félix

Cyclist: Félix Perron

Hometown: Montreal

Location spotted : Stopped at a fork in the road in Mont-Royal Park

Destination and distance: St-Urbain and Rachel, 4K

Cycling months: From April until the snow comes.

Current ride: A two speed CCM Imperial Mark II. I got from a friend for 40 bucks.

Number bikes stolen: Five or six. This one I haven’t had it stolen yet. That’s why I leave it scrappy.

Number of bike accidents: I had one bike accident where I broke my arm. I was late and going too fast to Côte Vertu. But after that accident, I stopped biking for a couple of years because I was traumatized. For two years I didn’t buy a bike and instead I would get doubled by my friends to get a lift.

When not cycling: I work, I live.

Favourite ride: To go to the top of the mountain.

Thoughts on biking and fashion: I like the style of my bike.

Interesting bike story: Once when biking, I remember feeling really good- like a spiritual happiness.

guillaume

Cyclist: Guillaume Barré

Hometown: Saint-Etienne, France

Location spotted: Locking his bike to a pole off the Clark bike path.

Destination and distance: Home, 15K

Cycling months: All year.

Current ride: A fixed-gear Soma that’s two months old.

First bike: It was a foldable blue bike. I had it when I was three years old.

Number of bikes: Eight

Number bikes stolen: Six or seven in 20 years.

Number of bike accidents: Two, but they were both my fault.

Why do you bike?: To get outside and check out what’s happening.

Biking pet peeve: Cyclists that pedal on the bike path in the wrong direction.

Bike tip: When you’re on your bike, do what you want the cars to do- like stopping at red lights.

zeus

Cyclist: Zeus Maya

Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico

Location spotted: On the corner of Parc and Mont-Royal selling frozen goods

Destination and distance: To Parc Lafontaine, 15K

Current ride: The weird thing about this model is that it has a very fragile braking mechanism. Some of my friends have had the problem of the brakes system going off. I have at least 30 bottles of water with me, so that’s 30 kilos and let’s say another 30 kilos of ice cream. This thing (pats yellow part) weighs another 50 kilos. It’s around 100 kilos to pull.

Number bikes stolen: None, but I’ve had people tell me stories about people who come in and steal your stuff when you go to the bathroom. But I think it’s all urban legend in Montreal. I think no one really steals ice cream from the ice-cream man.

Number of bike accidents: Yes many, but not a big accident.

When not cycling: I’m here in Montreal because I like to check out the weird mix of human diversity that’s happening.

Favourite ride: Going to the Old Port.

Discovery through biking: I’ve had great insightful moments where I’ve understood that when you are moving at a slower pace in the city, you get a chance to see little moments like a sunset, a family spending time in the park, or some guy jogging in the streets. You get a chance to see those details more and I think you have a chance to be more in the present if you want.Notable quotable: In reality, I’m a sugar pusher.

martin

Cyclist: Martin Renière

Hometown: Trois-Rivières, QC

Location spotted : Coming up a trail on Mont-Royal

Destination and distance: To the back trails on Mont-Royal, 2K.

Cycling months: All year

Current ride: Marin double suspension mountain bike. I ride my road bike to get to work, and mountain bike on the weekends.

Number bikes stolen: None

Number of bike accidents: One big accident, and at least two or small ones.

When not cycling: I work for a bike parts distributor.

Favourite ride: I don’t have one. There are too many interesting trails for me.

Thoughts on biking and fashion: I have a fixed-gear bike, but I’m not into the style that goes around with it. I’m not really into bike fashion.

Number of years biking: Ten years and four years mountain biking.

Dream bike: A cross-country bike a bit like the one I have today.

Discovery through biking: I’m a biology student, so each time I’m on the trails, there’s something new. If I’m going at a relaxed pace, there’s mushrooms, trees or just the sounds of the birds.

Why do you bike? To push myself, and for the nature.

jeff

Cyclist: Jeff McMahon

Hometown: Portland, OR

Location spotted: Playing night bike polo

Destination and distance: From the Mile-End to Pointe Sainte-Charles, 8K.

Cycling months: All months

First bike: A blue, 20-inch BMX Current ride: A mid-80’s Venture frame that came from an auction. I stripped it down because everything was bad on it. I paid maybe 10 bucks for the frame.

Number of bikes: Five working ones.

