How to Cycle in Guelph in Winter

On Tuesday, December 16, we had an informative evening at the Albion Hotel,  where we learned about how to cycle in winter.  We paired up with Green Drinks, http://www.greendrinks.org/ON/Guelph,%20Ontario, whose mission is to provide an opportunity for Guelphites interested in the environment to enjoy a few pints in a relaxed and agenda free evening.

Cosmo Carere was our resident expert, as he both winter cycles, and is owner of Speed River Bicycle.  He provided information on the latest gadgets and clothes available to those who take winter cycling seriously.

Carere indicated that winter cycling has seen an upward trend in the past couple of years. Selling winter gear and servicing bikes keeps him busy in his bicycle shop in the winter.  Many people are now cycling for recreation in the winter, not unlike those who choose to cross country ski or snowshoe.  

Here are some of the products that Speed River Cycle have on offer to help make winter cycling easier:  studded and non studded winter tires, jacket shells, waterproof gloves, shoe covers, wool socks, and the flexichute:  a neck warmer and winter hat all in one.  You can see more of the product line at  http://speedriverbicycle.com/

Another “expert winter cyclist” was Suzanne Gates, a retired teacher who cycles year round. She told us that nothing deters her from cycling, as she even cycled year round while teaching on a reserve in Northern Manitoba, not far from James Bay (!) She has 5 bikes. Her winter bike is a beater bike, able to withstand the abuse from salted roads and slush.  She keeps a studded tire on that bike.

Al DeJong, also retired,  has just hit the 100,000 km mark on his bicycle. He has but one bike, and cycles in all but terrible winter weather.  His secret, among other things, is keeping his bike well oiled.

I cycle in winter until the snow really flies.  I find that my down filled winter coat that goes down to my knees has been the game changer.  For me, it’s all about staying warm!

What about you?  What is your winter cycling tip?

GCAT at Guelph Community Santa Claus Parade...What a blast!

On Sunday, November 16, GCAT participated in the Guelph Community Santa Claus Parade. We knew that the parade was very popular with families, and we wanted to broaden our exposure to the community.  Since GCAT's mission is to get more people interested in biking, walking and rollerblading, what could be better than participating in this fun community event?  Our theme was, "You can do anything on a bike", and it's true!

Initially, we were worried the cold weather would deter some participants from attending.  But attend they did!  We had costumes galore.  We had a bride, a chef, a French citizen, a woman transporting a dog, a skier, a dapper gentleman and lady, a cross country skier, a reservist,  a rollerblader,  and even a woman who looked like she just rolled out of bed!  And of course, no one will forget Mr. Canoehead!

The children along the parade route loved it!  Parents were reading out the signs posted on the bikes, such as, "Bike with your bride", etc.  On a bike, it was easy to interact with the crowd, as there was ample opportunity to get close to the audience. We don't know who smiled more, the children or the GCAT participants.

In the end, we won a parade award, called  "Best Walking Entry Award."  We were thrilled because we weren't expecting to win.  We hope you can join us for next year's parade!

Profile of cycle commuters Cosmo Carere and Tim Plunkett, co-owners of Speed River Bicycle

Speed River staff: David Bradfield, Tim Plunkett, co-owner, Cosmo Carere, co-owner, Jon Prosser, Taylor Moran. (absent:  Leslie Dart, Michael Dennis, Nathan Poulton, Mark Dipple).  All staff members commute to work by bike.

1)Why do you cycle to work?

Cosmo- Because I like to ride. I’ve always cycled.  I’ve never had a job where I didn’t cycle to work.  For me it’s habit. I don’t just do it because we sell bikes; it’s a lifestyle that we promote.  We deliberately bought a house downtown so that, as a family, we don’t have to rely on two cars.

Tim- Because its convenient,  inexpensive and  it’s what I’ve done for 12 years.  I don’t think about it, it is just what we do.

