bixi is easy, affordable, fun

There are times when I want to get from one end of Montreal to the other, and I don’t want to go underground. I don’t want to deal with parking or spend money on a cab - and it would take too long to walk.

Enter Bixi, the city’s new bike rental program. It’s easy, affordable (especially if you’re doing lots of short to’s and fro’s), and fun.

The bikes themselves are sturdy beasts, with lightweight aluminum frames, and wide tires that make cobblestones navigable and take the sting out of stormwater grates. Seats are wide, and the padded handlebars upright - making balance easy.

Shifting is easy, too - flick your wrist to turn a ring and change the gears. Unless you’re climbing Mont Royal, you don’t need any more than the three gears provided.

And the simple system leaves your left hand free to work the bell. This comes in handy near the Science Center, where cyclists and pedestrians mix liberally, and at intersections throughout the city, where the added twist to the mix is turning cars.

The sloping down tube and chain guard make the bikes rideable in just about any attire, and thanks to a taut bungee cord incorporated into the basket, knapsacks, shopping bags and maps are securely contained.

I can’t say enough about the bike path. Over 500 km of gently sloping, paved paths connect the main areas of the city, making it a cinch to get where you need to go - and beyond.

We took two bikes from Parc de la Fontaine one sunny Tuesday morning, jumped on the bike path, and sailed down to Ateliers et Saveurs in Old Montreal for a noon-time class.

We wandered the tiny streets in the Old City, then explored Ile de Notre Dame and Parc Jean Drapeau, saw Habitat 67 up close, and got great views of La Ronde. Later, we ambled through Hochelaga Maisonneuve and saw the Olympic stadium from the sidewalk.

In most cases, we moved more quickly than we would have in a car. And knowing that we could get places under our own steam, while helping ease smog and congestion, made the experience downright exhilarating.

Our only snafus came when we tried to return the bikes - and in the end the fault was mine. If I had read the 20+ pages of info on the touch screen before renting the bikes, we would have known that if there are no empty parking spaces for a return, you can get 15 additional minutes free, while you try another station. Push the symbol with the clock and the + sign.

There is also a map at most stations, so you don’t have to memorize their locations, as we attempted. And the docks don’t all work: if you try to slide a bike into an an empty spot and it won’t lock, you’ll need to find another dock that does.

We used the bike as both taxi (short hop) and tour bus (two hours at a time). Pricing favors the former. The first 30 minutes of use is free, so our credit card was billed for each additional half hour of the longer trips.

A hardy commuter advised us to avoid the charges by returning the bikes to a new station every 25 minutes, then taking new wheels. But we figured it would probably have cost us as much to rent a bike for the day, and we wouldn’t have had the flexibility that Bixi offers.

Do you cycle in Montreal?  Do you use the Bixi system?  Share your experience!