”I ride to the grocery store.”
“I ride because I don’t have a car.”
“I ride to get to work.”
“I ride for my health!”

We are excited to announce the debut of our “I ride” bus bench campaign, a celebration of all who ride in our community, which was made possible through a grant from Kaiser Permanente’s  Special Initiative Fund. The “I ride” campaign will be displayed on TriMet bus benches located at 15 intersections in north and northeast Portland from May to October of this year. The campaign features many of our program participants who are champions and role models that have been working hard to promote bicycling in their neighborhoods.

When we think of who rides, we think of you. Riding to school, to work, around the neighborhood, or for exercise. Where and why you ride your bike is up to you — we just want to get you where you’re going and provide you with the knowledge and confidence to navigate your way. Whether you ride for transportation, fitness, or to save money on gas, you’re riding a vehicle for change and we salute you.

At the Community Cycling Center, we want to help more people ride. We offer classes, earn-a-bike opportunities for youth and adults, bike camps for kids, after-school bike club programs, affordable products in our Alberta Street bike shop, and so much more. Our efforts are powered by our community, and the hard work of our volunteer program.

We have collected portraits for past 2 years for the “I ride” campaign at many community events, including the NE Sunday Parkways, Fiets of Parenthood, and the Alberta Street Fair. Check out our “I ride” gallery below.

We’re the Community Cycling Center. Ride with us.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

About the “I ride” campaign

To broaden access to bicycling and its benefits, change must be initiated on multiple levels. Through campaigns like “I ride”, the Community Cycling Center is working to raise awareness and to affect individual behavior choices. Health behavior research shows that the more people see individuals like themselves engaging in healthy activities, the more likely they are to try and adopt those behaviors

The “I ride” campaign will be placed in the neighborhoods around Hacienda CDC and New Columbia where we have been working with residents and families for the past two years. The prominent visibility of the bus benches will allow people on foot, bike, bus, and car to view the campaign.

Since 2009, we have partnered with Hacienda and New Columbia to bring relevant bicycle programs to their communities that help them overcome barriers to bicycling. To date, the Community Cycling Center has provided these two communities with 262 bicycles, helmets and safety education for adults and youth through their Create a Commuter, Bike Club and Bikes for Kids programs.

The Equity Gap Analysis performed by Portland State University as part of the Portland Bicycle Master Plan update for 2030 shows how the bikeway network is weakest where the highest percentages of communities of color reside. As an organization, the Community Cycling Center is continuing to push for more equitable investments for programs and infrastructure to benefit underserved communities, so that people of all backgrounds have access to safe and healthy transportation choices.

Check out the I ride videos:
English version.
Spanish version.

If you have any questions about the “I ride” campaign, please contact Melinda.