Company offers countywide road service for stranded cyclists

SANTA CRUZ — For the despairing, broken-down bicyclist stalled with a flat tire halfway across town, there is now a sympathetic ear and an expert repairman or woman ready to come to the rescue.

If necessary, a person-pedaled wagon also will carry the cyclist and the wounded cycle home.

Pedaler’s Express, a 4-year-old Santa Cruz bicycle-driven delivery service, in conjunction with Spokesman Bicycles, is now offering a bike towing service.

“The point is to give the support to bicyclists,” said Micah Posner, a co-owner of Pedaler’s Express.

“If you drive a car, you have all these support systems set up for you — the fire department, the highway patrol. We want to provide that same kind of support for bicyclists.”

It is part of a no-excuse-not-to-ride campaign that local bicycle advocates hope will encourage people out of cars and onto bicycles.

They promise to arrange pedaled transportation for riders and their broken bicycles weekdays, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the same price of a regular delivery.

Within downtown Santa Cruz, that’s $5. In Watsonville, it’s $40.

If a bicycle can’t be fixed on the spot, a Pedaler’s Express rider will put the rider and bike in a bike trailer.

This is the same crew that delivers up to 600 pounds of Health Connection newspapers every month, so they don’t worry about the weight of a single person and a bike.

Pedaler’s Express riders will take out-of-commission bicyclists to the repair shop of choice.

The business also has delivery accounts with City Hall, Beckmann’s Old World Bakery and New Leaf Community Market.

The new partnership promises to pedal anywhere, but the price varies with the distance. From UC Santa Cruz to downtown, for instance, costs $12.

Loaner bicycles are also available free of charge while a bicycle is being repaired.

“We’ve replaced a lot of vehicles in the city,” Posner said noting, “... Bicycles delivering bicycles is the ultimate in circular economy.”

As an adjunct program, Spokesman is introducing its own pedal-powered pickup and delivery program for people who would otherwise stick a bike in the back of a car and drive it downtown to the shop for repairs. Overnight bicycle delivery to or from the Spokesman is $5 anywhere in the county, with an extra charge for same day service.

“Our aim is to eliminate objections to getting on a bicycle,” said Mike Moore, co-owner of the Spokesman.

For a tow, call 426-BIKE.