Bike Talk

Washington D.C.'s Bike Advocacy Group, WABA, wins its fight to protect "America's Bike Lane" from the federal government https://bikeleague.org/we-won-this-one-heres-what-comes-next/. Kallie Krumpos reports (3:10). At the California Bike Summit April 23–24, advocates met with legislators to champion safer streets and better bike infrastructure. CalBike Executive Director Kendra Ramsey reports on t...

Taylor talks with featured advocate Bronwyn Brightener and Director Ben Wolf of the documentary Changing Lanes about the contested Road Diet on McGuiness Boulevard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn https://www.changinglanesdoc.com/about (2:15). Eric Brightwell, host of the Nobody Drives in LA podcast, at the Changing Lanes screening https://ericbrightwell.com/nobody-drives-in-la/ (7:19). A concerned listene...

A school bike bus is recognized by the Burbank, California City Council for promoting safe, active Transportation. With Alfonso Directo, Jr. Advocacy Director of Act-LA and Roosevelt Elementary School parent https://www.act-la.org/ (2:53). Bike Films: “Major Taylor: Champion of the Race" Earns National News & Documentary Emmy Award Nomination-can now be streamed https://video.indianapublicmedia.or...

Taylor plans a May bikepacking trip from San Francisco to Michigan. A listener explains why she uses a backpack instead of panniers, and Tim Dyet’s review says “everyone gets a seat at the (Bike Talk) table.” (5:15) The Safe Speeds Act will require the CSPC to distinguish ebikes from illegal emotos, if passed https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7839/text?s=1&r=1&hl=hr+7839. How...

Hands Off DC bike lanes, says the Washington Area Bicyclists Association in the face of the Trump administration’s intention to remove a key part of the bike network. Kalli Krumpos, Advocacy Director, gives WABA’s perspective https://waba.org/2026/03/24/four-dc-actions/ (2:34). Voices from the March 24-26, 2026 National Bike Summit in Washington, DC from bike messenger/reporter Joel Gwadz: Terry L...

Taylor talks with Brent Muth at Ojai's MOB bike shop and then at a farmer's market with Annette, a member of the international nonprofit Cycling Without Age, which takes the elderly out for free bike rides (1:33). The League of American Bicyclists' National Bike Summit https://bikeleague.org/events/summit/ (9:33). Charlie's News: Cambridge, Massachusetts has seen a 250% ridership increase over two...

The cost of cars is skyrocketing https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/business/car-ownership-prices-interest-rates.html. Listener emails: a request for Kevin Grishkot’s bike poem https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nlAMBnuj05sUe7kwv2ABNo7zPsHbhX6-92GEOqckKlo/edit?usp=sharing, and Stephen Bingham on House and senate bills mandating side underride guards on new trucks https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov...

Taylor joins hundreds of Los Angeles bike people in the pre-dawn Marathon Crash Ride last Sunday, previewing the 26 mile route of the 2026 Los Angeles Marathon. With Joe Borfo and Joni Yung (0:20). New Jersey’s anti-ebike law from New York and California points of view. With Justin Hu-Nguyen, Bike East Bay and Anne Savage, New York Bicycle Coalition: (7:15) Automatic Emergency Braking in all U.S....

Cars are in the way in LA. The last Los Angeles Critical Mass was also a memorial for Regan Cole‑Graham and her newborn child Ophelia https://la-criticalmass.org/la-critical-mass-riding-miles-for-regan-this-february-2026/ -with Damian Kevitt, Founder of Streets Are For Everyone (2:15). Thoughts on oil, geopolitics, and how we can rebuild the world with renewable energy and bikes (7:20). Charlie’s...

Taylor and Nick’s bike origins as told on Sustainability Now! on Forward Radio in Louisville, Kentucky to Host Justin Mog https://soundcloud.com/wfmp-forward-radio/sustainability-now-nick (1:11). Taylor joins Walk ’n Rollers to fix up bikes for kids https://walkmorebikemore.org (4:02). Charlie’s News: The Bayview Black History Ride is happening February 28th in San Francisco https://www.sfexaminer...

Listener email: Desmond on winter Riding and specifically mittens that attach to your handlebars, called pogies (1:41). The City of Los Angeles is set to give back over $100 million of previously won money for active transportation projects because it can’t build them in time, reports Founder of LA Streets For All Michael Schneider https://bsky.app/profile/streetsforall.org/post/3metn6f54fk2u (3:2...

Listener Sean in Montana writes a good review for stickers. St. Paul, Minnesota rider and cartoonist Andy Singer drops in virtually to talk about the recent Alex Pretti memorial ride (1:09). A spec Super Bowl ad for kids biking and walking to school by Tom Flood (5:12). 1,200 riders rode 42 stationary bikes for four days to generate power for the first energy-neutral Super Bowl broadcast, the Fox...

Taylor and Nick agree that scarves are for everyone. Parker S rode in the Minneapolis Alex Pretti memorial ride 1/31 and shares what it was like (6:52). Listener Rick Bosacker writes that bike rides shouldn't be polarizing, or political (2:54). Streeetsblog NYC and LA editors Gersh Kuntzman and Joe Linton share their top priorities for bike advocacy in 2026 (10:55). Charlie's News: NYC deliverista...

