Bike Talk

Toronto’s successful, popular bike lanes are being ripped out by the provincial government of Ontario, though the province itself found that removing lanes would barely reduce congestion, whereas keeping the lanes would reduce crashes https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-bike-lanes-internal-documents-1.7481729. Robert Zaichkowski https://www.twowheeledpolitics.ca/, Albert Koehl https://www.facebook.com/groups/bikewayscoalitionto/ and Jun Nogami https://respectcyclists.org/ report on the lane removal and protests there.

3:00

News:

* Cycling protest blocks Toronto bike lane removal work along Bloor Street stretch https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/news/infrastructure/2026/10/cycling-protest-blocks-toronto-bike-lane-removal-work-along-bloor-street-stretch

* WeHo Council Rejects Compromise on Fountain Bike Lanes as Accusations Fly https://wehoonline.com/fountain-bike-lanes-council-rejects-compromise/#comments

* Expansion Of Automated Ticketing Program For Bike, Bus Lane Blockers OK'd By City Panel in Chicago https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/10/09/expansion-of-automated-ticketing-program-for-bike-bus-lane-blockers-okd-by-city-panel/

* Mayor Mamdani Expands Citi Bike to Seven More Neighborhoods, Adding 230-Plus Stations in NYC https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/10/mayor-mamdani-expands-citi-bike-to-seven-more-neighborhoods--add

* City Council makes bike lane around City Hall permanent a year after it was installed by PennDOT https://www.phillyvoice.com/city-hall-bike-lane-permanent-philadelphia-city-council/

21:33

Listener Rick Bosacker grades drivers in “Passing Grades” https://youtube.com/shorts/Q7xhJPq7-PI?is=aCLEIhENW3SLJNZb

and Baltimore Fred writes again.

24:35

Windshield bias from crash report to jury trial, with bike lawyer Jim Pocrass

28:00

The Sonoma and Marin County Bike Coalitions pushed for the 2026 passage of the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) measure to fund a passenger rail line and bike/ped path between Sonoma County and Marin County in the San Francisco Bay Area. We talk with Eris Weaver, Executive Director of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition https://www.bikesonoma.org/, Tarrell Kullaway, Executive Director of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition https://marinbike.org/, and Julia Gonzalez, Communications and Marketing Manager of the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District https://www.sonomacounty.com/trip-planning/transportation/guide-exploring-sonoma-county-smart-train/.

33:39

Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley has a new multi-model trail, the 40 mile long CV Link https://www.coachellavalleylink.com/, and Taylor talks with John at the Trek Bike store in Palm Springs https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/retail/palm_springs/ about some new products to enhance your rides.

51:25

"Grandma" Beverly Shelton of Families For Safe Streets https://www.familiesforsafestreets.org/ demands a Traffic State of Emergency in Los Angeles https://www.streetsareforeveryone.org/blog/los-angeles-traffic-violence-emergency-declaration along with Streets Are For Everyone, and talks about the speed cams that will go into service October 26th as part of a 5 year pilot program begun by California AB 645 https://ladot.lacity.gov/speed-safety-system.

3:01

Noise pollution by cars kills 6,330 Americans a year, finds a study by associate professor of environmental epidemiology at Colorado State University David Rojas-Rueda https://usa.streetsblog.org/2026/09/17/traffic-noise-kills-6330-americans-a-year-we-stopped-counting-in-1982.

11:40

Listener Dennis writes about his amazing bike trips in New York.

22:45

News: After string of crimes, e-bikes and scooters come under scrutiny in D.C.https://wjla.com/news/local/dc-robberies-crimes-scooters-ebikes-mpd-metropolitan-northwest-police-northwest-washington-clifton-street-companies-law-enforcement.

Parent hit by car during National Walk and Roll to School Day in South Philadelphia https://6abc.com/post/parent-hit-car-during-national-walk-roll-school-day-south-philadelphia/19918121/.

Kylian Mbappé goes cycling despite José Mourinho warning https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/50108439/mbappe-cycling-bike-jose-mourinho-real-madrid-france.

Cyclist, 96, reunited with treasured bike in care home https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c95ynml0n46ro.

Teen bikes 700 miles carrying injured dad. Where is she now? https://www.npr.org/2026/10/11/g-s1-147267/bicycle-teenager-india-pandemic.

