Hans on the Bike
  • there is a new bike track and a new side walk running from the photographer into the distance along a road. An overlay text says: Visiting the new bike tracks on Byron Ave.

    New Raised Bike Tracks on Byron Ave

    Part of Byron Ave in Ottawa recently went through an integrated road, sewer and watermain upgrade. The city used that as an opportunity to upgrade the road with separate bike infrastructure. Let’s have a look!

  • Time for a new helmet: shall I go urban?

    It was time for me to start looking for a new bicycle helmet. And just like that someone called me and we discussed the Melon helmet this spring and I ended up trying one out. One of the most contentious debates in the world of urban cycling is to wear or not to wear a helmet. While the vast majority of the Dutch absolutely despise the idea, actually can’t even imagine wearing one, the Danes are kind of split about the idea. In Canada it’s generally accepted that you wear a helmet while out on a bike, although there are [Read more…]

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there is a new bike track and a new side walk running from the photographer into the distance along a road. An overlay text says: Visiting the new bike tracks on Byron Ave.

New Raised Bike Tracks on Byron Ave

November 29, 2023 3

Part of Byron Ave in Ottawa recently went through an integrated road, sewer and watermain upgrade. The city used that as an opportunity to upgrade the road with separate bike infrastructure. Let’s have a look!

Time for a new helmet: shall I go urban?

November 12, 2023 6

It was time for me to start looking for a new bicycle helmet. And just like that someone called me and we discussed the Melon helmet this spring and I ended up trying one out. One of the most contentious debates in the world of urban cycling is to wear or not to wear a helmet. While the vast majority of the Dutch absolutely despise the idea, actually can’t even imagine wearing one, the Danes are kind of split about the idea. In Canada it’s generally accepted that you wear a helmet while out on a bike, although there are [Read more…]

Retracing the First Train into Ottawa: the Bytown & Prescott Railway

September 10, 2023 4

Mr. Walter Shanly (1817-1899), a civil engineer, touched the ground to inspect the land underneath his snow shoes. He was on a mission: recently he, and a group of investors, had agreed on building the first railway track into Bytown (now Ottawa), all the way from Prescott on the St. Lawrence river, to connect the lumbertown on the Ottawa River with the ports in Prescott. A distance of about 50 miles (80 km). Not everyone was excited about their plans though and it had taken time to get the funds together. Thomas McKay, who built Rideau Hall, put forward money [Read more…]

photo of Brian Smith at the Hans on the bike little library

My Free Little Library in Ottawa

June 18, 2023 1

Last year I built my own little library. I was nervous it would be vandalised but now, a year later, I can confirm it is a big success. Ottawa’s Transportation Committee will soon discuss new (modest) rules for curb site little libraries.

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