Bike advocates in Georgia decided to get creative this year: They used a chunk of their budget to provide scholarships to the National Bike Summit — with funding from car owners.

Georgia is one of 20 states that offer Share the Road license plates, and Georgia Bikes is one of a number of organizations that benefits from the Peach State’s plate sales. This year, the advocacy organization dedicated a portion of its funding to get more folks to the Bike Summit.

“I secured approval from Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to use part of our travel budget to offer Summit scholarships,” said Brent Buice, executive director of Georgia Bikes. But the scholarships weren’t just for first-timers. The criteria prioritized folks who are active in bike advocacy; diverse in background and experience; and hail from Georgia districts that are underrepresented at the Summit.

So who are the lucky recipients of these funds?

• Zahra Alabanza (pictured), Chapter Co-Founder of Red Bike and Green-Atlanta. RBG is “a community-building collective of Black urban cyclists seeking to [create] a relevant and sustainable Black bike culture.” Alabanza will also be speaking at the Summit on how to bring businesses on board.

• Julie Smith, President of Trails for Recreation and Economic Development (TRED) of Rome and Floyd County. TRED works in Floyd County (northwest of Atlanta, on the Alabama border) to sustain and clean-up trails, and urge the local government to install more bike infrastructure.

• Tracie Sanchez, Board Member of Griffin Bicycle Coalition. The coalition is a group of community leaders, government officials, and local business owners that are working to make the City of Griffin and Spalding County more bike-friendly.

• Tyler Dewey, Executive Director of BikeAthens. BikeAthens works ”to promote walking, cycling, and public transit as solutions to transportation needs in Athens through education, advocacy, and community service.”

We’re excited to have so many new faces at the 2013 National Bike Summit, thanks to Georgia Bikes — and certainly would love to see this model spread to other states, too!

It’s not too late for you to register for the Summit, too! Click here to learn more and sign up today!

Katie Omberg
Events and Outreach Manager

Katie joined the League in April of 2010. For the two years prior, she worked at the Corcoran College of Art + Design as a programs coordinator. Katie has a BA in Religion from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. She enjoys biking to work.

Mike Arvidson comes to the National Bike Summit year after year because it “brings biking minds together as thought leaders — leaders who are influential as policy makers.”

Arvidson, who is the Executive Vice President of Duo-Gard, a Michigan company that manufactures bike shelters, said he wants to be a part of that conversation — right in Congress’ backyard. He has attended the Summit for the past six years. Last year, Duo-Gard made it on the list of 50 Michigan Companies to Watch, and has been in the streetscape business since 1984.

The company’s commitment to sustainability makes the National Bike Summit an obvious entry on their calendar of events each year. Read on to hear from Arvidson on why he’ll be making the trip to Washington, D.C., again this March.

What inspired you to come to your first Summit in 2011? 

We had started designing and manufacturing a new line of products (bike shelters) starting in 2007 and I wanted to learn more about how the biking and alternative transportation movement was developing from a federal level. 

How does attending the Summit fit into Duo-Gard’s corporate mission?

Many of Duo-Gard’s products and services support sustainable goals. The initiatives at the core of the Bike Summit are moving these type of sustainable strategies forward at the highest level of government. We are interested in being part of the larger circle of influence toward promoting alternative transportation and more livable communities for the future. 

What do you think would help bring more manufacturers to the Summit?

It could be worthwhile to identify a group of manufacturers that would be a good fit for their products and the goals of the Summit – and then to reach out to them and provide some insight into the event. I think there are many other manufacturers who would benefit from being a part of the Bike Summit. The exposure and potential benefits to the manufacturing community could benefit from further outreach.

Is there anything specific you have learned/seen at the Summit that has really stuck with you?

The diverse group of individuals who participate in the Bike Summit and the commitment to common goals is impressive. [They] represent many advocates for biking and alternative transportation missions coming from so many backgrounds — geographies, occupations, motivations. It is truly a leadership group for biking initiatives.

Also, the interaction with the legislators is a worthwhile experience. The organization for the Bike Summit does a fantastic job facilitating the meeting agendas, informational sessions and scheduling.

Have you been able to use any of the lessons or anything else from the Summit after you left DC? 

Duo-Gard has created valuable local and national partnerships/alliances from our interactions at the Bike Summit.  We have passed along knowledge learned at Bike Summit internally to our team and to our sphere of influence in published articles and our internal newsletter to over 15,000 architects, designers, and corporations. 

What advice would you give to someone considering coming to the Summit for the first time? 

Try to talk with as many participants as you can. [There are] many local and national leaders for biking and pedestrian initiatives; there is much to learn from this group. Also I would say relax and make it a fun trip. There is plenty of veteran leadership involved who can do much of the heavy lifting. 

The Summit is less than two months away —  now is the time to register! Join Mike and make sure you’re part of the most exciting event of the year: Register today!

Katie Omberg
Events and Outreach Manager

Katie joined the League in April of 2010. For the two years prior, she worked at the Corcoran College of Art + Design as a programs coordinator. Katie has a BA in Religion from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. She enjoys biking to work.

When Tammy Duckworth wanted to show her constituents that she was ready and determined to serve in Congress, she hopped on her bicycle — her hand-cranked bicycle.

In 2004, Duckworth lost both her legs when the Blackhawk helicopter she was piloting was shot down in Iraq, but, in one of her campaign ads last summer, she used her pedal power to show her commitment to “go the extra mile” for working families in Illinois’ 8th District.

In November, Duckworth won her race — and on March 4, she’ll join us at the National Women’s Bicycling Forum.

Throughout her career, Duckworth has been a strong voice for women’s leadership, improved health care and a stronger economy — and this isn’t Duckworth’s first term in Washington, D.C.

In 2009, President Obama appointed Duckworth as Assistant Secretary of Veteran Affairs, where, among other efforts, she worked to address the unique challenges faced by Native American and female veterans. In her run for Congress, Duckworth made better health care for all Americans a key priority in her campaign — a priority she honors in her personal life, as well.

This summer, Duckworth joined the Schaumberg Bicycle Club for a ride and shared her love of cycling and the need to promote healthy activities for all Americans.

“This is how I get my cardiovascular fitness,” she said, as she settled into her bike. “But the thing is, if I had been injured on I-90 instead of in combat my husband and I would never have been able to afford all the things I needed to be happy and healthy in life. And, you know, it’s also just about a healthy lifestyle. I loving riding. I love it. My husband even has a little trailer on his bike for my wheelchair, so we can stop and have lunch — or bike and get an ice cream cone!”

We couldn’t be more honored to have the Congresswoman share her inspiring story at the National Women’s Bicycling Forum. Read more about Duckworth’s incredible career below — and register for the Forum today!

***

Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth is an Iraq War Veteran and former Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Duckworth attended college at the University of Hawaii and then went on to the George Washington University, where she earned a Masters of Arts in International Affairs. Following graduation, Duckworth, who is fluent in Thai and Indonesian, moved to Illinois, where she began pursuing a Ph.D. in Political Science at Northern Illinois University. While at NIU she also worked at the School of Nursing researching public health and environmental causes of cancer. Later Ms Duckworth worked for Rotary International as a manager for administration of Rotary’s clubs in the Asia Pacific Region.

In 2004, Duckworth was deployed to Iraq as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot for the Illinois Army National Guard. She was one of the first Army women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom until her helicopter was hit by an RPG on November 12, 2004. Duckworth lost lost her legs and partial use of her right arm in the explosion and was awarded a Purple Heart for her combat injuries.

