April 2023

Bike Month is just around the corner.  If you haven’t been on your bike for a while, come to The Bike Station this month on Earth Day at City College to learn how to make it roadworthy.

In this month’s Newsletter:

 

• Bike Café is on Tuesday, April 11 at 7:00 pm with Laura Gromis, Chair of the City of Fresno Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC).

• The next Bike Station Fix Your Own Bike Event is on Saturday, April 22 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Fresno City College, where Earth Day activities will take place.  FCBC will be leading a group ride at 9:30 am from Fresno City Hall to Fresno City College.

• There are several activities planned for Bike Month, including a Bike to Work Day on Thursday, May 18.

• FCBC is supporting an LCI (League Cycling Instructor) Seminar in Visalia on June 23-25.

• The next FCBC Board meeting is on Thursday, April 20 at 7:30 pm.

FCBC Bike Café

The monthly virtual Bike Café allows FCBC members and others to socialize and discuss bike-related topics of interest.

On Tuesday, April 11, Laura Gromis, Executive Director of the U.S. Green Building Council of Central California and newly elected Chair of the City of Fresno Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), will share a little about her work with the USGBCCC and highlight BPAC's accomplishments in 2022.  She will help us discuss Bike Month plans, and BPAC's role, and update us on what's new with BPAC and her agenda for BPAC in 2023.  We will also welcome and congratulate BPAC's newest member, FCBC board member Julie Congi.

Register here to get the Zoom link.  If you have questions about using Zoom, registration for the event, or any other questions, email us events@fresnobike.org.

Earth Day and The Bike Station

The next fix your own bike (FYOB) event is scheduled for Earth Day at Fresno City College on Saturday, April 25 between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.  The BikeStation is sponsored by FCBC and allows bike owners to learn how to repair their own bikes with help from experienced mechanics.  The Bike Station will also be providing bike valet at Earth Day so that you can enjoy the activities and know that your bike will be secure.

There will be a group ride from Fresno City Hall in Downtown starting at the fountain at 9:30 am and finishing at the main fountain at Fresno City College.  The pace will be easy, and the route will include the new Class IV cycle track on Van Ness Avenue.

May Is Bike Month

Here are some of the activities to mark on your calendar for Bike Month:

• Comic Book Ride on Saturday, May 6 at the Mad Duck at Campus Pointe at Fresno State.  Meet at 11:00 am, with a ride off time of 11:30 am.  The ride will include 3 comic book stores.

• Clovis Trail Fest is also on Saturday, May 6, from 8:00 to noon along the Old Town and Dry Creek Trails and includes many family-friendly activities along the trails.

• Bike to Work Week is May 15 to 21, with the Fresno area Bike to Work Day on Thursday, May 18.  Energy stations will be set up at multiple locations in Fresno to provide refreshments to bike riders. Locations and times will be announced as the date gets closer.

• The Ride of Silence is organized by the Fresno Cycling Club and will be on Wednesday, May 17.  The ride is a 7.8 mile loop beginning and ending at Clovis West High School in northeast Fresno.  The gathering time is at 6:30 pm, with a ride off time of 7:00 pm.

Upcoming League Cycling Seminar and Smart Cycling Classes

The registration is live for the LCI Seminar being organized by the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) in Visalia on June 23-25.  LCIs teach Smart Cycling classes to adults and children, and the LCI Seminar provides the prospective instructors with the necessary tools and knowledge.  The LCI Seminar includes 23 hours of instruction and practice in the classroom and on the road over a weekend, beginning Friday afternoon at 3:00 pm and then concluding Sunday afternoon.  LCIs from FCBC will be supporting the effort.  The registration fee is $500 until May 26 and then rises to $575.  More information on becoming an LCI can be found on the LAB website.

A prerequisite for the LCI Seminar is completing a Smart Cycling class and passing an exam.  FCBC is planning to offer a Smart Cycling class consisting of a 3-hour virtual classroom session and 5-hour on-bike session in Visalia in late April or May.  If there is sufficient interest, an on-bike session may be offered in Fresno in May.

Next Board Meeting

The next Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 20 at 7:30 pm via Zoom. Everyone is welcome to join the virtual meeting.  Registration information will be posted to the FCBC website.

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.