Meet my new ride:
My NORCO Yorkville, yet to be named.
I am officially a “bicycler”, although I never, ever imagined myself as an adult bicycler.
The last time I owned a bike, I was 10 years old, and I strictly rode within the confines of the neighborhood cul-de-sac.
I’ll never forget the day I gave up bicycling, because I still have a scar on my knee from the fall I took when I flew over a pothole in hot pursuit of my speedy younger brother.
Alas, all is forgiven and it’s time to move on. I’ve pushed through the trauma to get to a better place.
And, this recent change of heart is funny to me, because the second I decided I wanted to purchase a bike, I became so utterly aware of the entire community of bikers within the city.
They are everywhere!
Road racers, city crusiers, commuters, and everything from hippie to hipster and everything in-between.
I also started noticing bike lanes (or lack thereof), places to park and lock up, and the affects of the variable Halifax weather on riding conditions. I even started planning routes in my head as I was driving in my car.
I researched bicycles all over town, and talked to various shops. The lucky shop that got my business was Halifax Cycle Gallery on Quinpool because the vibe there was just right. They are very cool people.
And, like I mentioned before, if I hadn’t had such a positive recent experience with I Heart Bikes, I never would have considered riding a bike at all.
So, in just a few weeks, I’ve gone from ignoring the entire bicycle culture, to figuring out how I can make bicycling a more permanent seasonal mode of transportation in my life.
I even commuted to work this past Tuesday.
Yeah, it’s not exactly an everyday habit, but I’m building up to it.
Oh, and did I mention how much fun it is?!
See ya on the road, Haligonians.
Do you own a bike? Would you consider trading in a car? Tell me what you think!
