Winter snow no barrier for cyclists in Montreal

In the predominantly French-speaking metropolis, more and more people like her are getting around by bike, even in the sometimes extreme weather conditions.

“It would be wrong to say that it’s just like riding a bike in the summer,” says the short-haired, 38-year-old, who says “it requires more concentration, better know-how and a different riding style.”

But even in winter, this means of transport is unbeatable for her: It is “easier, more efficient, more ecological and more economical” than a car or public transport, she says.

Even snowstorms and temperatures down to -40 degrees Celsius cannot stop winter cyclists.

She admits that she actually “loves to drive when it has just snowed a few inches to make the first tracks on fresh snow”.

On Montreal’s bike lanes, it’s not uncommon to see kids on their way to school or daycare in a backseat ski-packed. They quickly overtake families who choose to pull children in sleds down sidewalks after a storm.

“In the beginning there were very few of us,” remembers Frederic Venne, who is cycling for the 15th winter. In the past two years, greater efforts to “clear” bike lanes of snow have persuaded more newbies to join those long thought of as die-hards, he adds.

It was an awakening for Mathieu Levesque, who only recently picked it up. This 35-year-old bearded Quebecer says he “loves cycling in storms” and prides himself on “being able to do it every day.”

bicycle city

In just a few years, like other cities around the world, Montreal has exploded in the number and length of bike lanes, making it one of the most bikeable in North America.

The city now has around 900 kilometers of designated bike lanes, almost 80 percent of which are open year-round, and plans to add another 200 kilometers by 2027. The city’s declared goal is to make 15 percent of all trips by bicycle by then.

Already between 2020 and 2021, bicycle trips increased by 20 percent in both summer and winter, Mayor Valerie Plante recently pointed out.

And “winter cycling is exploding,” according to Hugo Bourgoin, a city spokesman. In 2022, almost 1.7 million bicycle rides were recorded in Montreal during the cold season.

Olivier Quirion-Deslauriers said he’s seen a 15 percent year-over-year increase in customers winterizing their bikes at his Velo-Espresso shop, where bikes hang from the ceiling.

After all, winter wheels do not require any additional equipment, except for good tires that do not slip.

“Studded tires give you the grip you need on the ice,” says the bike mechanic with greasy black hands.

In the end, it “seems intimidating at first, but it’s accessible to everyone”.