The fact that Calgary is lacking bike parking is no secret to those that cycle in this city. The vast majority of neighbourhoods have no bike racks at all and most of the major shopping areas in the downtown area are also sadly under-racked, especially true when the City switched over to the Park + system and removed all the parking meters. Insuring secure places to lock up your cherished bicycle has, in the past, been a non-thought to many new building projects and apartment/condo complexes too.
But change is in the air. Can you smell it? (no, it doesn't smell like thawing dog poop) You can certainly 3-1-1 it!
When City Council passed Plan It a few years back part of that plan included provisions for bicycle storage in new developments - ya! So, new developments will be making space for bikes, but what about all the existing buildings and communities?
There is a solution - Calgary's bike rack sponsorship program. All you need to do is to request that a bike rack be installed where you need it. Outside your appartment? Yes! Near your workplace? Yes! Close to your favorite bar/pub/restaurant? Yes!
Get 3-1-1ing people - we need more bike racks and the city wants to install them for us.
Hot Post Of The Month
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Welcome to BikeBike Adventure TV! "We do these trips so you don't have to!" Well, we tried, and failed at bikepacking the fu...
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Mar 8, 2012
The Perfect Bicycles For Summer Charity Rides - Touring Bikes!
Charity rides like the Ride To Conquer Cancer and the MS 150 have been going on, in one form or another, across Canada for decades and continue to offer an accessible way for very casual cyclists to try a light version of bicycle touring and experience the enjoyment of cycling for longer distances.
I'll never forget my first charity ride - known at the time as the Bike-A-Thon in Toronto. I would collect pledges from my paper route customers (pennies per km) and was always very proud of the meager amounts of money I was able to raise. The loop was 35kms and I was 14 the first year I did it. I'll never forget how empowered I felt after riding that distance on my own. The next year I decided to do an extra loop to try and raise more money - much to the chagrin of the people who pledged to my ride - they suddenly had to pay twice what they expected!
Mar 5, 2012
Will We Ever See A Provincial Bicycle Strategy In Alberta?
We are all expecting a provincial election sometime in 2012 and with all the talk of austerity measures, deficit budgets, sustained high energy prices, and out of control heath care spending, it got me thinking that many of these problems could me mitigated with a provincial focus on getting more people bicycling.
All the municipalities in this province are facing the same challenges of increasing traffic congestion, ballooning road costs, and a desire to try and get people out of their cars and into transit, carpooling, walking, and of course, bikes. In some cases, municipalities are looking at trying to create separated bikelanes, which can sometimes run afoul of provincial road laws. Without any sort of provincial direction and accommodation, all of these individual municipalities are forced to fight the exact same battles as the next community - wasting time and energy - and ultimately making progress at best slow and at worst, virtually impossible.
We need a comprehensive approach to creating better cycling conditions in Alberta. Here are just a few ideas of what we need to tackle to make Alberta ripe for more cycling -
1. Better traffic laws to protect cyclists including 3-foot passing law, more information and testing of new drivers and how to deal with cyclists on the road, stiffer penalties for drivers in collisions with bikes and pedestrians, and stronger penalties for distracted driving infractions, including demerits.
2. Mandate that schools develop a phys-ed curriculum that includes safe cycling training in elementary and junior high schools.
3. Tax credits/incentives for people that bike to work and for families that want to purchase cargo/utility bikes instead of a second, or third, family car.
4. Connectivity between rural communities using "rail trail" and routes with lower traffic.
Good For Economy
Quebec's famous Route Verte is generating nice revenues for the province. Why doesn't Alberta look at creating something similar to Quebec's network, using the numerous decommissioned rail right-of-ways or try to install bike paths along/near our main highway right-of-ways?
Alberta is already a popular destination for cyclists from all over the world, with some relatively inexpensive infrastructure installed we could see solid increases in people visiting our province to cycle with all of the associated tourists dollars attached. Can you think of a better image to portray to the world than happy people on bicycles - especially considering the image created by (IMO overheated) oilsands development?
People who cycle to work are more productive and take less sick days than their motoring brethren too, making them more valuable employees over the long term.
Rural Development
There are many jurisdictions around the world that have begun harnessing the buying power of people touring on bicycles. Europe is the obvious leader, but closer to home, Quebec (Route Verte) and Oregon have been studying the effects of encouraging more bicycle touring with very positive effects being found for rural communities.
