Taking a Look at Bike to Work Week

By Damien Newton
May 15, 2009

Photo of Wednesdays Tour of the Downtown: Gary Leonard/Metro

Some people think that Bike to Work Day and Bike to Work Week are cop-outs. I’ve heard and read a couple of notable cyclists that complain that governments roll out the red carpet for cyclists one week per year to try and make up for the other 51.

I take a somewhat less pessimistic view. Since we live in a city that still doesn’t do bike counts when it counts cars, this is our week to show everyone how many of us ride bikes, and how diverse our growing community is. After all, they can’t ignore our presence on the streets when we’re at events they help program. Metro, LADOT and the Los Angeles County Bike Coalition worked together on the events within the city while C.I.C.L.E. and the City of Pasadena worked together on Bike Week Pasadena.

What follows is a compilation of photos, with a video, of images from around the county this week. If people have their own images, please send them to me or provide a link in the comments section. Right now, we’re a little heavy on pictures taken by government employees.

(Update: A new batch of pictures just came in, keep them coming!)

Will Campbell provides this video of his attempt to do all six pit stops in the Downtown core

Monday

Bike Week kicks off Downtown. Councilman Huizar, at the podium, biked to the event, his first time biking to work. Photo: Charles Allen/LADOT

CICLE programmed a week of events in Pasadena, including an airing of Contested Streets on Monday. Bike Week Pasadena continues through tomorrow.

Tuesday was Good Samaritan’s Blessing of the Bikes. For Streetsblog’s coverage of the event, click here.

Riders gather at a Red Line stop for a ride through the Downtown on Wednesday. Photo Gary Leaonard/Metro

Wednesday was Ladies Night in Pasadena. Photo: Beth Orcutt

Metro also organized a "Bike Train" for employees in Pasadena to Bike to Work on Thursday.

Outside the Regan building. Photo: David Pulsipher

Cliff Bar sponsored a Bike to Work stand at Western and Hollywood.

Metro sponsored a stand in Union Station. Will Campbell complained it wasn’t easy to find. Photo: Gary Leonard/Metro

Helen’s Cycles in Santa Monica. Photo:Lisa Newton/Traveling Local

The REI store in Santa Monica. Photo: LN/Traveling Local

Kidical Mass at Walgrove Elementary Photo: Dr. Michael Cahn/ Safe Bicycle Routes for L.A. Schools

If you have more or better pictures, send them along! I’ll continue to update this post as more images, and video, come in.