“Now is the time for bike industry to speak up on climate change,” urge industry leaders

Cycling Industry executives and retailers across all 50 U.S. states have endorsed a new bike industry Climate Change Declaration at a time when the subject is in sharp focus during Congress’s federal budgeting process.

To be presented to the Congressional Bike Caucus, the climate declaration has the backing of some of the USA’s foremost cycling brands, industry veterans and bicycle retailers. 

“Now is the time for the bike industry and the broader bicycling community to speak up and show that we want action on climate change. The effects of climate change are threatening the healthy activity of bicycling by choking our air with wildfire smoke, fueling dangerous heat waves, and causing more extreme weather events,” says Larry Pizzi, CCO of Alta Cycling, whose brands include Diamondback, Raleigh, IZIP, Redline, Haibike, and Ghost. 

“Whether you are a shop owner, an industry executive, or a bike advocacy organization, we need you to sign the Climate Declaration,” says Pizzi, who signed on behalf of Alta Cycling.

The Biking Industry’s Climate Declaration is a national campaign to rally bike industry support for bipartisan climate solutions legislation that would require the fossil fuel industry and large corporate polluters to pay a fee for their climate emissions, with revenues returned directly to citizens.

Dozens of bike retailers representing thousands of employees have signed the declaration. Supporters hope to double the number of signatories and get bike shops, bike brands large and small, and bicycling-related businesses from all 50 states signed on. 

“All of us who are worried about the negative impacts of climate change on our businesses, our customers, and on the healthy activity of bicycling must speak up,” says Matt Adams, president of Mike’s Bikes, a bicycle retailer with 12 shops and 250 employees in northern California. “I urge my colleagues in the bicycle retail world to sign the climate declaration and show that our industry, which creates hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country, wants our elected leaders to act.”

The nonprofit organisation Business Climate Leaders and its Outdoor Industry Action Team plan to present the list of Climate Declaration signatories to the 107 members of the Congressional Bike Caucus within the next few weeks. Congress is currently deliberating whether to include a carbon fee in its budget reconciliation process. 

“We, the Biking Industry of America, as business owners, leaders, entrepreneurs, employers, avid outdoorsmen and women and citizens hereby declare our strong recommendation for federal action to mitigate the risks of climate change, allowing our businesses to flourish and creating a healthy planet for all future generations,” reads the declaration.

Declaration supporters want to show Congress that the bike industry, which has an estimated domestic economic impact of $81 billion, is unified in demanding action to address the climate crisis. Supporters hope to convince pro-bicycling members of Congress to push for inclusion of a carbon fee and dividend measure in the federal budget.   

“Elected officials pay attention when business leaders speak up, and this is the bike industry’s opportunity to get the attention of Congress and the White House and say collectively that we demand action,” says Matt Tucker, co-lead of the Business Climate Leaders outdoor recreation team. “Time is of the essence. Please sign the declaration and share it with your colleagues in the bike industry.”  

Bicycling advocacy organisations are also encouraged to sign the declaration. “You can’t mountain bike in a forest fire. You can’t bike commute when the streets are filled with floodwaters,” says Paul Tolme, a spokesperson for the statewide advocacy organisation Washington Bikes, a recent signatory.

Cycling Industry News’ next print edition will carry a deep dive assessment of where the bike industry is at with climate change policy, including progress on developing sustainability self assessments, as well as recycling schemes for some of the dirtier elements used in production. To register for a print (UK only) or digital copy, head here.