Bike Talk

BikeTalk

We are a bike advocacy and culture podcast based in Los Angeles, Ca.

  1. 1D AGO

    26/19 Bike The World

    Despite fierce opposition from Beverly Hills NIMBYs, the Los Angeles D Line can now take you from Downtown LA to Beverly Hills faster than anything except a helicopter, Joe Linton, Streetsblog LA Editor, reports. As proof, Streetsblog LA will host a race between a cyclist, a driver, and a D Line rider. https://la.streetsblog.org/2026/05/07/new-d-line-subway-will-change-how-angelenos-get-around 3:15 News: It’s now illegal to block bike lanes statewide in Colorado https://www.denvergazette.com/outtherecolorado/2026/05/07/its-now-illegal-to-block-bike-lanes-statewide-in-colorado-thanks-to-bill-signed-by-polis/. Police in one Colorado town launch tool to report illegal E-bike and motorbike activity https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/parker-police-report-illegal-e-bike-motorbike-activity/. Amazon stops illegal e-bike sales in California https://www.kcra.com/article/amazon-stops-illegal-e-bikes-california-investigates/71255336. 11:35 Taylor gets one last session on bike tour readiness before his SF to Michigan ride from the Adventure Cycling Customer Experience Coordinator Josh Bowden. 17:10 P.L. and Kristen Meindertsma of Cycle 5 To Survive are making good on their pledge to bike five continents over five years while raising $500,000 from each of 5 different charities. https://cycle5tosurvive.com/ 31:22 Bridge Street Elementary parents Lauren Kaskey and Howard Moore start a bike bus to their Northampton, Massachusetts elementary school for Walk, Bike and Roll Day. 47:55

    58 min
  2. 26/18 Independent Bike Shop, Justice For Cyclists, Making Our Own Bike Plan, The Kittie Knox Plays

    MAY 8

    26/18 Independent Bike Shop, Justice For Cyclists, Making Our Own Bike Plan, The Kittie Knox Plays

    Taylor’s Bike Tour from SF to Mackinaw Island, from his daughters to his dad, begins May 16 at 8am, and you’re invited. Mechanics Dani and Paola at independent LA Cyclery help Taylor get his bike ready for the tour when corporate shops wouldn’t (4:30). Stacey’s News: Seattle pays injured cyclist $9.25 million for poorly designed bike lanes https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/city-pays-injured-cyclist-9-25-million-for-poorly-designed-bike-lanes/, Richmond VA is ticketing for parking in bike lanes https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/parking-bike-lane-buffers-ticket/, Santa Monica launches automated cameras to detect bike lane violations https://smmirror.com/2026/05/santa-monica-launches-automated-cameras-to-detect-bike-lane-violations/, The New York City Mayor’s office  unveiled a Design to Put the ‘Park’ Back in Park Avenue https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/04/mayor-mamdani-unveils-design-concepts-to-put-the--park--back-in-, with a two-option survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/parkavenuevision; and NYC Mayor Mamdani joins cyclists for the 40-mile Five Boro Bike Tour across NYC https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2026/05/04/mamdani-joins-cyclists-for-40-mile-five-boro-bike-tour (9:49). UC Davis’ “Justice 4 Lincoln” group demands separated and protected bike lanes and pedestrian corridor, a “Lincoln Loop,” where UC Davis student Lincoln Sabini was killed by a car driver. With Aaron Shaw (13:30). Whether a mother’s criminal liability for her son’s e-moto killing of an elderly man is justified, and whether our concern is proportionate to the percentage of traffic deaths involving ebikes. With our bike lawyer, Jim Pocrass (24:24). The worst bike lane contest, bike month, and taking charge of designing complete streets in Pasadena with Jonah Kanner of the Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition (30:23). The Kittie Knox Plays “in place” (and on bikes) dramatize the story of the 21 year old bi-racial African American woman seamstress and cycling enthusiast. Winner of the League of American Bicyclists’ Kittie Knox Award, Kittie Knox Plays playwright Patrick Gabridge talks bikes and history from Northampton, Massachusetts https://bookshop.org/a/99134/9780998698250 (45:10).

