Discounts

Become an AS&R member and get discounts at local bike shops and businesses!

Blue Heron Bikes: 10% off parts and accessories.

Marie Bowser Acupuncture: 30% off your first visit.

Bikes on Solano: 10% off labor, parts and accessories.

Quad Republic Skate Co. 5% off SKATES, 10% off parts & accessories.

Offers are valid to members of Albany Strollers & Rollers and their households. Tell your friends!
Contact us with questions.

Events

Mar
14
Wed
San Pablo Avenue Organizing Meeting: North Berkeley (and Albany) @ Farm Burger
Mar 14 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Bike East Bay is working for continuous bike lanes on San Pablo Avenue, as part of a safer street for everyone who bikes, walks, drives, or takes transit.

(photo credit – BikeEastBay)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Join Bike East Bay supporters in your neighborhood to learn about options for bikeways and transit on San Pablo Avenue.

Share your vision for the corridor and get organized for kicking off advocacy.

WHERE:

1313 Ninth Street
Farm Burger
Berkeley, 94710

WHEN:  March 14th, 2018 6:00 PM   through   7:00 PM

(This event is organized and hosted by BikeEastBay, who request you RSVP to participate)

Mar
21
Wed
San Pablo Avenue Improvement Organizing Meeting: El Cerrito, Albany and Richmond @ Elevation 66
Mar 21 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

(photo credit – BikeEastBay)

Join Bike East Bay supporters in your neighborhood to learn about options for bikeways and transit on San Pablo Avenue.

Share your vision for the corridor and get organized for kicking off advocacy.

Bike East Bay is kicking off a campaign for continuous bike lanes on San Pablo Avenue, the major transit and commercial boulevard from Oakland north to Hercules. A safer and more comfortable San Pablo Avenue will connect neighborhoods from east to west and all along the corridor for everyone who bikes, walks, drives, or takes transit.
March 21st, 2018 6:00 PM   through   7:00 PM
10082 San Pablo Avenue
Elevation 66
El Cerrito, CA 94530

(This event is organized and hosted by BikeEastBay who request you RSVP.)

This meeting is at a perfect time for you to attend and then head to AS&R’s Meeting at 7:30!

Sep
9
Sun
Solano Stroll – Volunteers Needed – AS&R is providing Free Bicycle Valet Parking! @ Tree Lot and Wells Fargo parking lot
Sep 9 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Hundreds of people from all over the Bay Area take advantage of our Bicycle Valet Parking service at two lots on Solano Avenue. Please volunteer a few hours before enjoying the event! Thanks to Floor Dimensions for donating the Red Carpet to show the way!
Photo courtesy Amy

Albany Strollers & Rollers will again be providing Free Bicycle Valet Parking at two locations: 1800 Solano Ave (Wells Fargo) and 1245 Solano (the vacant lot near Masonic.)
We’ll also have an information table by our western lot near Masonic.
WE NEED YOU TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS!
If you’d like to help park bikes (we parked 300+ last year!!) at either lot or volunteer at AS&R’s info table, please contact Amy Smolens or  Sylvia Paull.
This is a great gig for kids, too, as long as they are strong enough to roll a bike. If students need volunteer-hours, this is perfect!

AS&R Super-Volunteer Lynn Eve Komaromi takes a well-earned Pad Thai break – thanks, Bua Luang!
Please join Lynn Eve and your AS&R neighbors in volunteering!

