Bike Winter

Bike Love by Janet Attard
In keeping with my news years' resolution to stay positive in 2009 here is a lovely invite from artist Janet Attard ...

I want to celebrate my bicycle love by opening my studio to public during the Valentines Weekend !

This event is part of Toronto Biker Winter Enjoy ! Janet Bike Girl

From yesterday's Globe and Mail:

"About 30 well-bundled cyclists and a handful of police joined Councillor Adrian Heaps, chairman of city council's cycling committee, yesterday to brave frigid air and warnings of heavy wind gusts of a campaign to promote winter cycling. The ride from City Hall to Metro Hall - billed the 'Coldest Day of the Year Ride' - attracted hardy souls such as Smokey Dymny and his Dutch-designed 'long john' cargo bike. While Mr. Heaps has spearheaded plans to speed up the painting of bike lanes, Toronto has lower rates of year-round cycling than some other cities with similar or worse climates."

Smokey, staffperson of the Community Bicycle Network, bundled up on CBN's "long john" bike and decorated it with a pair of long johns for a flag (in case you can't figure out what's flying in front of him).

In an interesting segue, the Crime Stoppers cops visited CBN to help encourage cyclists to register their bikes with their online registration service. They put a video up featuring Smokey and CBN talking about registering their bikes and also about what CBN does. Smokey mentions that he's going to wear a pair of long johns and ride the long john.

Cyclist profiles are part of an ongoing series at Spacing and I Bike TO. In celebration of the season -- and the City's Bike Winter program -- I will now focus on winter cyclists!

Name / Occupation / Age
Christina Bouchard / Bike Month Organizer / 24

What do you use your bike for?
Transportation and Recreation.

How often do you ride?
Daily

How long have you been commuting by bicycle, what made you decide to start and what would you say to someone who is considering trying it for the first time?
When I moved to Toronto for my first year of University, I left my car in Ottawa. I was so thrilled to be out of the burbs and living downtown. I would say:

"Riding your bike is like chopping wood, it will warm you up as you go”.

“Think positive. It may be winter, but it’s still nice to be outside.”

When did you start commuting in winter and why?
By November of my first year, it became winter and I just kept going.

What are the biggest challenges for winter bikers in Toronto?
Be careful of the streetcar tracks.

What reaction do you get from co-workers?
My co-workers all get it, but there are plenty of others who seem to think that my genetic make-up is somehow different from them.

What's the best thing about commuting by bicycle in winter?