Cosmo:  Besides cycling to work, the whole staff goes on a group ride before work on Saturdays. The staff wanted to do this because it’s fun and it promotes camaraderie, and makes working together much easier.

2)What do you like about cycling to work?

Cosmo-Everything. It’s an enjoyable thing to do.  It wakes you up. The hidden benefits are cost savings.

Tim-I get to see the city at a slower pace and I see things that I never see in a car, like when I go over a bridge and enjoy the scenery.  I’m more involved with my surroundings.  I  know Guelph more than most because I ride around it. I see it, warts and all.  I can recommend things to our customers, such as, “Don’t take this route”, etc.  For example, while I recommend the Kissing Bridge trail as a great place to cycle, getting to the Kissing Bridge from Guelph by bike is very dangerous.

3)How would you respond to people who feel a car is just safer?

Cosmo: They’re wrong.  Bikes are safe. I don’t think that cars are safer. It’s the operator not the car or the bike. According to statistics, more people are injured in cars than on bikes.  I understand they feel safer because the infrastructure isn’t there to keep bikes away from traffic. The more people that are on bikes, the less cars that are on the road, the more room for people who just want to drive their cars. The people who don’t want to give up their cars should want bike lanes the most!

Tim-It’s perception. It does feel safer when you’re in a metal coffin. I can just recommend people try. Many more people die in car accidents.

4)What infrastructure change would make your commute better?


Cosmo-I’m pretty lucky because there are bike lanes to my front door.  However, I would make a better bike crossing at Eramosa Road. Where possible, I take back roads and avoid main streets.

I also benefit from bicycle infrastructure that has been completed. I have the choice of Woolwich Street with bike lanes or the Trans Canada trail.  I’m proof that they are being used.  And that it’s doable and easy.

Tim:Eramosa Road is a death trap. Worst road in existence.  

That road is my commute. I’m beginning to feel more in favour of separated infrastructure.  Right now I have to ride in the middle of the lane in order to survive.

The area around Elizabeth Street and Victoria Road. There is a completely weird system where the Victoria Road bike lane goes over a bridge and ends on a 10 foot wide shoulder which could support bike infrastructure, but there is no infrastructure for bikes.

I would also like to have traffic lights that get activated by bikes.  As it stands now, I get tired of waiting for the light to change and eventually i just ride through.

5)What needs to happen in Canada to make the culture, and eventually the roads, more bike friendly?

Cosmo- We need more bike lanes. We need to change people’s attitudes towards reliance on cars.  With increased density in Guelph, fewer people will rely on cars.  We need to  convince people that if you dress properly you can commute at least 10 months of the year.

Tim:  Cycling is  a mode of transport. You don’t have to be a “cyclist” to get on a bike.  It doesn’t have to be a bunch of “wahoos” wearing spandex.  As well, there has to be equal facilities for foot and bike at each end of someone’s journey.

6)What advice would you share with a new bike commuter?

Cosmo: It doesn’t need to be complicated. You need a good reliable bike and basic equipment and you can bike year round. Don’t be afraid to try. Oh yeh, you need to keep enough air in your tires!

Tim-have the proper clothing and lights. It will save you a lot of discomfort.

7)What kind of bikes do you ride?

Cosmo: I have the new Trek 9th district city bike. A few gears, all black, nondescript. Boone Cyclocross bike is my “sports car”.

Tim-I ride the Boone Cyclocross. I use it as a commuter and for recreational rides. I also have a Farley fat bike because I will be pulling my son all winter.  I decided to go as safe (and ridiculous) as possible.

Participants needed to represent GCAT in Santa Claus parade

Since GCAT  represents people who walk and cycle, we would like to get a group of people on their bicycles for the Santa Claus parade.

Our theme is that you can do anything on a bike.  Therefore our costumes would be wedding dresses, suits and tuxes , dressy dresses, etc. to show that you can go about normal business while riding a bike.  Some people think that you have to have "special bike gear" to ride a bike but we are working to convey the information that cycling is "normal" and you can do anything on it, even ride a bike on the way to get married....

