In this series we stop people along the bike lanes in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»and have chats with them about their thoughts on cycling, their bikes, and more. Have a look at the archive .
Name : Katie
Bike's Name : Bluebell
Where are you off to?
A dentist appointment. Even though its on Arbutus, I like to take the bike lane [10th Ave] whenever possible.
Tell me a little about your bike :
It's a Tanbo which is a Japanese bike and it has a nice kickstand [that reaches over the back tire on both sides], and a bike light generator so I never have to worry about bringing my light. I also had to have decorative sparklies and a basket. She's lovely. I got her from the bike shop on Main and 7th and before that I had a crappy bike from Craigslist that didn't work very well. It totally makes the difference riding this new one.
Tell me about your daily commute?
Well I am not working at the moment, but typically when I was working I would bike there every day because it was easier and saves a lot of money. I've only been biking for 3 or 4 years, but its been a great way to get around the city. I find Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»is so bike friendly.
Are you from Vancouver?
No, I moved here from LA 3 years ago. I tried biking there and it was treacherous. There are so many cars and no bike lanes available so when I moved here I realized that it's so much easier to get around by bike and it just makes sense.
Where do you like to bike most in Vancouver?
I love the trees along 10th and 12th, and I love the seawall. It's just quintessentially Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»and it's one of the reasons why I moved here. Just seeing the reflections on the water at night and you can see so many other people out and about. It's a great community.
What would you like to see changed about cycling in Vancouver?
A little more accessibility downtown. I know that the crime rate is quite high for bike theft, which is unfortunate. So sometimes, especially when I am going to the East side I tend not to ride my bike just because there just isn't a secure place to lock up. So probably more secure locking places which I noticed that they are doing at the new Main Street Skytrain station.
