Austin Bicycle Organizations

Last update: February 2019

(Please) Be Kind to Cyclists promotes safety through education, through their popular bumper stickers and t-shirts, and by putting up white ghost bikes where cyclists have been killed. They also help pay medical bills for injured cyclists who don't have insurance.

The Bicycle Advisory Council a group of citizens which advises City staff about issues of concern to cyclists. See also this extended description at the Austin EcoNetwork.

Bike Austin is the main local cycling advocacy group. (Not to be confused with Bicycle Austin, the website you're reading now; Bike Austin just chose a name similar to the one we'd been using for years. They were formerly known as the League of Bicycling Voters.) They merged with the Austin Cycling Association circa 2015, and continue that former group's rec rides.

Bike Texas is a statewide group which promotes cycling through advocacy and education.

Bikes Across Borders fixes up old bikes and sends them to Mexico.

Critical Mass is a monthly bike ride, the last Friday of the month at rush hour.

Neighborhood associations have a fair amount of political clout in Austin. They can make or break proposed bicycle-friendly projects in their area. Most NA's are open to anyone living in the neighborhood, not just landowners. They tend to be run by a small number of enthusiastic people who want their neighborhood to be a nice place. Many issues that are important to them are also important to cyclists (e.g. how to reduce traffic volume and speed). The cores of the groups tend to be pretty small, and they are always glad to hear of someone who wants to contribute. You can get your hands on some of the clout just by showing up! You may not feel like you're changing the world right away, but by working your way into the city's informal power structure, you will be able to contribute significantly in the future.-- Bill Canfield

The Urban Transportation Commission (UTC) is kind of like a committee of the Austin City Council, and its members are citizens appointed by city councilmembers. The UTC considers all kinds of issues relating to transportation in the City. It has little decision-making power in and of itself, but the City Council usually adopts policy which the UTC recommends. In the past, the UTC has had some strong bicycle advocates as members (Patrick Goetz, Tommy Eden, and Mike Dahmus.), since those advocates realized that it's easier to effect change by being the government rather than lobbying the government. As I write this, those advocates have retired from the UTC, leaving cyclists without strong representation. Joining the UTC is one of the best ways a committed advocate could make a difference. Without actually joining the UTC, we can also make a difference by speaking in favor of bicycle projects at UTC meetings.

The Yellow Bike Project (YBP) holds free bike repair classes, hosts an open shop in which the public can get assistance in fixing up their own bikes, and sells used bikes to the public which they've refurbished. YBP also sometimes fixes up old bikes, paints them yellow, and leaves them around town where they are free to use, but not to keep.

Not exactly bicycle advocacy

AMBUCS. Buys adaptive tricycles for kids with special needs.

Not Bicycle-Specific

AURA. Advocates on a variety of civic issues, most notably for better bus and transit service. But noted transit pundit Mike Dahmus says "They started out as a 'cut the BS' transit advocacy group and have pivoted towards credulous support of Capital Metro initiatives that cut local bus service on our most productive transit corridors and support future plans that eliminate the rest (supporting suburbanism over urbanism; not coincidentally due to the fact that the AURA president lives at the end of one of these ‘rapid’ bus lines)."

Movability. Works with employers to offer sustainable commuting alternatives to employees.

Texas Association for Public Transportation. Providing public opinion leaders with accurate and authoritative information about alternative transportation planning choices, for more than a quarter century.

The Trail Foundation. Works to protect and enhance Austin's main hike & bike trail.

Vision Zero ATX works towards the goal of zero traffic deaths. They point out success by other states and countries who have had considerable success in reducing traffic fatalities.

Defunct (no longer exist)

Austin Choices for Transportation (ACT). Formed in 2000 by former City Councilmembers Brigid Shea and Bill Spelman to encourage voters to approve Light Rail. Several prominent cyclists were part of this group, including Eric Anderson, David Foster, and Kathryn Otto. Other notable members included Dick Kallerman of the Sierra Club, Dave Dobbs of Texas Association for Public Transportation, Fred Richardson formerly of Texans for Public Justice, and Robin Schneider of Texas Campaign for the Environment. [In 02/01 I noticed that their website, ACTaustin.org, was no longer up.

Austin Cycling Association. Primarily a sports/rec group for decades, and published a newspaper (then magazine) that went by different names (Southwest Cycling News, Cycling News, Austin Cycling), always edited by Fred Meredith. They merged with Bike Austin circa 2015.

Bike Action Austin was a "a bike racing team with a mission to promote more cycling and do bike advocacy." Never had a website, probably didn't last even a year, died circa 2001.

Bikes Not Bombs sent refurbished bicycles to Mexico and Central America for use by teachers and low-income individuals. A new group, Bikes Across Borders, does similar work now.

Trans Texas Alliance was created in 1992 to educate metropolitan, suburban, and rural communities in Texas about transportation issues. Their mission was to help Texans envision and create a transportation system that enhances our communities and quality of life. They support livable communities, great streets and public spaces, smart growth, and balanced transportation.

Another site by Michael Bluejay...

Saving Electricity. Find out how much juice your stuff uses, and how to save money and energy. As seen in Newsweek.

Government

Advocacy

Not exactly bicycle advocacy

Not bicycle-specific

Clubs (Sports/Racing/Rec)

Not exactly bicycle advocacy

Not Bicycle-Specific

Defunct (no longer exist)