Power Starts For Young Riders at Bayview’s BMAGIC

Posted on by Deb Clearwaters

“Watch me!” declared Reginarose as she pedaled by with the biggest grin on her new green Kona. The eight-year-old was one of 70 lucky kids, ages 5–15, who won our giveaway of a nearly-new bike provided by SFBike’s Bike it Forward program at the annual BMAGIC Back to School event for families in the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco. 

This year’s BMAGIC Bike Giveaway was a huge success thanks to our many dedicated volunteers, who supported the families through every stage of the process. After signing in, the youth selected their own helmet and our volunteers helped them choose a bike that would be a good size for them. New bike joy was everywhere you looked, and by the time the kids came to my station for their locks and lights, they looked excited to get riding. 

And ride they did, using a fun bike course set up by our licensed cycling instructors and staff. Reginarose was wobbly at first, but with a little coaching and practice she quickly mastered the power start with one pedal raised to help her roll with confidence and grace. She was so stoked to master this new skill, and her enthusiasm was infectious.

At the end of the event, our friend Oscar Grande from Excelsior Bike Club emceed our live bike giveaway for the dozen or so bikes that remained on our racks. Families gathered in anticipation as the winners were called out to cheers. We left with light hearts and an even lighter load in our rental trucks as all the bikes were given away.

Ensuring access to biking for all in our community is critical to the growth of our movement. All of us can relate to that first bike feeling. Watching that new-bike energy from the smallest balance-biker to the tallest teenager was a heartwarming reminder of the power in this movement.

Bike it Forward relies on donated bikes, mostly from individuals and sometimes our local bike shops are able to help us out – and the reality is, there is always more demand than supply for this program. We want to give a huge shoutout to Mike’s Bikes for donating about 18 kids bikes for BMAGIC this year, and the dozens of members who showed up at our office with sentimental dropoffs of kids bikes their families have outgrown! We are also so grateful for the hundreds of hours of wrenching time our amazing volunteers put into these bikes reviving them to near-new sweetness.

We need more bikes and financial donations to expand our reach and get more bikes into our communities. This fall, you can help out by signing up for one of our weekly Bike it Forward Community Repair Night on Tuesdays. Together, we can keep supporting powerful new skills in Bayview, and beyond!

RSVP FOR COMMUNITY REPAIR NIGHT

Summertime Bike Joy with Middle Schoolers

Posted on by Chester Hartsough

Gershwin wrote the lyrics, “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy.” At SFBike, we try to add a little of that summertime joy each time we help a child ride a bike, whether it’s their first time learning to balance or their first time shredding trails in McLaren Park.

In July, our team spent a couple of days with students at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Middle School working on bike riding skills and taking rides in the neighborhood. Over the course of two days, with the help of licensed cycling instructor, José, students strengthened their bike riding skills, deepened our understanding of the rules of the road and learned about bicycle infrastructure in the neighborhood. But most importantly, we found joy in moving around on two wheels under our own power. 

The first day, after some nervous ice-breakers and introductions, we got right to practice on the school’s blacktop, with a painted  three lane race track. José taught the students how to signal and scan. Just before the kids gots bored, we went over how to perform an emergency stop. Although how to stop is one of the first things you learn when riding a bike, stopping quickly is actually a very technical procedure. We got a few giggles as we demonstrated shifting our center of gravity back by throwing our weight back – “stick out your butt and apply both brakes evenly and firmly!” The ice was beginning to thaw. 

After several quick stops we introduced an avoidance weave, a very useful skill to have when riding on our often potholed urban streets.  After several minutes of that, we took a short break. Our colleague Dayra was waiting for us in the lower yard with our very popular bike blender, which the kids loved.

Following a bike blender smoothie break, we headed out on the streets. José and I were impressed with their level of communication when riding together, taking turns yelling “Stopping!” and “Rolling!” as we traveled. On our short ride we rode down Goettingen Street, a slow street. “What do you know about slow streets?” “Not much.” “Remember the pandemic?” Every teenager loves a good dystopian story. The ice melted further.

Day 2 was all about a ride to Candlestick Point State Recreation Area (CPSRA). After a few stoplight crossings, train tracks and car-heavy streets we arrived at one of San Francisco’s many unique parks. Still in the shadow of the now demolished Candlestick Park stadium, Candlestick Point State Recreation Area (CPSRA) offers 204 acres of space to enjoy many outdoor activities including, of course, biking. The trails weave through a narrow green space often just inches from the water of the Bay. Mostly paved, but some dirt and gravel as well, the ride added a challenge and thrill for a few of the students. I heard whoops of joy and saw looks of accomplishment on their faces. Though it took us less than an hour by bike to reach our break spot, none of the students had ever visited CPSRA. I felt my own sense of accomplishment knowing that I was bringing something to these kids that’s not always easy to find – that summertime joy, and a chance to explore and learn about things outside of their immediate surroundings.

