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Bike Talk

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Rating
★★★★★
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This podcast has
500 episodes
Language
English
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BikeTalk
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No
Date created
2017/11/26
Latest episode
2026/10/22
Average duration
58 min.
Release period
7 days

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

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War on Bikes 26/42
2026/10/22
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
Vote For Bikes 26/41
2026/10/16
"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
A US-Canada Bike Bridge in Detroit, November Elections, and the C Word 26/40
2026/10/09
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
Vision Zero Reimagined and Bike Film Fest in NYC, & an Etrike ride from Petaluma to San Diego 26/39
2026/10/02
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
Biking Not Driving in Europe, The West Coast, The East Coast, and Across the U.S. 26/38
2026/09/25
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
Barcelona Superblocks, the Empire State Trail, and DEI bike lanes in the U.S. 26/37
2026/09/18
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
Bike Filming from Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego, Delhi to Sweden 26/36
2026/09/10
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
Streetfilms NYC, Anti bike lane bill in LA 26/35
2026/09/04
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
The Journey Makes The Hero 26/34
2026/08/28
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
Backpedaling 26/33
2026/08/21
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
Beyond Cyclists 26/32
2026/08/14
Walk Bike Berkeley organizer Ben Gerhardstein on why Berkeley needs the Hopkins Ave protected bike lane they fought for so long to get and finally won, and why the opposition was so vitriolic. (2:15) A recent study, “Beyond Cyclists,” finds that support for and opposition to cycling infrastructure don't always follow intuitive lines, and the ways pro-bike arguments are framed matters. Quebecois researchers Jérôme Laviolette, Kevin Manaugh, Owen Waygood unpack their study https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X26003057. (6:30) Our bike lawyer Jim Pocrass talks with our news anchor, Stacey Randecker, about her e-bike crash, her medical treatment, her settlement, and why every document mattered. (35:05) News: Amazon responds to Mamdani’s cease-and-desist letter https://thehill.com/business/6017218-amazon-new-york-mamdani-e-bikes/. A Boston City Official Wants Cars To Stop Blocking Bike Lanes And Crosswalks https://wbznewsradio.iheart.com/content/boston-city-official-wants-cars-to-stop-blocking-bike-lanes-and-crosswalks/. Durham Dedicates $1M To Protecting Bike Lanes https://indyweek.com/news/durham-dedicates-1m-to-protecting-bike-lanes/. UT Austin officials say a new mobility plan is coming as cyclists worry about potential bike ban https://www.kut.org/text/transportation/2026-08-06/austin-tx-university-of-texas-campus-speedway-bike-ban-cycling-pedestrians. (44:30) Fresno County’s Board of Supervisors buried Measure C, a transportation tax favoring local roads and transit over freeway expansion, using a procedural trick. A law just signed by California Governor Newsom would foil the Board and put Measure C on Fresno's ballot in November. The Supes plan to sue, claiming the law is unconstitutional. Fresnoland's Editor in Chief Danielle Bergstrom reports. https://fresnoland.org/2026/08/06/the-fight-has-just-begun/. (47:35)
We're Not Copenhagen 26/31
2026/08/06
Taylor on being a bike nerd and making friends by bike, like Kay Shuster https://kaybikes4kids.com. Bicycles Are Partisan now, writes Lo Sontag https://www.suburbanreview.com/p/bicycles-are-partisan-now in light of the MAGA federal assault on biking. But the real divide isn’t left/right, it’s who has power and who doesn’t. 5:41 Listener Tim Dyet writes he plans a bike trip in NY, inspired by Taylor’s recent ride from SF to Michigan. Tim plans to take his bike on an Amtrak train- speaking of which, the League of American Bicyclists has issued a report on bike friendly trains https://bikeleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/LeagueOfAmericanBicyclists_AmtrakReport_2026.pdf. 19:45 Nietifa, a listener, suggests a “limited license” for bad drivers https://bsky.app/profile/lukewanderer.bsky.social/post/3mrajbqsdo22p. 24:27 In “The Social Cost of Automobility, Cycling and Walking in the European Union,” Swedish researcher Stephan Gosling says that in advocating for bike infrastructure, we shouldn't argue against cars. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921800918308097. 25:55 Stacey’s News: After years of debate, Berkeley approves Hopkins bike lanes https://www.berkeleyscanner.com/2026/07/30/community/berkeley-hopkins-bike-lanes-approved/. Archer Ave Bike Lanes Tension Fuels Political Ambitions in Chicago https://southsideweekly.com/archer-ave-bike-lanes-tension-fuels-political-ambitions/. A woman in a Queens bike lane was fatally struck by SUV driver who never stopped https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/08/01/woman-in-queens-bike-lane-fatally-struck-by-suv-driver-who-never-stopped-nypd/. Pedestrians and cyclists can cross the Gordie Howe International Bridge for free in Detroit https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2026/07/28/pedestrians-cyclists-can-cross-gordie-howe-international-bridge-for-free-beginning-aug-5/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTZfQBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA80MDk5NjI2MjMwODU2MDkAAR7H4ETfc-ie_Zm2liqd5k6jgRd23CpR95PohJUgaZvudYwiPKgoDWtFrp-NoA_aem_nZIXP2dt91R24ORX0X1bQQ. 41:26 Berkeley’s long overdue approval of the Hopkins Avenue protected bike lane- Robert Prinz, Bike East Bay. 44:27
