Come One, Come All, to SDCBC's Annual Holiday Joyride

SDCBC will be hosting our annual Holiday Joyride, on December 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Mission Brewery in East Village. This year’s event will celebrate 2012 as the year bicycling boosted business in San Diego.

2012 saw bike-friendly business districts, public bikesharing announcements, more cyclists at special events and a record-number of cyclists riding to work. All of these victories contributed to one of most successful years ever for the cycling economy in San Diego.

Mia Kohout

The event starts with a neighborhood Joyride for cyclists of all abilities, pedaling through downtown and returning to Mission Brewery. The celebration continues at Mission Brewery with craft beer, food trucks, a silent auction and prizes. We’ll be presenting the 2012 Golden Gear Advocacy awards and the SDCBC Year-in-Review. Special guest Mia Kohout, a celebrity in the everyday cycling world, will deliver the keynote. Mia’s the co-owner, co-publisher and editor-in-chief of Momentum Mag, an independent media company that celebrates the growing transportation cycling movement in North America with an emphasis on women and families. 

The Holiday Joyride is open to the public. Tickets for SDCBC members are $10, non-members are $15, which includes the Joyride, program and a beer ticket. Guests can also purchase a year membership with event benefits for $25. Guests should register at http://sdcbcjoyride12.eventbrite.com/#

San Diego Picks a Partner for the New Citywide Bike-Sharing Program

Today we joined in congratulating outgoing Mayor Jerry Sanders’ announcement of the selection of DECOBIKE, LLC to run San Diego’s new public bike-sharing and rental program.

Sanders with Councilmembers Gloria and Faulconer

SDCBC had a seat on Mayor Sanders' review panel assisting in the selection of DECOBIKE and we appreciate him moving ahead to develop this public-private partnership.  SDCBC looks forward working with DECOBIKE to make this the best bike sharing program in the country.

We also participated in San Diego’s recent steps to build the nation’s largest bike-friendly business improvement district program which is already showing a positive impact on neighborhood commercial districts. The mayor’s announcement of the citywide program further highlights the importance and impact of bicycling on the local economy.

Beyond helping business improvement districts, economic impacts of bike-sharing include additional jobs, and saving on transportation. Public bike-sharing in other U.S. cities have been shown to create 30-50 jobs for each program. For instance, DECOBIKE also runs a successful program in Miami, Florida, which has just under 30 employees. Additionally, members of bike-share programs in other parts of the country are saving hundreds of dollars per year in transportation costs, putting those savings back into the local economy.

SDCBC's Andy Hanshaw speaks with  CW 6

Whether it’s tourists, students, Padres fans or grocery shoppers, we know that bike-sharing works to improve the local economy and expand our transportation system. Bikes are boosting business in San Diego  and bike-sharing is another important piece of the pie.

Although Sanders made the announcement today, it is Mayor-elect Bob Filner, who’s coming into office in just over two-weeks, that will take over the handlebars.

We’re looking forward to seeing him hit the ground pedaling with San Diego’s first public bike-sharing program.  SDCBC will continue working to ensure our transportation infrastructure keeps up with these new transportation options, and we look forward to Filner continuing the bike sharing progress started by the current administration.

Andy Hanshaw Referees Electra's Slowest Bicycle Race

Our Executive Director Andy Hanshaw had the honors of helping local bicycle manufacturer Electra Bicycle Company celebrate the grand opening of its new global headquarters in Vista, Calif. He attended the ribbon cutting ceremony with Electra's CEO Skip Hess, a local council member and representatives for the local chamber of commerce.

In addition to reminding its staff and board members about the role they play in bicycle advocacy and empowering local bicycle trips to boost San Diego's economy, Andy got to referee the Slowest Bicycle Race. Electra made a video recap, and we invite you to watch the insider's take on how our local company approaches bicycling--spoiler alert: they like to have a ton of fun.

Recognized as the bicycling industry’s top-selling brand in the lifestyle and leisure category, Electra’s different approach to bicycling powered it into the nation’s 6th-largest bicycle company since it began in San Diego 19 years ago. Electra’s brand captures the joy of everyday riding, bringing style, creativity and detail to its six bicycle collections including Verse®, Ticino®, Townie®, Amsterdam®, Cruiser and Kids’ bicycles as well as its growing line of Life and Accessories products.

The company relocated to a larger office space and enhanced distribution center to accommodate its growing staff, expanding product lines and increased demand for its bicycles. In addition to the global headquarters, Electra services US sales through two other American distribution centers and has a European office, which helps support sales in 25 additional countries.

The company is also making its name as the bicycle of choice for bike-sharing programs including the largest Bicycle Friendly Business District in San Diego, the first bike-sharing program in Las Vegas, and as amenities at high-end hotels.<