Dear Editor:
(City of North Vancouver) Mayor Darrell Mussatto wants to attract more bike riders in North Vancouver. He checked out a bike lift in Trondheim, Norway and expects that a similar system on Keith Road will encourage more people to bike rather than drive. I understand that it consists of a casing with a slit allowing a cable below the surface to drag a footrest up the hill. After some practice, the cyclist rides up the hill while having the right foot on the footrest.
The system may become popular to fight climate change and North Vancouver is a good place to demonstrate it. Provided that it is also comfortable when bikes carry luggage it could eventually be used to ride in summer to Cypress and Seymour. That would save a lot of fossil fuel. I suggest contacting many companies with experience in cable systems, mention the Trondheim system and ask if they would like to build it, starting with bidding on the Keith Road project.
In Norway the rides are free, paid for by car tolls. That won’t be accepted here. It may be very attractive to older people willing to pay. I would have used such lifts. Younger ones may argue that they don’t need it and rather see the money spent on bike paths. There is also competition from electric bikes.
From 1972 to 1986 I biked on average three times per week from Westlynn to Downtown Vancouver. Less frequently till 1994. When returning via the Lions Gate, the worst hill was the short bend at the top of 23rd Street. When I returned via Second Narrows I faced the Hoskins hill. That is the only hill where, most of the time, I had to get off and walk part way.
I am 86 years old. More than 10 years ago my wife and I bought electric bikes and took them along on road trips in Canada and the U.S. We no longer travel but use our bikes in North Vancouver. I often climb the 23rd Street curve without switching gears. Younger strangers ask questions and say they gave up biking but may go electric. More publication of electric bike features will also attract older riders.
Neil Heesterman
North Vancouver
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