Number bikes stolen: Three. The last one I got back. It happened the first month I came to Montreal last year. A month later after I had given up on it, I saw someone walking it down the street. I confronted them, started describing everything on the bike so they would know that I’m just not trying to pull a fast one on them. They very happily returned it to me. It was very non-confrontational.

Number of bike accidents: I quit counting. When not cycling: I’m fixing bikes and trying to feed myself.

Favourite ride: Riding in downtown Portland from the North side is pretty fun.

Thoughts on biking and fashion: They go pretty well together. A lot of people have developed their fashion to be practical while cycling and that’s cool.

Number of years biking: 18 out of 24.

Dream bike: A real old lugged classic Italian frame.

Discovery through biking: I came to Quebec a year ago and hadn’t really left the city until this summer and I found hills in Shawinigan a couple of weeks ago…Montreal is pretty flat. Why do you bike: I like staying fit and active. I enjoy riding in traffic and around people. It’s kind of like an obstacle course.

Biking pet peeve: Low tire pressure.

Bike Tip: Use lubricant on your chain and use it often. Wipe your chain after you’re done lubing it, otherwise it will pick up dirt and sand and stuff.

dayne

Cyclist: Dayne Waterlow

Hometown: Nelson, B.C.

Location spotted: Playing night bike polo

Destination and distance: From home to arena, .5K

Cycling months: All year

First bike: A white BRC. It had 12-inch wheels and in the winter I took the ski off my GT and put it on the front and rode around the block.

Current ride: It was my dad’s first road bike and he gave it to me. It was in bad shape. Now it’s my polo bike and it’s slightly dangerous. It has a cardboard front disc wheel.

Number of bikes: 9 bikes. I don’t have a garage, but I put them in my kitchen. (BBS: How do you cook in your kitchen?) Around my bikes. I don’t need to eat in there. I sit on a bike and eat if I need.

Number bikes stolen: One, and it was my fault.

Number of bike accidents: Lots, and lots of scars.

When not cycling: I’m a bicycle mechanic and I like to build things like airplanes out of balsa wood, guitar amplifiers, computers…anything nerdy.

Dream bike: That’s an impossible question because you have to be more specific on the genre…Dream polo bike would be an actual track version of the one I have now, but it wouldn’t fall apart.

Discovery through biking: I found a bear cave once. It was very scary. We crawled in it, then we saw bear footprints in the mud. So we went out as quick as we could.

Why do you bike: I don’t have a driver’s license and it’s easier to get around, faster more fun and good exercise.

Biking pet peeve: Cars- mostly cabbies.Bike Tip: Don’t follow the trends. Don’t get a fixed-gear and watch where you’re going.

nathaniel

Cyclist: Nathaniel Watson

Hometown: Boston, MA, but lived in Montreal for 14 years

Location spotted: Jeanne Mance park

Destination and distance: Going home after flatting on Mont-Royal, 1K

Cycling months: As long as there’s no snow, salt or grit on the road.

First bike: Of my life?…His name was Clyde. I painted him gold and he had big fat tires. I was 10 years old. My first 10-speed was by an English company named Dawes. I think I got it from my brother. But my brother being my brother didn’t give it to me, he sold it to me even though I was only 12.

Current ride: An amber ale Seven. I bought this bike because I wanted to conquer the Pyrenees.
Number bikes: I had six until recently.

Number bikes stolen: I had a bike stolen this summer in Vancouver. I haven’t lost a bike in 30 years.

Interesting bike stories: Somebody shot at me in Oregon and missed- a real bike-by shooting. You have to watch out for the old pick-up trucks. I’ve ridden across the U.S. twice, and anytime you see an old pick-up truck, you gotta assume they don’t like you, they’re angry, you have more leisure time than they do so they resent that and have a gun inside, at least one.

When not cycling: I’m a professional classical singer

Favourite Ride: I love the Northwestern States it’s really gorgeous.

Thoughts on biking and fashion: I have no sense about fashion. I never think about it. I ignore it.

Dream bike: A Serotta

Why do you bike: It makes me happy.

Biking pet peeve: Rollerbladers. They’re skating really wide and oblivious to anything that’s going on around them. But I like skating too.

Bike tips: One thing I use for touring is that I carry extra spokes and I hide them inside the seat post and you keep them in with a cork from a wine bottle.