Not Just Bikes
10 HN recommenders · recommended in 18 months, 2021–2026
15:14 · 3.3M views · Jan 25, 2021
Not Just Bikes argues that winter is not what stops Canadians cycling, using Oulu, Finland as proof that safe, well-maintained cycling infrastructure enables year-round biking despite harsh weather.
HN links it whenever someone claims cold or snow rules out cycling, as the concise rebuttal that infrastructure and maintenance decide it.
20 comments from Hacker News
> I’m an avid cyclist, but here in Ottawa for half the year it’s -20C and the roads are treacherous. The Not Just Bikes channel, produced by an ex-pat Canadian, has a video asking why can't people in Canada cycle in the winter if the folks in Finland can? > When talking about bicycle infrastructure in Canada, the number one excuse I hear is "winter." Many Canadians see the cold and snow as a fundamental barrier to year round cycling. But one city, Oulu in Finland, with winter weather worse than most Canadian cities, shows that winter cycling has nothing to do with the weather, and everything to do with safe cycling infrastructure. […] * this video
Here’s a video with more about why biking in the cold and snow isn’t as bad as we make it out to be: this video The gist is, like usual, biking in the snow is fine when the infrastructure is equipped to make it an effective mode of transportation. It would suck most places in North America because there is next to no dedicated bike infrastructure besides painted gutters. Those obviously don’t get plowed correctly, so it’s terrible. When the major problems like that are handled, it’s fine.
Can't speak to e-scooters in particular, but cold weather gets cited as a problem for bikes as well, so thought I'd bring this up: for bikes at least it's as much of a question of infrastructure priorities as it is the weather itself. Plenty of people bike in places with much colder weather than New York all the time: this video ...they just have safe paths to ride on, and those paths get maintained. (So: not a painted bike lane that all the snow gets shoveled into.)
"Why Canadians Can't Bike in the Winter (but Finnish people can)" - this video > When talking about bicycle infrastructure in Canada, the number one excuse I hear is "winter." Many Canadians see the cold and snow as a fundamental barrier to year round cycling. But one city, Oulu in Finland, with winter weather worse than most Canadian cities, shows that winter cycling has nothing to do with the weather, and everything to do with safe cycling infrastructure.
Weather isn't the biggest determinant of cycling usage (and that probably applies to walking too): "Why Canadians can't bike in the winter but Finnish people can" this video The scene with the line of tiny bikes parked outside the school in the middle of winter is particularly striking. I've biked through all weathers but even for me that seems like something that wouldn't be possible, but apparently is with a bit of organisation.