April 2024
Bike Month is just weeks away, and as usual FCBC has lots of exciting activities and events lined up. Find out more below.
In this month’s Newsletter:
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New FCBC T-shirts and bike jerseys are available for purchase.
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The Bike Station will be at the Tower Porchfest on Saturday, April 27.
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May is Bike Month, with Bike to Work Day, Bike with the Mayor Ride, Ride Through History, and more planned.
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FCBC continues to partner with Rubber Soul Bicycles for a weekly Tuesday bike ride to Sycamore Island.
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Several bills related to bicycling are working their way through the State Legislature.
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The next FCBC general membership meeting and FCBC Board meeting are scheduled for Thursday, April 18 at 6:30 and 7:00 pm, respectively.
New FCBC T-Shirt and Jersey
Just in time for Bike Month, FCBC has made available a performance T-shirt and classic-fit bike jersey. Designed by FCBC Board member Edna Pedroza, the T-shirt and jersey prominently feature FCBC’s logo. These are available for purchase on the FCBC website at the new FCBC Store. Cost is $50 for the T-shirt and $65 for the jersey. After you make the purchase on the website, you pick up your item at Rubber Soul Bicycles.
Weekly FCBC Rides with Rubber Soul Bicycles
The weekly Tuesday morning 15-mile ride to Sycamore Island with FCBC and Rubber Soul Bicycles is led by Jon Stewart with the bike shop. The ride is both on and off pavement, and it departs from the bike shop at the northwest corner of Blackstone and Nees Avenues at 8:00 am. From the bike shop, the ride goes through residential streets into Woodward Park. The ride proceeds on the old Highway 41 and along the San Joaquin River to Sycamore Island and then returns to the bike shop 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.
Tower Porchfest April 27, 2024 and The Bike Station
Are you excited for Tower Porchfest on April 27? We've got a tip to make your day even better: Ride your bike! It's the best way to get around and enjoy all the awesome musical performances.
If you need a hand getting your wheels spinning before the event, join us at Tower Theatre!
So grab your bike and swing by! Let's roll into Porchfest together in style. See you there!
May is Bike Month
Here are some of the activities to mark on your calendar for a very busy Bike Month:
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Farmers Market Ride and the rescheduled Earth Day Fresno at Fresno City College are on Saturday, May 4. The Farmers Market Ride will begin at Fresno High School and continue to the Vineyard Farmers Market at Shaw and Blackstone Avenues. Meet at1839 Echo Avenue at 9:00 am for a pre-ride chat before the 4.5 mile ride, with a ride off time of 9:15 am. Remember your shopping bags, cash, backpacks, or panniers. (As May 4 is Free Comic Book Day, the return ride to Fresno High may include a stop at comic book store, and there may be another stop at Ampersand Ice Cream. May 4 is also Star Wars Day ("May the 4th be with you!"), so you may want to wear your Star Wars attire?) The return ride will include a stop at Earth Day Fresno at Fresno City College where Bike Valet will be available to keep an eye on your groceries!
Clovis Trail Fest is also on Saturday, May 4, from 8:00 to noon along the Old Town and Dry Creek Trails and includes many family-friendly activities along the trails.
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Earth Day will be celebrated at Fresno City College, also on Saturday, May 4, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Bike Station will be there to help bike owners repair their own bikes.
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Bike to Work Week is May 13 to 19, with the Fresno area Bike to Work Day (BTWD) Thursday, May 16. FCBC is planning to host its annual BTWD Energy Station at the Tower Theater, and other Energy stations will be set up at multiple locations in Fresno to provide refreshments to bike riders. Locations and times will be announced as the date gets closer.
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The second annual Bike with the Mayor Ride with Fresno Mayor Dyer will take place on Wednesday, May 15 at 3:00 pm at City Hall, with a ride in Downtown Fresno.
The Ride of Silence is organized by the Fresno Cycling Club and will also be on Wednesday, May 15. The ride is a 7.8 mile loop beginning and ending at Clovis West High School in northeast Fresno. The gathering time is at 6:30 pm, with a ride off time of 7:00 pm.
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May is also Historic Preservation Month! A Bike Through History Ride will explore the Tower District on Saturday, May 18. This ride is sponsored by FCBC, Tower Yoga and the City of Fresno Historic Preservation Commission. The ride, which starts at 9 am, will begin and end at Goldstein's Mortuary & Delicatessen located at 1279 N. Wishon Avenue, and will feature La Jacka Tacos and a bike repair clinic with the Bike Station starting at noon.
Legislative Update
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Senate Bill 961 requires truck side guards and speed limiters that restrict vehicles to 10 mph over the speed limit. The first hearing is scheduled for April 23.
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Assembly Bill 2290 establishes the Bikeway Quick-Build Project Pilot Program that requires each Caltrans district to implement a low-cost bicycle facility by the end of 2027 as part of the Caltrans Maintenance Program. It would also prohibit funding from the Active Transportation Program for Class III bike routes unless on a residential street with a speed limit of 20 mph or less. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee.
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AB-2234 would prohibit anyone under 12 from riding an e-bike and directs the CHP to develop by June 30, 2025 a skills waiver that would be issued to e-bike riders who do not have a driver’s license. Such e-bike riders would also be required to have in their possession the waiver and a California ID card while operating an e-bike.
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AB-2259 would require the California Transportation Agency, which is over the DMV, the CHP, Caltrans, and the Office of Traffic Safety, to develop and make available electronically and in print form by September 1, 2025 a bicycle safety handbook. A similar bill was vetoed last year over concerns of the cost of printing the handbook. The bill passed the Assembly Transportation Committee.
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SB-1216 would prohibit funds from the Active Transportation Program to place Class III bikeways on roadways with speed limits of 30 mph or higher beginning in 2025. The first hearing is scheduled for April 23.
Next General Membership and Board Meetings
The next general membership meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 18 at 6:30 pm via Zoom. The general membership meeting is for members and nonmembers to meet with the Board prior to the official Board meeting to ask questions or raise issues for the Board to consider. After the meeting concludes, at 7:00 pm at the latest, the Board meeting will begin. Board meetings are restricted to members only.
If you would like to participate in the meeting, register here to receive the Zoom link.
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.