24:09

West Hollywood’s former Mayor and current City Council candidate Chelsea Byers talks bikes with Taylor.

27:40

Gravel tires are getting fatter and road is next. Also, there are too many fitments, Josh Poertner, Silca President and Marginal Gains podcast host, tells Bike Talk correspondent Jim Cadenhead https://silca.cc/blogs/marginalgains?srsltid=AU7gw4VR5Z9P1NZRXbH-kp2GZC0AU67E2tRbHicLTL-Pxjg9PgkOcC4j.

41:40

In The Traffic Calming Effect of Delineated Bicycle Lanes, Rutgers University researcher Hannah Younes found that bike lanes reduce car speeds https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667091724000013.

50:13

Cyclists can now cross from Detroit to Canada without a toll via the Gordie Howe International Bridge on a 1.5-mile free dedicated path. Nick and Taylor talk to Todd Scott, Executive Director of the Detroit Greenways Coalition, about the bridge, the path, and the two decades it took to get it made https://detroitgreenways.org/crossing-the-gordie-howe-international-bridge/.

4:37

Our lawyer Jim Pocrass reminds us that proof is all you need if you encounter road rage.

18:03

News:

Prosthetic legs from bicycle parts https://www.kplctv.com/2026/09/28/hes-creating-prosthetic-legs-bicycle-parts-those-who-need-it/.

San Jose airport’s closure of a vital bike route exposes a hollow traffic safety pledge https://sanjosespotlight.com/li-san-jose-airports-closure-of-vital-bike-route-exposes-hollow-traffic-safety-pledge/.

Donors pour millions more into LA mayor’s race, narrowing gap between Bass and Raman https://laist.com/news/politics/la-mayor-race-bass-raman-donors-campaign-finance-sosnick-airbnb.

Driver accused of killing 2 in Wilson e-bike crash posts $1 million bond https://www.wral.com/news/local/two-dead-e-bike-crash-wilson-county-driver-not-cited-or-arrested-september-2026/.

26:00

Helen Krieger, West Hollywood City Council candidate, is a bike rider turned advocate.

28:53

John Gibilisco uses his bike to help him in his fight Prostate Cancer https://www.youtube.com/@pedalingpast60.

40:49

Taylor on how Brandon McNulty, super domestique, won the 2026 World Road Race Championships in Montreal to become the first American man to win the elite men's road race world title in 33 years.

1:23

Interviews from the Bicycle Film Festival Before Party at King Kog bike shop in Brooklyn. With-

Isaac Andersen, Utility Cyclist, on how that’s ‘weird’ for an American.

5:36

Ralph Papillon, director of “Dawn Patrol,” a film exploring how cycling fosters friendship, confidence, and inclusivity for women and non-binary riders.

10:32

Steve Vaccaro, NYC bike lawyer, on Mamdani’s proposed 15mph limit on Central Park bikers.

13:44

And an interview with Bicycle Film Festival Director Brendt Barbur on keeping the BFF going since 2001.

19:13

80 year-old Bob Tuttle talks to Taylor about riding an E-tricycle from Petaluma, California to San Diego, a distance of about 900 miles, in 2 weeks https://www.petalumavoice.org/bob-tuttle-pedals-to-san-diegp/?fbclid=IwY2xjawUsCZpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzQwOTk2MjYyMzA4NTYwOQABHjzJm0SA8p8dZpd81jy2t2JwCnAavx4w5fwimaqY4cVaAUbCFK5rmdTnDdQt_aem_sfo9ndwyvDKfJcsvJQeIHA.

25:40

News:

Turin, Italy cyclists protest driver murders. https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/cronaca-nera/torino-choc-muore-a-7-anni-travolto-in-bici-vicino-a-scuola/.

Cyclists install their own bike lane at a Boston intersection where a cyclist was killed https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/unauthorized-bike-lane-cyclist-accident-louisa-gag/.

Toronto’s Critical Mass protests the Ford administration’s impending removal of the city’s biggest bike lanes https://jnyyz.wordpress.com/2026/09/25/sept-2026-critical-mass/.

More than 1,000 cyclists ride from Koreatown to downtown LA in protest against traffic violence https://abc7.com/post/more-1000-cyclists-ride-koreatown-downtown-la-protest-traffic-violence/19877625/.

