Remembering Ellie Curtis, SFBike Volunteer
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is saddened by the news of the untimely passing of Ellery “Ellie” Curtis, a dedicated volunteer with our Bike It Forward program. A passionate biker, Ellie competed on a semi-pro enduro mountain biking team, rode her bike on her daily commute to work, and helped conduct mountain biking clinics for middle and high school students as a volunteer with Mike’s Bikes. Ellie passed away early April in a skiing accident.
Friends remember Ellie as kind, hilarious, and full of fierce vitality. “I saw friends hop on mountain bikes in Vermont and California, chase her up Hawk Hill north of San Francisco, people that may have never considered themselves outdoorsy found themselves adventuring with Ellie because she was inspiring and to just be around her was a gift,” writes Sydney Mason, a friend of Ellie.
“I went to a volunteer session at San Francisco Bicycle Coalition with Ellie and she was paired with an older woman whom she hadn’t met before. By the end of the session, Ellie and the woman are dancing across the room together, dropping it low and giggling with each other,” remembers another friend, Nellie Ide. “Because Ellie was so comfortable with herself, it made others feel very comfortable in her presence. When combined with a shared passion for expanding access to biking, Ellie could easily connect with anyone at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition or in the biking community.”
Our Bike It Forward Program Manager, Alex Frank, worked closely with Ellie as a volunteer and appreciated her presence and skill. “She learned at lightning speed. In just a few sessions, she became the go-to for complex tasks—truing wheels, tackling tough brake adjustments, and replacing bottom brackets. More than her skills, it was Ellie’s energy, openness, and warmth that left a lasting mark. She had a way of making the space feel more welcoming.”
Ellie was active outside of her volunteering with SFBike. “She was also an active member of the local community, attending protests for causes she was invested in and canvassing before elections. Ellie challenged many people, including myself, to broaden their horizons and consider the bigger picture before acting,” friend, Namya Malik, recalls. “Ellie made the world a better place through biking, and her impact as an exceptional rider, educator, and advocate will be felt and cherished by her community.”
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Little Bellas Mentoring on Mountain Bikes, The Ellie Curtis Memorial Fund where she was a former coach and mentor.