    58 min
  3. 26/17 Bikes Win In The End

    MAY 1

    26/17 Bikes Win In The End

    Washington D.C.'s Bike Advocacy Group, WABA, wins its fight to protect "America's Bike Lane" from the federal government https://bikeleague.org/we-won-this-one-heres-what-comes-next/. Kallie Krumpos reports (3:10). At the California Bike Summit April 23–24, advocates met with legislators to champion safer streets and better bike infrastructure. CalBike Executive Director Kendra Ramsey reports on the Summit (10:45). A sampling of Bike Month events in California, including the LA River Ride https://www.streetsareforeveryone.org/finish-the-ride-griffith-park. Bike week rides in Western Massachusetts include bike breakfasts, a Great Tree Ride, and an “intergenerational ride” https://www.nohobikeweek.com/. In Detroit, Michigan, the Pushing Pedals Sunday Ride supports black-owned restaurants (16:15). Anyone who wants to join Taylor for a leg of his upcoming San Francisco-to-Michigan tour, please let us know (18:15). Stacey's News: Omaha, Nebraska Launches Free, All-Electric Bikeshare For Residents https://usa.streetsblog.org/2026/04/21/best-bikeshare-in-america-an-unexpected-community-launches-free-all-electric-micromobility-for-residents . UC Davis students push for bike safety changes following a bicyclist's death https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/uc-davis-push-for-bike-safety-after-fatal-crash/ . For Earth Day, the Trump Administration announces its “Freedom to Drive” Initiative To Expand Highways Across America https://usa.streetsblog.org/2026/04/22/for-earth-day-the-trump-administration-wants-to-expand-highways-across-america . E-bikes, e-motos, and other micromobility devices are in a legal gray area in Massachusetts https://www.massbike.org/micromobility_ordinances (19:47) The Car Harm study by corresponding author Patrick Miner finds that cars are destructive to every aspect of life https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/car-harm-a-global-review-of-automobilitys-harm-to-people-and-the-/. With Patrick and Bike Talk listener Kevin Grishkot (23:30) The venerable La Grange bike club of Los Angeles joins forces with The Challenged Athletes Foundation. Taylor talks with challenged athlete coach Deb Carabet of the La Grange Bike Club https://www.challengedathletes.org (41:13).

    58 min
  4. 26/16 Bikepartisanship

    APR 24

    26/16 Bikepartisanship

    Taylor talks with featured advocate Bronwyn Brightener and Director Ben Wolf of the documentary Changing Lanes about the contested Road Diet on McGuiness Boulevard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn https://www.changinglanesdoc.com/about (2:15). Eric Brightwell, host of the Nobody Drives in LA podcast, at the Changing Lanes screening https://ericbrightwell.com/nobody-drives-in-la/ (7:19). A concerned listener and bike safety designer/advocate, Abe a.k.a. Sundance, offers his “lane saber,” a light-up safety flag/space bar, for Taylor’s May trip up Highway 1 https://bsky.app/profile/sundance.bikesky.social (9:18). The second installment of a series on Gloria Ines getting a bike. Taylor and Gloria decide that Taylor will give her a bike to fix up at a bike co-op, the Los Angeles Bike Oven https://bike-oven.com (15:38). Listener Email: Solidarity for Taylor’s ride through Minneapolis from Brett McGraw, and two from Bluesky: another biker who wears backpacks, Nietifa Van Suiker, and another vote for more ebike power from BirdmanStevens (18:38). News: Cycling Data is now available on Google Earth https://medium.com/@googleearth/now-available-cycling-data-on-google-earth-1c12955d6f94, Prague has built a bridge just for cyclists, pedestrians, trams and buses https://www.ebikemag.eu/prague-opens-dvorecky-bridge-the-first-new-vltava-crossing-in-twelve-years/, Cologne will also rebuild a bridge just for bicycles and trams https://www.ksta.de/koeln/muelheimer-bruecke-koelner-ob-entmachtet-verkehrsdezernenten-5-1194350, and NYC Mayor Mamdani announces an immediate overhaul for cyclists and pedestrians on the Brooklyn Bridge https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/03/27/mamdani-will-upgrade-brooklyn-bridge-manhattan-side-entrance-by-june(20:51). In Northampton, Massachusetts, complete streets opponents are claiming that fixing the unsafe downtown streets will hurt the town’s kids by taking money from schools. Proponents of the Picture Main Street redesign say most of the money comes from a Department of Transportation grant, not the city. Also, where are kids supposed to go after school? Math teacher Ray Paquette, a bike rider who’s an active member of the Northampton teacher’s union, NASE, along with Northampton Strong Towns members Jen Nery and Benjamin Spencer (22:38). New York City’s Upper West Side will get a two-way protected bike lane, converting four lanes of traffic to two, thanks to Mayor Mamdani’s Department of Transportation https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/04/14/east-side-west-side-mamdanis-dot-will-transform-72nd-street-with-protected-bike-lane-bus-improvements. Taylor talks to Carl Mahaney, Director of Streetopia Upper West Side https://www.streetopia.city/reimagining-w72 (39:38). Why is CicLAvia, Los Angeles’ open streets event, so great? CicLAvia Chief Strategist Tafarai Bayne contextualizes the next event, on LA’s West Side April 26 https://www.ciclavia.org/ciclavia_west_la26 (54:14).