Parade rules are that you must be over 9 years old, and that you must wear thematic costumes. 

Who's in?  It should be lots of fun!  For more info, contact activeguelph@gmail.com.  A waiver may be required to participate.

See below for more details from the Guelph's Santa organizing committee:

1. 25% off selected costumes at Party Corner (200 Victoria Road South) for parade entrants.
2. 30% off candy canes at The Flour Barrel (115 Wyndham St N) for parade entrants.
3. Creative advice at any time from parade organisers and committee members.
4. An arts studio complete with sewing machines to create your own costumes.
5. A Parade Improvement Fund whereby we help you with the costs of the materials bought for your entry.
6. http://www.downtownguelph.com/page.php?id=304

Strong support for the Active Communities Pledge Campaign in Guelph reveals broad consensus on the benefits of Active transportation among municipal candidates in advance of October 27th election

Advocates say benefits include stronger local economies, lower infrastructure maintenance costs, healthier residents and safer streets for all road users.

30  of Guelph’s 42 candidates for municipal office have signed the Active Communities Pledge, providing voters in every ward with options to support candidates that will support walking and cycling if elected. In the wake of recent opinion polls that show growing support for measures to promote cycling, this Ontario-wide campaign is asking candidates in the upcoming October 27th municipal election to back policies that support cycling and other forms of active transportation.

“Cycling and other forms of active transportation such as walking bring multiple benefits to communities like Guelph. They reduce traffic congestion and cut pollution, boost local retail spend, draw in new tourist dollars, promote a healthy lifestyle for adults and children, and help build a friendlier, more cohesive community,” said Justin Jones, Manager of the Bicycle Friendly Communities Program with the Share the Road Cycling Coalition

 “This campaign is about increasing public awareness, building voter support and encouraging local politicians to make a commitment to bike friendly policies that will benefit our entire community. Given the strong steps that Guelph has taken in recent years, moving from Bronze to Silver in the Bicycle Friendly Communities ranking in 2014, I’m not surprised to see such broad support for the Active Communities Pledge in Guelph. No community in Ontario has a higher percentage of candidates that have signed the pledge, which is indicative of how the conversation about active transportation is changing in Guelph.”

The Active Communities Pledge campaign invites all municipal candidates to:

• Promote active transportation, including cycling and walking, in their community;
• Support the construction of new projects that serve to make walking and cycling easier and more accessible to all residents, regardless of age or ability;
• Support their community in applying for a Bicycle Friendly Community designation from Share the Road or, if the community is already recognized as a BFC, work towards achieving the next award level by the end of this upcoming term;
• Work to ensure that their community supports and contributes to the implementation of the Ontario Cycling Strategy #CycleOn by developing programs, projects and policies that enhance safety, drive tourism, provide economic spinoffs and promote overall health in the community;
• Support the development of a Complete Streets Policy in their community to ensure that all roads serve all road users in a safe, effective manner;
• Ensure that their community has a dedicated funding source for active transportation projects to ensure consistent, continuous improvement in the conditions for cyclists and pedestrians.

Cycling and active transportation advocates in Guelph emphasize that the Active Communities Pledge is about boosting awareness of the issues, not pressuring politicians.

“There are so many candidates that already understand the benefits of building a bike friendly community. Our campaign is about giving those supportive politicians an opportunity to make their bike-friendly views known to voters” said Yvette Tendick, Chair of the Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation (GCAT)

From the Guelph Mercury: (Saturday Oct. 11, 2014)
"Among the local candidates who have signed the pledge are Bob Bell, Dan Gibson, Karolyne Pickett, Maria Pezzano and Terry O'Connor in Ward 1; and Chris Keleher Sr., James Gordon and Martin Collier in Ward 2.

