Part of the beauty of riding a bike is that it’s easy and accessible.

Sara Rubin here, thinking it’s a good day for a bike ride. Really, every day is a good day for a bike ride—it’s practical as a mode of local transportation, it comes with the eco-conscious benefit of being carbon-free and it comes with the physical benefit of getting exercise (while sitting down! I’ve always found that kind of remarkable). It’s also fun, something we aim to celebrate in this week’s print edition of the Weekly, a dedicated Bike Issue, and something that Tom Laughron of Santa Cruz can relate to. 

Laughron was into BMX biking as a kid, then like many adults, took a long break. A friend bought an SE bike—think a BMX bike for grown-ups, designed for tricks and wheelies—Laughron tried it out, and he was hooked. His son, 9 years old at the time, was obsessed with video games and overweight. “I couldn't get him to be active,” Lauhgron says. “I bought him and me both an SE bike, a 24-inch and a 29-inch. We started riding together, and there was a two-year period where he never touched a video game.” 

Today, Kief Laughron is 17 and a sponsored SE biker. And the scene around these bikes, designed for fun, has gotten a foothold on the Central Coast. 

The tradition of a big group of riders taking over the streets has roots in big cities, and when Tom and Kief first wanted to participate in an SE “ride-out,” they went to Los Angeles. Tom hosted the first ride-out in Santa Cruz in 2017, and four people showed up. Now, hundreds regularly join in. For a big annual Saturday ride—this year, scheduled for Aug. 21 in Santa Cruz—it’s grown from 500 people to over 3,400.

“It just strikes a certain nerve with people—men, women, old, young—everyone comes out and enjoys being outside and enjoys each other's company,” Laughton says. “All bikes are welcome, anyone's welcome, we don't care what you're riding. “It just brings people together that normally wouldn't come together.”

I found my way to Laughron because there’s a new ride-out group on the Monterey Peninsula that’s coordinated a handful of ride-outs in Monterey and Pacific Grove, with up to 50 bicyclists who connect via social media. One ride went through the tunnel between Lighthouse Avenue and Del Monte. 

If you see them, Laughron wants you to know they mean no harm and they’re there to have fun and get some collective exercise. “It's a beautiful thing, but people don't always see that,” he says. “They see a group of people coming down the street, kids doing wheelies and going wild.” (The Monterey Police Department has showed up during ride-outs, based on calls from motorists about reckless bicyclists, and they’ve come to keep the peace and help escort the bikers safely through town, says Lt. Mike Bruno.) 

Part of the beauty of bike riding is that it’s easy and accessible and open to all. When you see a ride-out, don’t freak out if they’re blocking the road—just wave and say hi, and maybe next time, join them on your bike.