All volunteers who work at least a 4-hr shift or pick up & return rental racks will get free lunch provided by a supporting Solano Avenue restaurants Tay Tah , Bua Luang Thai Cuisine or Brazilian Breads – yum!!
Kim’s Cafe is providing home made iced tea at our lower lot. Some sponsoring businesses also provide fabulous gifts or coupons for our volunteers, too!
RXBAR has also donated boxes of delicious protein bars (many flavors) for all volunteers and visitors to our AS&R booth!
**NEW VOLUNTEER PERK – Sam at Ale Tales just donated discount coupons for all volunteers (or parents of youth volunteers!!)
Volunteer hours run from 9am-5:30pm so it’s easy to pick a shift that works for you!
Since 1974 Solano Avenue and the cities of Albany and Berkeley have hosted the Solano Avenue Stroll, the East Bay’s largest street festival! The Solano Avenue Association , AS&R and Check for Bikes invite you to see what makes Solano Avenue a wonderful place. The Stroll features over five hundred vendors including 50 entertainers (there’s always great music!,) 50 food booths, 150 government and non-profit agencies, 150 juried hand-crafters, a 75 entry parade, state of the art mechanical rides and much more!

Come visit AS&R at our information table then enjoy a great stroll up Solano!
Or better yet, volunteer a few hours with Sherie, Amy and your neighbors before strolling!
Photo courtesy Patsy Reese

230,000 participants and event guests visit from all over the west coast so that’s where YOU come in – many of them ride their bikes, so we need people to help park them in our lots. Lots of them want to talk about cycling and walking around the area, and they want to talk to YOU!

Volunteers like Griffin and Sylvia keep things running like clockwork at both lots
Photo courtesy Patsy

AS&R’s supporting sponsor, Floor Dimensions has donated a long Red Carpet to lead passers-by to our information table and straight up the ramp to our western Bicycle Valet Parking lot!
Please see the press room to stay tuned into what’s hot at this years event!

Bikes, Bikes, Bikes!! 300 + of them at our two lots so please join us!!
Photo courtesy Nick Pilch

Sep
13
Thu
BMX/MTB Park and Albany Hill trails on Parks & Rec Meeting Agenda @ Albany City Hall
Sep 13 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
This item was written by Parks & Rec Commissioner Bryan Marten:

Want a fun bike park like Dirt World in Richmond? Support this project at an Albany Parks & Rec meeting and/or write a letter!

On September 13th, a course/park designer will pitch several plans for a proposed mountain bike/BMX bike park in Albany. Commissioners will benefit from input and feedback from the public, especially supporters like you, to help decide which plan, if any, to advance to the City Council. Proposed location is adjacent to Pierce St Park – just below it, to the west on Cleveland St. Early discussions described a MTB component around the perimeter space and a BMX component at the interior. The designer said he likes to design with different riding abilities in mind on the same course (very easy, medium, challenging) and to provide different price points for features, their materials, etc. He has designed and built Richmond’s new Dirt World and many other bike parks.
Here is the Design and Estimate Proposal.
Any input – in person or even in writing – you can provide (even just “looks great!” or “our family would use this!” will be helpful).

Separately, input is sought for what may be the final design review for the new and improved trails at Albany Hill Park. Here are the 90% Plans.
*New ADA trail at the top parallel to the ridge line
*Improvements to existing trails at the north
*Improved, re-landscaped access points to the park where Jackson and Madison dead-end
*Stairs plus a bulbout in the SE corner where Taft hits Hillside
The city has received the monarch roosting report it commissioned and is taking its results and recent community input to limit impacts to trees near monarch habitat. Some commissioners including myself (Bryan Marten) want to also use that information to move forward with choosing a select few trees to remove to improve views of the bay, bird habitat at the mud flats, etc. This involves the city approaching the large land owner at the SW corner of the hill which the city has said it will do.

This is the full agenda for the meeting.

BMX/MTB parks are great fun and recreation for kids, teens and adults!

Editor’s note: AS&R member and P&R Commissioner Bryan Marten will not be able to attend this meeting so if any of you can attend or at least write a letter about either of these projects, that will be extremely helpful.
PLEASE WRITE LETTERS OF SUPPORT to Albany Staff Liaison Chelle Putzer at cputzer@albanyca.org and request that she send your letter to all members of Albany’s Parks & Rec Commission. Thanks!
Oct
7
Sun
Albany Community Triathlon @ Memorial Park
Oct 7 @ 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Want to test your cycling, running and swimming skills in
a low-key setting, while helping AHS & AMS sports teams in the process?
Come on down to Memorial Park on October 7th for the Albany Community Triathlon!

