Bicycle Party Cruises through Santa Cruz and Capitola

“Car back!” “Ride on.” “Bike Party!”

These are the sounds of the orderly mob of bicycle enthusiasts as they cruise through Capitola and Santa Cruz the fourth Saturday of every month. They call themselves the Santa Cruz Bike Party (SCBP) and are inspired by San Jose Bike Parties that have been thousands of pedals strong for three years. 

The Santa Cruz version has not gathered anywhere near that large of a crowd yet. The core group of about two-dozen bicyclists who participated in the initial June and July rides have faith, though, that if they keep showing up, more people will join their effort to promote alternatives to driving.

“It doesn't need to grow fast,” said Greg McPheeters of San Jose, as he prepared to hop on a Santa Cruz tandem bike. “It's just cool having a a standing time that everyone knows they come out and ride.”

The rides take a fun-loving approach that diverts from the aggressiveness played out by Critical Mass—the Bike Party's ancestor. Rob Lemon, a mechanic at the Bike Church in Santa Cruz, said he stopped attending Critical Mass events years ago.

“I felt that it was kind of counterproductive,” said Lemon. “I would read in the paper about people getting pissed at riders and didn't want to be around [that].”

The name Critical Mass literally spells out a technique the groups used to push through intersections without obeying traffic signals. These tactics led to opposition from drivers and law enforcement. The backlash includes one highly profiled assault on a biker by a New York City police officer in 2008.

Dora Elia, 24, has been active with San Jose Bike Parties for a couple of years now, where the aim is to have fun, follow traffic laws and cooperate with other drivers.

Jose Garcia, a San Jose police officer, said there have been a few issues with drivers who have reported difficulty getting across town during events in Santa Clara County. There have also been reports of cars clipping riders, but no major issues.

Amps towed behind a few bikes blast music for the groups to keep them going and gather attention to the cause, and Santa Cruz Bike Party now has a website with dates of upcoming rides and links to future routes.

Elia said she and some friends thought that Santa Cruz County needed a bike party, because so many talk a big game against driving and dependence on oil. Many others deserve credit for making the events possible, she said, including Tawn Kennedy, director of Greenways To School, and members of the Cabrillo College Bike Co-op, who have done their part by showing up to the first two adventures.

“Don't thank me,” said Elia, as the party waited for bikers before setting out from the East Cliff Shopping Center on Portola Drive. “The Bike Party is everyone that is here.”

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