September 2025

The ongoing Garnet Fire east of Shaver Lake has affected the air quality in Fresno. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the Air Quality Index (AQI), which measures five pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act.  It is a good idea to check the air quality before doing any kind of strenuous outdoor activity.  Daily air quality forecasts can be found on the U.S. EPA AirNow website.  

In this month’s Newsletter:

• Light Up the Night! provides free front and rear bike lights to those within the community who need them.

• FCBC partnered with Fresno State for a summer bike camp with Fresno Unified students.

• The legislative session ended, and the Governor has until October 12 to sign bills into law. There are two bicycle-related bills that are yet to be signed or vetoed.

• The next FCBC general membership meeting and FCBC Board meeting are scheduled for Tuesday, September 16 at 6:30 and 7:00 pm, respectively.

Light Up the Night! with Free Bike Lights

FCBC member and Fresno Active Transportation Advisory Committee (ATAC) Vice Chair Sean Zweifler leads a pop-up outreach program supported by FCBC called Light Up the Night! in which he stops and talks with people with bikes and offers them USB-rechargeable front and rear bike lights for free.  Sean has distributed 135 light sets so far.  The lights are distributed in various parts of the City of Fresno, such as in Downtown Fresno, Roeding Park, and anywhere else there is a need.  Donations are critical to sustain this effort, and they can be made here by designating bike lights in the comment box, and any questions can be emailed to lights@fresnobike.org. 

Donations to FCBC

FCBC is appreciative of all the donations that are received from members and the general public.  The donations, either monetary or bicycle-related items, are important for FCBC to fulfill its mission to build healthy, equitable, and safe communities through advocacy, education, and collaboration that promotes bicycling for everyday transportation and recreation.  This past spring, Art Mendoza donated several boxes of bike bells to FCBC.  Thanks, Art, for the donation!  These have been given out at bike rodeos and other events.  FCBC accepts bicycles in good condition that do not require any significant repairs.  To donate items, contact FCBC at info@fresnobike.org.

Recently, FCBC received a request from Cultiva La Salud for a bicycle for a Parlier High School student in need of transportation to school.  Fortunately, a mountain bike in an ideal fit was available.  The bike was donated by Fresno cyclist Jackie Blisse to The Bike Station, where it was tuned and made ready to ride.  Caltrans District 6 executive management also contributed to the effort by providing a tire pump, a backpack with school supplies, and a gift card to a supermarket in Parlier.

Bike Camp at Fresno State

For the third year in a row, FCBC and The Bike Station assisted the Fresno State Transportation Institute with their summer bike camp.  For a week in July, 6th to 9th graders from the Fresno Unified School District learned how to ride safely on the road, including practicing skills like maneuvering around potholes, stopping quickly, and locking their bikes properly.  The importance of always wearing a helmet was discussed.  Each student received their very own bike, complete with lights, a helmet, and a lock.  There was a highly supervised bike ride off campus, including a stop at the Gibson Market for ice cream.

Fortunately the weather was not as hot as in past years.  The students showed a wide range of proficiency in bike-riding, and many students showed a marked improvement over the course of the week.  It’s so exciting to see new riders ready to roll out onto the road with confidence and safety in mind!

Outdoor Afro Pedals Event with Biz-Werx

On August 24, FCBC collaborated with Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce, Biz-Werx, and Outdoor Afro for a beginner-friendly bike ride in Downtown Fresno.  The event highlighted the Biz-Werx e-bikes, which are now available for monthly rentals instead of per ride rentals.  More information about the rental program can be found here.

Legislative Update

The current legislative session has ended.  September 12 was the last day for the Legislature to pass bills, and the Governor has until October 12 to sign or veto bills.  Two of the bicycle-related bills of the current session did not make it out of the Legislature:

• Assembly Bill 954 would establish a pilot program of a numbered bicycle highway network beginning in two major metropolitan areas in different parts of the state.  The pilot would require by 2030 for Caltrans to develop a proposal to be included in the draft Interregional Transportation Improvement Program (ITIP).  The intent of the bicycle highway network is to serve bike trips of five miles or longer and support travel speeds up to 25 mph.

• AB-891 would establish the Quick-Build Project Pilot Program with the Caltrans Maintenance Program to expedite the development and implementation of low-cost projects on the State Highway System.  Caltrans would have until December 31, 2028 to identify and commit to fund at least 6 quick-build projects statewide.

Two bills just passed the Legislature and are pending approval or veto by the Governor:

• AB-875 would allow a peace office to seize and impound an out-of-class e-bike.

• Senate Bill 586 would define the term eMoto as an electric two-wheeled device built on a bicycle infrastructure that does not have pedals and designates eMotos as off-highway vehicles.  These are potentially more powerful and faster than e-bikes and could be used off-road only.

The following bills related to e-bikes were previously signed by the Governor:

• AB-544 requires e-bikes to have a red reflector at all times, and not just at night.  Minors cited for not wearing a helmet would be allowed to attend an e-bike diversion program.

• AB-545 prohibits selling an application that could modify the speed capability of an e-bike such that it would no longer meet the statutory definition of an e-bike.

• AB-965 would prohibit a person from selling a Class 3 e-bike to a person under 16 years of age.

Bike Rodeo at United Japanese Christian Church

On August 24, FCBC joined the United Japanese Christian Church in Clovis with a bike rodeo.  After a quick classroom session to review rules of the road and helmet fittings, the kids rode in a course to practice their bike handling skills and hand signals.

Next General Membership and Board Meetings

The next general membership and Board meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, September 16 at 6:30 pm and 7:00 pm, respectively, via Zoom.  The general membership meeting is for members and nonmembers to meet with the Board prior to the official Board meeting to ask questions or raise issues for the Board to consider.  Board meetings are restricted to members only.

If you would like to participate in either or both meetings, register here, and you will immediately get the Zoom link.

Membership

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.

Have a comment or suggestion?  Contact us at info@fresnobike.org.