When we returned to MLK, we had a closing circle where students talked about what they most enjoyed, and what they found the most challenging. They all loved riding fast, seeing the bay, and just getting out on the streets. Many felt challenged by the hills and riding on the busy streets. One student said they both enjoyed riding down the dirt path the most and felt most challenged by it. Gone was most of the nervousness, replaced by confident voices and proud smiles. Mission accomplished! 

If you’d like to bring our Safe Routes to School programming to your kid’s school, please reach out to Kenny Kruse at kenny@sfbike.org and we can make that happen!

Welcome Deb Clearwaters, our new Director of Development!

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

Where are you from? What led you to working at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition?

I was born in Iowa and grew up in Bethesda, MD, where as kids we rode bikes to get around and explore our world. I moved to San Francisco in 1998 to work at the Asian Art Museum in the education department. I loved collaborating with artists and community organizations on programs and exhibitions, and engaging donors and raising funds to support the educational mission of the museum. I’ve always known about SFBike and became an active member and volunteer after I made the life-transforming decision to cycle commute, which led to all sorts of bike joy. I started riding for pleasure on the weekends, racing triathlons, and have ridden across Iowa and California in RAGBRAI and AIDS/Lifecycle respectively. I’m excited to devote my passion for cycling and community transformation at SFBike as director of development. I have a lot to learn, and I see so much potential to grow the organization’s capacity to make San Francisco a more bicycle friendly city.

Tell us about your biking journey.

I remember my dad teaching me to ride when I was about 5 or 6 years old. My first bike was a banana seat cruiser that didn’t survive my brother Brian’s stunt jumps over trash cans in the front of our house. In college, I rode a Nishiki mountain bike, which I drove across the country with when I moved to San Francisco in 1998. I rode beater bikes for commuting when I lived in Tokyo and in Cambridge England in the 1990’s. Those experiences imprinted on me the joy of using the bike as a daily transportation.   

As a longtime member yourself, why is membership important to you?

I’ve witnessed first hand the benefits of SFBike’s work to improve bike safety in my 27 years in the Bay Area. The essential Biking and Walking Map, various business discounts, and low-price membership made joining a no-brainer. As a volunteer, I learned about SFBike’s advocacy work and attention to the needs of community members. Members can count on staff to be a consistent voice at hearings, holding our city accountable for public safety, and engaging productively with community leaders and city departments involved in planning and implementing transit, bike, and walking infrastructure. 

What do you do for fun in your spare time?

I enjoy planning bike adventures, seeing where I can go combining transit with cycling, although I tend to imagine a lot more than I actually get out to do! Visiting museums (by bike if possible) is top on my list anytime I travel. My partner Adam and I enjoy seeing live music ranging from punk to jazz. I love talking to people about art, politics, music, and bikes. Let’s go for a coffee ride!

Meet Our new Bicycle Education Coordinator, Qamuuqin Maxwell!

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

Tell us about your background and how it’s led you to SFBike .

I grew up in Southern Oregon and found BMX and mountain biking at a young age. When I started working at a bike shop just out of high school, I realized that getting to be around bike people and talk about bikes on a daily basis was rad! After working in bike shops for over half a decade, I felt the pull to go back to college and fill in other parts of who I am and how I am in this world. I get to use both aspects of my background at the SF Bicycle Coalition. Plus, the entire team here is amazing and I feel humbled to be a part of this group of people. If young me could see that I would find my way to such a wonderful organization, he would be stoked! 

What role have bikes played in your life?

I learned to ride a bike around age 4, and since then have ridden all types of bikes in many different types of terrain – BMX, MTB, road, fixed gear, bike polo, cyclocross and gravel, bike touring and bikepacking, and more. Bikes have been one of the biggest and most important constants in my life; they’ve introduced me to amazing places, people, ideas, and jobs. When I was younger they were a way to explore the town and surrounding wooded hills where I grew up. As I’ve grown older, I’ve realized that bikes have also always been a vehicle for self empowerment and expression. These days I feel most at home when I can swing a leg over one of my bikes and head out the door without any route in mind– just pick a direction and go!