42:25

NYC’s Vision Zero Reimagined plan https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/09/mayor-mamdani-unveilsvision-zero-reimagined-to-make-streets-safe, E-bike hearings, and Park Avenue redesign interpreted by Micromobility NYC organizer Miser, in conversation with Nick.

45:14

New bike rider Gloria Ines on her $55 bike from the Highland Park Bike Oven co-op https://bike-oven.com.

2:08

The cyclocross season is just beginning at Look Park in Northampton, Massachusetts with Northampton Cycling Club’s Junior Cyclocross series. New racer Penelope Richert and coach Tom Hoogendyke https://www.nohobikeclub.org/junior-cyclocross-training-series.

7:21

Taylor catches up with 71 year old Kay Schuster, who he met on his bike trip from San Francisco to Michigan, at her home in New Hamshire after her ride across the U.S. https://kaybikes4kids.com

13:19

News:

Viral video of car driving in Seattle bike/ pedestrian trail https://komonews.com/news/local/wsp-investigating-now-viral-video-of-car-in-i-90-bike-pedestrian-trail-speeding-safety-traffic-commute-bridge-seattle-bellvue-witness-dash-cam-investigation-crash-injury-driver.

Orange County e-bike buyback draws big crowds https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-09-15/orange-county-e-bike-buyback-draws-big-crowds-some-controversy.

Second graders at Bryant Webster Dual Language School receive free bicycles https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/video/second-graders-at-bryant-webster-dual-language-school-received-free-bicycle/.

Chicora Elementary second graders receive new bikes and helmets https://www.live5news.com/2026/09/23/chicora-elementary-second-graders-receive-new-bikes-helmets/.

Oberlin College Distributes Free Bikes to Early Decision Applicants https://oberlinreview.org/38313/news/college-distributes-free-bikes-to-early-decision-applicants/.

Delhi Government To Provide Free Bicycles To 140,000 Girl Students https://www.ndtv.com/education/vidya-vahini-scheme-delhi-government-to-provide-free-bicycles-to-1-40-lakh-girl-students-11855391.

7,000 govt school students get free bicycles in Nellore https://www.ndtv.com/education/vidya-vahini-scheme-delhi-government-to-provide-free-bicycles-to-1-40-lakh-girl-students-11855391.

23:45

Stacey unpacks her trip to Copenhagen, the bikiest city in Europe.

25:53

The highs and lows of New York City streets from the Editor of Streetsblog NYC, Gersh Kuntzman

30:21

A Week Without Driving creator Anna Zivarts on the October 1-8 challenge https://weekwithoutdriving.org.

36:57

Stronger Montclair Facebook group admin Jon Wenz on biking and community in New Jersey https://www.facebook.com/groups/991200600121476/.

49:38

Back to Taylor’s Barcelona trip, and a tour of bike and public transportation infrastructure including Superblocks (Superilles) with Silvia Casorran, who helped implement them in Barcelona. 

3:45

Author of the Washington Examiner article, “I thought bike lanes were ‘DEI.’ Then an SUV killed my father,” Chrissy Oakes talks about finding common ground with Republicans on bike lanes, and why the Left has a hard time accepting her as a safe streets advocate www.washingtonexaminer.com/op-eds/4690296/bike-lanes-safety-super-speeders/. 

25:48

Bike Talk listener Tim Dyet was inspired to ride part of the The 750-mile Empire State Trail to NYC by Taylor’s recent SF to Michigan bike tour. He finished, and here’s how it went.

36:51

Streets Are For Everyone Director Damian Kevitt declares a traffic emergency in Los Angeles. Vision Zero was expired by the city last year, and there were 324 traffic fatalities-a 3.5 percent increase from the previous year https://la.streetsblog.org/2026/09/15/traffic-violence-victims-urge-mayor-and-council-to-declare-emergency-make-streets-safer. 

48:46

48:46

Is it legal for lawmakers in Sacramento to obstruct Los Angeles' attempts to make its streets safer by adding language to a bill targeting a protected bike lane on deadly Forest Lawn Drive? LA lawyer James Pocrass says maybe not https://la.streetsblog.org/2026/08/29/breaking-forest-lawn-drive-safety-poison-pill-inserted-at-last-minute-in-state-bill.

49:36

Jonathan Hale of People’s Vision Zero at a “ghost tire” placing on Forest Lawn Drive in Los Angeles, to honor 70-year-old Bijan Yousefian, a victim of traffic violence who died in a fiery crash there https://www.streetsforall.org/events/forest-lawn-ghost-tire-memorial-1.

