June is Bike Month, which means celebrating biking and cycling initiatives, talking about the benefits of biking, and hopefully, going out for a bike ride.
“I enjoy cycling because it opens up the city to me. I get to turn my commute into an opportunity to get healthy, save money, and spend time outside,” said Elizabeth Gloor-Bell, a UW masters of environment and business student. She typically commutes around Toronto. “My entire experience as a resident changed when I became a commuter cyclist, and the cycling community is a wonderful one to be a part of.”
Bike Month began in Toronto in 1989 as Bike to Work Day and has since evolved to be observed across Canada. The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, as well as Guelph, hosts a multitude of events throughout June to bring together bikers and cyclists of all ages.
The Sustainability Office has been promoting biking on campus. “Bike Month is the Sustainability Office’s annual celebration of all things cycling and active transport,” said Michelle Angkasa, communications and outreach assistant at the UW Sustainability Office. “Throughout the month, we share tips and resources on how to incorporate cycling into your routine, whether that be by commuting to campus or exploring Waterloo Region. Biking, along with other forms of active transport such as walking, roller skating, and skateboarding, are great zero-carbon ways to get around.”
On June 27, the Sustainability Office held the annual campus Bike Fair. Partners at the fair included Neuron Mobility, WUSA Bike Centre, the Waterloo Cycling Club (WCC), as well as King Street Cycles and Red Racoon Bike Rescue, both of which offered free tune-up services.
Brent Doberstein, associate professor in the department of geography and environmental management, is an avid cyclist and member of the WCC.
“I’ve been involved in the [WCC] now for over 10 years. I first got back into cycling with the club as a way to improve my cardio fitness and soon got into long-distance endurance events called ‘fondos,’ and then racing. I was lucky enough to qualify for Team Canada in the 2013 Maccabiah Games, competing both in the Time Trial and Road Race events where let’s just say, I did not come last,” Doberstein shared.
Since then he has become more involved in building the WCC community, serving as a board member for over five years to help broaden the club’s membership base to include more non-competitive cyclists and social cyclists.
“I help out as a ride leader on the intermediate-level road rides, and I help to build community by planning ‘destination rides’ and putting on post-ride recovery lunches,” Doberstein said.
The UW Cycling Club is another place for all types of cyclers to come together including road bikers, commuters, mountain bikers, fixed gear riders, and cyclocross bikers.
Along with being a good form of physical exercise, there are several other benefits of biking. Biking reduces air pollution generated by other forms of transportation such as cars, along with reducing light and noise pollution also associated with driving, all of which contributes to a healthier environment.
Biking can also help improve mental health. Regular activity, like biking, helps release endorphins that relieve stress and reduce anxiety.
“I have always loved biking; not only is it fun, but it’s also a lot quicker than walking,” said Isabella Mills, an honors English student. “Biking to class and around Waterloo is great, especially with all the bike lanes across Waterloo! My favorite place to bike is the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market. There’s even a bike path that takes you straight there.”
“I’m such a champion of cycling because I think there’s a ‘style’ and approach that fits everyone: there are physical and mental health benefits to all forms of cycling. There are riders in the WCC who have completed 600km single day rides and then there are those who find joy in cycling’s slower, more social side: discovering new bakeries and coffee shops, or riding on farm lanes and singletrack trails with other like-minded cyclists,” Doberstein said.
If you have a bike on campus and are looking to store it, there is a regular bike rack located at the entrance to all main buildings. There are also seven secure bike parking locations across campus. Located at RCH, EV1, NH, M3, E5, and E6, spaces in the bike lockers can be rented for $10 a month plus tax. The bike cage located next to EV3 and ML is the seventh secure storage space also available for use through renting a space which is also $10 a month plus tax. All bike storage spaces are available on a first come first serve basis, with names placed on a waitlist upon reaching full capacity.
Another on-campus bike resource is the WUSA Bike Centre, which operates out of the lower level of the SLC. This student-run service offers rental bikes, bike repairs, and holds bike auctions throughout the terms.
“I encourage all UW students to discover ‘their cycling.’ When I was a kid my friends and I would disappear on our bikes, and we would just ride around our community with no destination or goal in mind, and with a shaky sense of when we should go back home for dinner,” Doberstein said. “What freedom! So anyone reading this … just ride.”
