Cycling in Canadian Cities

As Zygg is scheduled to take their Subscription E-bikes “on the road”, so to speak, expanding to more Canadian cities in 2022, it is a terrific time to check out what is happening in cycling news across the country. One way of staying connected to the Canadian cycling network is to follow the movements of Vélo Canada Bikes (CanadaBikes.org) whose mission is:

“To encourage Canadian residents and visitors of all ages to cycle more often for transportation, recreation and touring by making cycling attractive, safe, accessible and convenient across the country.” With a mandate:

“To significantly increase cycling infrastructure and ridership across Canada by providing a strong national presence and a reasoned voice for cycling.”

This past September, Vélo Canada Bikes’ tireless advocacy contributed to the Federal Government’s new Active Transportation Strategy. Learn more about the details.

Let’s take a look at cycling highlights from West to East:

VANCOUVER

Boasting some of the most extensive cycling infrastructure in Canada, (450 km of lanes!!!) commuting via bike or e-bike in Vancouver has grown exponentially over the past decade. The mild weather and breathtaking beauty make it a natural fit for those wanting to embrace an active, healthy lifestyle. Destination Vancouver has the pulse of cycling culture in Vancouver with key trips / tours, maps, and events.

Pleasure riders are delighted with the recently completed, separated-cycling-lanes in the massively popular Stanley Park. The new (seasonal) lanes provide for physically separated lanes on the main roadways into & out of the park, allowing for loops throughout for experienced riders and a more casual, slower-paced cycling lane for cyclists and pedestrians along the Seawall. Maps of the new routes are posted as well as a call-for-feedback from those presently using the lanes so improvements can be designed for next year with the hopes of becoming permanent.

HUB Cycling is an organisation dedicated to cycling education, events and action to facilitate improvements to cycling culture in Metro Vancouver. To elevate confidence, safety and knowledge in adults new to biking, they are presently offering a Streetwise Cycling Online course. Visit their website to register: They are also very active on Instagram @hubcycling 

EDMONTON

The City of Edmonton has just launched an addition to their  “Room to Move” mandate which, earlier this year, dedicated an additional 10 km of streets for pedestrian and cyclists’ use. As of September 30th, motorists must move over at least one metre on roads with a speed limit of 60 km/h or less and 1.5 metres on roads over 60 km/h when passing cyclists. Failure to do so could result in a fine of $250. For Alberta Cycling Coalition co-chair Aaron Schooler, this distance requirement will make him feel safer while riding on city streets and is encouraged that it will boost the comfort level of other cyclists. Schooler said he has been brushed by vehicles on his way home many times, a scary situation he hopes to now avoid.

“I think it will make a big difference in the confidence that cyclists have in getting around the city and where they need to go because bike lanes don’t take you everywhere. It’s important to increase ridership and for people who may be choosing whether to cycle or not on the roads, maybe they choose not to because they think it’s unsafe. So I think this will make a big difference in that,” Schooler said in an interview with Postmedia.

For workshops, advocacy, repairs, sales (new and used bikes and ebikes) check out Bike Edmonton, a non-profit that was formed way back in 1980!

WINNIPEG

Bike Winnipeg’s motto is ”More People Biking More Often!”. They envision a city “ where every road is safe for cycling, all bike paths are connected, and riding a bike is commonplace and always fun.” They have an excellent calendar of events for historical rides, self-guided tours and volunteering opportunities. They also offer this cool service called “Bike Valet”, whereby they transport and install temporary bike-racks for parks, concerts, festivals, private and corporate parties etc., so more people will choose biking as their preferred mode of transportation.

MONTRÉAL

Zygg is very proud that our most popular e-bikes in our fleet are made in Canada by Velec whose headquarters are based in the Montréal suburb of Verdun.

Montréalers have always been serious and à la mode mode about cycling the city. It is in their DNA. BIXI Montréal, launched in 2009, was the first-ever, large-scale, bike sharing system in North America. With 680 docking stations, 8400 bikes, Bixi has an annual ridership of nearly 6 million!

When not hosting the annual Formula 1 Grand Prix Canada (since 1978), The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is 4,361 m of well-maintained, smooth asphalt, where inline skaters, road- cyclists, and runners come to train. The Cycle B repair truck is set up at the “hair-pin” turn offering free service on all bike repairs.