Duckworth spent the next year recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. As one of the highest-ranking patients, she quickly became an advocate for her fellow Soldiers and testified before Congress about caring for our Veterans and wounded warriors.

Following her recovery, Duckworth ran for Congress in 2006. After a narrow loss, she became Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. In Illinois, she worked to create a tax credit for employers who hired Veterans, established a first-in-the-nation 24/7 crisis hotline for Veterans, and developed innovative programs to improve Veterans’ access to housing and health care.

In 2009, President Obama appointed Duckworth to be Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs. At VA, Duckworth led an initiative to end homelessness among Veterans. She created the Office of Online Communications to improve the VA’s and accessibility, especially among young Veterans, and also worked to address the unique challenges that Native American and female Veterans face.

Duckworth ran for Congress in 2012 to advocate for the practical solutions and cooperation needed to rebuild our economy and ensure that every American has a chance to achieve the American Dream.

Duckworth lives in Hoffman Estates with her husband Bryan, an Army Major. Since her recovery, Duckworth has taken up scuba diving, surfing, skydiving and flies as a civilian pilot. Fulfilling a promise she made at Walter Reed, she has also completed several marathons. She has resumed her Ph.D. studies at Northern Illinois University and is also working toward a Ph.D. in Health and Human Services at Capella University. In her spare time, she volunteers at local food pantries and enjoys couponing and flea markets. Duckworth declined a military medical retirement and continues to drill as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Illinois Army National Guard.

Register for the National Women’s Bicycling Forum today!

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

There are some new faces on Capitol Hill this year, and the 2013 National Bike Summit is the perfect opportunity to introduce them to the bicycling community.

The League’s Caron Whitaker, Vice President of Government Relations, discusses below who the new decision-makers are this year, how they could influence legislation affecting the bicycling community, and, more importantly, how biking advocates can make their voice heard at the Summit in March.

Watch and share:

The Summit is less than two months away —  now is the time to register!  Make sure you’re part of the premier advocacy event of the year: Register today!

We were disappointed yesterday to find out that Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is leaving the Obama administration, but, don’t worry: You’ll have your chance to cheer his accomplishments. Since his appointment, LaHood hasn’t missed a single National Bike Summit — and he’s not starting now.

We’re honored to announce that the man Congressman Earl Blumenauer has crowned “the best Secretary of Transportation we’ve ever had” will be one of our opening speakers for the 2013 National Bike Summit.

Of course, nobody know that Bicycling Means Business better than LaHood. At last year’s Summit, the Secretary stressed the connection between a 21st-Century transportation system and a growing U.S. economy. To LaHood, there’s a direct link between safer streets for bicyclists and better jobs for our friends and neighbors.

What parting words of wisdom will LaHood have for bicycle advocates? Register now for the National Bike Summit — and join us as we thank the Secretary for four incredible years of service.

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

Keep your eye on Atlanta.

When your community draws 100 people to a community bike forum (pictured below) to listen to presentations about transportation policy – on a Saturday night – you have some real bike culture developing.

When the staff and board of your city’s bicycling advocacy organization lock themselves in a room for two days to develop an ambition campaign to access public funding for bicycling investment, you have savvy grassroots leadership.

When your city’s assistant director for transportation planning announces a goal of becoming a top ten bicycle commuter city in the next few years – and hopes to skip Bronze and go right to Silver Bicycle Friendly Community status – you have political buy-in. And it doesn’t hurt when Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is giving your mayor a shout out for improving urban livability.

When your city council is about to vote on allocating $2.5 million from a bond to fund 15 miles of bike facilities and Complete Streets, your community may be about to put its money where its mouth is.

All of these things are true of Atlanta, Ga., where the Advocacy Advance team supported a customized Winning Campaigns Training, based on the Alliance for Biking and Walking’s signature training, and the afore-mentioned community forum.

“Last year marked a turning point for bike advocacy in Atlanta,” said Rebecca Serna, Executive Director of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition. “Our mayor hopped on a bike and said he wanted Atlanta to be a beacon of bike-friendliness, not for the Southeast, not for the South, but for the nation. That’s a lofty goal but he’s done nothing but meet goals in his first term, so we anticipate great things to come in our city.”

The Winning Campaign Training brought together a large portion of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition’s board and the staff to walk step by step through a campaign to respond to a recent unsuccessful transportation sales tax measure, T-SPLOST. ”The Winning Campaigns Training really helped our leadership team focus, providing the structure we needed to accelerate group genius,” ABC Board Member Jenn Graham said.

Advocacy Advance has given the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition a Model Grant to ensure that the city increases its investment in bicycling and walking infrastructure and it is paying off. Over the past several years, the city’s leaders have started to recognize the need to make Atlanta a biking- and walking-friendly community. We’ll keep you posted on their progress.

“Georgia Bikes is thrilled with the leadership and commitment to better bicycling on display in Atlanta,” said Brent Bruice, executive director of Georgia’s statewide advocacy organization. “Our state capital is leading by example and showing the way to being bike friendly for cities throughout Georgia.”

And if you are ever bicycling in Atlanta, you can use this app to track your route and send data directly to the city’s transportation planners.

Darren Flusche
League Policy Director

Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.

After the Nobel Peace Prize, the League’s Bicycle Friendly Business designation is one of world’s most sought-after commendations.

Clearly, allowing all staff to ride to work if they want to is an important step. Last week, President Barack Obama said his new Chief of Staff, Denis McDonough, “probably isn’t allowed” to continue commuting to work on his bike. With your help, we’ve collected dozens of great reasons to #letdenisride. But with a health-conscious Commander in Chief in the Oval Office, we couldn’t help but dream of the day that President Obama adds a BFB award next to that Nobel Peace prize.

Here are a few more ideas to help the White House join the U.S. Department of State, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency as a League Bicycle Friendly Business.

1) Secure bike parking is great way to encourage riding. BFBs often find that bike racks in prominent locations are a great way to start a conversation about their commitment to bicycling.

2) Convenient shower access is a great way to make bike commuting easier on both commuters and their co-workers.

3) We consider the ways businesses encourage cycling when deciding on BFB awards. We’re always impressed when workplaces print up custom cycling jerseys for their key staff.

4) While biking isn’t always going to be the best choice for a particular trip, the top BFBs make it possible to combine biking with other forms of transport.

5) Even with everything they do to promote cycling throughout the year, Bicycle Friendly Businesses always find a way to step it up on Bike to Work Day.

The first step is easy, Mr. President. Click here to download the BFB scorecard. #letdenisride and build a bike lane to the 21st century!

Thanks to my Photoshop genius colleague Katie Omberg and Primal for their help envisioning a Bicycle Friendly White House.

Scott Williams
League Director of Membership

Williams joined the League in April 2010. For the four years prior, he worked providing technology consulting and solutions to nonprofit organizations with Community IT Innovators.

A few weeks ago we launched our state-specific highlights of traffic laws that affect bicyclists — and the feedback was tremendous.

We know you’re keen to learn more, so, over coming weeks, we’ll delve into each of the 11 categories we highlighted, from sidewalk riding to distracted driving. To start, we’re taking a deep dive into Safe Passing Laws.

What are Safe Passing Laws?

