Snow Day! Adventures on Two Wheels...

As anyone here in Southern Ontario knows, last Friday brought our first real winter storm. It wasn't a bad one, as winter storms go, but it put a little wrench in Bee's bicycle wheels. We have a Bixi subscription (earlier Bixi post here) so we can use their sturdier bikes on days when it's a little messy underfoot, but Friday was just a little more than we bargained for. 

There is a "shared motivation" group out there on Facebook that we've joined called The Winter B-icicle Challenge (Facebook page). It provides our incentive to keep cycling on lousy days, so there was no way we were about to let a little wind and snow deter us. And so, off we went...

One of the "tools of the trade" is a sturdy brush to get rid of the frozen rain droplets that have coated the seat.

It was tough going. The snow was thick and wet, so staying in control was a challenge. And just when you had things in hand, the gale force winds pushed you back into the deep stuff. Splatter from passing cars was also an issue. The City had salted the streets but there had been no actual snow clearing. The bike lanes were mostly obstructed except for an 18 inch wide strip where the action of the traffic had melted the snow, so riding was done perilously close to the cars. We tried a couple of quiet side streets, but they were much worse.

We made it most of the way, but called it off at a Bixi docking station about 4 blocks before our intended destination. Oh, well...props for trying, we told ourself. Luckily, things were much better by the end of the day, and we managed to cycle back home without any trouble.

One thing we'll say about riding in the snow- the effort involved is gonna keep you nice and warm! It may have been  -10C outside, but underneath all our layers we were working up a sweat. We arrived at the office with red cheeks and a feeling of exhilaration- not a bad way to start a work day!

Hey, Baby-- Do You Bixi?

An unfortunate tire puncture recently left Bee in a bind- how to commute for the day while it was being repaired? A quick smack on the side of the head solved the dilemma- of course, he would try out the new Bixi Bicycle service! (Well, duh!)

For those who are unaware, on May 3rd Toronto launched its own version of the successful Bixi bike rental scheme that's been in use in Montreal for a few years now, and which that city has successfully exported to the likes of London, Melbourne, and Washington. The premise is simple: replace short trips that would normally be taken by transit, taxi or car on congested city streets with bicycle jaunts. (The name is actually a mash-up of *bicycle* and *taxi*!) To encourage quick usage, and therefore ensure plentiful supplies of bikes in many locations, there is a 30 minute time limit. As of the 31st minute, you start to rack up extra charges. If your errand- running involves a two way trip you must drop off your first bike then pick up a second when you're ready to roll again. You can do this as many times as you want within the subscription period you've paid for. (24 or 72 hrs. or one month or one year).

This morning Bee strolled to the end of our block, swiped his credit card, purchased a 24 hour subscription for $5 and was on his way. Twenty minutes later he was docking the bike a block from the office. This evening he did it again in reverse, but at no additional cost. Sweet!

 

The bikes are, umm....sturdy! Not unattractive, they are built for comfort, not speed, and they are made to last. The ride was smooth given the fat tires. There are three gears, which left us a little frustrated at making slower progress than we're used to (not to mention a little tired from pedaling so furiously!), and it took us a few minutes to figure out how the gear shifter worked. After that we just left it in third for the rest of the trip.

We will definitely use Bixi again. It won't be an everyday thing for us, because we ride our own bikes daily under normal circumstances. But when the regular rides are in the repair shop, or if we've left them at home on a rainy day and, lo and behold, the skies clear at lunchtime, Bixi will be our go-to alternative.

How 'bout you, will you Bixi?