Love is in the air! No, we aren’t talking about Valentine’s Day … Friday, February 14th is Winter Bike to Work Day! Join us in celebrating this global initiative and let the world know you love to bike year-round!
Many people are discovering that winter in Ottawa is filled with beautiful days where the streets are clear and the air is crisp. Here are a few of our local all-season all stars! Discover their reasons for choosing to ride a bike to work in the winter, and perhaps be inspired to give it a try.
Want to know more but not sure where to start? Here are a few ideas:
- Join us at our upcoming Winter Cycling Workshop
- Check out our Guide to Winter Cycling
- Watch a quick video with our top three winter cycling tips!
10 Reasons to Love Winter Biking in Ottawa
My favourite thing about biking to work in the winter is being able to continue an activity that I love year-round with just a few simple changes to my gear and a little bit of route planning.
Shannon
For the health of the planet, myself and that I’m cheap 😉
Paul
My favourite things about winter cycling are the same things I love about summer cycling: it’s an efficient way to add exercise and fresh air to my daily life. Not to mention the money saved from not having a bus pass ($120/month), gym membership ($40-$100/month), fuel ($20-$40/month) or parking costs ($230).
Paul
I bike in winter because it makes me happy, I get some exercise and there’s no reason to stop just because it gets cold outside. Just bundle up!
Valerie
I bike year round because it’s the most convenient way to get to work.
Rick
I like to bike in winter because it’s (mostly) quiet. I can be alone with my thoughts for a few minutes, and that’s a rare opportunity in this day and age. I also like it because it’s quicker than walking or taking the bus, and is a cleaner form of transportation than driving. Lastly, my trip times are mostly more predictable and stable.
Sylvestre
Favourite thing about biking for groceries in the winter? Parking is usually pretty easy. I just haul my bike on top of a snow pile around a street sign or year-round rack and lock. But my favourite thing is that I am doing two things at once: picking up my groceries and running errands, AND I get some exercise. There’s no guilt crawling back into PJs for the rest of the day, and no gym membership required.
Felicity
My favourite thing biking to work in the winter is that it is still the fastest, lowest stress and most reliable to get around the City during peak commute times. Thereal difference with winter cycling, is the extra layers (and maybe ski goggles)!
Graham
I never just have to stand there … waiting.
Philip
My favorite part of winter commuting is that I get to embrace winter. Don’t hibernate!
Adam
Let’s get our city on the leaderboard! Tell the world you’ll be biking to work on February 14th at: https://www.winterbiketoworkday.org.