Safe passing laws require vehicles to pass each other at a safe distance. In most states, the amount of space necessary to be “safe” isn’t defined, but, in a growing number of states, there are laws that say a safe distance between a bicyclist and a motorist is not less than three feet.

Click the image to download the chart showing safe passing laws for all 50 states and DC

Why should you care?

A safe passing law is valuable because it raises awareness as to how vehicles should share the road. It may also lead to enforcement actions against unsafe passing or be used in legal actions resulting from collisions or other incidents between road users.

Who has them?

All states have some version of a safe passing law. In 32 states, and the District of Columbia, the safe passing law explicitly mentions bicyclists. In the other 18 states, bicyclists are protected by safe passing laws written with no distinction between bicyclists and other road users.

In 24 states, and the District of Columbia, there is a defined distance standard — typically three feet — which sets the minimum distance required for safe passing. The other 26 states do not define what constitutes a safe distance in terms of feet. There are four states – Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Vermont – which have laws that do not define a minimum safe distance in terms of feet, but are significantly different than the Uniform Vehicle Code in a way that provides more protection to bicyclists.

Spotlight State – New Hampshire

New Hampshire has a great law regulating safe passing because it incorporates several different concepts to ensure that a bicyclist is protected. The law states:

Every driver of a vehicle, when approaching a bicyclist, shall insure the safety and protection of the bicyclist and shall exercise due care by leaving a reasonable and prudent distance between the vehicle and the bicycle. The distance shall be presumed to be reasonable and prudent if it is at least 3 feet when the vehicle is traveling at 30 miles per hour or less, with one additional foot of clearance required for every 10 miles per hour above 30 miles per hour. – N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §265:143-a

This law touches on three important concepts:

1. Due care – By saying that a driver must exercise due care the law creates a relationship of responsibility for the driver of a vehicle approaching a bicyclist. Language stating a due care requirement may make it easier for bicyclists to hold a driver liable if hit.
2. Defined distance – By stating that a reasonable and prudent distance is one of at least 3 feet the law makes it easy to publicize what is regarded as a safe distance and reinforces the most commonly required safe passing distance.
3. Variable distance – By stating that a reasonable and prudent distance is one that varies with increased speed, the law makes it clear that three feet is not an absolute. What is safe can vary depending upon speed and road conditions. Recognizing this is rare amongst state laws that define a safe distance.

Where did they come from?

The first state to pass a three foot law was Wisconsin in 1973. Safe passing laws that do not define a distance are generally derived from the model laws found in the Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC), which was last updated in 2000.

There are three UVC sections that have an impact on safe passing laws. If you would like to know more about safe passing in your state, or you are considering new legislation in this area of law, finding your state’s equivalent statutes for the following UVC sections would be a good place to look.

UVC 11-303: Overtaking a Vehicle on the Left – This section is the source of the safe distance language used by a majority of states.

UVC 11-305: Limitations on Overtaking on the Left – This section generally deals with crossing the center-line of the roadway in order to pass another vehicle. Crossing the center line can be relevant to safe passing laws because a vehicle may have to cross the center line in order to provide a safe distance while passing, therefore it is important that vehicles are allowed to do so.

UVC 11-306: Further Limitations on Driving on Left of Center of Roadway– This section deals with crossing the center-line of the roadway in order to pass when there are specific road circumstances that compromise visibility. Since it only applies when there are specific road circumstances, like a curve or slope that may affect visibility, it is less likely to create problems when interacting with a safe passing law.

Click to download the chart of safe passing laws for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Ken McLeod
Legal Specialist, Advocacy Advance

Ken joined the League in 2012 after graduating from William & Mary School of Law. He is a licensed attorney in the state of Virginia. During law school he worked for a private law firm in Cambodia and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Prior to that, Ken worked at a law firm in Orange County and a legal services provider in Seattle. He graduated from Pomona College in 2007 with a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. He began using his bike regularly after college and has been car-free since February 2012.

After news hit that new White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough might have to park his bike for good during his new daily commute, the bicycling community responded with disappointment, calls to action and even advice for the impending zombie apocalypse.

President Barack Obama said McDonough, who was tapped last week, “probably isn’t allowed” to continue commuting to work on his bike.

The League and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association teamed up yesterday to ask why the White House should #letdenisride.  The responses poured in on Twitter, Facebook and in the League’s comment section. We compiled a few of our favorites, along with WABA’s Alex Baca.

Here are a few reasons from Twitter:

And here are some of our favorite comment responses to our blog post:

Shane Says:

Because just like kids, adults perform better after a bike ride into work!

http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/news-columns/davis-bicycles-car-children-learn-less-in-school/

Aaron Garland Says:

I set up a “We the People Petition” to ask President Obama Allow White House Chief of Staff, Denis McDonough, to continue riding his bike to work.

Please check it out and Sign the Petition. http://wh.gov/VX1X

Barbara Norris Duerk Says:Government works best when employees are on time and projects are on budget. Bicycling eliminates traffic jams and reduces fuel dpendency. Healthy lifestyle – go Denis!

RT Says:

Because it’s going to be hard to fit in a workout while working such crazy hours. He might as well get one in on his commute!

Coreen Frasier Says:

Everyone should be able to choose this method of transportation. It is healthy, easy,fun,and most of all would set an example for others who want to be and stay healthy!

Tomorrow check back for another post on how #letdenisride could help the White House achieve Bicycle Friendly Business status.

This is not the headline we were hoping to see today.

Politico is reporting that Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is leaving the Obama administration.

Since he famously jumped on the table at the National Bike Summit Congressional Reception to declare “This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized,” Secretary LaHood has been an outspoken champion for bicycling and walking issues at the U.S. Department of Transportation.

LaHood at National Bike Summit, 2010. Photo by Jeffrey Martin

In the three years since that Summit, the Secretary continued his strong public support.

LaHood wears a bike pin at an event where bicyclists thanks him for his leadership. (Photo: Chriss Eichler for America Bikes)

In October 2011, LaHood voiced his support for the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide.

LaHood, flanked by NYC Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik -Khan and Congressman Earl Blumenauer in 2011. (Photo: Darren Flusche)

He even biked to work (with a security detail, Mr. President!)…

Lahood biking in to work on June 6, 2011. (Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation)

… and was willing to get his picture taken with me!

LaHood and the League Policy Director Darren Flusche after a morning commute to USDOT headquarters. (Photo: USDOT.)

Needless to say, the Secretary will leave big shoes to fill at the DOT.

What are your favorite LaHood moments?

Darren Flusche
League Policy Director

Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.

Martina Fahrner is an evangelist and a visionary. A trailblazing business woman with a passion to get more families on bicycles, she helped to introduce new types of cargo bikes, not only to Portland, Ore., but the entire U.S.

Six years ago, with the opening of Clever Cycles, Fahrner began to change the retail landscape and provide new solutions for families like her’s. And, ever the optimist, where other’s see challenges, she sees opportunities.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Martina at various bike events and writing about Clever Cycles for Momentum magazine — and I couldn’t be more excited to hear her speak at the National Women’s Bicycling Forum.

Read more about her story in the interview below — and sign up for the Forum today!

Having grown up in Germany, did you ride a lot as a child / adult? Is the cycling culture here very different from back home?