Alex Pretti, murdered by ICE in Minneapolis, was a bike rider. Laura Groenjes Mitchell of Our Streets Minneapolis and Brett Macgraw of the West Metro Active Transportation Alliance share a multi-city memorial ride for Alex Pretti started by his local bike shop, the Angry Catfish https://bikepacking.com/news/alex-pretti-memorial-rides/. Also, a fundraiser for people trapped by ICE in Minneapolis ht...

Do we need e-shifters? Is Taylor a luddite? (0:19) Listener Email: South Carolina’s Freeway for Bikes https://www.reddit.com/r/bikecommuting/comments/1qinw7z/south_carolinas_freeway_for_bikes_it_makes/ (2:43) Blind riding in tandem with Sonya Chapnick (3:44). Charlie’s News: New York Governor Kathy Hochul proposes a “stop super speeders” pilot program https://empire.streetsblog.org/state-of-the-st...

Bike Mechanic Jim Cadenhead consults with Taylor about fixing a flat on his Surly. Problems: there's a thru-axle and he thought it was tubeless (2:45). Charlie’s News: Virginia plans to get rid of parking minimums in September https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB262. Zohran pleases some as he smooths a notorious bump at the end of Williamsburg Bridge https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/06/ny...

Bike Talk Listener Survey results (0:40). Notable bike-related laws of 2025 with bike lawyer Jim Pocrass (15:00). Mamdani’s transit-focused inauguration in a New York Minute with Streetsblog NYC Editor Gersh Kuntzman (21:45). Charlie’s News: Mamdani brings back de Blasio-era plan for McGuinness Boulevard. Leadville, CO will host Fat Bike Worlds later in January. Citi Bike prices are increasing for...

A sample of the interviews that made Bike Talk Bike Talk in 2025: Lucy Maloney, bike advocate turned council member in Vancouver from Episode 2533 https://biketalk.org/2025/08/2533-bikes-up/ (0:38). Zohran Mamdani interviewed by micro mobility organizer "miser" when Zohran ran for Mayor, from Episode 2525 https://biketalk.org/2025/06/2525-we-love-la-deliveristas-zohran-for-bikes-nyc-and-picture-ma...

Listener email: The AV debate: safer than humans (Waymo at least, but Teslas crash more often). On the other hand, AI is inhuman and AVs could increase car dependency (https://www.commondreams.org/news/tesla-robotaxi-crash-rate) (1:07). Charlie's News: Pride bike racks in response to pride crosswalk removal in Florida; University of Minnesota study shows biking before sunrise doesn't hold back ele...

Vehicular cycling and Aaron Swanson of League of American Bicyclists' League Certified Instructor's most recent graduating class in Los Angeles https://bikeleague.org/ridesmart/become-instructor/ (4:15). Charlie’s News- Streetsblog NYC article on everything wrong with anti Astoria bike lane ruling https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/12/09/heres-everything-wrong-with-the-judges-order-to-rip-up-the-31s...

Our Mission Statement, reviews, a listener email, and please take our survey! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeVwttiNKX8APpEgM3lmvlUI9d8KqQl9uedQ8YmdiJ5rPf0ow/viewform (0:19) Charlie’s News New bike lanes in Boston increase bike trips and decrease car traffic https://mass.streetsblog.org/2025/12/05/boston-data-show-streets-with-new-bike-lanes-successfully-shift-traffic-from-cars-to-bikes...

Bike books for Christmas-with the editors of Microcosm’s “They Ride at Night” anthology of Queer, Feminist, Fantastical Bicycle Halloween Stories, Summer Jewel Keown and Elly Blue (3:36). Queens City Couriers delivers anything by bike in Buffalo, New York. Rebecca tells us about that, a bike messenger memorial, and how being a bike courier compares to being a Marine, which she also has been (13:15...

The most recent Los Angeles CicLAvia’s 11/23  “Stranger Things” open street event was made possible by Netflix (0:18). Katie Wilson’s election as Mayor of Seattle through a bike lens with Brie Gyncild, Gordon Padelford and Merlin Rainwater of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways and Tom Fucoloro, editor of Seattle Bike Blog (8:25). News: LYFT’s Citibike in NYC is the world’s most expensive bikeshare, Fa...

Taylor bikes in the rain to LA Bikefest to talk with LA Bicycle Advisory Committee’s car-free Jennifer Gil and to World Day of Remembrance for Traffic Victims with Rob Kadota and Streets Are For Everyone founder Damian Kevitt (2:08). News: LA City Controller makes an app where you can see the where LA budget goes https://budget.lacontroller.app, the USDOT declares it won’t fund biking, walking, or...

Email: Reese, a listener, says we shouldn’t assume conservatives don’t listen to Bike Talk, like Nick said in the previous episode. We all agree: biking embodies values everybody can and should get behind (3:11). Charlie’s News: The City of Malibu approves safety plans for deadly PCH, a Queens, NY City Council seat is kept by an anti-bike zealot, Doug Ford seeks to repress debate on his speed came...