team shared valuable knowledge, teaching attendees essential skills such as changing a flat tire, tightening brakes, and adjusting of shifting.  It's all about empowering individuals to handle basic bike maintenance.

Adding to the vibrant atmosphere was the aroma of exquisite coffee brewed by Jeremy Cuevas, a local enthusiast.  His brews complemented the sense of community and shared enthusiasm for bicycles.

Mark your calendars for the next chapter in our journey – join us at Tower Velo located at 1440 N. Van Ness Avenue on February 17 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm for our upcoming Free Bike Repair Clinic.  You can let us know that you will be attending by signing up here.  See you there!

Weekly FCBC Rides with Rubber Soul Bicycles

FCBC is partnering with Rubber Soul Bicycles for a weekly 30-mile ride led by Jon Stewart with the bike shop.  The ride will depart from the bike shop at the northwest corner of Blackstone and Nees Avenues at 8:00 am every Tuesday, go through residential streets and Woodward Park and continue along the Eaton Trail.  At Copper River Drive, the ride proceeds onto Friant Road to the town of Friant with a pit stop at the gas station.  The ride then returns to the bike shop on the same route, arriving by 9:30 am.  Sign up here for the weekly series of rides.  After registering, you may attend any week of your choosing.  Rain cancels the ride.

Freeway Pedestrian Overcrossing Ride and Upcoming Class I Bike Path Ride

On January 28, FCBC hosted a group ride that took over 30 riders on a loop of central Fresno.  The ride was led by Sean Zweifler, City of Fresno Active Transportation Advisory Committee (ATAC) District 1 representative.  The primary purpose of the route was to show off some unique and underutilized pieces of active transportation infrastructure, namely the pedestrian bridges built by Caltrans over various freeways in the City.  We managed to visit 4 of the 5 bridges in town, including two over State Route 168 at Princeton and Weldon Avenues, one over State Route 180 at Winery Avenue, and one over State Route 41 at Nevada Avenue.  We got to see the benefits of these bridges, a car-free way to cross over the highways, which otherwise can be a significant barrier to active transportation users.  We also got to see some of the challenges, including low levels of maintenance resulting in broken glass, trash, and other waste which makes them feel less safe and enjoyable.  We also got to see some potentially very useful cross-town routes, Princeton and McKenzie Avenues.  These are generally fun and low stress routes, with low traffic volumes, slow speeds, and traffic signals at most major intersections.  With a little more investment, including a few more traffic lights and traffic calming measures, these have the potential to be an integral part of our active transportation network.  We also got to take a quick detour to see the McKenzie Trail, which is a Class I trail along McKenzie Avenue from Willow to Clovis Avenues.  Thank you to everyone who came out!

The next ride exploring the bicycle infrastructure of Fresno will be on Class I bike paths in northeast Fresno on Sunday, February 25 at 10:00 am.  The gathering location will be at the Art of Life Healing Gardenin Woodward Park, and the 11.6-mile ride will be a clockwise loop on bike paths along Friant Road, Copper Avenue, Willow Avenue, and Shepherd Avenue.  Along the ride will be discussions of the importance of having a network of bike paths and bike lanes and potential changes to design standards and laws that could make bike riding more enjoyable.  Sign up for the ride here.

Millbrook Mobile Home Village Kids Rodeo

On the cool morning of Saturday, February 10, FCBC collaborated with Teens That Care and SPARC to put on a kids bike rodeo at Millbrook Mobile Home Village.  Twenty-seven kids on bikes, trikes, and scooters went through the bike rodeo course to practice their handling skills and hand signals.  A dozen bikes refurbished by The Bike Station were given to kids in need of a bike.

Next General Membership and Board Meetings

The next General Membership and Board meetings are scheduled for Thursday, February 15 starting at 6:30 pm via Zoom. 

New this year, the FCBC Board is changing the format for the monthly board meeting to include a monthly informal open forum starting at 6:30 pm for general membership and members of the public to meet with the board prior to the official board meeting to ask questions and raise issues for the board to consider. The official board meeting, which is open to FCBC members only, will commence no later than 7 pm, or sooner depending on the length of the open forum discussion. If you would like to participate in the meeting, register here to receive the Zoom link.  Topics at the meeting include a proposed FCBC jersey and approving the budget for 2024.

Membership

If you are not yet a member of FCBC or need to renew, please visit https://fresnobike.org/join to become a member or renew your membership.