This video sums up the benefits quite concisely -
The possible economic benefits to small communities in Alberta is obvious when you think about it.
Good For Health care
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past decade you will know that our society is facing a health care crisis due to a many coinciding events including - record levels of obesity and diabetes, an aging population, and tightening provincial budgets. I am not going to bore you with links to this stuff, its in the news all the time. What is important to recognize is that if more people were walking and using bicycles for short trips (80% of all car trips are under 8kms) we would have a much healthier population and less burden would be applied to our health care system.
Bicycling is an easy way for every citizen to get their daily dose of exercise for good health - watch this video that went viral from a Toronto doctor that explains this very succinctly. He speaks about walking as the magic bullet that can help us all be healthier - and the more walkable communities and cultures are, the more bike friendly they are too.
Our society is facing an obesity, diabetes, and heart disease epidemic due to so many people living inactive lives. There is also now evidence that suburbs are making people sick. The dollars being eaten up by our health care systems to deal with these diseases growing drastically every year. More people being more active is a proven strategy to deal with these diseases. More people cycling should be considered a public health priority going forward.
Good For Transportation
Every person on a bike is ONE LESS CAR. Pretty simple, right? Well, sometimes our politicians cannot see the forest through the trees. More people cycling means less congestion on our roads. More people cycling means less strain on an already overcrowded transit system. Could it be any simpler?
Yes, it could. For starters, bicycle infrastructure is cheaper is to install then roads, cheaper to maintain, and has the potential to move more people for less dollars then any other form of transport.
Good For Families
Back in the good 'ol days 80% of kids would cycle to school, now it's closer to 10% - and we are surprised that kids are becoming fatter and more unhealthy? When children cycle and/or walk to school they not only live healthier lives they also learn better. On top of that, kids who cycle to school very often take that experience into their adult lives and stay healthier as they get older.
One often overlooked issue is that almost half of the population cannot drive. Everyone under 17, people with medical conditions that limit their ability to drive, many seniors - so many people are pushed to the margins of our society and forced into what is essentially a lower class of citizenship because they cannot or will not drive a personal automobile.
So, my proposal is pretty simple. All of the alternative transportation groups in Alberta need to start pressuring the government on this issue ahead of and during the upcoming campaign. However, before they can do that I believe we all need to be singing from the same song sheet - and the best way to do that is to draft a position paper that can be circulated to the media and politicos alike.
BikeCalgary, Edmonton Bicycle Commuters, Alberta Bicycle, Alberta Triathlon, Civic Camp, Sustainable Alberta - all of theses groups plus some I cannot remember need to get together and get this going.
What do you think? Would a provincial focus on helping create alt-transport options make a difference?
All the municipalities in this province are facing the same challenges of increasing traffic congestion, ballooning road costs, and a desire to try and get people out of their cars and into transit, carpooling, walking, and of course, bikes. In some cases, municipalities are looking at trying to create separated bikelanes, which can sometimes run afoul of provincial road laws. Without any sort of provincial direction and accommodation, all of these individual municipalities are forced to fight the exact same battles as the next community - wasting time and energy - and ultimately making progress at best slow and at worst, virtually impossible.
We need a comprehensive approach to creating better cycling conditions in Alberta. Here are just a few ideas of what we need to tackle to make Alberta ripe for more cycling -
1. Better traffic laws to protect cyclists including 3-foot passing law, more information and testing of new drivers and how to deal with cyclists on the road, stiffer penalties for drivers in collisions with bikes and pedestrians, and stronger penalties for distracted driving infractions, including demerits.
2. Mandate that schools develop a phys-ed curriculum that includes safe cycling training in elementary and junior high schools.
3. Tax credits/incentives for people that bike to work and for families that want to purchase cargo/utility bikes instead of a second, or third, family car.
4. Connectivity between rural communities using "rail trail" and routes with lower traffic.
Good For Economy
 |
| Would it not be incredible if you could cycle safely between all these cities? |
Quebec's famous Route Verte is generating nice revenues for the province. Why doesn't Alberta look at creating something similar to Quebec's network, using the numerous decommissioned rail right-of-ways or try to install bike paths along/near our main highway right-of-ways?
