Despite some snow in the forecast this week, Bixi’s spring has begun. This is the earliest season debut in the bike-share service’s 15-year history.
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The hardiest of Montreal cyclists already know that winter’s salt, ice and snow can take their toll on a bike’s chains and gears.
However, Bixi, the not-so-little bikes that could, performed better than expected during its first full winter outdoors.
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Christian Vermette, the director general of the non-profit bike-sharing service partially funded by the city, said he was surprised by how well the bikes held up during the pilot project.
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“We replace the chains anyway, so that wasn’t a problem, but we were very, very surprised and happy with how the bicycles responded,” Vermette said. “So far, we have had no problems.”
Obviously, warmer than average temperatures helped, but the winter test run was so successful that Bixi aims to make its bikes available again next winter, and the company is mulling expanding the territory. A decision on next winter will only be made after this past winter’s full report has been done.
Despite some snow in the forecast this week, Bixi’s spring has begun. Bikes became available at stations in the central parts of the city on Tuesday afternoon, and by next Monday, roughly 85 per cent of the bikes will be at their stations before the official Bixi season opening on April 15. It’s the earliest season debut for Bixi in its 15-year history.
Memberships for the Spring/Summer/Fall Bixi season are already on sale at a discounted rate until April 15, and year-round Bixi memberships are in the works. Last year, those who wished to bike through the winter had to purchase monthly memberships or pay per use.
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Bixi was also surprised by the enthusiasm of Montrealers after the official end of the season. Here are some statistics shared at Tuesday’s official launch:
- There were 576,000 users of the Bixi service last year, accounting for nearly one in four Montrealers
- There were 53,000 unique users of Bixi during the winter period after Nov. 15, logging 467,000 trips in total — double the company’s estimate
- Roughly 65 per cent of those who rode Bixi during those months were cycling in the winter for the first time
- About 24 per cent of last year’s members have already renewed their seasonal memberships, which is roughly double the usual number
The winter Bixis, outfitted with studded tires and extra grips on the pedals, are being taken out of circulation over the next few days and will continue to be replaced by regular Bixis by April 15.
This year, Bixi will start phasing out all its original bikes, including the bikes that were part of the original fleet when it launched 15 years ago. It will take roughly seven years to replace the whole fleet with Quebec-made bikes from PBSC Urban Solutions, and the bike parts will be recycled when taken out of circulation. Their frames will be melted down so the material can be reused.
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Sophie Mauzerolle, the city’s executive committee member responsible for mobility, said Bixi has helped spread the love of cycling to all Montrealers, and the Plante administration is working to make cycling even more attractive by adding significantly to its bike network.
This year, the city will focus on building more dedicated bicycle paths that have physical separations from cars.
Among the projects in the pipeline for this year are:
- Phase two of the Henri-Bourassa Blvd. REV
- A protected bike path on Terrebonne St. in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
- Extending the secure bike path on Côte-Ste-Catherine Rd. to Mount Royal, a project that includes revamping the Parc Ave. and Mont-Royal Ave. intersection to make it safer
- The first phase of the Jean-Talon REV — a long-term project the city aims to connect to the eventual extension of Cavendish Blvd.
Bixi intends to share more information about its winter season and the impact on operations once a full report has been conducted by its internal teams. The pilot project technically runs until April 15, the beginning of the season.
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