AS&R has lent fellow community organization Albany Community Triathlon our racks for the transition area

The Albany Community Triathlon emphasizes fitness and fun with a 400m swim, 10k cycle and 3k run.
There is also a “Super Youth” division for kids from 7-10 – 75 yd pool swim (3 lengths,) 1.6 mile bike (3 laps around park) and 0.8 mile run (1.5 laps around park.)
Registration is available at www.albanytri.com.
Registrants will get a t-shirt and other swag while supplies last!
All proceeds will go to the Albany Athletic Boosters to benefit all High School & Middle School teams.  In addition to the fund raising, this event focuses on fitness and fun.  If you have always wanted to participate in a triathlon, but felt intimidated at the prospect, this is the one for you.
I’ve taken part in the RELAY – I  did the cycling portion, and found friends for the swim and the run! It was fun rooting for my teammate during the swim, riding my bike, then rooting for my other teammate while she ran!

Feel great when you cross that Finish Line!
photo credit Amy Smolens

Again for 2018 – YOUTH DISCOUNTS for anyone under 18!
There is still a FAMILY & FRIENDS HEAT!
Parents, kids, spouses: When you register, you can indicate your desire to be in the same wave as one or more family members or friends. Then you can compete together & keep an eye on each other during the race (but not assist each other, per triathlon rules).
POST-RACE FESTIVITIES – Stick around after the race to recover with some healthy food, finisher awards, raffle prizes, massages, and schmoozing with fellow participants, volunteers, sponsors, and race organizers.
AS&R and Check for Bikes are excited to again be sponsoring the Albany Tri – supplying bike racks for the transition area and swag for the goodie bags. Other sponsors include Club Mallard,  Albany Community Foundation, Albany Lions Club, RoadRunner Sports, Mechanics Bank, Blue Heron Bikes, Waterside Workshops and TranSports.
So come on down and get in on the fun!
For more information about the Albany Triathlon, please see the web site, www.albanytri.com.  This is a great community event and really fun to watch even if you don’t want to participate!
Come on down, have fun and support Albany Middle & High School sports!!

Mar
24
Sun
FREE Family Cycling Workshop – Bring your kids…Volunteers needed! @ Cornell Elementary School
Mar 24 @ 10:00 am – 12:30 pm

Join Bike East Bay’s certified instructors and AS&R friends & neighbors for a day of fun games, safety drills, skills building, and a neighborhood ride. This workshop is for kids who are able to ride a bike and ready to take to the paths and roadways with their parents (suggested grade range 2nd-6th).
The event includes instruction on fitting a helmet, performing a bike safety check, communicating with other road users, riding in a straight line and avoiding obstacles,  as well as navigating safely through intersections, all while playing fun games!

We will be debuting the new Youth Versions of our Check for Bikes clings and stickers so you can pick some up here!!

We will also bring our bike teeter-totters and end the class with a group ride around the neighborhood together!  All minors must be accompanied by an adult to participate, both with their own working bikes and helmets. Each child will receive a free reflective vest.

AS&R will have an information table to talk to parents & kids about riding around the Albany area. You can pick up some great “Check for Bikes” clings and bumper stickers, as well as reflective leg & arm bands for safer biking.

The event is FREE but you must pre-register so for more information and to register please go here.
Hope to see you there!!

WE NEED SOME VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS!
We’re seeking 2-3 people to help out at the family cycling workshop.
9:30-10:15 to help with set up and checking in of participants, while instructors get a feel for the participants and check bikes out mechanically.
9:30-12:45 to speak to kids & parents about bike stuff, and help with packing up.
Contact Britt at bthesen@gmail.com if you can help out!