À la mode: Vélo Lifestyle has a flagship store called Allo Vélo Café & Boutique in Griffintown, with an ultra-hip espresso bar, repair shop, bike store (including cargo bikes and ebikes) and chic clothing sales. They have a sister outpost in the Grandview-Woodland area of Vancouver.

If you are cycling in La Belle Ville, access resources and maps of the 350 + km of lanes the city has to offer from Ça Roule Montréal If you are cycling via e-bike, and able to travel faster and further, get inspired by the over 3000 km of bikeways in the Greater Montréal area highlighted by Vélo Québec.

OTTAWA

Ottawa is considered to be one of the most bike-friendly cities in Canada, with over 800 km of recreational pathways in the Nation’s Capital and out into the environs, lined with bakeries, wineries, breweries and gorgeous nature. If you are only in Ottawa for a visit, there are several bike rental companies in place which offer rentals by the hour, day or week. The Sight-Seeing Cycling Route is a relatively flat, leisurely ride through downtown, passing parts of The Rideau Canal, The Bytown Museum, Parliament Hill, The Canadian Museum of History and The National Gallery.

WATERLOO

In 2018, Waterloo became the first mid-sized city in Ontario recognized as a Gold Bicycle Friendly Community. The City of Waterloo has cycling programs, bike parking, bike share & e-scooter links, and maps of Waterloo’s 230 km of bike lanes, trails and signed bike-routes.

HALIFAX

The cool thing about cycling in Halifax (as a local or a tourist) is that the city’s compact layout makes it accessible, safe, dynamic and fun to explore by bike. They do not have a bike share nor ebike subscription program like Zygg (yet!). However, there are established rental outlets, like I Heart Bikes Halifax, which offer cruisers, gear, and tours, including those via e-bike. Although much of the focus is on the fabulous waterfront, Point Pleasant Park in the city’s southern point, is a great picnicking destination. Further afield, across the MacDonald Bridge (or via ferry) to Dartmouth, cycle down to Cole Harbour and then meander through the jewel of The Salt Marsh Trails which are teaming with wildlife. 

What are your favourite places to bike in your own city or when visiting others? Post a comment and tag #BikeFriendlyCanada or #NationalCyclingStrategy with highlights.

Propelled into the Spotlight - Zygg Electrifies Dragons' Den

Family, friends and staff have gathered for a celebratory dinner and viewing party at the Zygg West warehouse in Parkdale to watch CEO Kevin McLaughlin face The Dragons on the season premiere of CBC’s Dragons’ Den. Kevin, accompanied by Zygg COO Devin McDonald, entered the studios at the end of May, however, it is only now that we are able to get a frank, insider’s perspective on what went down from Kevin, himself:

“Starting a new venture is hard,” Kevin confides, “and doing it in the middle of a pandemic adds a layer or two of weird. One of the key tasks for a founder / CEO is to make sure that the business has enough cash to grow, which means I am always looking out for new investors, lenders and ways to grow my network. I don’t remember how, but I saw the call for Dragons’ Den last winter, and applied online. It’s a simple application to start, followed, in COVID-protocol-times, by a video interview by a few producers, where they check out your product/service and your pitch - - I guess to make sure it will work on TV and especially in the mix of startups in the Dragons’ Den.

We are looking for investors, so that was goal #1. It’s also a very popular show, so just getting on means great exposure across Canada. Doing well means even more. And of course, it looks like a fun challenge, as an entrepreneur.

I was very nervous, and excited. I am not an over-prepper when it comes to public speaking. I like to have my material - usually a slide deck - and know it, however, I find it hard to memorize exactly. For Dragons’ Den, I had to memorize an intro - and have lots of facts and figures ready for all of the potential “what’s this ratio?” questions. And, trying to manage my nerves, so I could commit things to memory, was the biggest priority.

At the CBC, there were a lot of protocols in place, including the fact that we sat in our own little “green room”. We brought up 6 ebikes, one for me and 5 for the Dragons. We were there almost 3 hours before I pitched, and had plenty of time to get nervous all over again. We watched a little “this is how it will go” video, and spoke to the producer on a 2-way video system. Then waited some more. And, I tried not to get freaked out that we were going to have to follow someone with PUPPIES! Oh no, how will we ever compete?