Alberta is already a popular destination for cyclists from all over the world, with some relatively inexpensive infrastructure installed we could see solid increases in people visiting our province to cycle with all of the associated tourists dollars attached. Can you think of a better image to portray to the world than happy people on bicycles - especially considering the image created by (IMO overheated) oilsands development?
People who cycle to work are more productive and take less sick days than their motoring brethren too, making them more valuable employees over the long term.
Rural Development
There are many jurisdictions around the world that have begun harnessing the buying power of people touring on bicycles. Europe is the obvious leader, but closer to home, Quebec (Route Verte) and Oregon have been studying the effects of encouraging more bicycle touring with very positive effects being found for rural communities.
This video sums up the benefits quite concisely -
The possible economic benefits to small communities in Alberta is obvious when you think about it.
Good For Health care
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past decade you will know that our society is facing a health care crisis due to a many coinciding events including - record levels of obesity and diabetes, an aging population, and tightening provincial budgets. I am not going to bore you with links to this stuff, its in the news all the time. What is important to recognize is that if more people were walking and using bicycles for short trips (80% of all car trips are under 8kms) we would have a much healthier population and less burden would be applied to our health care system.
Bicycling is an easy way for every citizen to get their daily dose of exercise for good health - watch this video that went viral from a Toronto doctor that explains this very succinctly. He speaks about walking as the magic bullet that can help us all be healthier - and the more walkable communities and cultures are, the more bike friendly they are too.
Our society is facing an obesity, diabetes, and heart disease epidemic due to so many people living inactive lives. There is also now evidence that suburbs are making people sick. The dollars being eaten up by our health care systems to deal with these diseases growing drastically every year. More people being more active is a proven strategy to deal with these diseases. More people cycling should be considered a public health priority going forward.
Good For Transportation
Every person on a bike is ONE LESS CAR. Pretty simple, right? Well, sometimes our politicians cannot see the forest through the trees. More people cycling means less congestion on our roads. More people cycling means less strain on an already overcrowded transit system. Could it be any simpler?
Yes, it could. For starters, bicycle infrastructure is cheaper is to install then roads, cheaper to maintain, and has the potential to move more people for less dollars then any other form of transport.
Good For Families
Back in the good 'ol days 80% of kids would cycle to school, now it's closer to 10% - and we are surprised that kids are becoming fatter and more unhealthy? When children cycle and/or walk to school they not only live healthier lives they also learn better. On top of that, kids who cycle to school very often take that experience into their adult lives and stay healthier as they get older.
One often overlooked issue is that almost half of the population cannot drive. Everyone under 17, people with medical conditions that limit their ability to drive, many seniors - so many people are pushed to the margins of our society and forced into what is essentially a lower class of citizenship because they cannot or will not drive a personal automobile.
So, my proposal is pretty simple. All of the alternative transportation groups in Alberta need to start pressuring the government on this issue ahead of and during the upcoming campaign. However, before they can do that I believe we all need to be singing from the same song sheet - and the best way to do that is to draft a position paper that can be circulated to the media and politicos alike.
BikeCalgary, Edmonton Bicycle Commuters, Alberta Bicycle, Alberta Triathlon, Civic Camp, Sustainable Alberta - all of theses groups plus some I cannot remember need to get together and get this going.
What do you think? Would a provincial focus on helping create alt-transport options make a difference?
Mar 2, 2012
No Wonder People Stopped Using Bikes For Transportation!
Found here.
These will give you a quick glance into our society's dominant view of cycling, which is really sad when you consider that the number one cause of death to children and youth is car accidents, not bike riding.
Those of us that want to create safer conditions for cycling are not only battling city council's and planning departments, we are also battling the predominant viewpoint of society that bikes are dangerous and cars are not.
They couldn't be more wrong.
These will give you a quick glance into our society's dominant view of cycling, which is really sad when you consider that the number one cause of death to children and youth is car accidents, not bike riding.
Those of us that want to create safer conditions for cycling are not only battling city council's and planning departments, we are also battling the predominant viewpoint of society that bikes are dangerous and cars are not.
They couldn't be more wrong.
