Barack Obama riding with his family last week.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama addressed bicycle advocates and industry leaders at a Chicago fundraiser on Thursday, lending more weight to the pro-bike comments he delivered in Portland, Oregon last month. Industry mag Bicycle Retailer has the scoop:

Barack Obama, in a private 20-minute meeting with members of the Bikes
Belong board of directors, told them if he were elected president he
would increase funding for cycling and pedestrian projects. And the
presumptive Democratic presidential nominee also said he would support
Safe Routes to Schools programs.

Stan Day, SRAM’s president, said that Obama "gets it." He pointed out
that Obama understands that bicycles can be part of a solution to
issues as diverse as health care, obesity, energy and environmental
policy. "He does his homework and he can connect the dots," he said.

Obama’s Oregon campaign co-chair, Representative Earl Blumenauer, said it was remarkable for a candidate to meet with bike advocates so early in the general election season.

Photo: Associated Press