Bike Hope Versus Bike Hate 26/30
2026/07/30
The USDOT/FHWA removed bike lanes, road diets, and speed management tools that have been shown to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities from their list of Proven Safety Countermeasures on USDOT/FHWA sites https://www.npr.org/2026/07/16/nx-s1-5893672/dot-bike-lanes-speed-cameras-safety-measures. Is the administration anti-safety? Of course, as League of American Bicyclists Deputy Executive Director Caron Whitaker explains, the Proven Safety Countermeasures' removal by USDOT does not change the fact that they make roads safer. 6:50 Bike share is transportation! Recognizing this, bike-sharing Brooklyn Councilmember Lincoln Restler https://council.nyc.gov/district-33/ has a bill to cap Citibike fares at the price of a bus or subway. Lincoln talks about CD 33's other bike/active transportation/safe streets initiatives, too. 17:54 San Francisco architect Ben Frommagen is on a 4,200 + day streak of riding every day for two hours (almost 12 years). Taylor rides along with Ben and talks over coffee about the personal, mental and physical trade-offs of keeping the streak. 36:08
Back in the Saddle 26/29
2026/07/24
Is biking in wildfire smoke the new normal? Portland broke the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the largest electric bicycle ride on July 19! Claire Vlach, BikeLoud PDX Communications Director, reports back to Taylor https://www.portland.gov/transportation/news/2026/7/19/news-release-portland-breaks-guinness-world-recordstm-title-largest#:~:text=(July%2019%2C%202026)%20With,previous%20record%20holders%20in%20Seattle. 2:41 Peter Norton, author of “Autonoroma: The Illusory Promise of High-Tech Driving,” on why Autonomous Vehicles won't save us, Part II https://bookshop.org/a/99134/9781642832402. 13:18 NEWS-The Wu administration shelved safety plans for Boston streets where a driver killed Louisa Gag-a bike activist, transportation planner, and member of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's staff https://mass.streetsblog.org/2026/07/14/wu-administration-shelved-safety-plans-for-mission-hill-streets-where-driver-killed-louisa-gag. Louisa worked at Living Streets Alliance before working with Mayor Wu https://www.livablestreets.info. Xandro Meurisse struck from behind by car driver after Tour de France time trial https://www.cyclingnews.com/pro-cycling/racing/bike-broken-and-police-on-the-scene-as-xandro-meurisse-struck-from-behind-by-car-driver-after-tour-de-france-time-trial/. Atlanta's new bike barriers are flipping cars (and it's not the barriers' fault) https://www.motorbiscuit.com/atlantas-new-bike-barriers-are-flipping-cars-and-sparking-debate/. RAGBRAI 53 https://ragbrai.com/. 26:03 The president of Greater Boston New England Mountain Bike Association, Mary McCarthy, on the meaning of bike advocate/Boston Transportation Planner Louisa Gag's death to the community in Boston. 28:31 Political stars including Mayoral candidate Nithya Raman spoke in support of CicLAvia’s open street at its “Meet the Hollywoods” event this past Sunday. Meanwhile, CicLAvia reported that LA Metro was about to quietly end future funding for open street events and asked for support. People phoned and emailed Metro’s board, and the Board voted unanimously to advance a motion to identify additional funding dedicated to open street events through 2028 https://mailchi.mp/ciclavia/metro-board-funding-july26?e=acba072215. 29:44 Nick meets Dan Bolognani and Dan McGuinness, core members of the Western New England Greenway, a multi-segment, multi-state bike route that links New York City and Montreal, on a recent ride with Bike Talk listener Tom O’Brien https://wnegreenway.org/events/. 31:31 Robin and Amy Verner, a retired couple on the Western New England Greenway ride, on how they bought a segment of rail trail near their home in Manchester, Vermont and made it part of the WNEG bike network. 35:30 Taylor interviews the Lansing Bike Party members Tim and Jeff Potter, Andy Rohrer, and Rick Oberle https://www.facebook.com/groups/lansingbikeparty/. 38:47 Amy Verner on what it was like to be a boomer in the bike business and how the bike business catered to boomers. 49:50
Welcome Home 26/28
2026/07/17
Taylor completes his bike journey from California to Michigan and is met by his 101 year old father, Irving “Irv” Nichols, who still drives. This sparks a discussion of the possibility of a future where Autonomous Vehicles are required with our Bike Lawyer, Jim Pocrass. Listener Email- Mitch Hull of Battle Creek offers Taylor a place to stay and help with his bike. 13:37 Taylor’s day is saved by Rick, mid-michigan bike advocate and urban planner, who lets Taylor draft behind him. 15:06 Why Autonomous Vehicles won't make us safer, with Peter Norton, author of Autonorama: The Illusory Promise of High Tech Driving https://bookshop.org/a/99134/9781642832402. 20:09 An obituary for 77 year old Charlie Cunningham, mountain bike pioneer, by Jim Cadenhead, who interviewed Charlie’s wife, mountain bike pioneer Jacquie Phelan, for Bike Talk https://biketalk.org/2025/03/bike-talk-2509-the-firecracker-a-vigil-an-icon-and-two-directors/. 38:18 Jim also reflects on the killing of Louisa Gag, a longtime street safety advocate and transportation planner, who was on her bike in Boston when hit by a truck driver https://mass.streetsblog.org/2026/07/10/louisa-gag-longtime-street-safety-advocate-identified-as-thursdays-crash-victim. 39:25 Taylor gets a tour from curator Alyssa Young at the Deke Slayton Memorial Space & Bicycle Museum in the self proclaimed bicycling capital of America, Sparta, Wisconsin https://www.dekeslaytonmuseum.org. 41:30 Taylor interviews a group of older e-bike riders on getting e-assisted through the famous pitch black tunnels of the Elroy Sparta trail in Sparta https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/elroysparta. 49:06 Taylor reflects on his trip. 52:40