2:30

High School senior Ben Mangiafico talks about the bike ride he hosted recently to point out the dangerous spots on his route to school https://scotscoop.com/student-organized-bike-along-brings-awareness-to-current-biking-infrastructure/.

6:25

Dr. Timm Döbert and Leanna Carriere on their 9-month, 30,000km ride from Alaska's High Arctic to Tierra del Fuego to follow the migration of Hudsonian Whimbrels, and Wings of Survival, the documentary about their journey https://www.wingsofsurvival.com.

12:45

Bicycle Film Festival Director Brendt Barbur on the Festival’s 26 year history and this year’s offerings https://www.bicyclefilmfestival.com.

25:30

Another bike film, The Cycle of Love (2025), is a documentary about a man who rode 6,000 miles from Delhi to Sweden in 1977 in search of a woman he believed was prophesied to be his wife. Director Orlando von Einsiedel talks with us about his film https://releasing.dogwoof.com/the-cycle-of-love.

40:06

News:

Berkeley sued over Hopkins bike lane plan https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/2026/09/03/community/neighborhood-group-sues-berkeley-hopkins-bike-lanes/.

MIT professor struck by driver while cycling on Memorial Drive dies of injuries https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/09/04/mit-bike-crash-thomas-rose-memorial-drive.

Folsom considers crackdown on e-bike wheelies, stunts and unsafe riding https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/folsom-considers-crackdown-on-e-bike-wheelies-stunts-and-unsafe-riding/.

Japan halves speed limit to 30km/h on all narrow city streets https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/02/japan-new-speed-limit-30kmh-narrow-city-streets.

54:01

Language was added to a bill targeting a much needed protected bike lane and traffic calming project on LA’s high speed Forest Lawn Drive, where there have been more than 95 crashes and 4 fatalities since 2013. The bill was paid for by Forest Lawn Cemetery donations, and it’ll be an issue in the LA Mayoral race, says Michael Schneider of Streets For All https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-08-31/lawmakers-add-last-minute-language-to-bill-that-could-affect-forest-lawn-drive.

2:45

LA Metro will pay some drivers to drive less in a new program, as the city looks toward a more car-light 2028 Olympics. LA Metro spokesperson Patrick Chandler gives the details https://thesource.metro.net/hey-la-county-get-paid-to-give-your-car-a-rest/.

12:19

Streetfilms filmmaker Clarence Eckerson talks with Taylor about his work as an urbanist educator.

21:55

News:

Pedestrian pronounced dead after Tour de Fat vehicle crash, 5 remain injured, in unknown condition https://collegian.com/articles/news/2026/08/update-pedestrian-pronounced-dead-after-tour-de-fat-vehicle-crash/.

New Illinois law sets license, insurance requirements for e-bike riders https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/new-illinois-law-sets-license-insurance-requirements-for-e-bike-riders/3981339/.

Newport Beach residents frustrated by e-bikes parked in front of their homes https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/newport-beach-residents-frustrated-by-e-bikes-parked-in-front-of-their-homes/.

Bill to Strengthen Walking and Biking Programs, AB 2168, Headed to California Governor’s Desk https://www.calbike.org/ab2168-to-governor/.

Cyclists have crashed on Market Street’s rail tracks for 130 years. Why can’t SF fix them https://sfstandard.com/2026/08/28/market-street-cyclist-safety-hazard/?

45:55

More eulogies from Bike Oven/ Killradio/ Bike Talk/ bike community documentarian and spirit-booster DJ Chickenleather’s memorial at the Highland Park Bike Oven.

49:08

Chickenleather, spirit and documentarian of the LA bike movement for decades, died last week. We bring you his words from 2010 on getting “normal” people to bike, engaging the youth, and volunteering at a bike collective.

2:10

Taylor drafts behind Josep in Cataluña, Spain, and they talk afterward.

7:12

Bike Talk listener Tim Dyet says he’s inspired by Taylor Nichols' ride from SF to Michigan to do a 10 day ride of his own along the Empire Trail bike path in New York.

12:25

Team Samaritan riders Tom Schwein and David McKean aim to raise two million dollars with a Ride Across America for Catholic Charities to help fight the nation’s homeless epidemic https://teamsamaritan.org/samaritan-cycling-usa/.