May
25
Sat
“Pints With Purpose” – $1 from every pint or flight ALL DAY goes to AS&R “Bike Bike Rack” at Wildcard Brewing! @ Wildcard Brewing
May 25 @ 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Wildcard Brewing has one of Albany’s newest Bike Bike Racks – come try it out and raise money for AS&R!

We’re excited to have brand new local business Wildcard Brewing partner with Albany Strollers & Rollers on “Pints With Purpose,” their community fundraiser in which they help out local non-profits.

Hoist a pint or flight with us and help fund Albany’s newest bike rack at one of its newest businesses!

In this Bike Month activity, $1 FROM EVERY PINT OR FLIGHT THAT YOU BUY ALL DAY WILL HELP AS&R FUND A BRAND NEW “BIKE BIKE RACK” FOR WILDCARD CUSTOMERS!

Since we’re anticipating lots of you riding over, we’ll have our Bicycle Valet Parking racks set up right out front for you and your families.  Racks will be unattended (we’ll be inside) so please bring your bike locks.
Yes, Wildcard is family friendly (they have non-alcoholic beverages including craft root beer, New York seltzer and lemon flavored sparkling water, plus plenty of games) and you can bring or order food in to go with your beer!
They even welcome leashed dogs!
Feel free to bring lunch, dinner or snacks from your favorite restaurants on Solano or San Pablo Avenues, too!
Support those who support us – hope to see you there as Bike Month winds down!!

We’ll have two of these racks right out front for your parking convenience. Please bring your bike locks – they will be visible from inside, but unattended.
Photo courtesy Mark Altenberg

Thanks to one of Albany’s newest businesses for raising money for a new Bike Bike Rack right out front!

Jul
14
Sun
Urban Cycling 101 Classroom Workshop in Albany! @ Albany Library
Jul 14 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Come on down and learn how to ride a bike more safely – and have more fun!

Do you or someone you know want to ride more but don’t feel confident enough?

Here’s a FREE bicycle skills class, courtesy of Bike East Bay…and it’s RIGHT HERE IN ALBANY!!

Learn basic rules of the road, how to share the road with cars on busy streets, how to equip your bicycle, lock your bike, fit your helmet, and avoid crashes by riding predictably, visibly, and communicating with other road users by your actions and signals. Every workshop has the same content so you only need to attend once. For adults and teens, no bike needed.

Attending this or any of our other classroom workshops qualifies you to also sign up for one of Bike East Bay’s free “Day 2” on-the-bike road classes and earn a free set of bike lights!

Class is FREE but please register here.

Jul
18
Thu
Movie screening-“Motherload”-fund raiser for Bike East Bay @ Blue Heron Bikes
Jul 18 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Blue Heron Bikes is hosting a screening of MOTHERLOAD, the movie, Thursday, July 18th.
Doors open at 6:15, shows at 7:00.

Liz Canning spent 8 years producing this, inspiring, crowdsourced documentary telling the story of the cargo bike movement.

Fundraiser for Bike East Bay, $10 adults, $5 children.

Bike East Bay info and tickets:
Jul
27
Sat
Urban Cycling 101 Classroom Workshop in Albany! @ Albany Library
Jul 27 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Come on down and learn how to ride a bike more safely – and have more fun!

Do you or someone you know want to ride more but don’t feel confident enough?

Here’s a FREE bicycle skills class, courtesy of Bike East Bay…and it’s RIGHT HERE IN ALBANY!!

Learn basic rules of the road, how to share the road with cars on busy streets, how to equip your bicycle, lock your bike, fit your helmet, and avoid crashes by riding predictably, visibly, and communicating with other road users by your actions and signals. Every workshop has the same content so you only need to attend once. For adults and teens, no bike needed.

Attending this or any of our other classroom workshops qualifies you to also sign up for one of Bike East Bay’s free “Day 2” on-the-bike road classes and earn a free set of bike lights!

Class is FREE but please register here.