Updates

Protected Bikeway Opens on Lake Merritt

  Photo: Melanie Curry / Streetsblog   The first section of Oakland’s newest protected bikeway has taken shape, and people are taking notice. The Oakland Department of Transportation (OakDOT) took down the barriers last week, a soft opening to the two-way protected bikeway along Lake Merritt. Complete with bike turn lanes, bike... MORE 15 Oct

Celebrating Oakland Pride

  On the morning of Oakland Pride, the Bike East Bay team met at 9:30am to begin decorating bikes and queuing up to parade into the festival. It’s was a little early for a Sunday, but you could tell people were excited. We dressed our machines in colorful and shiny craft pipe cleaners, duct tape, bells, and ribbon. The other parade... MORE 18 Sep

Charges Dropped in Group Ride Arrest

On August 31, Bike East Bay celebrated the dropping of all charges against Rich City Rides founder Najari Smith, after he was arrested during a peaceful group ride organized by Black-led community cycling groups. Bike East Bay and dozens of people—representing a broad range of bike organizations, local bike shops, and social justice groups—... MORE 6 Sep

Richmond Community Leader Arrested for #BikingWhileBlack

On August 2, Najari Smith, a Black bicyclist and the leader of the Richmond community cycling organization Rich City Rides, was arrested during a peaceful group bike ride in Oakland. While the ride was passing through the First Friday street festival, police officers stopped Najari for playing music too loudly. Despite turning down the music and... MORE 21 Aug

35 Bikes Stolen from Oakland Community Bike Shop

  [Reprinted from the August 13, 2018 Press Release from Cycles of Change] The Bikery, a community bike shop run by longtime nonprofit collective Cycles of Change, was burglarized in the early morning hours of August 12th. 35 bikes were stolen, as well as bike parts and the cash register till, totalling a loss of approximately $20,000. The... MORE 17 Aug

Pedalfest 2018: A Successful Day of Shenanigans

Before Pedalfest began, the party had already started. As vendors put the final touches on their booths, scraper bikes cruised Jack London Square blasting beats, amphibious bikes rolled in, and the beer booths were set up. The morning may have started out foggy, but Pedalfest was looking like a clear day of shenanigans. A free annual... MORE 7 Aug

Grief and a Fierce Call for Change

I am devastated to share that, since becoming Executive Director last month, four people biking have been struck and killed by drivers in the East Bay. In three of the locations where these collisions occurred, Bike East Bay had already been advocating for street improvements that may have prevented the crashes or decreased the severity of ... MORE 7 Aug

90th Avenue 'Scraper Bikeway'

Oakland repaves 90th Ave this Fall, between International and MacArthur Blvds, and wants to design the street in a thoughtful way that celebrates the community and its history. The plan is to improve safety and neighborhood livability by bringing the street down to one travel lane in each direction and include a center turn lane. However, the... MORE 30 Jul

Bike East Bay Names Ginger Jui as Next Executive Director

After a rigorous search, the Bike East Bay Board of Directors unanimously elected Ginger Jui as the organization’s next Executive Director. Ginger brings exceptional leadership experience and a long, demonstrated commitment to Bike East Bay’s mission and values. As Bike East Bay’s communications director and former membership manager,... MORE 24 Jul

Scott Butcher, Bike Month Winner

  Meet Scott Butcher, one of Bike East Bay’s newest members and the winner of a generous bike package donated by Alameda Bicycle and Bike Hub. Scott picked up bicycling four years ago after volunteering at the Otter Pop stop on the 545 mile Aids Lifecycle Ride. Impressed by the commitment of the riders, Scott decided he wanted to start... MORE 26 Jun

Protected Bike Lanes Planned for Union City Blvd

Union City has started designing new bike lanes along Union City Blvd, from Alvarado Blvd to Alameda Creek. Union City Blvd is a key bikeway connecting the Bay Trail to the Dumbarton Bridge bike path. Show your support for the design of a protected and separate bikeway by emailing Public Works Director Thomas Ruark, at thomasr@ci.union-city.... MORE 26 Jun

Life Academy Students Gain New Skills on Bikes

Photo credit Caitlin Christensen “Thank you a million times over for the AWESOME class! The students had a wonderful time and teachers all over our school have been commenting how great it was to see the students engaged and joyful. The coaches were great and accommodating and incredibly responsive to the needs of the students. I... MORE 23 May