10 years ago, winter cyclists were considered “creepy”. A public nuisance that had to be banned in the name of the fluidity of car traffic. The times have changed. Winter biking is gaining ground in Montreal, among other things because of the Réseau express vélo (REV), which allows safe and fast travel despite the snow.
“Not so long ago, we made ourselves look like aliens in the winter on our bikes. That era is behind us,” says Chloé Baril, one of the organizers of the fourth Winter Bike Forum, which will take place on February 18 in Montreal.
This 52-year-old mother is part of a growing community of winter travel enthusiasts on two wheels. Cycling is exploding in Montreal, including in winter: the number of people who used bike paths during the cold season in 2020 increased by 83% compared to the average from 2015 to 2019, reported the company Éco- Counter.
Over a period of 12 months, summer and winter, bicycle trips have increased by 20% between the years 2020 and 2021, Mayor Valérie Plante recently pointed out.
The Winter Bike Forum is all about celebrating cycling as a mode of transportation — not a hobby. 14.6-kilometre family outing in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and Rosemont, workshops and conferences on winter bike maintenance, clothing and driving in the snow: the event is aimed at regulars and new followers.
“Even when you’ve been winter biking for years, there’s stuff to pick up. Parents ask how to protect their children from freezing rain, or what is the best way to transport a child — in a back seat, a front seat or in a trailer,” says Chloé Baril.
Pleasure first
This Plateau-Mont-Royal resident has been cycling for 10 years. First in summer, then gradually in winter. It’s the ideal means of transport for trips of less than 10 kilometers in the city, according to her: the metro is crowded, it’s too stressful in the car (and inefficient, with the orange cones), and too long to walk.
The inauguration of the REV on rue Saint-Denis two years ago completely changed the face of mobility in Montreal, says Chloé Baril. “It’s a fast and super safe route. It is well plowed. I sometimes take detours to ride on the REV, it’s so pleasant. »
Cohabitation with motorists is more harmonious since the development of this track protected from motorized vehicles by a strip of concrete. Merchants, who feared an exodus of customers because of the removal of two automobile lanes, were confused: “I have never seen rue Saint-Denis so lively in 15 years,” says Chloé Baril.
The City of Montreal must redouble its efforts in the development of bicycle paths to reach its target of 15% of bicycle trips by 2027, believes the cyclist activist.
Protecting the most vulnerable
No less than 717 kilometers of bike paths are accessible year-round in Montreal, of which 218 kilometers are protected by concrete walls or posts. Chloé Baril believes that the City must eliminate bike lanes delimited by a simple strip of paint, which are real “cyclist killers”, especially in winter.
The democratization of cycling has brought unskilled cyclists onto public roads. They need to be protected more than the “creepy” of 10 years ago, who were used to rubbing shoulders with trucks and buses in a confined space, underlines the cyclist.
The City of Montreal is committed to adding at least 200 kilometers of secure bike paths over the next five years, including 10 axes of the Réseau express vélo (REV). A series of new developments are planned outside the central districts, which already have cycle paths.
Chloé Baril thinks this is good news for winter cycling. “When you ride in fresh snow, you become addict. It is magic. It becomes a hard drug, you are no longer able to do without it. »