    58 min
  5. 26/15 Bike Bus, Bike Tour, Bike City, Bike Sport

    APR 17

    26/15 Bike Bus, Bike Tour, Bike City, Bike Sport

    A school bike bus is recognized by the Burbank, California City Council for promoting safe, active Transportation. With Alfonso Directo, Jr. Advocacy Director of Act-LA and Roosevelt Elementary School parent https://www.act-la.org/ (2:53). Bike Films: “Major Taylor: Champion of the Race" Earns National News & Documentary Emmy Award Nomination-can now be streamed https://video.indianapublicmedia.org/video/major-taylor-champion-of-the-race-7pwxvd/ (9:40). “Changing Lanes,” a documentary about the conflict over a protected bike lane in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on McGuinness Boulevard. Taylor talks with the Director of Changing Lanes, Ben Wolf https://www.changinglanesdoc.com/ (10:28). Listener Email: Julian disputes Asha Weinstein’s take on high powered bikes from Bike Talk’s 26/12 episode https://biketalk.org/2026/03/26-12-bike-more-worry-less-e-bikes-and-avs/(15:04). Stacey’s (Charlie’s) News: Jersey City Approves First Protected Bike Lane in The Heights Along Franklin Street https://jerseydigs.com/protected-bike-lane-jersey-city-heights/. The City of Detroit makes bike lane data available to all riders online https://www.wxyz.com/news/region/detroit/city-of-detroit-makes-bike-lane-data-available-to-all-riders-online. Local Cyclists Fund Their Own Bike Lane Sweeper as City Fails to Maintain Infrastructure https://momentummag.com/bike-lane-sweeper-richmond-virginia/ (18:25). An urban planner running on safe streets and active transportation for the City Council of Glendale, California, Alek Bartrosouf https://www.alekforglendale.com/ (20:39). The Spring Classics 2026 with Dane Cash of the Escape Collective https://escapecollective.com/author/danecash/ (32:50). Coffee and bikes (53:32). A bill to cap NY Citibikes at the price of a bus or subway ride by NYC Councilmember Lincoln Restler https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/09/16/restler-bill-to-cap-e-bike-fees-sets-the-bar-high-for-citi-bikes-future (54:35)

    58 min
  6. 26/14 Biking Is Not a Crime

    APR 10

    26/14 Biking Is Not a Crime

    Taylor plans a May bikepacking trip from San Francisco to Michigan. A listener explains why she uses a backpack instead of panniers, and Tim Dyet’s review says “everyone gets a seat at the (Bike Talk) table.” (5:15) The Safe Speeds Act will require the CSPC to distinguish ebikes from illegal emotos, if passed https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7839/text?s=1&r=1&hl=hr+7839. However, the CSPC, charged with protecting consumers from things like exploding e-bike batteries, was gutted by the Trump administration for regulating lithium ebike batteries. Caron Whitaker, Deputy Director of the League of American Bicyclists, explains (8:04). Stacey’s Charlie’s News: Federal legislation addresses e-moto issue. 85 bikes seized after authorities stop planned Bay Bridge takeover. 8-year-old girl on bicycle dies after colliding with car in Charlotte, CMPD says. Guardian Bikes wants children's bikes made in the U.S.A. — and tariffs against rivals (15:26). The Mamdani administration has reversed the Adams administration policy of criminalizing ebikes https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/03/18/mamdani-ends-nypd-ebike-cyclist-criminal-summons. Oonee bike storage founder Shabazz Stuart and Streetsblog NYC reporter Sophia Lebowitz put it in context (18:21). Terence Heuston spent ten years fighting for Sunset For All, a protected bike lane on the famous arterial Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles https://www.la-bike.org/sunset4all. Now he’s burned out, because the city spends too much time seeking community input on data-supported street safety designs that save lives (37:00).