I learned to ride a bike when I was 4-years-old. I rode to school, after-school activities and later even went clubbing by bike. I got my driver’s license when I was 18 but never owned a car. I also used a lot of public transport, which is normally discounted for students in Germany. There is no cycling culture per se in Germany. There are bicycle clubs for touring, racing or bike acrobatics, but a bike is just something you use to get around. Bicycle infrastructure is part of most streets and many country roads have separated multi-use paths next to them.

What a diverse background you have! What kinds of museums and web development work did you do before you got into the bike world?

I worked for the Museum of the City of New York after I moved to the U.S. I was always more interested in history than in fine art, so working in a history museum was a treat. In San Francisco, I started to write HTML while looking for another museum job. At the beginning of the dot.com boom I gave up my search and slipped instead into project management jobs at various IT start-ups. I found out that my training in iconography is easily translated into information design. So I focused more and more on human-computer interaction and user-centric design. Interestingly enough, I also acquired a good idea of product design. What else is the web about, if not the sale of products?

How did you end up in Portland? Was the bike culture a draw?

In the early 1990′s, my husband and I took a road trip to Portland and liked it. When we decided to leave San Francisco, it was either Amsterdam or Portland. Since my husband had a patent for an electro-assist for bikes, we figured it would be easier to stay in the U.S. So we moved to Portland. Since we are a car-free family, bike culture was naturally a draw. Three days after we had landed in Portland, we went bike-caroling.

What inspired or motivated you to start a bike shop?

Six years ago, we met our business partners kvetching at friend’s party about how hard it is to ride with small kids — we had one, they had four. We compared notes, they bought two of our electric-assist systems and we started talking. It was actually Rae Mullin, my business partner, who had seen a Bakfiets here in Portland. Somebody had brought it over from the Netherlands. We hunted the person down, tracked down a distributor and started importing them.

It must have felt risky to introduce bikes that were relatively new, not only in Portland, but the U.S.! What challenges did you have to overcome to make your shop a success?

Some of the European firms didn’t take us seriously (“Americans don’t ride bikes!”). Liability was a big problem. Luckily, we never had to use our insurance in five years of business. Amazingly enough, convincing people to put their kids on bikes was the smallest of all our challenges. So many people had seen our bikes in Europe. Other parents who used to be bicyclists before having kids, just wanted to get back to riding. I still feel challenged by the gaps in the American product palette. I see tremendous opportunities and under-served markets. I hope that I can help in my own ways to close them.

How is your shop different from the traditional bike retailer — beyond just the bikes that you sell?

We always talked about wanting to be like an Apple store. White doesn’t lend itself to bikes being pushed around, but we settled on bright colors, a spacious layout and a touch of a living room feeling. We have rugs in our show room and a chandelier made out of light bulbs. We try to cultivate a friendly atmosphere where everybody feels welcome and nobody gets overwhelmed.

What’s your biggest source of pride in how Clever Cycles has impacted the community at large?

It makes me incredible proud to hear from people that shops similar to Clever Cycles are opening all over the U.S. I also get really emotional when I run into somebody that I sold a bike to and they tell me that they love their bike… Best. Feeling. Ever!

In your opinion, how important is the availability of family / utility bicycles in growing the number of women who ride?

It is HUGE. I don’t want to disrespect the number of care takers and dads who ride cargo bikes, but just seeing other women on cargo bikes is an inspiration to women. It’s the light at the end of the SUV tunnel. Interestingly enough, blogging cargo-bike moms are the leading evangelists: women read the blogs, get inspired and start asking around. Often their questions end up in the Clever Cycle e-mail inbox. Sometimes I can’t recommend any good solution, which is heart wrenching. But, again, the challenge is to broaden the product palette: Why not have a trailer for older kids or for 3-4 kids? Why isn’t there a bike to which you can attach a child seat and a trailer bike? Cargo bikes for a women less than 5-feet tall? Helmets for women with braids or lots of hair! There is so much to do — I get dizzy when I think about all these opportunities!

As a mom, what do you tell other parents who say that they don’t have the ability to meet their family travel needs on a bicycle? What’s been your experience as a bicycling mom?

That’s a difficult question… The most important thing is to open yourself to the concept: Talk to biking parents, investigate your bike options, pick a short ride you can do. It can be to the library, in a park or on a trail. Vacations are a great time to start cycling, just rent bikes and explore. It sometimes seems easier to take radical steps: once your second car is gone, you just have to figure it out. It also makes the financial hit easier. Even if biking is much more economical than driving, it still costs money and bikes that can carry kids safely can be expensive. More opportunities in this area: We should think more about bike loans and bike leasing!

For non-cycling parents I try to introduce cycling as a viable transportation option by being courteous to cyclists, point out cycling families and encourage their kids to bike. Many of the parents I see during our “Safe Routes to School” month don’t normally ride, but they do it for one month for their kids — and that’s wonderful! If a family really wants to travel by bike, but can’t, perhaps it is also time to ask the big questions: Do we live in the right neighborhood? Can we make our neighborhood more bike-friendly? We chose where we live for jobs, schools, re-sell value. Why not for bike/walkability?

Meet and hear more from Martina at the National Women’s Bicycling Forum!

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

News has been filtering in for days about the appointment of Denis McDonough to be President Obama’s new Chief of Staff.

We’ve been paying particular attention because he lives not far from the League’s own Scott Williams in Takoma Park, Md. In fact, they are passing acquaintances… i.e. McDonough usually passes Scott on his bike ride to work.

McDonough’s appointment was made official late last week, along with the shocking news that the new Chief of Staff may not be able to continue riding his bike to work. That, according to President Obama, “probably isn’t allowed.”

The League’s office is only a couple of blocks from the White House and we haven’t banned Scott from riding to work – so we don’t think it’s the distance or lack of a decent route that’s the issue. And I am sure Scott would offer to ride along with Denis in their own little bike train, if that would make the difference; we can be flexible with Scott’s hours, Mr. President.

Along with our colleagues at the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, we’re sure the cycling community can come up with the Top Ten Reasons Why Denis Should Be Allowed to Ride His Bike to Work…

• the fitness of his security detail will set a new standard for the entire White House
• he’ll never get stuck in traffic in times of emergency
• there’s always plenty of bike parking space on the White House railings
• he’ll never have to leave a critical security briefing “becasue my carpool is leaving now”
• didn’t you sign an Executive Order on Sustainability that encourages this sort of thing?

Help us round out the top ten by posting in the comments below or sharing your ideas on Twitter using the hashtag #letdenisride.

Andy Clarke
League President

Andy Clarke was appointed to the position of Executive Director in April of 2004 after successfully leading efforts to create, interpret and implement the various transportation programs that are available to improve conditions for bicycling and walking as the League’s State and Local Advocacy Director. Before joining the League in February 2003, Clarke was on contract to provide technical assistance to the highly regarded Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center on site at the Federal Highway Administration. He is on the Board of Directors for America Bikes, and a member of the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycling Professionals.

While he didn’t ride up to Capitol Hill, President Barack Obama showcased the city’s bicycle-friendly facilities during the inauguration last week, giving millions of Americans a glimpse of the bike lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue. When not occupied by a presidential motorcade or thousands of cheering supporters, those lanes are a steady stream of bicyclists, including many using Capital Bikeshare.

With so many people converging on D.C. to celebrate what some consider “a win for a more multiracial America,” I wondered: how are those facilities and the bike sharing system serving our multiracial cycling community?

