Everything You Want to Know About Bay Area Bike Coalitions

Our experienced bicycle accident attorneys at Bay Area Bicycle Law are a great resource for cyclists who have been injured in a bicycle crash. Whether you want to pursue a personal injury lawsuit and are looking for a free case evaluation, or just have some questions after a crash, you can always call us for free, no obligation advice. But for day-to-day cycling questions, your local bike coalition is a great place to start.

Bicycle riders and community organizations often go hand in hand. Bikers in California, and the Bay Area in particular, are especially well organized. There are many reasons to join a bike coalition, including:

●    Wanting to make your community safer for bikes

●    Wanting to make your community’s infrastructure more accommodating of bikes

●    Locally specific resources, like maps and bike parking

●    Fun events and meet ups

●    Discounts at local bike shops and businesses

This roundup of five bike coalitions in the Bay Area (and beyond) will give you a summary of what they offer the community, you as a rider, and any perks for membership.

Whether you’re new to bicycle commuting or a seasoned cyclist looking to get more information or just connect with other cyclists, here is everything you’ll want to know about Bay Area bike coalitions.

San Francisco Bike Coalition

Site: https://sfbike.org/

What They Do:

This Bay Area bike coalition has offered a wide range of advocacy and community resources for over forty-five years. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition promotes biking in the Golden City and works to make streets and neighborhoods safer and more accommodating places for bicycles and their riders. Their activities include day-to-day advocacy, education and working partnerships with City and community agencies. Resources on their website include a smorgasbord of local bike maps, educational info on everything from locking your bike to how to bring your bike on BART, and civic engagement like requesting bike racks and reporting potholes. Look for their bike valet at Giants games!

How to Join:

Membership starts at $15/year. In addition to the altruistic satisfaction of helping their mission, members receive benefits like discounts at local businesses, free bike box and trailer rentals, events, and a subscription to their Tube Times magazine. There’s even a barter membership option for those who prefer to give their time rather than money.

On Social Media:

@sfbike on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

Bike East Bay

Site: https://bikeeastbay.org/

What They Do:

This Bay Area bike coalition, Bike East Bay, has a dedicated local focus and a particular eye for inclusion and accessibility to communities and areas of the East Bay that have been underserved. Their efforts and eye for innovation have helped make East Bay bikeways, streets, and transportation system meet the needs of all users. Their campaigns for continuous and dedicated bike lanes on major roads help broaden the accessibility and ridership of biking. They can also help connect you to twelve more localized coalitions by city or neighborhood. Bike East Bay offers free adult learn-to-ride classes, as well as classes in bike theft prevention and urban cycling 101. Other resources on their site include links to community bike shops, legal resources, and hazard reporting.

How to Join:

Membership starts at $35/year. Members know their financial contributions will help the movement for better cycling in the East Bay and also enjoy discounts at 70 local bike shops, receive the quarterly rideOn newsletter, and participate in events like PedalFest, Sunday Streets, and Bike to Work Day.

On Social Media:

@BikeEastBay on Twitter and Facebook

Marin County Bicycle Coalition

Site: https://www.marinbike.org/

What They Do:

Looking wider than the Bay Area for bike coalitions, Marin County Bicycle Coalition’s stated mission is to “create a healthy, connected, and sustainable Marin by promoting bicycling for everyday transportation and recreation” through advocacy, education, and building the cycling community. MCBC looks beyond urban cycling issues, offering more resources for off-road cycling. They also have a positive stance on e-bikes and offer resources on e-bike policies in Marin County. Other resources include recommendations for beginner rides, maps, information on bike parking, and a bike match program. Their calendar of events includes Biketoberfest and Bike the Bridge.

How to Join:

Membership starts at $50/year and includes the highly detailed Marin Bicycle Map for first time members (it’s a pretty great map that sells for $20). Other membership perks include discounts on MCBC classes, free admission to member parties, and 5-20% discounts at partnering bike shops and other businesses.

On Social Media:

@marinbike on Instagram and Facebook

Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates

Site: https://sacbike.org/

What They Do:

True to their name, Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates focuses on advocacy for cyclists in the Sacramento area. This East of the Bay Area bike coalition is working to make biking safe and convenient and “helping make the Sacramento region a cleaner, healthier, happier place to live and work.” Their work includes advocacy for bike infrastructure, a bike valet program to turn community events into bikeable destinations, free maintenance checks and simple repairs, and a bike match program. Resources on their site include local bike maps, local and regional bike plus transit information, and commuting tips.

How to Join:

According to the membership page on their website: “When you support SABA, you get the satisfaction of knowing you’re supporting work that enables more people to travel by bike, while helping to ensure cleaner air, safer roads, calmer neighborhoods and better access to opportunity for everyone.” Suggested donation levels for sustaining membership start at $35/year.

On Social Media:

@sacbike on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

California Bicycle Coalition

Site: https://www.calbike.org/

What They Do:

Also based in Sacramento, the California Bicycle Coalition’s scope is statewide. The resources offered on their site reflect their broader vision and are a mix of big-picture biking solutions for communities and handy links for individual riders. You can get fact sheets to aid in your own community bike advocacy or register your bike. Their site, and their efforts, are really an A-to-Z of California biking interests. California Bike Coalition is pro e-bike and is at the front of the $10 million e-bike affordability campaign.

How to Join:

Membership starts at $50/year. Supporting CalBike helps with their mission to make bicycling a safe, just, and sustainable part of everyday transportation. As their website states: “Your gift to the California Bicycle Coalition supports lobbying, and is not tax-deductible.”

On Social Media:

@CalBike on Twitter and CalBikeCoalition on Facebook