February 2023

The mission of FCBC is to build healthy, equitable, and safe communities through advocacy, education, and collaboration that promotes bicycling for everyday transportation and recreation.

In this month’s Newsletter:

• Bike Café is on Tuesday, February 28 at 7:00 pm.  

• The next Bike Station Fix Your Own Bike Event is on Saturday, February 11 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm in the Tower District.

• FCBC has big plans in 2023 with some of our signature events returning.

• The next FCBC Board meeting is on Thursday, February 16 at 7:30 pm.

FCBC Bike Café

Please note: because February is a short month chock full of conflicting holidays, we have rescheduled Bike Café this month to Tuesday February 28. Next month we'll be back to the 2nd Tuesday on March 14 to host Deb Banks from Sacramento Area Bicyclists and Mike Price from Sacramento Bike Kitchen.

The monthly virtual Bike Café allows FCBC members and others to socialize and discuss bike-related topics of interest. You can also provide your opinion on what you would like to see in future Bike Cafés and if you would like to have a Bike Cafés at an actual bicycle-friendly café. You can take the two-minute survey here.

This month you are invited to the FCBC 2023 "Agenda Reveal" Party!

What to "Expect?"

Welcome from the FCBC Team

Overview of the 2023 Agenda

Comments and Q&A

In January the FCBC Board met to plan out this year's calendar. With the return to in-person events this year, and thanks to members who gave input at January's Bike Café, we came up with an ambitious array of goals and ideas for the coming year, and we wanted to share them with you all and to get your comments and feedback.

Fresno Bike Station

The Bike Station joined ArtHop on February 2 in the Mural District at 1745 Broadway Street. The Bike Station will return to ArtHop on Thursday March 2.

FCBC member Edna Allkurdi provided interactive bicycle-themed art. Edna can be found on Instagram at Love and Lessons LearnedLove and Lessons Learned. Thank you Edna!

The next Fix Your Own Bike event is scheduled for Saturday, February 11, 2023 between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm at Tower Velo located at 1440 N. Van Ness Avenue in Fresno. The Bike Station is co-sponsored by FCBC and Tower Velo, and allows bike owners to learn how to repair their own bikes with help from experienced mechanics, including FCBC board member Julie Congi and Tower Velo owner Chris Eacock.

Edna Alkurdi, Julie Congi, Ed and Thor Smith at the Fresno ArtHop Bike Station FYOB event (above.)

Kyle Calvert and Julie Congi with kids bikes they refurbished (below.)

Nine refurbished kids bikes will be given away free on a first come, first served basis at the upcoming Fix Your Own Bike event Saturday, February 11, 2023!

FCBC Events for 2023

In January, the FCBC Board has a strategic planning meeting that includes planning the events for the coming year.  It was decided to bring back some of the activities that took a pause during the pandemic.  The planned events and activities include the following:

• FCBC member group rides are being planned throughout the City of Fresno.  These rides will be scheduled about every other month and will allow FCBC members and potential members to see firsthand some of the new bicycle infrastructure that has been installed in the last year.

• May is Bike Month, and plans are being made to bring back the Mall to Hall Ride from Manchester Center to Fresno City Hall.  Bike to Work Day will also return with energy stations.  These Bike Month activities will be done in collaboration with the City of Fresno Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC).

• There will be a Smart Cycling class in the spring complete with on-bike instruction.  This will be the full class and will include the quiz and certificate of completion.

• FCBC will be supporting the League Cycling Instructor (LCI) Seminar that is being planned for the summer in Visalia by the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) and Southern Sierra Cyclists (SSC).  The LCI Seminar will be open to any interested candidate, including those in Fresno.  Candidates are required to have a certificate of completion from a Smart Cycling class. 

• Bike Prom may be returning in the fall.

• In October, the first regional Fresno Bike Summit is planned to take place.  This will be a collaborative effort with the City of Fresno, Fresno State Transportation Institute, and many other groups.

The recurring Bike Café meetings and The Bike Station events will continue to take place.  There will be numerous volunteer opportunities to help make events successful.

City of Fresno Vision Zero Planning Grant

Congratulations to the City of Fresno for being awarded a $400,000 U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All grant to develop a Vision Zero Action Plan.  This will enable the Public Works Department to develop an actionable plan to improve safety outcomes for bicyclists and pedestrians.  The City of Fresno is committing $100,000 as the local match for the $400,000 grant, for a total of $500,000 available for developing and implementing the plan.

Next Board Meeting

The next Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 16 at 7:30 pm via Zoom.  Everyone is welcome to join the virtual meeting.

If you are not yet a member of FCBC or need to renew, please visit https://fresnobike.org/join to become a member or renew your membership.