![](\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2236\/2345526038_a76ca454b3.jpg?v=0\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Spring is now officially here, but as there is a little bit of snow to contend with, we offer you one more in the series of winter<\/em> cyclist profiles.<\/p>\n Name \/ Occupation \/ Age<\/strong> What do you use your bike for?<\/strong> How often do you ride?<\/strong> How long have you been commuting by bicycle and what made you decide to start?<\/strong> What would you say to convince someone who is considering commuting by bicycle to go for it?<\/strong> When did you start commuting in winter and why?<\/strong> <\/p>\n What are the biggest challenges for winter bikers in Toronto?<\/strong> What reaction do you get from co-workers?<\/strong> What’s the best thing about commuting by bicycle in winter?<\/strong> Can you give a brief description of your route?<\/strong> Where are your favourite places or streets to bike in Toronto? Least?<\/strong> What do you like about biking in Toronto in winter?<\/strong> And dislike?<\/strong> What could the City do to make winter biking better?<\/strong> What’s your favourite piece of winter cycling clothing?<\/strong> Do you have a different bike for winter riding?<\/strong> Any bike gadget\/gear winter cyclists should not go out without?<\/strong> Have you ever combined transit and biking?<\/strong> Favourite winter bike stories?<\/strong>
\nJonny James \/ Musician \/ 30<\/p>\n
\nCommuting to work, grocery shopping, avoiding RIDE programs…pretty much everything.<\/p>\n
\n365 day a year, give or take a few.<\/p>\n
\nSince I moved to Toronto to go to university. This city is a lot more bike-friendly than Guelph.<\/p>\n
\nIt’ll make you sexy. Plus, even when your blood pressure skyrockets because of some jackass in a car, you’re still exerting yourself physically (as opposed to sitting behind the wheel). Plus, as a cyclist you really realize how ridiculous people look when they have road rage. Screaming, tearing off in their car, honking their horn… People look hilarious when they fly off the handle.<\/p>\n
\nI have always ridden my bike through Toronto’s winters. There is no excuse to keep your bike indoors through the winter in a city like this. It’s not Winnipeg or Montreal.<\/p>\n
\nBeing seen and making your presence known on the streets. People assume that if you’re out riding your bike you must either be nuts or a bike courier, or both.<\/p>\n
\nI’ve never had so many requests for dates in my life.<\/p>\n
\nIt separates the hardcore from the hobbyists.<\/p>\n
\nNorthbound to work, southbound for groceries, westbound for shows, eastbound for shopping.<\/p>\n
\nEveryone’s favourite: The Russell Hill Rd. hill with the curve, south of St. Clair Ave. You can easily reach speeds in excess of 50 km\/h. Plus the multiple curves keeps it interesting. Least: Anywhere north of St. Clair Ave. It seems as though people (in cars or ped-x) north of St. Clair are unaware that people use bicycles anymore.<\/p>\n
\nBlazing by commuters stuck on their way to work, or on their way home. People don’t realize, but, cycling is way more efficient, healthier, environmentally conscientious and it makes you sexy. Burn a couple hundred calories each day just riding to and from work.<\/p>\n
\nThe fact that the bike lanes are the last things (if ever) to get cleared after snowstorms. This puts cyclists at risk.<\/p>\n
\nMake bikes lanes on every city street. Also, the only way things will change is if you make it so uncomfortable for motorists to drive that they begin looking at alternative modes of transportation (bike, transit, walking) for getting around.<\/p>\n
\nMy new Manzella gloves ($9 @ LeBaron) with grippy pads on the palms and fingers.<\/p>\n
\nYes, an old ’80s Fiori Roma road bike with slicks. I stopped using my fancy bike after getting sick of cleaning salt and grit off of it every day after work.<\/p>\n
\nLights. I use the MEC turtle lights (about $3 each) which can easily be removed and taken with you when you lock your bike up.<\/p>\n
\nTransit is too unreliable, slow and expensive. Why use transit when you can get there cheaper and faster?<\/p>\n
\nTaking a header into a snowbank just last Friday. I managed to pull off a beautiful ostrich-like configuration by landing with my head and neck buried in a snowbank, after losing control on a side street.<\/p>\n