Winter Cycling Article in MetroNews Calgary - Featuring Mr.BikeBike

MetroNews Calgary asked me to help them with a winter cycling article.  Although the article is not long enough to get really indepth it does a good job of bringing winter cycling to the masses.  I think this paper is read by a lot of transit users - based on how many of the papers I find on the c-train and buses when I (rarely) use tranist.  Hopefully some of those transit users will consider giving winter cycling a try - even if only on the nicer winter days we frequently get here in Calgary.

Riding this winter has so far been a breeze.  The main roads are in pretty good shape and the pathways - well, the river pathways are almost always in better shape than the roadways.  Thank You Parks Dept!

(photo from MetroNews)

I have 2 observations so far -

1 - Motorists are much more patient and give you a lot more space when the roads are snow covered.  As soon as the roads clear, they revert back to self-absorbed, aggressive jerks - hard on the throttle, swerving back and forth and generally getting too close.
2 - When people find out you ride all winter, generally they fall into two camps.  Camp one is for those who understand and think its great.  Camp two is for those who think you are nuts and expect to be reading the obituaries section about you before winter is out.

BikeBike Inc. is almost open and we will have winter riding gear in stock, starting in October 2010.  Some of that gear includes studded tires, rust-resistant chains, warm winter helmets and liners, and clothing options like gloves, booties, and jackets.

Stay Warm!