Hey everyone, I thought I’d take a minute to say hello and let you know what’s up at SABA. I’m Deb Banks. I’m an avid cyclist, I commute by bike when I can, and am involved in a cycling sport where riders are known to ride “inappropriately long distances”. I stepped in to fill Jim Brown’s cleats this past January. Since then, we’ve continued to do good things with good people for safer cycling in the greater Sacramento Region.
Photo: M. Behning
I thought I’d share some of the highlights of the year to date:
Want to ride a JUMP bike but are a bit intimidated by them? I got on one for the first time a few weeks ago and was amazed at how quickly they sped up once they got going. At 70 lbs, it felt heavy when stopped, but once I got through one rotation of a pedal, I was moving along at speed with a big smile on my face. SABA has partnered with JUMP to provide Urban Safety classes in West Sacramento and is providing meet-up rides at Midtown Farmers Markets on the second Saturday of each month. There will continue to be an influx of e-bikes in Sacramento’s future, so why not learn how to use them safely and enjoy the get-up and go they provide?
Also on the education front, SABA has been partnering with WALK Sacramento on bicycle clubs and bike rodeos for students in a number of West Sacramento elementary schools. What great fun to watch young people gain independence and confidence by pedaling their bike.
Our Bike Valet program has continued to grow. We are at more events (over 90 currently scheduled on our calendar), parking more bikes than ever before. Our new Valet Manager, Jeremiah Rohr, has jumped on board to take the program even further. Plus, a huge shout-out to Rancho Cordova for hosting the start of Stage 2 of Amgen where Bike Valet will be available. Bike Valet is where we meet most of the public and we feel it is one of the most important pieces of advocacy that we engage in. By making a choice to ride your bike to an event and be able to leave it safely, means that one less car is on the roadway. #winning.
Photo: D. Banks
Likewise, we are fixing bicycles for people in our region where there are few bike shops. Partnering with JIBE, we provide pop-up bike mechanic services in North Natomas and at Bike Rodeos in West Sacramento. Good stuff happens when people have confidence that their bicycle will safely get them from point A to B.
On other fronts, we’ve been weighing in on new developments, like the Railyards, about placement of bike paths and bike parking, talking to City Councilmembers in support of the Del Rio and Two Rivers trails, and supporting the influx of shared-rideables as long as there’s oversight that will make all of our streets safe for cyclists and pedestrians.
It’s an exciting time in Sacramento for cyclists and those seeking alternative forms of transportation to make trips around town. We at SABA are striving to make all of our streets safe for every person, and your dollars help us do that. I’m thrilled to be a part of this organization, and am hopeful that you’ll join us as members and donors. Together, we can make a difference in creating the Sacramento Region a place where people choose to ride their bike and feel safe doing so. Jump on our wheel and let’s go!