To help answer that question, Darren Buck of Bikepedantic recently published his analysis on “Encouraging Equitable Access to Public Bikesharing Systems.” The 107-page report delves into how 20 bike-share programs across the country, including D.C., are working to ensure access to public bike sharing systems in low-income and communities of color.

While bike share systems are becoming a popular idea in many urban areas nationwide, where bike-share programs currently exist there is a persistent truth that they often don’t serve the populations that could benefit the most. Benefits associated with bike-share include:

• Greater transportation mode shift. (Fewer cars, more bikes)
• Neighborhoods w/ less greenhouse emissions. (Cleaner air)
• Lower household transportation expenditures. (Spend less to get to work)
• Increased accessibility to public transit. (Greater mobility without a car)
• Increase in physical activity. (Fewer shouting matches with your scale)

So who benefits from all this bike-sharing goodness? Well, it turns out its mostly well-educated, white users 34 years old and younger.

Why is this happening? Are low-income and minority populations too cool for bike-share? According to the report, there are some clear barriers that make the demographic of bike-share users more homogeneous than we’d like. There are both barriers to bicycling in general and barriers to bike-share use as well.

• Lack of access to bike facilities.
• Counties with high poverty and low educational attainment were less likely to have dedicated funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects.
• African Americans bike less but feel more threatened while cycling.
• Low-income households have lower rates of access to a bicycle.

There are several other barriers that make access to bike-share a difficulty for low-income users and people of color. One popular example from Capital BikeShare is the system’s requirement that riders pay with a credit card. This limits accessibility to low-income users that may not have credit cards or bank cards. Capital BikeShare responded with a Bank on DC campaign, which provided discounted membership via a partnership with local banks to make the service more affordable.

Another barrier is the location of bike share stations and how far they are from other stations and public transit. In an article from Grid Chicago concerning Chicago’s plans to unveil a bike-share system soon, Eboni Hawkins from Red, Bike and Green – Chicago noted, “In many black and Latino communities on the South and West Sides, destinations are farther apart than in dense North Side neighborhoods, which makes bike commuting more challenging.”

Outside of highlighting just how one sided bike-share user demographics might be, Buck’s report also hinted at some potential ways to address the imbalances. Just a few of the suggestions included:

• creating financial assistance programs directly targeting low-income users
• tapping bike-share users as advocates for bike facilities in underserved communities
• linking bike-share cards and fobs with public transit farecards
• providing user information in more than one language
• hiring diverse staff representative of the city’s population
• hosting workshops for low-income residents to learn how to use bike-share
• creating incentives for late-shift workers to use bikeshare due to a lack of public transit

Bike share systems are making a huge difference in getting more people out riding. But, if the benefits are confined to a limited group of users its appearance in urban centers will continue to beg questions like this: “If it is truly about behavioral change, make it available where it is really needed or where it will have impact,” said Councilman Paul Lopez in Denver, Colorado. “Is this truly about the issues and behavioral change or is this just for looks?”

Click here to read the full equity in bike sharing report.

Hamzat Sani
Equity and Outreach Fellow

Hamzat joined the League in September 2012 after working with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition. Before working in biking, Hamzat worked with Martin Luther King Jr.’s son as a Program Associate at The King Center in Atlanta. A founder of the Red, Bike and Green chapter in Atlanta, Hamzat sees biking as a hub for change on the communal level.

Maybe it was love at first sight — a wayward glance on a crowded street. Maybe you met through a friend or a family member and the first date was awkward and off-balance. Maybe, it didn’t seem like the right fit, but, over the years, the ride took you places you never imagined.

Yeah, our relationships are different, but one way or another, we all fall in love with our bicycles — and the way they make us feel. Taliah Lempert captures those sentiments on canvas.

The New York City-based artist is known widely in the cycling community for her bicycle paintings, that showcase the spirit and personality of the diverse bikes that bring us such joy and utility.

How did she fall in love with cycling… and marry that passion to painting? Read my interview with Taliah below — and hear more of her story when she joins us at the National Women’s Bicycling Forum on March 4.

What inspired you to start riding?

Bikes were a big part of family life growing up, more as recreation than transportation. We rode a lot, but I didn’t bring a bike with me when I left home for college and I didn’t think about it much for a long while. Years after I finished school and moved to New York, I bought a bike on a whim — it just caught my eye while I was walking down the street. I immediately got on and rode across the Brooklyn Bridge to work in Manhattan and have been commuting by bike ever since. I think that was 1996 or 1997.

What’s your bike style — commuting, racing, long leisurely rides on the weekend…?

I got all those kinds of style. My bike is my transportation, with rare exception. I do a lot of commuting. Sometimes I ride my fast street bike and it’s pretty racy. A lot of times, I’ll ride a more sensible bike that has fenders and racks. My racing days may be over, but I was a regular at Kissena track from 1999 to 2007. I’m usually up for a long ride on the weekend or days off, either headed up the Hudson, to Prospect Park or out to the Rockaways.

What’s your artistic background — how and when did you get into painting? Was bicycling your first creative muse or later inspiration?

I got into painting when I was about 16. It too was kind of a whim. I took an art class as an elective in high school and then, suddenly, one day I knew it was what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a painter. I’ve never thought twice about it. Before bicycles I painted groups of people and  still life mostly. I still keep a sketch book and  work regularly from the figure,  make pictures of my family and draw still lives. My painting, printmaking and the work in my studio is all bicycles.

How did bicycling and art first intersect for you? Was there a specific bike that was your first love?

The bike that really got it started was a big Schwinn cruiser called the Klunker 5. It was a bike that Schwinn marketed as an early mountain bike. It was tremendous. Huge. Riding it through the city was wonderful. I was captivated. When I’d return to my bike, locked to a pole, it looked so great, I could see the painting already.

How have your bicycle paintings evolved over the years?

When I look back at my work, it’s like a journal: Different bikes and friends’ bikes through the years. The drawing has gotten more accurate and I spend longer on each piece. I’ve gone through periods where I focus on different aspects, be it in painting or about the bike.

What do you hope to convey in your paintings?

I want to convey the beauty in people and bikes. I love how cycling is such an uplifting thing, that we harness our own energy to move forward. It’s a powerful symbol, not just for riding a bike but for living well. I love that each bike I paint is unique and exists in its current form because of a specific person — and that it’s also a universal icon.

It must be such a joy to be able to make a living doing what you love — a dream for so many of us. What challenges have you overcome in making ends meet by bringing your passion to life?

I feel very lucky and happy that my painting supports me. Cycling, and especially the time I spent at the track, inspired the way I do business. To come up with a plan and go with it, with conviction. To define my faults and work to overcome them. Practicing to improve both painting and business. Making a living from my work didn’t happen immediately. I had been painting for about 15 years and painting pictures of bicycles for about three before I quit my day job (which was decorative painting and assorted odd jobs).

What advice would you have for other small women or bike-oriented artisans?

Be relentless. Keep trying. Make it happen.

If you had to choose to have just one bicycle painting in your home, which would it be?

The one I’m working on.

What are you painting right now?

I’m about to start a commission. It’s a mid-1980’s mountain bike. It was the bike that introduced cycling to the guy who owns it. He bought it new and rode it on trails and for transportation. He took it on a trip to Italy and rode it up mountains. It’s not his only bike, or his fanciest one, but it’s the one that started it.

Meet Taliah and hear more about her work at the National Women’s Bicycling Forum — register today!