Podcast reviews

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4.8 out of 5
50 reviews
★★★★★
TonyDee80 2026/08/24
Talking about biking…
I enjoy this podcast. When I was younger I enjoyed riding my bike very casually. I truly had no idea, until recently, how big the cycling world actual...
★★★★★
Baltimore-Fred 2026/07/03
Must listen podcast
I wrote a review for Bike Talk in March, 2026. Somehow, the rating shows as 3 stars - NOT INTENTIONAL ! It is definitely a 5 Star podcast.I love this...
★★★★★
Mast8ce 2026/06/21
Entertaining and Informative
Thank you for making the world a better place. Appreciate the stories, insights, and updates!
★★★★★
escalator66 2026/06/04
Consistently excellent show, covering bicycle stories from LA to Chicago to NYC.
Bike Talk is the one podcast I never miss. It is about more than bicycle advocacy, although Nick and Taylor have lots of bicycle advocate guests and ...
★★★★★
TimSoulsurfer 2026/04/04
Liberating
The in-depth nature of bicycles and culture doesn’t get spoken about enough, Bike Talk on every episode has guest speakers who are educated and practi...
★★★★★
Baltimore Fred 2026/03/19
Listen to “Bike Talk”
If you have any interest in cycling, you should be listening to this podcast. It is a great source of bike news from across the country. It is also so...
★★★★★
Mar Vista Rob 2026/03/14
BikeTalk Rocks!
Terrific podcast that keeps you informed about all things bike related. Essential listening for anyone wanting to make the world a better place for cy...
★★★★★
Daniel Yost 2026/01/25
Fun and informative
Keeps it moving through shorter news items and one or two in depth interviews. Great stuff
★★★★★
MacGyver01999 2026/01/22
Great podcast about what’s working
It’s inspiring to see how cities are successfully dealing with issues by investing in bike infrastructure.
★★★★★
Aidan Gormley 2026/01/16
Love
Great work getting the word out about the magic of cycling. Need woman host.
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