People of Bike Town
Carla Hills - Host
I grew up in a small town outside of Calgary, and first remember riding my bike up and down the road we lived on and through the townhouse complex across the road. Nicknamed my “Harley Davidson” by a friends Dad, my gold spray painted coaster brake wonder was my first glimpse into mobility freedom. I stopped riding in my teenage years and early 20s, but once I lived downtown Calgary I picked it up again, along with an interest in what bikes can bring to the dynamic of a city. The bicycle is now my main form of transportation, and biggest source of fun through the rides themselves and the great people I’ve met in this little Bike Town on the prairie.
You can find me on Twitter and Instagram @bikeasana
Sean Carter - Host
My childhood cycling experience started in a suburban neighborhood in Etobicoke, Ontario. I rode my bike to get to school, my grandparents house, to parks that were too far to walk, and eventually expanded out to explore the parks and pathways in the west end and waterfront of downtown Toronto. I've cycled all over Vancouver, Toronto, Mississauga , Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, The Netherlands, France, Italy, and California. I'm passionate about having fun on a bike, whether that be through group rides or bike polo, and I love connecting with the community of urban cyclists in Calgary.
Connect with me @TheCritninja on Twitter and @bikebikeyyc on Instagram.
Ben Cowie - Producer
I grew up riding my bike around my suburban neighborhood in London, Ontario. My bike was my freedom to get to my friends' houses, to baseball practice, and to explore the parks and pathways in the western part of town. In my adult life my bike is still my favorite way to get around a city. I've lived, worked, and cycled in Hamilton, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Boston, and Berlin, and as a result have seen what works and what doesn't in each of these places. I'm optimistic at how fast our little city on the prairie is changing, and how we've become a Bike Town in the seven years I've called Calgary home.
Connect with me @benjamincowie on Twitter and @snowandscience on Instagram.
Overheard at Bike Town
“In 2015, a few crazy aquarians came together to create Bike Town. We wanted to tell the story of a prairie city that became an urban cycling center in 2013 with the installation of a cycle track network in the downtown core.”
“We are all passionate about using bicycles to transform the urban experience. We want to help you, and your town become Bike Town.”
“We saw the rapid transformation of Calgary into a cycling city as a chance to tell our story. We believe our story is representative of many North American cities. Our town is Bike Town. Your town is Bike Town.”
“When I took the plunge I lost about fifty pounds, which was way beyond my goal. I felt literally a decade younger, and I was sold”
“As a teenager I became very dependent on my bicycle as a means for getting around town. It was my freedom ... when I lived in Japan for a few years, my bicycle became my means of getting to and from university, work, the grocery store. It became my normal day to day life, and I loved it. When I came back to Calgary it was one of the things that I missed and thought, ‘you can’t do that here.’ What pushed me back cycling again in Calgary was not wanting to carry my milk, and wanting to be outside in my community.”
Bike Town Stats
Population – 1.2 million
Length of cycletracks – 5 km
Length of painted lanes – 35 km
Length of multi-use trails – 821 km
Local Bike Shops
Our Bike-loving Friends
Bike Calgary
City of Calgary
Cyclepalooza
Two-Wheel View
Bike Root
HUB
Edmonton Commuters
CAN-BIKE
Header photo by @SteveCoutts