winter biking

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Dr. Michaela Beder is an outreach psychiatrist whose work focuses on serving people who are marginalized. On a snow-free but chilly day, we had the chance to meet and talk about how riding a bike year-round complements her clinical and community activism work - and keeps her mind and body healthy during the busiest times.

We visited Intelliware’s bike-friendly office on a sunny Wednesday and spoke with three of the team’s year-round riders: Cesar Farell, Bruno Schmidt, and Peter Davison. Here’s what they had to say about the joys of starting and ending the day by pedalling, keeping fingers and toes warm, and some of the great amenities Intelliware offers to incentivize commuting by bike (hint: secure indoor bike parking!).

Read on to find out how Jay, founder of RallyRally (a design studio dedicated to social change), navigates Toronto’s streets by Bike Share - and why getting a daily dose of pedalling is crucial to his physical and mental wellbeing. Plus, he offers head to toe tips on dressing to ride in comfort, even on the slushiest of days.

Léa is a busy PhD student at the University of Toronto who works alongside Bike Host, Toronto's cycling mentorship program for newcomers, for her research on gender and cycling. Having grown up just outside of Montréal, Léa knows a thing or two about deep winter. Read on to find out how she built up a sturdy winter bike, three key winter riding accessories, and what she wishes the City would do expand our winter cycling network.

What good is a bike lane if you can't use it?

Guest blog and photos by Anton Lodder

Winter is back, and with it a familiar experience in Canadian cities: the sight of blue flashing lights on giant orange trucks, the scrape of massive blades on asphalt, the piles of snow, and the disappearance of a number of bike lanes under a crust of ice – not to be seen until the next real thaw, or maybe even until spring.