    58 min
  7. 26/13 Bikeside at the National Bike Summit

    APR 3

    26/13 Bikeside at the National Bike Summit

    Hands Off DC bike lanes, says the Washington Area Bicyclists Association in the face of the Trump administration’s intention to remove a key part of the bike network. Kalli Krumpos, Advocacy Director, gives WABA’s perspective https://waba.org/2026/03/24/four-dc-actions/ (2:34). Voices from the March 24-26, 2026 National Bike Summit in Washington, DC from bike messenger/reporter Joel Gwadz: Terry Lansdell, ED of Walk Bike North Carolina, Niles Barnes, Deputy Director of East Coast Greenway Alliance, Natasha Smith, Coordinator of Bike Walk Bowling Green in Kentucky, Patrick Martin, President of Bike ABQ in Albequerque, NM, Steven Hardy-Braz, a board member of BikeWalk NC, and Desiree Squire, Education Manager at Bike Durham in North Carolina (13:36). Charlie’s News: Bike East Bay’s Celebrate Trails Day ride supports the Bay Skyway. Queensland may implement strict e-bike regulations. The T’s bus service will exceed pre-pandemic levels this spring. Bike-friendly Emmanuel Grégoire has won the Paris mayoral election (23:22). Los Angeles is finally adding 125 speed cameras https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-30/speeders-beware-125-traffic-cameras-are-coming-to-l-a-along-with-hefty-fines-what-you-need-to-know (25:41). Truck crash survivor Marianne Karth created the Stop Underrides Town Hall April 15 because she’s hoping lives will be saved by this commonsense legislation -already law in Europe- mandating sideguards on trucks https://annaleahmary.com/2026/02/stop-underrides-national-town-hall-save-the-date/ (27:53).  “Which bike should I buy?” Taylor gets answers to the eternal question for Gloria Ines, who’s in the market, from Battle Road Bikes owner Jim Cadenhead (27:53).

    58 min
  8. 26/12 Bike More, Worry Less - E bikes and AVs

    MAR 27

    26/12 Bike More, Worry Less - E bikes and AVs

    Taylor talks with Brent Muth at Ojai's MOB bike shop and then at a farmer's market with Annette, a member of the international nonprofit Cycling Without Age, which takes the elderly out for free bike rides (1:33). The League of American Bicyclists' National Bike Summit https://bikeleague.org/events/summit/ (9:33). Charlie's News: Cambridge, Massachusetts has seen a 250% ridership increase over two decades, with a crash rate decrease https://momentummag.com/city-shows-the-huge-payoff-for-investing-in-safe-cycling-infrastructure-with-250-increase/. There will be a National Town Hall on April 15th for the Stop Underrides Act of 2026 https://annaleahmary.com/2026/02/stop-underrides-national-town-hall-save-the-date/. Bike lanes next to the National Mall are set to be removed despite lower crash rates and faster car travel times https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/03/20/15th-street-dc-bike-lane-removal/. The NYPD will stop giving cyclists criminal summonses for minor offenses https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/03/18/mamdani-ends-nypd-ebike-cyclist-criminal-summons (10:18). Listener Email: Terry Fitzgerald questions our “cyclists can do no wrong” approach, but gets Bike Talk stickers for a positive review on Apple (13:09). A meta study on how Autonomous Vehicles can be safer yet may increase Vehicle Miles Traveled and displace transit. With Farah Naz, University of Texas-Arlington, co-author of the study https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214367X26000372?via%3Dihub (16:05). Bob Mittelstaedt and Asha Weinstein Agrawal discuss the Mineta Transportation Institute report on ebikes and an e-moto “rogues gallery” of illegal ebikes https://www.ebikeaccess.org/rogue-gallery-e-motos-to-avoid https://transweb.sjsu.edu/research/2423-Electric-Bicycle-Safety-Data-Policy (31:28). The irrational fear of ebikes in Massachusetts and a Micromobility report by MassBike, with Galen Mook, a.k.a. “Mookmaster Bikes,” the Executive Director of MassBike, and friend-of-the-show bike shop owner/mechanic Jim Cadenhead https://www.mass.gov/doc/special-commission-on-micromobility-report-january-2026/download (49:34). A study shows biking may reduce dementia https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2835115 (54:59).

    58 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

We are a bike advocacy and culture podcast based in Los Angeles, Ca.

Information

  • Creator
    BikeTalk
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    500
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Bike Talk

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