What do you most look forward to in leading our Adult Bicycle Education program?

I love helping people learn how to ride any type of bike in any capacity, so I’m excited that I get to do the legwork to help our Adult Bicycle Education classes and workshops reach more people and run as smoothly as possible. Having grown up in a smaller, rural town, I didn’t get to experience riding in a larger city until my early 20s when I moved to Seattle. Riding in and around a city like San Francisco is a magical experience and I’m beyond excited to help people feel confident in doing so!

What’s your favorite place to ride a bike in the City?

I don’t have a single favorite place to ride in the City, but all of my bikes are set up to ride both on pavement and off-road, so I enjoy connecting multiple places together in a ride and just exploring. I live in the Outer Sunset, so most rides begin by heading into Golden Gate Park and linking together singletrack and car-free routes. From there I might take Page street to the Wiggle, then make my way along Market to the waterfront. I might hop on a ferry to Vallejo for lunch, or head up and over Fort Mason towards the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands. The whole region has so many amazing routes, complete with exhilarating riding and spectacular vistas. Most rides end with me and my partner coasting downhill towards the ocean and evening skies, looking forward to cooking a yummy meal and relaxing as night settles.

Help us make magic at BMAGIC’s Bike Giveaway on August 10

Posted on by Alex Frank

Next weekend is BMAGIC’s annual Back to School Backpack Giveaway, and Bike It Forward will be there giving away bikes to kids and young adults, creating transportation choices for them, sharing the joy of bike riding, and making a significant impact on their lives. It’s one of the feel-good events of the summer for us at SFBike and we can’t wait to see the smiles on these kids’ faces as they try out their new wheels, and we hope you’ll join us as a volunteer so you can see it, too! 

BMAGIC is a network of San Francisco neighborhood-based nonprofit organizations that support community members in Bayview Hunters Point and we’ve been working with them to make the bike giveaway a big part of their flagship summer event. We caught up with Moira Dumo Rios, Associate Director for BMAGIC, and asked her a few questions about their work, and how Bike It Forward supports their mission.

How do you see bikes as a force for good in your community, and what active transportation in the Bayview looks like to you in your ideal future?

Bikes promote an active and healthy lifestyle – that’s such an important and positive force for good. They’re also a fun way for youth to get around their neighborhood, get to know the city, and also a great workout. An ideal future with active transportation in the Bayview would include safe bike routes, which would encourage even more people to get out there on bikes.

What are some of your favorite moments from the BMAGIC backpack giveaways every year?

The best part is seeing the joy on the faces of children when they are able to select their brand-new backpack – especially those who win a bike from SF Bike! 

What are the biggest benefits and impacts that you’ve seen from your work, and what are your biggest dreams for your programs and events?

We work hard year round to create a positive impact on the lives of young people in Bayview Hunters Point and Fillmore/Western Addition. In addition to our Backpack Giveaways, we partner with several organizations throughout the year to provide fun, safe and educational events for youth. Our biggest dream is to continue this work for many years to come and expand our services – we know how impactful this work is, and we’re always looking to do more! 

We’re so excited to join Moira and the entire BMAGIC team this upcoming weekend – and you can help, too! We’re still looking for a few volunteers to help out that day. Sign up below for a shift, and come see the magic happen! 

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER

Get to know our Membership and Development Coordinator, Patrick Casey!

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

Where are you from? What led you to working at the SF Bicycle Coalition?

I am originally an East Coaster! I spent most of my childhood bopping around the NYC area. I’ve called SF home for quite some time now and I’ve always wanted to see the city grow into a safer and more approachable city for people on bikes. The Coalition has been a collective voice for those seeking that transformation, and I am so excited to finally be a part of that.

What role have bikes played in your life?

Bikes have always been a source of expression, intrigue, and excitement, not to mention a wonderful way to get around. In my biking life, I’ve dabbled in so many different versions of “bikedom”– commuting, mountain biking, the occasional bike polo match, etc – and that diversity in experience is what always keeps me coming back for something new.

What is your favorite part about working with members and volunteers?

So many of our volunteers and members are willing to donate their time to help keep our organization moving forward. They work hard and, what’s more, they simply just have a great time getting involved. They’re  funny, lighthearted, and lovely people and it’s been a joy working with them.

Describe your ideal day off in the city.

Wake up at 9:30am and make some nice coffee. Stroll over to the park at some point and do a little bird watching. Grab lunch at Palm City for some delicious sandwiches. Then back home for a nap and before spending the evening catching up with friends at The Page.