Feb 16, 2012
The Economic Case For Bike Lanes
The case for and against installing more bicycle infrastructure in cities all over North America has been raging all over the media in recent years, with the fervor of arguments from both sides growing with every passing season. On one side of the debate, lets call them "Pro-Bike", are of course bicycle advocates struggling to get safer places to cycle, forward thinking city planners, new urbanists, social justice groups, and health professionals - just to name a few. On the other side of the debate, lets call them "The Status Quo" are car-centric transportation planners stuck in old paradigms, city politicians using outdated logic, the average Joe/Jane who has subconsciously bought into the idea of "The American Dream" with all of the trappings that come with that concept, and of course the auto-industrial-complex.
Those who are against more bicycle infrastructure on our public roadways love to portray the issue as some kind of "war on cars" or grand ideas of social engineering gone wrong when in fact the last 50+ years of suburban sprawl, subsidies to the oil/gas industry, and promotion of The American Dream is the real and dominant social engineering experiment we are living with today.
Sadly, the results of following this dream has led to an obesity and diabetes epidemic that is bilking our health system of billions of dollars, cities that are going broke because they cannot pay for the infrastructure upkeep associated with sprawl, and choked road networks that cannot handle all the suburban residents driving virtually everywhere for everything.
Our society is in deep shit and most people are clueless - or suffering from cognitive dissonance - to the implications barreling down the road at them.
All is not lost however, so long as we face these realities head on and start to make the changes. One of the changes that needs to happen is to get citizens moving in our cities more efficiently - with bicycles playing a very important role. Thankfully, there are many city planners, aldermen, and citizens who see the opportunity placed in front of us and are actively pushing to get more and better bicycling facilities here in Calgary. We are fortunate to have a new cycling strategy passed and funded by city council for the next 3 years to the tune of $24 million.
Cities all over North America are creating safer cycling conditions through investments in bike lanes, car free events, and bike share programs. All of these cities have seen dramatic increases in ridership following these investments and there is no reason why here in Calgary we won't see the same increases.
Here are a few links and news articles to get you thinking about this important issue.
Bikes are Good for Business
Toronto bike lane study supports bike lanes on Bloor/Danforth
Streets with bike lanes are good for local businesses
Building bike lanes creates more jobs than building roads
Bikes are good for better health and stronger economy
Bike lanes should be an election issue
Health benefits of cycling outweigh any perceived risks
Bikes are good for motorists too
Drivers should advocate for more bike lanes
If you support more bicycle facilities in Calgary it is very important that you make your views known to your Alderman and Mayor. Take a few minutes and send them a note indicating that you support the cycle strategy and want to see it fully implemented.
Bicycling is an important component of the overall transportation network. With safer places to cycle more people will choose cycling as a mode of transport.
Build it and they will come.
Those who are against more bicycle infrastructure on our public roadways love to portray the issue as some kind of "war on cars" or grand ideas of social engineering gone wrong when in fact the last 50+ years of suburban sprawl, subsidies to the oil/gas industry, and promotion of The American Dream is the real and dominant social engineering experiment we are living with today.
Sadly, the results of following this dream has led to an obesity and diabetes epidemic that is bilking our health system of billions of dollars, cities that are going broke because they cannot pay for the infrastructure upkeep associated with sprawl, and choked road networks that cannot handle all the suburban residents driving virtually everywhere for everything.
Our society is in deep shit and most people are clueless - or suffering from cognitive dissonance - to the implications barreling down the road at them.
All is not lost however, so long as we face these realities head on and start to make the changes. One of the changes that needs to happen is to get citizens moving in our cities more efficiently - with bicycles playing a very important role. Thankfully, there are many city planners, aldermen, and citizens who see the opportunity placed in front of us and are actively pushing to get more and better bicycling facilities here in Calgary. We are fortunate to have a new cycling strategy passed and funded by city council for the next 3 years to the tune of $24 million.
Cities all over North America are creating safer cycling conditions through investments in bike lanes, car free events, and bike share programs. All of these cities have seen dramatic increases in ridership following these investments and there is no reason why here in Calgary we won't see the same increases.
Here are a few links and news articles to get you thinking about this important issue.