In Ward 3, Bob Moore, Craig Chamberlain, June Hofland, Maggie Laidlaw and Phil Allt have signed on, as have Greg Roffey, Laurie Garbutt, Mike Salisbury, Rob Dunn-Dufault and Scott Tracey in Ward 4.

Alex Green, Bob Senechal, Cathy Downer, Leanne Piper, Scott Butler support the pledge in Ward 5. Keith Poore in Ward 6..(Todd Denis have signed on in Ward 6 as well.)

Mayoral candidates Andrew Donovan, Jason Blokhuis and Karen Farbridge have signed on, as well as Upper Grand District School Board trustee candidate Aaron Blair."

The Share the Road Coalition, which is sponsoring the province-wide Active Communities Pledge Campaign, released a province-wide poll (2014) showing that:

• 68 per cent of the Ontario Residents said that the provincial government should invest in infrastructure for cyclists to encourage more people to ride their bikes more often. The survey also indicated that:
• 70 per cent of Ontarians agree that better infrastructure would get more people riding their bikes
• 66 per cent of Ontarians agree that getting more people on bikes benefits everyone, not just cyclists
• 89 per cent Of Ontarians support programs that are focused on getting more children to walk and bike to school

 Please support candidates who support active transportation.

Do our municipal candidates support the Active Communities Pledge?

The Active Communities Pledge ( http://www.activecommunitiespledge.ca/ ) a is a province-wide initiative being organized by the Share the Road Cycling Coalition, asking municipal candidates to support measures that would improve access to active transportation infrastructure, provide more opportunities for residents to learn how to ride a bike safely and legally and support programs designed to encourage more residents to walk or bike more often.

All across Ontario, communities are seeing the benefits of investing in active transportation. Communities that are more walkable and bikeable have higher retail spends, higher land values, stronger talent retention and healthier, more active residents. Additionally, communities that are investing in active transportation are becoming tourism destinations, garnering a piece of Ontario’s $291 Million per year cycle tourism industry.

We also know that support for investments in active transportation infrastructure is very high. In a 2014 survey, 68% of Ontario residents agreed that government should invest more in creating active transportation infrastructure. 66% agreed that getting more people on bikes helps everyone in the province, not just those who ride themselves.

So GCAT has requested that municipal candidates submit their pledge at http://www.activecommunitiespledge.ca/pledge-candidate.php and commit to making Guelph a safer, more comfortable place to walk and bike, and to help create a healthier, more prosperous community for the next four years. 

We will publish the names of those candidates who have taken the Active Communities Pledge in another blog post in a few weeks. Stay tuned!

Jennifer Juste, Transportation Demand Coordinator (TDM), City of Guelph

Tell us a little bit about yourself :

I first came to Guelph to do a Bachelor of Science at the University and fell in love with the city. In 2006, a year before graduating, I was hired by the City to start the TDM program.  The Cycling Master Plan started off as the “Bicycle Friendly Guelph” initiative.  We did a survey of best practices of cycling infrastructure around the world where there is a high number of people cycling in the community.  From these best practices we came up with the 5 E’s--education, enforcement, engineering, encouragement, evaluation.

In 2009, I returned to school to do a Masters in urban planning from McGill University. As well, I was fortunate enough to spend a year in Strasbourg France.  Strasbourg is France’s #1 cycling city, which gives me a great perspective in what great cycling infrastructure could look like. When I returned to Guelph in 2012, I continued preparing the Cycling Master Plan. I was happy in February 2013, when the Guelph Cycling Master Plan was passed almost unanimously by City Council.

Why is riding a bike important to you?

To me, it’s a very enjoyable way of getting around the city. I can appreciate my community. I can see things in my neighbourhood, I get exercise and I feel great when I get to my destination. I am also concerned about climate change and want to do something personally to help reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

How has it changed your life?