Donate a kids bike for BMAGIC’s Annual Bike Raffle in the Bayview!

Posted on by Alex Frank

We’re gearing up to participate in BMAGIC’s annual backpack giveaway and bike raffle on August 10! BMAGIC is a collective of community-based organizations supporting the Bayview Hunters Point communities by creating wealth and opportunities for children under 18. Bikes present an early opportunity to change the trajectory of young lives by providing transportation choices, fostering a sense of community, and promoting freedom. 

At BMAGIC’s annual back-to-school event, held every August, we offer a well-attended bike raffle, drawing more than 700 entries, and provide learn-to-ride lessons. Over the last few years, we have given away over 300 bicycles to kids and young adults, making a significant impact on their lives. With the support of the cycling community through donations and memberships, we have been able to give away 70-90 bikes each year.

Here’s where you come in! Last year, nearly 700 people entered the raffle, with most of the requests for bikes for kids under 5 feet tall, highlighting the high demand for kids’ bikes (sizes 20 and 24). This year, our refurbished stock of those smaller bike sizes is low, and we urgently need kids’ bikes for the raffle, to make the biggest impact on August 10. 

Can you donate a kids bike today? Fill out our donation form, tell us what kind of bike you have and we’ll reach out to coordinate a time for you to drop it off – your donation to this drive will make a significant difference in the lives of these children!

DONATE A BIKE TODAY

The City needs your input on its new bike plan this summer!

Posted on by Claire Amable

The SF Municipal Transportation Agency’s (SFMTA) Biking and Rolling Plan is the City’s first update to the 2009 Bicycle Master Plan in almost 15 years, and they want your feedback at one of their 11 open houses this summer. 

The SFMTA’s Biking and Rolling plan will dictate the kinds of policies, programs, and infrastructure designs the City will implement within the next 15 years. This is incredibly important because the way we use our streets has significantly changed since 2009. More people move around on bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, one wheels, electric assisted devices, and other modes of active transportation than ever before. As we continue seeing more people biking and rolling every year, our streets need to be redesigned to keep everyone on active transportation safe. San Francisco needs an interconnected city-wide network of car-free streets, car-lite streets, and separated and protected bike lanes. Anything less would compromise the safety of people who bike and roll.


Starting next Monday in North Beach, the SFMTA will be hosting a series of open houses in every supervisor district. At the open houses, members of the public will have an opportunity to give feedback on the proposed policies, programs, and infrastructure designs of the Biking and Rolling Plan. 

To make sure the SFMTA hears from a diverse population of people who bike and roll in San Francisco, we need your help getting the word out about the open houses. Join us to distribute flyers in your district! We’ll be meeting at our office at 1720 Market Street. Sign up to volunteer for a shift below.

Tuesday, July 9th at 5pm: Noe Valley, Bayview, SF State

Tuesday, July 16th at 5pm: Richmond, Sunset, Cow Hollow, Oceanview

Tuesday, July 23rd at 5pm: Downtown, Mission, Haight

I CAN HELP FLYER

For general campaign updates on the Biking and Rolling Plan, sign up here.

PRESS RELEASE: SF Bicycle Coalition hosts vigil for senior cyclist doored by City employee in Bayview

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is holding a vigil on July 2nd at 5pm for the death of Steven Bassett, the 70-year-old cyclist who was doored by an SFPUC employee on May 30th and later succumbed to his injuries.

San Francisco, California — Steven Bassett, a longtime member of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and an avid cyclist, passed away on June 11 after being doored on May 30 by an SFPUC employee on Fairfax Avenue and Newhall Street in the Bayview.

The SF Bicycle Coalition will be hosting a silent vigil to mourn and honor Bassett at the scene of the collision.

Tuesday, July 2nd at 5pm
Fairfax Avenue and Newhall Street
SF Bike invites attendees to offer a candle or flowers to Steve’s memorial. 

To be respectful of Bassett’s family and friends, we invite the press to interview SF Bicycle Coalition’s media contact, family and friends, or other advocates away from or at a different time from the vigil.

Bassett’s death mark’s San Francisco’s 18th traffic fatality this year, according to City records, and the first involving a person biking. There have been twelve other fatalities of vulnerable road users in 2024, all of which were people walking, including two additional pedestrians since Steve Bassett passed. 

“Steve was a beloved brother, friend, and coworker. Our hearts and thoughts are with everyone who knew and loved him,” says SF Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Christopher White. “He loved the Giants, loved to ride his bicycle, and was a big supporter of making our city better for people who bike for everyday transportation.”

