Ideas Why winter does not justify ditching your bike for driving
Feb 17, 2026
Sarah Goodyear, journalist and transit advocate, and Doug Gordon, urban policy writer, discuss policies to reduce car dependence. Tom Howell, producer who sold his car to bike winters in Montreal, narrates his winter cycling experiment. They explore winter cycling routines, infrastructure limits like snow clearing, political tactics for reallocating road space, and how social norms can make year-round biking viable.
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Year-Round Cyclist Returns To Basics
- Ana Ziza bikes year-round in Montreal, uses studded tires, and avoids riding immediately after heavy snow.
- She values freedom, savings from not owning a car, and says cleared bike lanes make winter riding manageable.
Infrastructure Breaks The Winter Excuse
- Winter cycling exposes weaknesses in car-centric city design and reveals potential for mode shift.
- If cities build permanent year-round bike infrastructure, discomfort for cyclists falls and adoption rises.
Create Continuous Protected Routes
- Build more continuous, protected bike corridors to make winter cycling practical for everyday trips.
- Prioritize quick, low-cost interventions like protected lanes and bike highways to increase year-round use.
