Photo Credit: TakeoMckinnon
I have never been a particularly big cyclist. As a child, I loved it. I would spend hours on my bike riding up and down the streets of my neighborhood, often singing a made-up song at the top of my lungs. Since I grew out of that phase some ten odd years ago I haven’t biked a whole lot. In fact, my sister recently threw out my old bike, which had been given to my niece. Old and rusty, and slightly too big for her for this year, they opted to buy her something that’s at least in working shape.
I came over once when they had all of the bikes out and I had an opportunity to take my old two-pedal for a spin. I had forgotten how fun it was to bike.
Since that day I’ve been entertaining the notion of using a bike in the city. Coincidentally, this spring the Bixi program is rolling out. I was amazed at the number of stations that have been installed in the last few days. There are sixty in all! And that’s just the initial roll-out. Seeing so many of these little red dots gives me a thrill. If this program actually works, there could be Bixi stations all across the city (maybe even as far flung as the Beaches? One can only hope.)
I must admit: I was skeptical when the announcement of the program first came in the wintertime of last year. They had to scrape together 1,000 memberships before it was approved, so it felt like every single person counted. And of course, being the apathetic wench late-adopter that I am, I didn’t buy a membership then.
After seeing the program in action on the streets of Paris last year, I have to say that I’m curious. My habits as a consumer skew towards having something to immediately see and touch (that’s why I rarely shop online). Now that they’re here, I’m going to give the bikes a test-drive.
Olga of Toronto. Writer, jazz singer and a saucy wench to boot! 
Alex
/ May 13, 2011It’s something I’m excited to try this summer, though cycling in the Big City is a little scary.
One of the highlights of Matt’s bachelor party weekend was riding these bikes in Montreal.