Dooring, or crashes caused when someone inside a motor vehicle opens their door into the path of a bicyclist, is one of the leading causes of bicycle crashes in San Francisco. It accounts for approximately 16% of crashes that cause injury to a person biking in which the person biking is not at fault, according to an SFMTA report from 2016. The  California Vehicle Code states that a person opening the door of a vehicle is responsible for avoiding oncoming moving traffic, including people biking (CVC 22517).

“Dooring is completely preventable, if people driving have the right training, and if streets are designed safely,” said White. “Every city employee who drives a city vehicle should be required to receive comprehensive training on operating vehicles around people on bikes and bike infrastructure,” White continued. He pointed out that such training would include the so-called Dutch Reach, or using the hand furthest from the car door to open it so that one’s body twists in the direction of oncoming traffic. This helps people inside a vehicle see people biking behind them.

In 2020, Devlin O’Connor died when he was doored on Frederick Street near Kezar Stadium and knocked into oncoming traffic. In 2019, Tess Rothstein was hit and killed by a box truck on Howard Street near 6th Street; Rothstein reportedly swerved to avoid a door opening in her path.

The location where the crash occurred had no dedicated bike infrastructure. However, most painted bike lanes (or Class II lanes) in San Francisco run alongside parked cars, and are painted close enough that a person biking in it is inside the “door zone”, or the three to five feet that a door swings away from a vehicle when it opens. Replacing dangerous Class II designs with safer infrastructure would decrease the danger of being doored for people who bike. 

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition calls on the SFMTA to end its reliance on unsafe Class II infrastructure in the upcoming Biking and Rolling Plan, the city’s first comprehensive update to its Bicycle Plan since 2009, and begin converting existing Class II bike lanes along the High Injury Network into separated and protected bike lanes. 

While the intersection where the crash occurred is not on the High Injury Network — the 12% of SF streets on which 68% of traffic fatalities and serious injuries occur — the Bayview neighborhood has several nearby streets on the network. It also has some of the lowest density of dedicated biking and rolling infrastructure in the city.

SAFER California: two state bills we’re supporting

Posted on by Rachel Clyde

This legislative cycle, your San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is supporting two state bills part of the SAFER California streets package, sponsored by Senator Scott Wiener. Show your support for safety on our streets and send an email for Senate Bill (SB) 960 for complete streets facilities, and SB 961 for safe driving technology.

As we move past the 10-year anniversary of our Vision Zero commitment, it’s long-past time to take big strides to put an end to traffic fatalities. Speeding remains the number one cause of severe and fatal collisions in San Francisco and all of California. By significantly reducing speeds, SB 960 and SB 961 will prevent these types of fatalities by increasing safety and accessibility for people who walk, bike and take public transit.

SB 960 will mandate the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to provide Complete Streets facilities in nearly any planned maintenance and repair projects, adding safety elements to protect the most vulnerable road users. 

If passed, this bill will set 4- and 10-year targets for Caltrans to improve their performance with Complete Streets. It requires that the department establishes a streamlined process for the approval of bicycle improvements, pedestrian facilities, traffic calming measures and transit priority treatments where the state-owned streets meet locally-owned streets.

Despite Caltrans committing to implementing safer and multimodal street designs over a decade ago, progress has been very slow. Many of Caltrans’ streets in San Francisco are designated as high-injury and are in desperate need of safety improvements. Expediting these improvements is crucial for San Francisco because Caltrans streets, such as I-280 or 19th Ave, cut through large portions of the city, including many neighborhoods with vulnerable and marginalized populations. 

SB 961 will require all vehicles built or sold in California starting in 2030 (except emergency vehicles) to have passive intelligent speed assistance technology. This includes audio and visual warnings to the driver when the vehicle is going more than 10 MPH over the speed limit. 

When the bill was initially introduced it required speed limiting technology that actually prevents vehicles from traveling at excessive speeds, however it was amended to passive assistant technology. Speed warnings are still a good step toward encouraging safer speeds and will transform street safety for everyone, and particularly those most vulnerable to collisions – seniors, children, and people with disabilities. We hope to see more revolutionary technology in the future.

Both bills have a few more steps to pass before they become law. SB 960 is going to the Assembly Committee on Transportation on July 1. SB 961 recently passed the Assembly Transportation Committee and is going to the Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection soon.

Send an email for SB 960

Send an email for SB 961