I’ve been cycling since my undergrad. I grew up in a suburban community in the GTA where I was totally dependent on my parents for getting around.  When I was a student, I noticed that it was so much more efficient to bike than to walk or take the bus.  Now, I won’t go back to living a life of car dependency.

I’ve made decisions about where I live by whether or not I can shop and get to work by bike from home.

Where do you go on the bike?

Everywhere!  I’m more of a utilitarian cyclist.  I don’t do big long rides in the countryside but I use my bike to do ordinary things like run errands, visit friends, go for a drink with friends.  I also try to go to meetings by bike: I found that breaking up my day by getting exercise allows me to be more focussed.  It’s a little pick me up in the day.

When do you use the car?

My parents live 2 hours away and there is no bus access so I have to drive.  In town, I use the car when I take big weekly grocery trips.

What is the hardest thing about using the bike for transportation?

Winter! Winter is pretty tough.  I don’t have the luxury of having multiple bikes and my bike is not made for winter situations.  I walk in winter.

Were there fears you had about city cycling in the beginning that have been disproved?

I had the opportunity to shadow the CELP (Community Environmental Leadership Program) when the participants learned city cycling skills.  It was transformative for me. There are a lot of rights I didn’t know I had and I learned to own my space on the road.

Do you find yourself trying to convert non-cyclists or recreationalists to give bikes a try?

Yes.  It is my job!

What kind of bikes do you ride?

My bike is a Trek Cross Rip.  It’s a hybrid cyclocross bike which is perfect for commuting occasional trails and long distance road trips. I have a rack so that I can add my panniers. The bike is lightweight and manoeuvrable.  I love it.  My back-up bike is a vintage 1972 racing bike, steel frame and I just keep it tuned up.

How would you respond to people who feel a car is just safer?

Well, if it comes down to a competition between a car and a bike, a car will win. But, it’s also a question of a tipping point: Once we see a critical mass of cyclists on the road, drivers will pay more attention.  Right now there is a lack of awareness and motorists don’t see the cyclists.  Also, cyclists need to follow the rules of the road so as not to do anything unpredictable to put themselves in danger.

  

What needs to happen in Canada to make the culture, and eventually the roads, more bike friendly?

I think we need to stop thinking of cyclists as vehicles. They are A stand-alone category. They don’t look like vehicles or act like vehicles and they aren’t insured. It isn’t fair to put them on the same playing field as a machine that weighs 2 tonnes and goes 80 km per hour. In future, I hope cities will see that the safest place for a bike is off the road.  As well, intersections are key.  Copenhagen gets that and they have created a cycling highway (link http://gas2.org/2014/08/11/copenhagen-cycle-snake-elevated-highway-bikes/).

I also think that we need to be less afraid of the exercise aspect.  People overestimate how difficult it is to bike.  Everyone should give it a try.

What is the best part of your commute?

I usually use my commute as an opportunity to meditate.  I reflect on the things I’m grateful for and to appreciate our community, the seasons, the weather...  I have even learned to love winter! When driving a car, you can’t liberate your mind to appreciate these things, because you have to be so concentrated on traffic and many other things.

What is the worst part of your commute?

Unforeseen downpours, when I don’t come to work prepared for them!

What infrastructure change would make your commute better?

There’s a place in the city where I have to either carry my bike down a flight of stairs or illegally cross at an intersection. Neither option is ideal.  Bike tracks on the stairs would help.  (I’ll try to make it happen!)

What bit of advice would you like to share with new bike commuters?

You don’t have to special gear. I often bike in heels and a dress. I usually plan my route to avoid hills.  Check out guelph.ca/bike (http://www.guelph.ca/bike) and inform yourself of the rules of the road, your route options, and other useful information.  Once you know your rights, you will be more comfortable and confident on the road.

It’s always a good idea to have an extra bus ticket with you because if you don’t feel like biking home, you can just put it on the front of the bus.

Jennifer poses in front of  new bike lane on College Avenue