17:45

Massachusetts Streetsblog reporter and editor Christian MilNeil on the elimination of a Boston bikeway by the Mayor Wu administration https://mass.streetsblog.org/2026/08/20/against-vocal-opposition-from-east-boston-residents-boston-streets-commissioners-unanimously-vote-to-eliminate-planned-bikeway-near-day-square.

33:00

News:

3 Cyclists Die in One Week in Hit-and-Runs in New York City

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/23/nyregion/nyc-cycling-bike-deaths.html?unlocked_article_code=1.71A.Gjqh.Y--_JwJrQTAf&smid=bs-share.

Against Neighbors' Wishes, Boston Streets Commissioners Cancel Planned Bikeway Near Day Square https://mass.streetsblog.org/2026/08/20/against-vocal-opposition-from-east-boston-residents-boston-streets-commissioners-unanimously-vote-to-eliminate-planned-bikeway-near-day-square.

E-bikes, scooters, boards prohibited at all of Newport-Mesa Unified’s K-8 campuses https://www.ocregister.com/2026/08/20/e-bikes-scooters-boards-prohibited-at-all-of-newport-mesa-unifieds-k-8-campuses/.

Como mayor bans bikes in city centre after being hit ‘by one of these beasts’ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/20/lake-como-italy-mayor-bans-bikes-city-centre-after-being-hit?CMP=oth_b-aplnews_d-1.

LA Mayor hits brakes on needed bike lanes near Forest Lawn. Mayoral opponent Raman is slamming her for it https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-08-21/bass-hit-brakes-on-new-bike-lanes-near-forest-lawn-raman-is-slamming-her-for-it.

46:01

Chickenleather's memorial at the Bike Oven in Highland Park, Los Angeles https://bike-oven.com.

48:39

Taylor rides Barcelona, and says it’s civilized.

A Quebec court rules against Toronto’s famously successful protected lanes. Michael Longfield, Executive Director of Cycle Toronto, explains https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/14/ontario-free-to-axe-toronto-bike-lanes-regions-top-court-rules.

4:15

NYC closes a 1 block gap in Ashland Avenue's protected bike lane in Brooklyn, known as “Crashland” for the danger created when Mayor Adams’ corrupt administration blocked that part of the path. Streetsblog NYC reporters Emily Lipstein and Michael Duggan fill in the gaps https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/08/12/crashland-no-more-mamdani.

15:28

A fully funded safety improvement project on Forest Lawn Drive was stopped by LA Mayor Bass despite years of public planning, extensive community outreach, and documented safety concerns. Streets Are For Everyone ED Damian Kevitt breaks it down https://www.streetsareforeveryone.org/blog/forest-lawn-drive.

20:25

Somerville, Massachusetts achieves Vision Zero for the third year in a row https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2026/0811/traffic-safety-somerville-vision-zero.

25:27

News: Driver Hits 11, Kills Two College Cyclists in Tennessee https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/19/us/cycling-team-crash-milligan-university.html#:~:text=The%20crash%20happened%20around%208,Carter%20County%2C%20Tenn.%2C%20officials%20said.

The car killing of British rider Fin Tarling during Friday's stage of the Volta a Portugalhttps://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/articles/czxqqlpnx98o.

Bike hating Ontario Premier Doug Ford wins court battle to strip Toronto of its main downtown bike lanes https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/doug-ford-wins-major-court-battle-to-strip-toronto-of-its-main-downtown-bike-lanes/article_0da549f1-658b-4f93-b3aa-0dcd7f9273a8.html.

London’s Cycleway network grows five-fold in decade to 450km https://cyclingindustry.news/londons-cycleway-network-grows-five-fold-in-decade-to-450km/.

26:37

Riders of the “friendly 8” in Halcyon, New Jersey, Kimberly Organo-Solo and Charles Sontag, with ride leader Lo Sontag, on why they ride and don’t ride more https://www.suburbanreview.com/p/d1011-sponsors-the-friendly-8-ride.

28:44

Owner of Allez Allez bike shop in Los Angeles, Kyle Kelley, whom interviewer Jim Cadenhead calls “the most famous fixie foo that ever was.”

39:19

Erasure poetry from bike hate mail submissions by Liza Birch, a Rhode Island bike advocate.

42:40