In the The state of cycling in Quebec in 2015, In fact, the number of cyclists continues to rise throughout the coldest months of the year. In fact, over a million people continue to cycle until the end of November, while 180,000 get on their bikes during the winter. By way of comparison, five years earlier, only 50,000 people reported using their bikes between December and March. The study also shows that people put their bikes away later and later as the cold season sets in, and take them out earlier and earlier at the end of the season.
It's true that winter cycling has come a long way since the days of convenience store delivery tricycles and pioneering commuter bikes. And active transportation continues to gain ground, even in the toughest conditions. So much so that the media and motorists are getting used to seeing cyclists on the road between December and March. The subject is making fewer negative headlines, another sign that cycling is slowly becoming part of our winter reality.
To kick off our 50th year of promoting cycling in Quebec, we are organizing two major events: the Winter Cycling Congress February 8-10, which will bring together 350 participants from Europe and North America. Winter moon by bike on Saturday February 11, a festive, illuminated walk through the streets of downtown, as part of the Hivernales du 375e anniversaire de Montréal.
These two events are pushing back the boundaries of cycling even further, and arousing real interest both at home and abroad. This convergence is no coincidence. By grouping the two activities together in the same week, we wanted each to take advantage of their respective credibility to raise the profile of winter cycling.
Looking forward to seeing you on your bike... in February.
Suzanne Lareau
President and General Manager
