From Steering Wheel to Handlebars: My First Winter Cycling in Montreal (And Why I’ll Never Go Back)

Last October, when I told my colleagues I was planning to bike through the winter, they thought I’d lost it. “Tu es complètement fou,” my cubicle neighbor Marc laughed, shaking his head while sipping his Tim’s. My partner was even more direct: “You’re going to freeze to death.”

Spoiler alert: I didn’t freeze. Instead, I discovered something that completely changed how I experience Montreal’s winters. But let me back up a bit.

The Breaking Point

It wasn’t some environmental epiphany that pushed me to try winter cycling. It was the mind-numbing frustration of spending 45 minutes trying to dig out my car after the February storm last year, only to find there was no parking at work anyway. That, and the $180 parking ticket I got during the snow removal operation because I misread the signs (again).

After calculating that I’d spent over $400 on parking tickets alone last winter, not counting gas and the gym membership I barely used, I decided something had to change. Plus, watching those winter cyclists zoom past me while I sat in traffic on Rue St-Denis was starting to feel like they knew something I didn’t.

The Real Talk About Gear (Without the Sales Pitch)

Here’s the thing nobody tells you about winter cycling gear – you probably already own most of what you need. Those expensive “winter cycling” jackets? Your regular winter jacket works fine. The key is layers, not specialized gear. The only things I actually had to buy were:

• Bar mitts (those weird handlebar mittens) – $40 from a guy on Marketplace
• Studded front tire – $89 new (worth every penny)
• Ski goggles from Sports Experts when they were on sale – $35

The rest was stuff I already had: my regular winter boots, snow pants from that one time I tried skiing at Mont-Tremblant, and enough layers to make me look like the Michelin Man.

The First Week (AKA The Learning Curve)

My first ride in December was… interesting. I overdressed and arrived at work sweating like I’d just done hot yoga. The next day, I underdressed and couldn’t feel my toes by the time I reached Jean-Talon. But here’s what nobody tells you – your body figures it out surprisingly quickly. By week two, I knew exactly what to wear for different temperatures.

The biggest surprise? The winter cycling paths are often clearer than the roads. The REV on St-Denis? Pristinely maintained. Better yet, no more waiting for the 80 bus on Parc Avenue or getting sardined on the orange line.

The Truth About Winter Cycling

Let me dispel some myths:

It’s not just for athletes. I’m the person who gets winded going up the stairs at Berri-UQAM station. If I can do it, trust me, you can too.

It’s not as cold as you think. The biggest challenge isn’t the cold – it’s overheating. You generate so much heat while cycling that -10°C feels comfortable with basic layers. (Though I’ll admit, those -25°C days in January tested my commitment.)

You don’t need an expensive bike. I use the same beaten-up Hybrid I bought used three years ago. Just add a studded front tire and keep your chain lubed.

The Unexpected Benefits

Nobody warned me about the side effects. My winter depression? Gone. Those extra holiday pounds? Melted away without a single visit to the gym. But the best part? Winter became something to enjoy rather than endure. There’s something magical about cycling down a snow-covered Rachel Street at dawn, when the city is still quiet and the snow reflects the streetlights.

Six Months Later…

That car I was so worried about leaving behind? I sold it in March. Between BIXI, winter cycling, and the occasional Communauto, I realized I didn’t need it. The money I saved on parking and gas alone paid for a weekend trip to New York.

The Real Talk

Is winter cycling for everyone? Probably not. There are days when the weather is truly brutal, and I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve taken the metro instead. But for anyone who’s tired of winter traffic, expensive parking, or just wants to experience Montreal winters differently, it’s worth trying.

Start small. Pick a nice day after the plows have gone through. Take the REV from Rosemont to downtown. Feel what it’s like to arrive at work energized instead of drained from traffic. You might just find yourself joining the growing number of us who discovered that winter cycling isn’t crazy – it’s actually kind of amazing.

And if you see me out there next winter, bundled up and probably slightly overdressed, give me a wave. I’ll be the one with the huge smile under my ski goggles, still amazed that it took me this long to try it.

Some Actually Useful Tips

For those thinking of trying it:

Start in November, not January. Your learning curve will thank you.

Follow the winter cycling community on Instagram – they post real-time updates about path conditions and share genuinely useful tips.

Keep your bike inside if possible. A cold bike is an unhappy bike.

And most importantly? Ignore the skeptics. A year ago, I was one of them. Now, I can’t imagine winter any other way.

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P.S. – To the guy in the Canada Goose jacket who yelled “T’es malade!” at me while I was cycling up St-Laurent in February: I made it to Jean-Talon Market before you did. Just saying.