World’s Best Bike Stickers recently dropped some love bombs on San Francisco. Sticker style that is. The Bay Area hosts a plethora of bike cooperatives, shops, and a thriving bike culture. On May 14, 2009, more than 200,000 rode their bikes to work, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition reported.

We had a great time meeting mechanics, messengers, and commuters. And it was great to share some bike sticker love with some of the folks who make the Bay Area such a bikelicious community. A big salute to the spirited and sexy-legged bike messengers hanging out near Market St. We also visited several shops in the area. The good folks at Pedal Revolution like Clancy and Johan are filling the Mission District with smooth rides and giving at risk youth a leg up. This non-profit neighborhood bike shop offers job training and employment for local youth who may have been homeless, in jail, or come through the foster care system. The youth get paid minimum wage ($9.79 in San Fran) and get a first job, not to mention patient, talented mechanic mentors.

From there we went to the Mojo Bicycle Café for an excellent Americano. The front of the shop serves up strong local brews (coffee and beers) along with sandwiches busting with organic goodness and live music at night. In the back local made bikes, bags, and components are neatly lined up and hanging on the walls. We chatted briefly with the two mechanics and left them with fists full of stickers and a steady stream of customers.

Near the campus in Berkeley is the long standing Missing Link Bicycle Cooperative, Inc. Twenty members collectively own and operate the shop and share the profits. The Missing Link began in 1971 when a group of UC Berkeley students formed three collectively run businesses on campus; a record store, an art supply store, and a bicycle shop. The day we visited owner/members Chuck and Kat B were working in the repair shop. Chuck has been a member since 1981. Kat, 22, is the newest and youngest member, as well as one of seven women who are part of the collective. All members get paid $12 an hour and then split the profits quarterly. Across the street from the repair shop is the large shop where the cooperative sells new bikes, tools, gear, books, touring maps, and has some loaner tools on hand where riders can make quick repairs themselves. Devin, an owner/member working in the bike shop, explained that decisions get made by majority vote because it is better for business than consensus.

We didn’t get to visit the Bike Kitchen, a do-it-yourself bike repair shop run by volunteers. But heard good things about it. They are hosting a bike carnival this month if you are in the area. And on the last Monday of most months Bike Kitchen hosts “WTF Nights” at the shop. It is for women, trans/gender queer folks, femmes, or anybody else that has had gender be a barrier to learning mechanics.

Thanks San Fran. Bike on.