Bikes are Good for Business
Toronto bike lane study supports bike lanes on Bloor/Danforth
Streets with bike lanes are good for local businesses
Building bike lanes creates more jobs than building roads
Bikes are good for better health and stronger economy
Bike lanes should be an election issue
Health benefits of cycling outweigh any perceived risks
Bikes are good for motorists too
Drivers should advocate for more bike lanes
If you support more bicycle facilities in Calgary it is very important that you make your views known to your Alderman and Mayor. Take a few minutes and send them a note indicating that you support the cycle strategy and want to see it fully implemented.
Bicycling is an important component of the overall transportation network. With safer places to cycle more people will choose cycling as a mode of transport.
Build it and they will come.
Feb 6, 2012
Urban Bike Fun aka Bike Polo
If you like riding bikes, have a competitive streak, and enjoy urban environments, you may be interested in one of the most fun urban cycling activities available - bike polo!
Hardcourt bike polo has been experiencing amazing growth over the last few years all around the world and unbeknownst to most, Calgary has a thriving bike polo scene, with 2 main clubs - Calgary Bike Polo Society and Rogue Polo.
In the summer season Calgary Bike Polo has been playing for the last few years at Richmond Knobhill Community Rink on Wednesdays with Rogue Polo playing at Highwood Community Rink on Fridays and Saturdays. In the winter, when temperatures are reasonable and there isn't a show at the Jubilee Auditorium we have been playing on the lower level of the ACAD parking garage on Sunday afternoons.
However, beware. Hardcourt bike polo can be addictive. Like speed? Check. Like big time laughs? It's got that too. Want to practice your bike handling? Yessiree. Looking for a full body workout? You betcha.
Like snowboarding, the learning curve can be steep and sometimes painful. Finding your balance on the bike while holding on with one hand, the other hand grasping your mallet, falls are commonplace during the first attempts. However for most people improvements in balance and braking come fast and before you know it you are dodging collisions and scoring goals - all the while also experiencing the exhilaration of riding so close to other players you literally are banging elbows and bikes.
New players are always welcome, all you need is a desire to try and a bike. See you out there someday?
Hardcourt bike polo has been experiencing amazing growth over the last few years all around the world and unbeknownst to most, Calgary has a thriving bike polo scene, with 2 main clubs - Calgary Bike Polo Society and Rogue Polo.
In the summer season Calgary Bike Polo has been playing for the last few years at Richmond Knobhill Community Rink on Wednesdays with Rogue Polo playing at Highwood Community Rink on Fridays and Saturdays. In the winter, when temperatures are reasonable and there isn't a show at the Jubilee Auditorium we have been playing on the lower level of the ACAD parking garage on Sunday afternoons.
However, beware. Hardcourt bike polo can be addictive. Like speed? Check. Like big time laughs? It's got that too. Want to practice your bike handling? Yessiree. Looking for a full body workout? You betcha.
Like snowboarding, the learning curve can be steep and sometimes painful. Finding your balance on the bike while holding on with one hand, the other hand grasping your mallet, falls are commonplace during the first attempts. However for most people improvements in balance and braking come fast and before you know it you are dodging collisions and scoring goals - all the while also experiencing the exhilaration of riding so close to other players you literally are banging elbows and bikes.
New players are always welcome, all you need is a desire to try and a bike. See you out there someday?
Feb 2, 2012
26 Months on Without a Car
After reading a post on Lovely Bicycle I was reminded that I too have been without a daily driver for over two years now - wow, has it really been that long?
One of the things that Velouria mentioned in her piece about not owning a car was her desire to not make her decision to be car free as some kind of "if I can do it so can you" narrative - it is simply a lifestyle choice that is easy for her.
However, for me, choosing to live a car free lifestyle was definitely influenced by a desire to lead by example -
1 - I was taking a huge pay cut quitting my job to open BikeBike and I wanted to make sure the business would have enough cash flow to get us through the critical first year so by ditching the car I would pull less wages out of the shop.
2 - Most importantly, I wanted to know what it would be like to live car free in a city known for being very spread out and populated by car loving people so I could better converse with my customers about the realities of daily bike commuting in "Los Angeles of the North". Contrary to Velouria's position, I want to show people that if I can live without a car, so could you!
It has been an interesting ride to be sure.
I have written a trio of previous posts about this topic here and here and here and since the last post not much has really changed. One thing I did decide was I needed to find a way to get out of the city more often as I was finding myself getting a little squirrelly and badly missing trips to the mountains for the usual fun found out there - mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking, and camping.