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

On Wednesday night, we held the first Women Bike webinar on “How to Start and Sustain a Women’s Bike Club” and, wow, what a success.

With more than 150 registrants, the topic clearly resonated, and our three panelists — Liz Jose of WEBikeNYC, Veronica Davis of Black Women Bike DC and Sarai Snyder of Girl Bike Love — shared tips and advice that were both insightful and actionable.

If you missed the webinar live, don’t worry! For you visual learners, we recorded the event and, for folks who like words on paper, we created a written Tip Sheet incorporating the notes and slides into a mini-resource.

Ready for more? We’ve already scheduled our next webinar on February 27 at 2 p.m. Eastern — Women Mean Business: The Economic Impact of Women Bicyclists.

In preparation for the Women Mean Business theme for the National Women’s Bicycling Forum (and the Bicycling Means Business theme at the 2013 National Bike Summit), we’ll explore the results of the American Bicyclist Study with authors Elliot Gluskin and Jay Townley — and understand the tremendous economic impact of women on the current, and more importantly, the future of the bicycle movement.

Click here to register!

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

How is my state spending its share of federal transportation funds? How much is my community investing in bicycling and walking?

These common questions can be difficult to answer.

Data on federal funding is vital to understanding the range of programs that fund bicycle projects — and let you know if your state is effectively tapping into federal dollars to make biking better in your community.

To help you navigate this complex landscape and find information for your area, Advocacy Advance has created a helpful new report — “Key Data Sources: Federal Investments in Bicycling and Walking in Your Community” — that provides a list, summary and links to 11 sources of funding data.

Adding to the report, Advocacy Advance is also hosting a webinar next week on “Tracking Data on Bicycling and Walking Investments.” Join us on Tuesday, January 29th, at 2 p.m. Eastern as we explore sources of funding outside of new Transportation Alternatives programs and explain what’s being done to track bicycle funding. Panelists will include:

• Ken McLeod, Legal Specialist, Advocacy Advance
• Andrea Milne, Benchmarking Project Manager, Alliance for Biking & Walking
• Renata Silberblatt, staff analyst, Tri-State Transportation Campaign

Click here to register for the webinar.

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

Do you ride a bike, work with cyclists, or have a knack for solving bike issues in your community?

Well, we need your insight on the local biking landscape — become a Bicycle Friendly America Local Reviewer!

The final Spring 2013 applications for the Bicycle Friendly Community, Business and University programs are being submitted and soon we’ll begin our bi-annual review of those applications. As always, we’re reaching out to local reviewers to share their on-the-ground perspective of the applications submitted from their area.

As a local reviewer, you may receive applications from communities, businesses and universities and will have two to three weeks to complete your review. Of course, all local reviewers will remain strictly anonymous to allow for candid feedback.

Your feedback will have a direct impact: It will be integrated into the official recommendations each applicant receives at the end of the process. And don’t worry: We’ll give you all the tips and training your need to provide valuable feedback. Mark your calendar for our local reviewer training webinar on February 20 at 3 p.m. EST, which will explain the review process in more detail. Stay tuned for more information on the webinar.

If you would like to become a Bicycle Friendly America local reviewer, please sign-up here. Questions? Contact bfa@bikeleague.org.

Nicole Wynands
Program Manager, Bicycle Friendly Community & Bicycle Friendly State

Ms. Wynands joined the League in July 2011 after working for two years at the World Bank. In 2007, she was a member of the team that organized the world bicycling conference Velo-city in Munich as part of an internship with one of the leading bicycle transport planning firms in Germany. She holds a BA in Political Management from the University of Applied Sciences Bremen and a MA in Community Planning from the University of Maryland.

Jenna Burton turned anger and isolation into a new, powerful force within the bicycle movement.

When Burton moved to the Bay Area from the East Coast, she fell in love with bicycling. With a history of diabetes in her family, she discovered the tremendous health benefits of traveling by bike — but she also discovered a lack of diversity in the local bike scene. So she took action.

In 2007, the Oakland resident started Red, Bike & Green to empower and engage more black bicyclists in her community. With a motto of “It’s bigger than bikes,” RBG has a three-fold mission of improving the health, economy and environment of the African American community. In just a few short years, new chapters have sprung up in other major cities, like Chicago and Atlanta.

Burton will be a speaker at the National Women’s Bicycling Forum on March 4. Keep reading to learn more about Burton’s story — and register for the Forum today!

Who taught you to ride a bike and where?
My father taught me how to ride as a child in Hartford, Connecticut where I grew up.

How did you get back into biking as an adult?
After I graduated from college on the East Coast, I moved to the Bay Area. I fell in love with the bike culture out here, purchased my first bike (as an adult), got rid of the car and have been riding ever since.

What’s your bike style?
It depends on the mood. Most days I use a road bike to get around. It gets me to and from work and most other places I need to get to in Oakland. Every once in awhile, I’ll break out the cruiser, put on a cute dress and just ride.

What was the original spark for RBG? A particular ride? A conversation with a friend?
Obviously, I’ve always spent a lot of time thinking about health and the African American community. As soon as I got a bike, I found myself trying to find my place in the bike community. I did a few group rides with one of the cycling clubs in Oakland. During a conversation with another African American on the ride who had been living in Oakland for several years at that point, he mentioned not being able to find a group of black people to ride with when he first moved out here. That was the spark. After that, I started looking for black people to ride with. Since there wasn’t an organized group, I decided to start one.

After that initial inspiration, what was the first thing you did, the first step to actually making change in the community?  Did you have any background in activism or community organizing?
I called all of my friends that I knew rode bikes, but the first big step was to just go around to people in the community. When I saw a black person on a bike, I would just go up to them and start talking to them about this new bike group I’m starting and invite them to ride. I made a lot of new friends that way! In college, I did a lot of campaign work and after college I did a bit of community organizing. The strategy was different though. Community organizing felt like a job. I always felt like I was being controlled by a larger entity. With Red, Bike and Green I was able to just be myself. It was liberating — much like bike riding

I wrote a story for Momentum awhile ago and I heard from a number of people of color that the initial reaction they got from friends was “Black folks don’t bike!” Is that sentiment changing?
I think the sentiment is slowly changing. It’s no longer unheard of, especially in most metropolitan areas. But the social elements that have black folks resistant to even considering bike riding as an alternative mode of transportation are still very strong.

If you had to choose one thing, what’s been the most important key to RBG’s success? 
I know it sounds cliche, but RBG is by the people, for the people. It’s entirely grassroots. It came from members of the community, using community resources. It’s free and easily accessible with no strings attached. It’s literally like going for a bike ride with your next door neighbor. The most important key is community.

I can’t help but notice that there seems to be really strong female leadership in RBG — is that the case? Has that been organic and do you think that’s impacted the growth of the organization?
Yes! That is the case, and it did happen organically — or maybe not so organically with the founder being a woman. I may be a bit biased in answering this question, because I think it has had a very positive impact on our growth. We are talking about an organization that functions in a predominately white male community, but is led mostly by black women. That type of dynamic is kind of uncomfortable. Fortunately, the purpose of RBG is to touch on issues that tend to make us as a society uncomfortable — so the dynamic works.

How has RBG changed YOUR life?
The initial inspiration for RBG came from a lot of anger I was feeling about the condition of the black community. Something really positive came out of that anger. Many times I’m reluctant to express my anger out of fear of what label or stereotype I may be stuck with. But, with the success of RBG, I realized that I have every right to be angry and by simply facing that anger I might channel it into something peaceful.

