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Bicycle Life for Me

By | Jun 30, 2011

Oh, summer… My long lost and fickle love. Sometimes I get mad at you for being elusive and such a fair weather friend but I suppose that’s what makes you so sought after. I’ve caught a few fleeting glimpses of your beauty. Enough to keep me dreaming of hot summer nights, cool dips and leisurely bike rides.

My lovely bicycle has been on the road for a couple months now (custom made by a good friend) but it’s always tremendously more enjoyable to commute to and fro when there’s a gentle warm breeze in the air. I’m a big advocate of cycling and embrace any way for the city to jump on board to this way of life. Consequently, I was happy to learn about a new business, I Heart Bikes, allowing cycling enthusiasts to rent bikes by the hour. Located on the waterfront and following in the footsteps of Montreal’s BIXI bikes, this business will be opening on July 1rst. I Heart Bikes has a fleet of ten distinct city style bicycles complete with gingham picnic baskets, fenders and bells. The fact that they have routes mapped out for riders such as the Little Treasures Shopping Tour, the Garden Tour and the Dartmouth Excursion makes it that much more appealing and unique. There is a thoughtful dating service option available with romantic tasks such as flowers, wine and dinner reservations taken care of for you. Gentlemen, take note! This is most definitely a creative and fun way to spoil your deserving lady friend and sweep her off her feet (literally). Or vice versa!

If you already have your own bicycle, maybe all you need is a tune-up to reinvigorate your trusty wheels. If you love to ride but are not savvy with the mechanics of it all (like yours truly), my vote would be visiting the Halifax Cycle Gallery for a summer fix up. For fifty bucks, they go through a pretty long checklist of tightening and sprucing to get your beloved bike back a little well earned TLC.

A pedal pushing sub-culture is slowly but surely gaining momentum in Halifax with more events like HRM Bike Week, concerned groups such as the Halifax Cycling Coalition and an environmentally and sociably responsible delivery service called Halifast Bike Courier hitting the streets.

Even though I’ve almost been squashed a few times trying to ride my bike down Cogswell Street towards Hollis, I’m going to keep on pedaling and hoping for lots of sunny days. A few more bike paths wouldn’t kill us, either (just the opposite, in fact).

Happy Canada Day! Now, get on yer bike….

-Nicole

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