So last fall I bought a vehicle - gasp! However, not a daily driver, far from it. I picked up an ancient RV and have had a blast using it to get out of the city on fun missions as well as used it during the cyclocross race season last fall. 99.9% of the time it sits quietly in the backyard patiently waiting for us to plan the next adventure and never is used in the city since it is a gashog and not the most comfortable thing to drive in the city.
Beyond that, life is still as it was - I enjoy riding everyday, my son loves cycling together on the cargo bike, and I am just as content as a year ago. My health is getting better everyday due to the daily activity but also because I am choosing better foods to fuel myself, my bank account is very happy not dealing with car payments, gasoline purchases, etc and I still love breezing past those long lines of traffic.
Cycling everyday has reduced my stress levels so much that I do not think I want a car anymore. I can afford it now and find a few cars very attractive (looking at you Fiat 500). Aside from the cost associated with car ownership which I am not interested in taking on, I am also concerned about the effect on my contentment level, which is currently sky high. The psychology of driving has been something that has been facinating me since I reduced so dramatically the kilometres I drive and I still to this day cannot figure out why so many people are ok with being so stressed out while behind the wheel. I think people need to ride bikes more often to chill out.
I feel like I have been able to show some of my friends and customers that car ownership is not a requirement to live a fulfilling lifestyle in this city. A handful of customers have told me that I have been able to inspire them to look at their own lives and reevaluate their notions of transportation - some have even ditched their second car. One employee sold the last of their two cars and a close friend has also ditched their car. Will you take the time to look in the mirror and see if you too can get by with one less car or no car at all?
It is a question worth asking.
One of the things that Velouria mentioned in her piece about not owning a car was her desire to not make her decision to be car free as some kind of "if I can do it so can you" narrative - it is simply a lifestyle choice that is easy for her.
However, for me, choosing to live a car free lifestyle was definitely influenced by a desire to lead by example -
1 - I was taking a huge pay cut quitting my job to open BikeBike and I wanted to make sure the business would have enough cash flow to get us through the critical first year so by ditching the car I would pull less wages out of the shop.
2 - Most importantly, I wanted to know what it would be like to live car free in a city known for being very spread out and populated by car loving people so I could better converse with my customers about the realities of daily bike commuting in "Los Angeles of the North". Contrary to Velouria's position, I want to show people that if I can live without a car, so could you!
It has been an interesting ride to be sure.
I have written a trio of previous posts about this topic here and here and here and since the last post not much has really changed. One thing I did decide was I needed to find a way to get out of the city more often as I was finding myself getting a little squirrelly and badly missing trips to the mountains for the usual fun found out there - mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking, and camping.
So last fall I bought a vehicle - gasp! However, not a daily driver, far from it. I picked up an ancient RV and have had a blast using it to get out of the city on fun missions as well as used it during the cyclocross race season last fall. 99.9% of the time it sits quietly in the backyard patiently waiting for us to plan the next adventure and never is used in the city since it is a gashog and not the most comfortable thing to drive in the city.
Beyond that, life is still as it was - I enjoy riding everyday, my son loves cycling together on the cargo bike, and I am just as content as a year ago. My health is getting better everyday due to the daily activity but also because I am choosing better foods to fuel myself, my bank account is very happy not dealing with car payments, gasoline purchases, etc and I still love breezing past those long lines of traffic.
Cycling everyday has reduced my stress levels so much that I do not think I want a car anymore. I can afford it now and find a few cars very attractive (looking at you Fiat 500). Aside from the cost associated with car ownership which I am not interested in taking on, I am also concerned about the effect on my contentment level, which is currently sky high. The psychology of driving has been something that has been facinating me since I reduced so dramatically the kilometres I drive and I still to this day cannot figure out why so many people are ok with being so stressed out while behind the wheel. I think people need to ride bikes more often to chill out.
I feel like I have been able to show some of my friends and customers that car ownership is not a requirement to live a fulfilling lifestyle in this city. A handful of customers have told me that I have been able to inspire them to look at their own lives and reevaluate their notions of transportation - some have even ditched their second car. One employee sold the last of their two cars and a close friend has also ditched their car. Will you take the time to look in the mirror and see if you too can get by with one less car or no car at all?
It is a question worth asking.
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