Summer is almost over, but that's not a reason to stash away bikes.
Getting to school by bike is a wonderful opportunity for a family to spend time together and get some exercise. It's also fun. With some preparation and skill, many schools can be reached safely by bike.
The following is a QA with three North Shore students who regularly ride their bikes to school.
What is your favourite part about riding to school?
Elias Nebel (Grade 2, Cleveland elementary): My favourite part about riding to school is I get lots of exercise.
Lauren Schmoll (Grade 2, Canyon Heights elementary): Riding through puddles is my favourite.
Michael Yao (Grade 7, West Bay elementary): The sidewalks and roads are perfect for cycling and are the bike-rests at school.
What is your least favourite part of your ride?
Elias: I fall over sometimes when I ride back home. It is up hill and sometimes I am tired after school. One day, I fell upside down into a hole between grass and a fence. It didn't hurt, but it surprised me very much.
Lauren: Locking up my bike at school.
Michael: Sometimes there are working trucks on Westmount Road that go by and the smell is very bad.
How do you carry stuff for school on your bike?
Elias: I carry stuff in my backpack.
Lauren: In my backpack.
Michael: Since I don't have much stuff to bring to school, I just put them in my backpack. If I need to take lots of stuff to home (like on the last day of school), my mom would just pick me up.
What is your strategy for going up hills?
Elias: I used to walk my bike up hill. Usually I bike slow and steady, but sometimes if there is something exciting happening at home or something I want to do, I go full speed.
Lauren: Sometimes I ride, sometimes I walk, and sometimes my dad pushes me.
Michael: I mainly use two strategies. One of them is to switch to a lower gear and then ride at a steady beat (usually standing up). The other one is that if there is a really steep hill or I am tired, I just stop for a rest and walk my bike up the hill.
Is there anything else you would like to share about biking to school?
Elias: I like riding downhill the most. When it is garbage day, I like swerving around the garbage cans. Along the way, I like riding skinnies (a narrow line or structure) if I see some.
Lauren: It's awesome!
Michael: Biking is one of my favourite sports. I ride with my friends a lot during summer vacation in Stanley Park.
Antje Wahl, Anita Leonhard, Dan Campbell, and Heather Drugge are North Shore residents who use their bikes for transportation. They contribute columns to the North Shore News Live section under the flag Pedal Pushers. Contact: [email protected].
This story originally appeared in the North Shore News special section called Back to Class, which features content related to school and education.
