A run-down of what makes Guelph such a great place to ride a bicycle

Nicole Elsasser

As a first year student there’s certainly the temptation to never leave campus. And then, should you choose to go outside the boundaries of 50 Stone Road East, there’s that handy universal bus pass that allows students to go anywhere within the Guelph city limits for one flat per semester fee.

But regardless of both of these conveniences, Guelph is a wonderful city to ride a bike.

“In Guelph there are decent bike paths along major roads and trails all the way up to the lake and at the lake,” said avid cyclist and University of Guelph student Rashaad Bhamjee. “There are lots of places to go and there are lots of people on bikes. Guelph is probably one of the friendlier cities I’ve ever [biked] in.”

Along with having designated bike lanes on roads often used by students, the city of Guelph has gone the extra mile to ensure that all buses have bike racks on the front of them to allow cyclists to store their bicycles in the racks while they ride of the bus.

On campus, there are a large number of bike racks, both outside of residence halls and in front of other campus buildings. Some racks are even equipped with pavilions to keep the lucky bikes that get to them early enough in the day dry.  

While Guelph is a very bike friendly city and the U of G campus even more so, bike theft does happen frequently on campus. This being said, according to Guelph Police Sergeant Doug Pflug, there are precautions that can be taken to protect your bike from being stolen other than simply locking it up with a good, solid lock.

“Park your bike in a well-lit area and park it in a designated rack if you can because there’s a lot of volume,” said Pflug. “Periodically check on it because sometimes people leave their bikes for three or four days and then they come back to find that it’s gone.”

Though, don’t let the grim side of having a bicycle at school scare you off from riding in Guelph. Through the Central Student Association, a centre aptly named The Bike Centre is stocked with used bike parts and tools to allow U of G students to build themselves a bike free of charge and with the assistance and expertise of student volunteers. If building a bike seems a little beyond you, Guelph boasts a number of great bike shops sure to have a bicycle to suit your exact specifications.

Many say that the best way to know a city is by riding a bicycle through it. Take some time out of your busy first year of university and explore the city from the saddle of a bike.

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