Category Archives: Advocacy & Local Issues

Bicycle advocacy both local and national, as well as discussion of local bicycle incidents with the community and/or police

Been busy past few days- time to catch up!

Advocacy & Local Issues, Tues/Thurs 7:45am ride

Yesterday was busier than most; the morning ride, on an absolutely stunningly fantastic morning at that, followed by trying to get an email out to our shop’s mailing list detailing the latest info on our local roads, and following that, taking part in Redwood City’s Complete Streets committee, originally a two-year gig that the city council has extended to four. Interspersed with all that there were bike sales to take care of, bikes to repair so they could get back on the road, and dealing with bike industry issues in my role on the NBDA’s Board of Directors. So when it seems like I didn’t get anything done yesterday, I guess I actually did!

Just Kevin (the kid) & Marcus joined me yesterday for the ride up the hill; a bit surprising given how nice it was. Of course, this was our first Daylight Saving Time, so maybe the usual suspects wanted to sleep in? I’ll admit I wasn’t looking forward to getting up at the equivalent of 5:55am, but it really wasn’t all that bad. The motions you go through… after so many years, you’re so used to them you could almost do it in your sleep.

The warmer weather probably helped my lungs a bit; I was able to do better up Kings than I have in quite a while. Still pretty pathetic compared to the old days (which were just two years ago???), but fastest time for me since October.

And yes, this was another outlaw ride, as we continue to monitor conditions on West Old LaHonda. Thankfully I’ve now got some assistance from BPAC (San Mateo County’s Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee) which has placed the issue of cycling access to West Old LaHonda on the agenda for its next meeting on April 20th. Thanks go to Gwen Buckley for taking action on this; of course, I would hope the road will have been repaired long before then!

More local bike shops disappearing… they’re not my competitors, they’re part of the local cycling infrastructure (and good friends)

Advocacy & Local Issues, Personal stuff
Sad irony that this bike made its way onto our repair stand today, the last day Passion Trail Bikes in Belmont was officially open for business.

In the past 30 days, 30 local bike shops closed their doors in the US. One such shop is our neighbor, Passion Trail in Belmont. This isn’t one less competitor; rather, this is one fewer place making cycling convenient and fun for local residents. We’ll soon be losing another, Calmar in Santa Clara. Both great shops, and both closing their doors because climbing rents, the high cost of living here and reduced support from suppliers made it impossible to continue.

We’re proud of the fact that we’ve been your local bike shop for 37 years, and that the next generation of my family plans to carry on the tradition. Our goal will always be the same- to make sure a bike you get from us is never one more thing in the garage that seemed like a good idea at the time, but rather something you can’t walk past without wanting to get out on a ride! That’s served us well in the past, and we hope it continues to in the years ahead. And my very best wishes for the adventures ahead for those who have left this business.

I’m sure they’re going to be telling me how great it is to have more time to ride, how nice it is not to be working 70 hours/week, and that their hair is growing back. I’ll be envious but also a bit skeptical (at least the part about the hair growing back anyway). I’ll bet they’re going to be missing their customers more than they admit. Given a better environment for the small local business, I’ll bet they’d still be around, still keeping cyclists on their bikes, still making sure, like us, that people discover that life does, indeed, go by at just the right speed on a bike. –Mike Jacoubowsky, Partner, Chain Reaction Bicycles