Welcome to the week. Here are the most notable stories we came across in the past seven days.
LA bike shop owner battles fires: My heart goes out to everyone in Los Angeles as devastating fires continue to rip through the city. This account of a bike shop owner connects the tragedy to something we can all relate to — including a shot of a burned-out bike stand and a bike shop owner losing sleep because a customer’s bike was burned to a crisp. (Bicycle Retailer)
Welcome to the revolution, JT!: Just when you thought Coach Balto’s bike bus couldn’t be hyped any further, pop star Justin Timberlake showed up the day before his concert at Moda Center to ride with the kiddos. (The Oregonian 🔒)
Never too late: How many adults have you met that say, “Oh I’m not a cyclist,” or “I don’t bike”? This article is a great example of how, when given the right opportunity, almost anyone can get into riding and reap the benefits of bicycling. (The Guardian)
Enforcement vs design: This was a disappointing article because it falls into the trap of piling on popular targets (nonprofits and activists) while never mentioning how police voluntarily reduced enforcement to make a political point and how city road agencies also reduced emphasis on enforcement during the George Floyd era. Yes a lot of folks want to focus on design and sometimes that pendulum swings too far away from enforcement, but I’m in a lot of activist circles and have never felt as much anti-enforcement sentiment as the author of this piece tries to portray. Like most things, the truth is grey and in the middle, but it’s not as click-baitey, so we get articles like this. (The Atlantic 🔒)
E-bikes are “secret weapon”: Except for the misnomer that a $2,600 e-bike is “pricey,” it’s really great to see an article extolling the virtues of e-bikes as car replacements in a non-cycling media outlet. (Mother Jones)
Go by bus!: New federal statistics say transit ridership was up across America by over 17% in 2024. That’s great news! Now let’s keep the momentum going by giving buses a larger slice of the budget. (Mass Transit Mag)
Pricing progress: It appears that congestion pricing in Manhattan is going well and we can’t wait to see the first official reports of its impacts. For now, check out how it has impacted bus service. (Streetsblog NYC)
EV terrorism: An important piece that gets real about the threat posed by very heavy electric trucks and how city leaders should respond to their use if we want to keep streets safe. (Slate)
Time for “mobility lanes”: New report from Canada shows what I’ve been saying for many years now: E-bikes and other devices have changed the game and we need to change the rules of how we plan for them! Also, we should stop using the term “bike lanes” and shift to “mobility lanes”. (Bike Hub)
Take highways out, don’t widen them: “Through a climate lens, highways are the linchpin of our carbon-intensive car-driven transportation and land use system.” (Fast Company)
Thanks to everyone who sent in links this week. The Monday Roundup is a community effort, so please feel free to send us any great stories you come across.