Why Would a Bike Shop Fight a Bike Lane?

There’s nothing new about a store owner fighting a bike lane. Street changes that eliminate curbside parking spaces often stoke shopkeeper ire in cities around the world.

But a leading voice calling on San Francisco officials to rethink cycling improvements slated for Valencia Street puts an Onion-esque spin on that old narrative. The owner of the 35-year-old Valencia Cyclery — the oldest bike shop on a strip that has long been the center of local cycling culture — opposes the city’s plans to sandwich a row of vehicle parking between traffic lanes and the existing unprotected bike lane. The barricade of stationary vehicles that would physically segregate cyclists from moving cars as a safety boost would also strip 47% of curbside spots along the segment in question, according to city estimates.