Meet Your 2022 Solano County Bike Champion Of The Year

Press release from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission:

SOLANO COUNTY, CA — Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days organizers have named the winners of the 2022 Bike Champion of the Year awards. Given to individuals for inspiring bicycling in their Bay Area communities, this award recognizes individuals in the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties for their commitment to bicycling as the primary mode of transport.

The 2022 winners included Robert Lucky of Solano County.

Robert Lucky rides his bike anywhere anyone might want to go—to the grocery store, doctor’s appointments, work, and band rehearsal—easily logging 15 miles in a single day. So you might be surprised to learn Robert is also visually impaired.

“This champion has been a fighter all his life,” says Jason Gillis, one of Robert’s BCOY nominators. “Losing his eyesight at the age of 14, Robert never could seem to quit his favorite activities, such as riding his bike through the neighborhood and [riding] his skateboard. I hope he has the chance to inspire others as he has me.”

A longtime rider of skateboards, scooters and bikes, Robert started biking for transportation in December 2020. He says he prefers the independence it gives him, rather than taking the bus or asking someone to give him a ride. Completely self-sufficient, Robert has equipped his Radrunner Electric Utility Bike with a cargo container.

“I work for Uber Eats delivering food on my bike,” Robert says. “People are always surprised to see me delivering food. Most bike deliverers are in a mass populated city like San Francisco.

Everybody wants to get a bike after talking with me, and they ask where I got mine. It is inspiring to get on my bike every day and explore a part of the city I wouldn’t normally see if I was in a car.”
Robert also plays live music in a Bay Area band. He’s been seen riding with his instruments on the back of his ebike. Those who know him say he’s a gifted musician.

“Robert's challenges of being blind have never stopped him from anything. He is talented in singing and playing music. He can play any instrument by ear,” says Jennifer Swan. “He's an amazing guy whose disability doesn't stop him...even from riding his bike.”

Each winner will receive a Lezyne Strip Pro Alert Drive from Mike's Bikes, a bicycle-only membership for 24/7 roadside assistance from Better World Club, a laminated, boxed set of San Francisco Bay Trail map cards from the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), and a customized cycling cap from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).

Don't miss Bike to Wherever Days during the entire month of May, as well as Bike to Work Day on May 20! Details can be found online at Bayareabiketowork.com. Follow us on Facebook at @biketoworkday, Twitter @BikeToWorkSFBay, and Instagram @biketoworkday_bayarea.

Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days is presented by MTC (the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area), 511 (the region's traveler information system), and Amazon. BTWD 2022 also receives regional support from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), as well as from many sponsors at the local level. Prizes for the Bike Champion of the Year winners were donated by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), MTC, Better World Club and Mike's Bikes.

This press release was produced by Metropolitan Transportation Commission. The views expressed here are the author's own.