The creation of my latest video took a detour. But I’m glad it did. The original video idea was to help people extend their riding season longer into the autumn. I planned to offer some tips in support of that idea that I’ve picked up over the years. But that got me wondering how many …
Read more “How many autumn days can you ride your bike? I built a tool to check”
It’s here! The first-ever Shifter Global Bike Culture Index, which compares the culture of cycling in more than 100 cities around the world — and it all came from viewers of this channel. And the results are endlessly interesting. The background: A few months ago, to mark 100,000 subscribers, I asked all of you to …
Read more “How people in 100 cities ride bikes differently | The Shifter Global Bike Culture Index”
Ho ho ho. It’s time once again for the Shifter gift guide. Here are some of the products that I’ve been interested in, or used a lot this year, that may make a great gift for that urban cyclist or bike commuter in your life. This isn’t about bikes or gear. It’s more about the …
Read more “Gift guide for urban cyclists and bike commuters 2023”
My butt has been getting sore while riding my bike lately, and I traced the problem to my aging factory-issued bike saddle. But before I replace it, I thought I’d try some different types to find the best for my bike commute. The result: a 50 kilometre ride of me talking about how my nether …
Read more “I rode 50 km on five saddles to find the best type of bike seat for commuting”
What do you think is the most exciting bike city in North America? New York? Montreal? How about … Edmonton?! Yes, the northern Canadian city’s council has just pledged $100M toward cycling over the next four years, which could be a massive improvement for everyone in the city. But the question is how? At a …
Read more “This northern city is spending $100M to improve cycling. Can your city too?”
We know cargo bikes are great for carrying stuff. But how are they as, you know, regular bikes? After my last video, in which I tested an e-cargo bike’s hauling capabilities, I thought it would be useful to see if you can use a cargo bike for regular, everyday bike things to see if it …
There’s a major transition happening in transportation these days, where the default family minivans of yore are being replaced with electric cargo bikes. But for those of us living in cities that aren’t quite bike-friendly, is this a realistic transition for a family? In this video, I run an electric cargo bike through three typical …
Read more “An electric cargo bike to replace a minivan as the ultimate family vehicle”
I’ve wondered for years just how much of an impact on climate change my bicycle commute has. But I’ve also suspected that rather obvious-sounding question hides some nuanced and rather complex answers. So I took a deep look at my own carbon footprint and, yep, it certainly is. Thanks to Cailynn Klingbeil for the help …
Read more “The real impact of bike commuting on climate change”
Montreal is probably the most bike-friendly big city in North America, and since my last visit there seven years ago, it’s just gotten better. So what’s different? According to one local, it’s one thing: Incrementalism. Big thanks to Paige Saunders for sharing his wisdom (and his video skills) in this video. Make sure to check …
Read more “The ‘secret sauce’ transforming this cycling city”
