A one-of-a-kind mountain bike owned by a tireless advocate for bicycle safety was stolen Wednesday outside of Honolulu Hale.
Natalie Iwasa, 50, of Hawaii Kai has owned the navy-colored Stumpjumper for 23 years. At about 9 a.m. Wednesday, Iwasa arrived at Honolulu Hale, where she spent the day testifying on various issues before the City Council. She left at about 5 p.m. and discovered that the bike was gone.
Unfortunately, she had used a couple of bungee cords to secure her Stumpjumper to a bike rack behind Honolulu Hale because she forgot her bike lock at home.
Iwasa, a certified public accountant, said she used the Stumpjumper five times a week to ride with her 13- and 9-year-old sons to school, run errands and meet clients.
Iwasa customized her 15-speed bike, replacing the original straight handlebars with curved ones. She also installed a mounting piece that was used to connect her bike to her younger son’s bike when they would ride along Kalanianaole Highway.
"It’s special to me and my son," she said. "We use it so often. It’s just reliable for us."
She had ridden the bike alongside her two sons to Honolulu Waldorf School in Niu Valley from their Kamiloiki Valley home Wednesday before going to Honolulu Hale.
Iwasa said she was stunned it was stolen, describing it as an old and unique bike.
Nicknamed "Bike Mom," Iwasa is a strong supporter of bike safety and pushed for the Safe Routes to School program that was recently signed into law by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. The program promotes safety and encourages students to walk or bike to school.
Iwasa organized Hawaii’s first Cyclovia event, to be held in Kailua on Aug. 26. The free public event that promotes healthy living will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Hekili Street. A 5K run, escorted bike rides, Zumba, yoga and BMX demonstrations are among the various activities that will also take place.