What’s the ultimate goal of the group? Chapters in every city?
The ultimate goal is to stimulate a sea change in the way bike riding — and to a larger extent healthy living — is perceived through the lens of African American culture. Chapters in every city would be great, if African Americans in those cities think our model will be useful in building a healthy black community.

Hear more from Burton and learn more about how RBG is changing the culture of cycling at the National Women’s Bicycling Summit!

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

It’s a big day here in Washington, D.C. Visitors and residents alike are lining the streets and packing into the National Mall for the presidential inauguration. But it’s not just a big day for the nation; it’s a big day for the National Bike Summit, too. Today is the final day to register at the early-bird rate and save $100!

Why should you attend the premier advocacy event of the year? Click the video below for a personal invitation from the president — League president, Andy Clarke.

Click here to learn more about the Summit and register today to get the discounted rate!

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

The National Bike Summit is the biggest event of the year for the League — and this year is going to be particularly exciting. Sure, we’ve got incredible speakers and workshops. As always, we have an important and  powerful message to bring to Capitol Hill. But this year, the future of the League itself will take center stage — quite literally.

It’s a bold agenda, but the League has a new commitment in 2013: To change the face of cycling and work strategically to ensure that the diversity of people on bikes mirrors the diversity of the American population.

Our work and our core mission — promoting cycling and looking out for everyone that rides a bike — remains the same. Our commitment to you, our members, is stronger than ever. But, with the addition of exciting new programs like Women Bike and a new equity initiative, we are quite literally changing the face of who we are by opening the doors to everyone who rides — or wants to ride — in the Bicycle Friendly America we’re working so hard to create.

You won’t just hear more about it at the National Bike Summit — you’ll see it, too. We’ve been working for months give the League’s look an overhaul, as well.

Be the first to see the future of the League; register today for the Summit and join us in Washington, D.C. March 4-6. Don’t wait: TODAY is the last day for early registration rates! Click here to register.

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

WABA’s Nelle Pierson leading the 2012 National Bike Summit Bike Ride

Attending the National Bike Summit is a lot faster — and much more fun — than taking a Civics 101 class. But rest assured: You’ll walk away with a much deeper understanding of how government works. Ever wonder what happens behind the scenes in Congress? Ever consider how the work on Capitol Hill affects your commute home or your long weekend ride? Well, the Summit is the place for you!

At the National Bike Summit, we prepare first-timers and veterans alike to make the case for bicycling in the halls of Congress. The first two days we get you prepared to talk truth to power with 18 expert-led workshops, impressive keynote speakers, and plenty of opportunities to learn from the pros who know the intimate ins and outs of how the game is played on Capitol Hill.

The final day of the Summit is the pinnacle of the event: We all head up to Capitol Hill and tell our elected officials why bicycling is important — and what they can do to help. We hear time and time again from Summit participants that lobby day is absolutely empowering and utterly transformational. Meeting your Senators and Representatives, looking them in the eye and telling them your story? It’s an experience you can’t have anywhere else. Washington, D.C. is where the decisions are made, and we need to make sure we have a place at the table when they’re talking about transportation.

Most importantly, the Summit doesn’t end on March 6. When you leave D.C., you’ll have the tools and connections to fight for bicyclists’ on your home turf. The program is geared towards a powerful impact on federal policy, but the lessons you learn will be just as applicable in your state and local government. By investing in attending the National Bike Summit, you are investing in making your community more bicycle-friendly, from the elected officials in the nation’s capital to the local bicycle advisory committee.

Make sure to register now for this crash-course in bicycle advocacy, and save $100 off the registration! Early-bird discounts end TOMORROW, Monday, Jan. 21.

Katie Omberg
Events and Outreach Manager

Katie joined the League in April of 2010. For the two years prior, she worked at the Corcoran College of Art + Design as a programs coordinator. Katie has a BA in Religion from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. She enjoys biking to work.

When I first started with America Bikes in 2008 one of the first things we did was write a platform for the re-authorization of the federal transportation bill. For the four years between then and MAP-21, that platform was my roadmap. Yes, we had to adjust and modify our strategy through the process, but the goals of that platform guided our lobbying efforts throughout.

Now that Congress is gearing up for the next transportation bill, the bicycling community has to gear up, too. We are preparing to write the next federal bicycling platform and we need YOUR input.

This year at the National Bike Summit on March 4-6, we’ll be running three sessions aimed at “Creating the Bicycling Agenda for 2014 and Beyond.” During these facilitated discussions, we’ll seek your input on the following questions:

• Should the biking community work more closely with transit advocates? What would that look like?
• What’s happening with the Transportation Alternatives program in your state — and what changes would make the program more effective or accessible for bicycling?
• How can we ensure that the bicycling agenda is more inclusive and improves bicycling for all Americans?
• What’s the best way to enhance Safe Routes to School under MAP-21?
• How can we ensure a ‘Fair Share for Safety’ for bicyclists and work towards zero deaths on our streets?
• What should be the next Recreational Trails and off-road agenda in the transportation bill?

These answers will then be incorporated into the federal platform of the national bicycling organizations for the next re-authorization of the transportation bill. We’ll also make summaries of these conversations available after the Summit.

We want to make sure that our work here in Washington best reflects the needs of the entire bicycling community — and we need your input to do it. Please join us at the 2013 National Bike Summit to set the next federal bicycling agenda.

Caron Whitaker
Vice President of Government Relations

Prior to joining the League of American Bicyclists in 2012, Ms. Whitaker served as the Campaign Director for America Bikes where she coordinated and implemented America Bikes federal policy agenda. Before that, she worked for the National Wildlife Federation on smart growth, international policy, and community engagement. In addition, Caron served as a Community Land Use Planner for the State of North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, providing technical assistance to local governments and staffing a stakeholders’ council responsible for revising state planning regulations. She has a Masters in Environmental Management for Duke University, Nicolas School of the Environment and a Bachelors of Arts from Williams College.

When you think about your favorite rides, do you remember who you were with? Maybe a friend you could talk to for hours out on the open road, or a club member who inspired you to ride farther than you thought you could?

The National Bike Summit isn’t just about meeting your members of Congress – it’s about meeting other leaders who are passionate about bicycling. From industry leaders to local advocates, government employees to shop owners, the Summit reflects the diverse range of folks who make up the bike movement. If you call yourself a bicyclist, a biker, a cyclist, someone who happens to ride a bike — the National Bike Summit is for you!

For three days, you’ll meet the best and brightest in the bike-minded advocacy world. You’ll hang out with folks who will inspire you with new ideas to implement back home and be eager to hear what you’re working on in your community. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to talk biking with those who know it best — and tell your members of Congress that Bicycling Means Business. When bicyclists talk, Congress listens, and we have a whole new audience to get up to speed this year.

Register today to take advantage of the early bird registration, and we’ll see you at the Summit!

Katie Omberg
Events and Outreach Manager

Katie joined the League in April of 2010. For the two years prior, she worked at the Corcoran College of Art + Design as a programs coordinator. Katie has a BA in Religion from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. She enjoys biking to work.

I admit that I already have my dream job here at the League, but today I discovered that Kimberly-Clark  is also quite dreamy.  I traveled to the Neenah, Wisc., this week to visit the Bicycle Friendly Business — and was swept off my feet.

