Category Archives: bicycles

NEW #ActionAlert: California Shared Scooters and Bikes Are Under Threat

AB 371 doesn’t solve the problem

The California State Senate is considering a bill that will endanger bike and scooter sharing in California. It’s absolutely crucial to voice your opposition to this dangerous bill today.

Tell Governor Newsom
VETO AB 371 and Support Shared Micromobility!

The Kill Bike-Share Bill singles out shared micromobility for an onerous insurance requirement. That will drive up the costs of bike and scooter sharing so severely that many programs will have to be canceled, and hopes of expansion into low-income communities will be dashed.

California needs real solutions

Bike and scooter sharing systems are essential to help mitigate climate change by reducing carbon emissions. The Kill Bike-Share Bill solves nothing and is likely to make California’s problems worse.

If passed, AB 371 would have a devastating impact on equitable mobility. Please take action today! Please join us and tell Governor Newsom to VETO AB 371 and Support Shared Micromobility!

See here why AB 371 doesn’t solve the problem, California needs real solutions, Insurance requirement comparison, and 4 reasons to save California bike-share

Santa Monica Local Bike Match Program: Volunteers Needed

For a few years we’ve worked to get bicycles in the hands of folks that have had their own bicycles stolen or cannot afford to purchase a new bicycle. Until now our donated bicycles have been distributed in our local community in exchange for a pay what you can donation, as gifts to individuals and for free local community raffles.

Early this year in addition to donated bike from individuals we received a number of bicycles from a local business and from Bike Angels. We have been working hard to clean and fix up these bikes to add to our Local Bike Match Program. The goal of the Bike Match program is to get donated bikes matched – for free – to individuals in our local community. As we continue to collect working bike donations (all sizes) we need volunteers to help clean them up and do minor repairs so they can be matched and distributed to new owners – for no cost – or if you have the means for a donation that will be applied to the Bike Match Program. 

If your bike has been stolen or you are in need of a bicycle and cannot afford one please drop us an email. An online application is coming soon.

What can you do? Volunteer!

We are hosting a wash and wrench session at the SMC Sustainability Center this Saturday, October 17th, 12-4pm* with our Bike Match Program partners at Santa Monica College Sustainability Program. Bike mechanics knowledge is very helpful but not required – some bikes just need to be cleaned.  

To donate a bicycle, parts, accessories or equipment please email
Donate@SMSpoke.org 
 

If you can join us this Saturday, or for a future session please email us at
Volunteer@SMSpoke.org 

*All Volunteers are required to take the Covid Health & Safety Survey prior to showing up to volunteer. 

Recent SMC Bike Match recipients!

Today: Lyft hybrid ebikes launch in Santa Monica!

Santa Monica leads again! Today we celebrate the launch of the new shared hybrid ebikes and expanded mobility options in Santa Monica allowing more people access to healthy active mobility options beyond just driving a car.
Today new Lyft ebikes launch in Santa Monica, available at 80 Breeze Stations.

Meet the new Lyft hybrid ebike: ride tips and more

The Lyft hybrid ebike comes with a cable to lock to any Breeze station for free. You can also lock to a public bike rack within the West Los Angeles service area for an extra $1.

At launch pricing: Ebikes are now available in the Lyft app, starting at just $1 to unlock + $0.34/min.* Whether you’re going that first mile or that last mile, ebikes are a fun, affordable way to get around town.

Price by the minute

Ebikes cost $1 to unlock and $0.34/min to ride.*

Community Pass members pay $5/month and $0.05/min to ride.


Stay within service area

Lyft ebikes are available within the city of Santa Monica (the pink region) and can be ridden anywhere within the West Los Angeles service area (the purple region). Note that pedal assist won’t function outside these service areas or in the red regions visible in-app. Please do not leave parked ebikes outside the purple region, as you will be fined.


*Taxes and fees may apply. For more info, see FAQs.

Bike Action Plan Update: Protected Bikeway Network

Project Goal

The 2011 Bike Action plan provided a road map for developing Santa Monica’s bicycle network including a 5-year and 20-year visions. Back in 2011 protected bicycle lanes were not yet as well-known or accepted in highway design in the United States but began picking up steam not long after it’s adoption. Protected bike lanes have for some time been central component of our advocacy here in Santa Monica, as well as cross the US. This Amendment provides an vital updates to the Bike Action Plan so that it may build on it’s 20-year vision by incorporating now accepted best paretics by updating corridors to protected bike lanes. The Amendment is being developed following the same goals and objectives of the Bike Action Plan, but includes an updated approach to meet the needs of Santa Monica today. This Bike Plan Amendment is also an essential component as it creates an encouraging path forward for Santa Monica to build a network of protected bikeways citywide in the next five years, helps the City compete for outside grant funding, support our progress towards the community’s climate, safety, and mobility goals, while building resilience during these uncertain economic times with a vision for a more sustainable and resilient future. 

Project Website

Find our more in this informative video presentation of the Bike Action Plan Amendment’s objectives and goals:

View options and give input on this Mobility Dept Survey

Project  Downloads:

Project Information English/Spanish


City Contacts:

Carlos Morales Carlos.Morales@smgov.net
Kyle Kozar Kyle.Kozar@smgov.net 

Together, we can create a safe—and friendly—Santa Monica FOR EVERYONE

MOTHERLOAD Online Community Screening, Santa Monica Spoke

Click image to view to the event page

Updated panel!!
Join us for an Online Screening of the film MOTHERLOAD | and a Live Panel Discussion.

RSVP for your link to watch the film (on demand) prior to our live panel as we discuss the film’s lessons on the intersections how #BikesUnite, #LessCarMoreGo, and our struggle for social change on May 31st, 7:30pm with:

• Liz Canning, Filmmaker/Director
• Ross Evans, Xtracycle’s Cargo-bike Evangelical Optimist (CEO)
• Cynthia Rose, Santa Monica Spoke, Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance
• Cris Gutierrez, Climate Corps, Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance
• Larry Kraemer, PE – Director of Public Infrastructure, Cannon
• Debs Schrimmer, Senior Manager, Future Cities, Lyft

Click image for more information on our panelist.

THE STRUGGLE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE, MOTHERLOAD is a crowd-sourced documentary about a new mother’s quest to understand our current cultural shift toward isolation and disconnection, what this could mean for the future of the planet, and how life on a cargo bike could be the antidote. As filmmaker Liz Canning explores the burgeoning global movement to replace cars with purpose-built bikes, she learns about the bicycle’s history and potential future as the ultimate “social revolutionizer.” Her experiences as a cyclist, as a mother, and in discovering the cargo bike world, make it clear to Liz that sustainability is not necessarily about compromise and sacrifice and there are few things more empowering, in an age of consumption, than the ability to create everything from what seems to be nothing.

* rsvp to view the movie starting Saturday, May 30th

Watch the Trailer

MOTHERLOAD THE MOVIE  —        

This event is made possible by our local Community Sponsors:
CannonCorp and Lyft

https://www.smspoke.org/motherload-panelists-and-event-partners/

Get the latest on the event HERE