Finally, Calgary finally has a bike-share program. In the video below, I detail my first experience with it. Now, pat us on the back for joining the rest of the world, where such systems have been enjoyed for years. But I’ve been thinking a bit more since I finished the video, and there are two …
Read more “Two things holding back Calgary’s new e-bike-sharing system”
There are plenty of good reasons why pedal or coaster brakes are pretty rare these days — disc brakes are better in almost every way. But there’s an important reason why I love old-fashioned coaster brakes on my bike. It’s all about making the bike easy to use for short, urban, practical trips. Check it …
Read more “Ways of making short bike trips as easy as possible”
Over the past decade, Vancouver has undergone a bike renaissance. Separated bike lanes have been installed, a bike-share program has been implemented, and more and more people are riding bikes for transportation. Even a downtown business group that once fought bike infrastructure has become supportive of cycling. But these big changes didn’t come from thin …
Read more “How Dutch-inspired urban design inspired Vancouver’s bike boom”
Last week, I penned a rant about being accosted by an angry dude in a pickup truck frothing at me for existing on this mortal coil while riding a bike on a rural road. Sure, I was still slightly pissed by the whole experience — being screamed at by a stranger tends to stick in …
Read more “After the road rage: Five rules for rural-road users to avoid bike-car conflicts”
I got road raged by a farmer. A friend and I were on our road bikes on a rural Sunday morning ride recently on the outskirts of the city. It was a warm and smoky day, and we had pedalled about 50 kilometres when we turned off onto a secondary road. There was no shoulder …
Read more “Hey road-raging farmer: Why do you hate cyclists so much?”
It’s not a rare occasion to hear me rant about the impracticality of most bikes I see on the streets these days. Loaded with too much tech, too many gears, and too much equipment built for racing, too many people don’t ride bikes fit for an urban lifestyle. But sometimes, you come across a bike …
Read more “This gorgeous e-bike is impractical, unruly, illogical and totally loveable”
My first thought was not that someone had deliberately sown tacks on the bike lane. It was a Saturday morning a couple of weeks ago. The air was pleasant. We were pedalling down 102 Ave to meet friends from Holland for brunch. A metallic sound, a kind of clank, from the back of Shelagh’s bike …
Read more “What’s the motivation for whomever put thumbtacks on the bike path?”
Sometimes it can be difficult for us North Americans to truly envision a bike-friendly city. What with our car dominance and the pittances we throw at cycling, breaking the development mould that has dominated for the past half century can be a difficult mental leap. But lately, I’ve been thinking about little spots in every city …
Read more “Finding glimpses of bike-friendliness in your everyday life”
If you commute by bike, you’ve come across the little compromises. These are the little bits of missing bike infrastructure – a lane that ends prematurely, a painted lane instead of a separated lane, a gap between two bike paths. In many North American cities, these little compromises are everywhere. On their own, they are …
Read more “The little compromises that can ruin your bike commute”
A few years ago, the New York Times reported on a new idea that delivery company UPS came up with to save time and fuel while delivering cargo in busy cities. It was so simple that it seemed almost too dumb to be true, yet the company insisted that it was already paying dividends: Stop …