Author Archives: Barb Chamberlain

Barb joined Washington Bikes as executive director Aug. 1, 2012, and led its merger with Cascade Bicycle Club that became official Jan. 1, 2016. She serves both organizations as Chief Strategic Officer. Her bike advocacy work started in Spokane thanks to WA Bikes (then called the Bicycle Alliance of Washington), which served as the initial inspiration and fiscal home for Bike to Work Spokane, founded by Barb in late 2007. She has served on a variety of boards and committees in transportation, public policy, and health, and directed external relations at WSU Spokane for 14-1/2 years before coming to WA Bikes. She served 4 years in the Idaho state legislature, the youngest woman ever elected to the House and then the Senate. Barb's personal bike blog can be found at bikestylespokane.com and she created the worldwide list womenbikeblogs.com (@womenbikeblogs on Twitter). Bikes: - "Sweetie": A Specialized Dolce from Wheel Sport Central in Spokane, which her husband Eric Abbott gave her when they were first dating. - The "Mary Poppins" bike: A Specialized Globe Daily 2 she likes for its upright posture and step-through design, purchased from Gregg's Cycle in Greenlake and modified by Bothell Ski and Bike to have a triple crank for Seattle hills. - "Tessa" (short for Tessaract): A Giant Expressway 2 folding bike she purchased at the WA Bikes Annual Gala/auction. Barb and Eric have four children: Kate and Laura Chamberlain and Connor and Cailey Abbott.

11 Trends that Are Good for the Growth of Bicycling

Bicycling is on the rise across Washington state, the nation, and the globe, across all […]

Posted in Accessibility, Advocacy, Complete Streets, Economic Impact, Encouragement, Equity, Family biking, Infrastructure, Issues & Advocacy, Kids, Legislature, News, Safe Routes to School, Safety, Seniors, Transportation, Women | Tagged | 2 Comments

13 Ways Bicycling Got Better in Washington in 2014

Before we look ahead to 2015, let’s pause a moment to celebrate all we accomplished […]

Posted in Auction, Bike to Work, Chelan County, Economic Impact, Education, Encouragement, Events, Funding/Policy, Infrastructure, Issues & Advocacy, Kids, King County, News, Olympia, Olympic Peninsula, Safe Routes to School, Snohomish County, Spokane County, Tacoma, Thurston County, Tourism, Trails, Travel, USBRS, Vancouver, Wenatchee, White Salmon | 1 Comment

Trails and More #1 in Washington State: Bicycling By the Numbers

We’re #1! Not only has Washington been the #1 Bicycle Friendly State in America 7 […]

Posted in Adventure, Infrastructure, News, Tourism, Trails, Travel, USBRS | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Wet Weather Riding Tips #IBikeInRain

It was a dark and stormy night . . . and I went for a […]

Posted in Commuting, Gear/Maintenance, News, Weather | 1 Comment

So This Interstate Highway Walks Into a Bar….

It had been a quiet night at the local bar so far, but then the […]

Posted in Humor, Infrastructure, News | 2 Comments

Cold Weather Riding Tips

We hear someone exclaim from time to time, “You don’t ride in this cold, do you?!” […]

Posted in Gear/Maintenance, News | Tagged | 1 Comment

Thank You for Riding with Us

We’re thankful for our bicycles , and for you. Our bicycles: Because they give us […]

Posted in Attitudes, News | Comments Off on Thank You for Riding with Us

#GivingTuesday with Washington Bikes December 2

We’re looking forward to a special day coming up — Giving Tuesday, celebrated this year […]

Posted in News | 2 Comments

Giving Thanks for Bicycles

It’s easy to get a tad Grinchy about commercialization around this time of year, or […]

Posted in Attitudes, News | 1 Comment

Legislative Bike Ride: That’s How We Roll

A crisp Olympia morning gave way to a dry, mild afternoon — perfect weather for […]

Posted in Advocacy, Legislature, News, Olympia | Comments Off on Legislative Bike Ride: That’s How We Roll