Who We Are Welcome Tyler Randazzo – Safe Routes Lead Instructor

We are delighted to have Tyler Randazzo join MCBC as our new Lead Instructor for Safe Routes to Schools. Tyler is passionate about teaching students about the benefits of walking and rolling to school.

Originally from the Boston area, Tyler moved out west to study history and education at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, where he spent time exploring the city by bike and wrenching in the on-campus shop. Tyler comes to Safe Routes after three years developing and teaching a high school bike education program with a focus on access for underserved students in the Bay Area. Tyler loves teaching kids about the joys of riding a bike and its unique ability to create community, increase equity, benefit the environment, and promote health and well-being. He is stoked to bring this passion to the students in Marin County. In his free time, Tyler likes to explore new mountain bike trails and go for long walks with his partner and their four year old rescue dog.

We are thrilled to have Tyler join the team! We asked Tyler to tell us a little more about himself and why he rides!

What kind of bicycle(s) do you ride?

All kinds! I have an ebike, mountain bike, and a do-it-all gravel/commuter/hybrid setup. 

What do you like best about riding?

I love getting to explore new places on my bike. There is nothing quite like being outside in the sunshine, pedaling and exploring.

What do you like best about the benefits of riding your bike?

Cycling has an incredible impact on my mental health. When I ride my bike regularly, I feel both physically and mentally better.

What would you have liked someone to tell you when you started?

Cycling culture can often get in its own way; you don’t need to wear spandex and chase KOMs on Strava to be a “real” cyclist (though it’s fine if you do, just don’t judge those who don’t.) . There are many subsects and pockets of cycling and they are all awesome. Bike culture is at its best when we welcome everyone from all disciplines of riding and skill levels and have fun on our bikes.

Where is your favorite place to ride your bike?

There are many places I enjoy riding, but I grew up on the East Coast and had many formative experiences at the Kingdom Trails in Vermont. It’s just a truly phenomenal place to ride a bike and an awesome example of how local landowner collaboration can uplift a community through trail building and riding.

What is your favorite ride/route in Marin County?

I really love the mountain bike trails at China Camp. There’s a little of everything there – technical challenge for more advanced riders and fun flow for beginners.

What part of riding would you most like to improve?

I’d like to get more people on bikes who don’t think they are “bikers”. Creating infrastructure and education to get more people confident on bikes can have a massive impact on reducing dependency on car travel.

What is your vision of bicycling in the future?

I’d like to see bicycling work with an expanded infrastructure of public transportation and walking trips to reduce our emissions from car travel. The more people taking short trips on bikes, the less congestion we will have and the healthier our planet will be. This is about a change in behavior more than a change in consumption – the more we think about how else we can get somewhere before we get in a car, the better off we will be.

Welcome Tyler! Learn more about Safe Routes to Schools Marin here.