This BFB not only knows how to make bath tissue, towel dispensers, wipes and more — they also know how to keep their employees healthy and active. Riding bikes is a big part of their wellness initiative.

Wouldn’t you like to work for a company that offers a fleet of bikes for employees to ride around campus or take home for a weekend escape? One that offers a free health assessment right in your own building with a trained professional encouraging you to bike to work for the health of it? Free bike parking, showers, a bike path on campus, the Bicycle Commuter Tax Benefit, and participation in the National Bike Challenge. Dreamy, right?

I had the opportunity to visit this Fortune 500 company to talk about the future of the National Bike Challenge with Rob Gusky, Ambassador of Cycling (pictured), Suzanne Schroeder, Regional Health Services Director, K-C North America and multiple Scott Natural representatives. We talked about our shared excitement for the impending success of the 2013 Challenge and the many opportunities it holds for businesses, individuals, and advocacy groups. You will be seeing results of our conversation unfold over the lead up to the May 1 kick-off and throughout the duration of the Challenge through September 30.

Stay tuned on the many good things in store for participants this exciting year. If you can’t wait, we’ll be talking more about it at the National Bike Summit so register now to get the early-bird rate. Kimberly Clark will be there to talk about how the National Bike Challenge improves business and if you listen, maybe you too will be as smitten as me.

Alison Dewey
League Program Manager, BFB & BFU

Let’s face it, the transportation bill passed by Congress in 2012 wasn’t the best for bicycling.

The bill basically took away all guaranteed funding for bike projects – leaving a lot to the discretion of state Departments of Transportation, who haven’t always been our greatest allies! We’re doing all we can, through the Advocacy Advance program, to limit the potential damage caused by MAP-21 and work with the new bill, yet there’s no question it’s tougher than it was under the previous law.

But I think there’s an even worse disaster ahead if we let certain members of Congress think they won, and that the bicycle community is running away with its tail between its legs. At the 2013 National Bike Summit, we have show them we’re not going anywhere. Not only do we have to show that we’re able to take our lumps and deal with the new bill, but we have to make it abundantly clear that we’re in this for the long haul: that Bicyclists Mean Business!

We know that MAP-21 could have been a whole lot worse. If leadership in the House of Representatives had gotten its way, there would be ZERO funding for bikes — we wouldn’t even be an eligible activity for funding. If we walk away from Congress now, we’re handing those opponents the victory they wanted – but couldn’t get – last year.

On the other hand, if we show up undaunted and ready to fight, that’s going to leave the impression that we really do mean business, in every sense of the word. If we can show in our meetings that great things happen when we invest  more bicycle-friendly communities, and that great opportunities are being missed because of the new law, that will make a powerful impact. And we need YOU to be here in Washington DC to make that statement and to tell those stories.

So join us at the National Bike Summit, March 4-6. We need your voice. We need your voice to inform and educate a lot of new members of Congress and a lot of new staff up on the Hill. And we need your voice to say, loud and clear, that we’re still here. The bicycle community is not rolling over or defeated. We are back and we’re stronger, wiser and more determined than ever.

That only works if you show up.

Andy Clarke
League President

Andy Clarke was appointed to the position of Executive Director in April of 2004 after successfully leading efforts to create, interpret and implement the various transportation programs that are available to improve conditions for bicycling and walking as the League’s State and Local Advocacy Director. Before joining the League in February 2003, Clarke was on contract to provide technical assistance to the highly regarded Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center on site at the Federal Highway Administration. He is on the Board of Directors for America Bikes, and a member of the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycling Professionals.

Across the country, nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes — more than 8 percent of the U.S. population. According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately $1 in every $10 healthcare dollars spent in the U.S. can be attributed to the disease. One key to preventing and living with the disease: regular exercise.

We certainly believe in the power of bicycles to improve the nation’s health — and so does the ADA. Its Tour de Cure bike rides in communities nationwide do more than raise millions of dollars for research each year ($18 million in 2011 alone); they also inspire countless folks to get out and ride.

As the ADA’s Director of Special Events, Nicole Preston leads the charge for the Tour — and will be a speaker at the National Women’s Bicycling Forum.

What’s the role of cause rides in getting more women riding? Read on… and register for the Forum!

Nicole Preston

Who taught you to ride a bike and where?
My Dad taught me to ride a bike in our neighborhood in Capitol Heights, Md.

How did you get back into biking as an adult?
I kept riding on and off throughout depending on where I lived. When I had my first child, I started riding again regularly, and was happy to teach my kids to ride. In fact, I didn’t need to teach my son.  He was riding a bike with training wheels when we visited friends who had older kids. He saw them riding without training wheels so he insisted that we remove them on the spot and he took off. When I moved back to the Washington, D.C. area I was Regional Vice President managing the AIDS Ride, a three-day, 330-mile ride from North Carolina to D.C. I wanted to ride it, so I joined a local bike club and trained for it. It was a tough ride but tremendously fun. I’ve remained a member of the bike club, and have continued riding ever since with my kids, and in various cycling events.

What’s your bike style — commuting, recreation, racing, a mix?
Definitely a mix. I commute when I can, ride recreationally with the kids, and ride in Tour de Cure, as well as other cycling events.

Working at the ADA you must have seen and heard some incredible stories of the power of cycling to transform people’s lives; can you share one of the most memorable folks you’ve met?
Yes, I hear incredible stories every week, but Mari Ruddy is definitely one of the most memorable folks. She is a force of nature and has helped transform the experience of having diabetes through cycling for so many people. She’s had diabetes since she was 16 years old, and has also survived breast cancer — twice. She founded the Red Rider program so that people with diabetes can say loud and proud “I Ride with Diabetes” and “I am not alone.” Many people conceal their diabetes and don’t manage it well, so putting it on the back of the jersey has allowed people to share and support each other and ultimately manage the disease better through more exercise (cycling!). She also founded Team WILD — “We inspire life with diabetes” — which provides training programs to help people empower transformation through bicycling (as well as running, swimming and walking). She’s a powerful speaker and inspiration to so many.

How has bicycling transformed your life?
Bicycling has given me a different perspective on the world. It’s an amazingly simple machine that is capable of doing so much. Seeing the role of bicycling in parts of Africa, Europe and the United States and how riding differs in each country. Personally, it has enriched my life by bringing me in contact with people I would not otherwise have met, and taking me to places I would not have otherwise reached.

From your perspective, what’s the role of cause events in getting more people riding more often? 
Cause events play a huge role because they bring people into cycling who weren’t riding. Like so many things the hurdle is getting started, just getting back on the bike.  The cause provides the motivation and the camaraderie with others to get people out on the bike. Then once they’re out there, most are hooked and they keep riding.

What’s the most amazing Tour de Cure you’ve attended?
The Napa Valley Tour de Cure is our biggest and certainly in one of the most beautiful areas. But many of them are amazing in their own ways, with beautiful routes near the ocean on the east and west coasts, mountain climbs, or miles of farmland in the heartland. What’s most amazing are the stories of the people participating all over the country.

What’s one word that describes biking for you? (Caveat: Joy and freedom are off the table!)
Sexy legs, but that’s two words! One word: Escape.

Fill in the blank: In a perfect world, biking is _____
… easy, safe and accessible to everyone!

Where did you ride today (or this week)?
Through my neighborhood to the park.

Learn more and register for the National Women’s Bicycling Forum.

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.