snowbike

white snow bike

Spectacular pro-car/cheap gas and anti bike lane editorial in Gazette newspaper

The Montreal Gazette published on friday an radical extremist pro-car and cheap gas op-ed editorial that the author felt was a reasonable push-back against forces conspiring against his car-first-and-only road user agenda.

The writer's rant included attacks on red-light cameras and bike lanes stealing "his" roads.

It looks a lot like the Montreal Gazette newspaper's new owner's right-wing agenda continues in it's support of everything oil powered and economic-activity generating, and to hell with the little people on sidewalks trying to safely cross at intersections and red lights and bicycles daring to use the same roadway as this writer in his SUV.

Read the entire op-ed article here. You can make your own conclusions, but we conclude by asking the question: "Is there anything good inside of you, sir?" Because this is one question the writer did not answer to our satisfaction.

The Bixi program, and street-narrowing, parking-revenue-robbing bicycle lanes that benefit only a small percentage of the population, the result of which - congestion - is used as an argument to restrict passenger-car traffic and as an excuse to start levying tolls. More money!

I guess he doesn't want people riding bikes to be able to do so safely, while he barrels past in his exhaust-spewing SUV. Perhaps one day he might consider that people on bikes means fewer cars blocking "his roads" for his clearly extremely important motor-vehicle trips.

New National Cycling Plan... for France

We have a new national cycling plan. Unfortunately the country that released the plan was France. The good news is that another nation has taken a leadership role in making cycling safer and more accessible to the population.

"les avantages du vélo", "en termes de santé, de réduction des pollutions atmosphériques et de réduction du bruit, de budget des ménages, de développement économique".

"the benefits of cycling," "in terms of health, reducing air pollution and noise reduction of household budgets, economic development."

In other words, if or when our economies collapse, our climate collapses, or our oil becomes more valuable than gold, we can still have personal mobility and our health because we are planning ahead and fully (well, one day) integrating cycling into the transportation system.

Read more here at le Monde.

winter training, Mont Royal, and the famous 256 step staircase

Mont Royal offers many possibilities for winter cross-training, but one of the best is laps on the staircase between Olmstead Road (above the Peel street entrance) and the Mont Royal Chalet/Kondiaronk Belvedere.

We were there last night and saw ten times as many people on these stairs as we saw on the whole rest of our trip through the park (a x-c club was training there). We caught their fever and did three laps. Next time: ten laps! Our up time was 1:53, which did include a ten-breath recovery pause in the middle. Our style was run two steps quick, run two steps slow, walk two steps, walk one step, until it is evident that is is pause time, take the ten breath recovery pause, and then go up as quickly (which last night wasn't quick at all) to the top.

Doing a few laps here every week will turn your heart and lungs into world class cycling assets, and your legs will be ready for hills (this is a very good thing). Not recommended for anyone with a weak heart!

Visiting beautiful Mont Royal in winter will improve your mental health too.

Just remember that when you go down the stairs, always go down one step at a time. Always!

winter bike storage, a.k.a. the bedroom problem

Winter bike storage, also known as the bedroom problem.

We really need a basement or a garage.

cycling, on ice, old school

Les velocipedes à patins


Outdoor lake and river skating season is beginning. A good source of outdoor conditions for the various winter sports we enjoy (skating, xc-skiing, snowshoeing) is the Guy Thibaudeau ski report in la Presse. Recommended.

bike... umbrella?

one handed cyclist staying dry

This is not a recommended cycling accessory. But for those adept at one-handed cycling (and braking) this is one way to beat the weather.

Better late than never dept: the winter training program

We hope to:

1. Get stronger legs
2. drop some pounds
3. Get stronger legs
   

Well, two out of three are attainable... losing weight is nearly impossible with all the delicious foods that Montreal has to offer the hungry cyclist.

bike montréal doodle