October 26, 2004 – At a ceremony on October 16th, twenty-three San Luis Obispo County residents took possession of brand new vehicles that will carry them to work, carry their shopping, help them connect with their neighborhoods on a personal level, reduce pollution and help them stay fit in the process. Sound like an unusual vehicle? Not if that vehicle is a bicycle. At Cambria Bicycle Outfitters, participants picked up their Breezer Villager bicycles at the kickoff of the “Bike First” program. Each bike was fully equipped with everything the owners will need to get health while getting where they need to go.

The program’s primary funding came from the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District through its Motor Vehicle Emissions Reduction program. The program was planned by the San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition and co-sponsored by SLO Regional Rideshare, Breezer Bicycles of Marin County, and Cambria Bicycle Outfitters.

Bike First was announced in August and was quickly overwhelmed with nearly 90 applications >from San Luis Obispo County residents. “I was impressed with the wide demographic of the applicants,” said Joe Gilpin, executive director of the San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition and bike safety coordinator at SLO Rideshare. “We had high school and college students, professionals, married couples, parents with small children, even grandmothers and grandfathers.”

The presentation ceremony began with short speeches by the project sponsors, including the designer of the bikes, Joe Breeze of Breezer Transportation Bicycles. San Luis Obispo Mayor Dave Romero spoke glowingly of the program’s benefits to the community, and so did Chris Marxen, Assistant Secretary of CalEPA in Sacramento.

“Maria Shriver heard of the program,” said Marxen, himself a bicycle commuter, to the 60 people in attendance. “When she told the Governor about it he was so impressed that we had to send someone down and attend this ceremony!”

After refreshments, the Bike First recipients attended a short bicycle commuting class facilitated by local certified cycling instructor Rod Hoadley. The class focused on being safe in traffic and being comfortable while riding the bicycle. Each Bike First participant contributed $200 to the program and was issued a Breezer Villager bicycle with easy shifting, low-maintenance internal gearing, rear cargo carrier, grocery-bag pannier, fenders, generator lights, lock, pump, helmet and bell. The total package, including education and maintenance, was worth over $1,000.

“Biking is just one component of the overall Rideshare program,” said John Donovan, program manager of SLO Regional Rideshare, “but a worthwhile program like Bike First can really shine the light on how using a bike can have a big impact on air pollution and traffic congestion in our communities.”

Statistics show that 40% of all car trips are 2 miles in length or less. The aim of Bike First is to have the recipients replace those car trips with Bike First trips. Bike First participants will be surveyed on a periodic basis to determine the effectiveness of the program and to see how well they are following through on their pledge to Bike First. Other cities, such as Portland OR, and Washington DC, have inquired about the program so that they might replicate it in their communities.