Why Sydney (Cape Breton) is a Great Place to Ride a Bicycle

This may come as a shock but Sydney is a great place to ride a bicycle.

I am not a professional cyclist.  I don't ride a super fast ultra light road bike.  I don't wear spandex or fancy cycling shoes.  I can't do a wheelie or ride without holding onto the handlebars.  But still I don't hesitate when I say that Sydney is a great place to ride a bike.

• Cars are very nice to cyclists.  Sure not every car is going to give a meter of space when passing but most do.  I find as long as cars see me they give me space and often even yield to me at when I don't have the right of way.   
• We have some great bike routes for commuters and shoppers.   Obviously we have a long way to go but the George St. Bike lanes, Spar road and the new multi-use path from CBU to Glace Bay make cycling downtown,  to the mall or to the University a breeze. 

Challenges of riding a bike in Sydney

The Sydney Shopping Centre bike rack options.

• Surprising lack of good bike racks.   
• It's not the rain, it's the wind.  With proper rain gear and good brakes (e.g. Disc brakes!) it can actually be fun riding in the rain but riding against hurricane strength winds is not fun.   When deciding whether to ride the bus or bike a good look at the wind forecast can help! 
• Potholes and loose gravel.  We all know what condition our roads are in.  For year-round biking on all kinds of terrain including pot-hole ridden roads I choose a Fat Bike.  It might be over the top in the summer months where a hybrid or gravel bike will do fine.
• Winter.  Don't let this discourage you.  They make studded tires for bikes too.  And OMG they are wonderful.  I can ride on glare ice without a problem.   And biking warms you right up!  So really winter isn't that much of a challenge.  

Snow covered trail no problem.