The idea was that I would ride an ebike into The Den, give my pitch, then invite the Dragons to ride the bikes (which would be revealed behind a special wall across the studio), then answer questions. I practiced my ride in, about an hour before the pitch, (whoa, lower speed, it’s a small slippery room), and set up the 5 ebikes behind the wall. While waiting in the “green room”, I had  a wave of panic. We had not remembered to set-up a way to turn the ebikes on with the producers. Devin, who decided he’d rather stay behind the scenes, went to the bikes and turned them on. I then waited until I was called to the on-deck position, within the studio but hidden from view.  I watched someone before me get GRILLED by the Dragons. Ouch. I then had another wave of panic as his grilling went on, and on, and I realized all of the ebikes would turn off automatically after 5-10 minutes. I wasn’t allowed to go to the ebikes with the Dragons, because of COVID (we had all been tested and vaxxed, but would be maskless.) So, while I was waiting to ride the ebike out and not crash, remember my 90 second pitch, and all of the facts & figures for the question period, I also had to weigh a decision about what to do with the ebikes. If the Dragons rode them without power, they would be very underwhelmed.

Then it was my turn. I rode an ebike into the studio to their surprise, without crashing. I parked it and gave my 90 second pitch, pausing only a couple of times, but remembering it without really getting mixed up. I then signalled the reveal of the ebikes behind the wall, and invited the Dragons to ride them. As they got up from their seats, put on running shoes as needed, I broke from the script, and ran over to the ebikes to turn them on. As the Dragons approached, I was turning the last ones on and checking, and then, a booming, director’s voice came over the speakers: “Dragons, back to your seats…” or something similar. We all went back to the “reveal” moment and redid the invitation to ride, but now, the ebikes had power and the test-rides were a success. Different abilities and clothing meant different riding results, but I was (and they were) happy and it produced lots of great TV shots, I'm sure.

Next, on to the questions.

I don’t honestly remember many of the actual questions asked. It was a blur. Lots of trying to understand the business.  What I do remember is not being prepared for the Dragons talking and shouting over themselves, so that I hadn’t finished answering one, when two more questions would come at me, and this polite Canadian had to figure out who to answer, not just step up and be confident in the answer. And, keep smiling.

I had seen that Arlene had been interested in at least one other bike-based business, and felt like she might be interested. And, she was a decent person to work with, from my research. She said, “I’ll give you the money” from the get go, and I think that surprised some of the Dragons as much as me. This part is also a bit strange, in terms of there not being a specific structure to how it works. It can be unnerving managing the Dragons. From there, Wes Hall & Vincenzo Guzzo made offers of $1 Million but for increasing amounts of the company, trying to sweeten their deal with emphasis on their networks and whatnot. But Manjit won the day with her offer of MORE money for the 15% I was selling. She was, however, skeptical that I really was there for money, and threw a curve ball by attaching a $200,000 “break fee” to her larger offer. (If I didn’t take her money, I would owe her $200k). I almost forgot Michele, who had been quite quiet compared to the others. She felt overlooked and played this as “disrespectful”. She was the only Dragon not making an offer. Manjit triumphed, with a bid of $1.2M for 15% of Zygg.

Throughout this whole process, Devin, backstage, could not see nor hear anything. There was no live-feed to where he was. The first moments we re-united, I started to tell him the story, and wanted to make it as dramatic as it felt. As soon as he heard I had an offer, he jumped up and high-fived me a few hundred times and was sooooo excited. It took him a while to realize there was more. I really enjoyed working him up to the winning offer.

It was a great experience, and worth it for everyone, even if only to push you out of your comfort zone and get feedback on your venture. Definitely do some prep work, not just on your pitch, but what it’s going to be like in The Den, managing questions and offers. Perhaps, have a few curve balls of your own, both for TV fun but also to try to figure out who is really serious and will be a good fit. And try to do some research on what to expect after, if you get an offer. 

I am happy to chat about my experiences with anyone out there further.
We’re really excited to grow Zygg into the #1 brand for simple and affordable ebikes in Canada and the Americas. Dragons’ Den has already helped grow our network, and that is a huge benefit.”

You can watch Kevin and Zygg E-Bikes slay The Dragons via streaming on CBC GEM

Lock it or Lose it!

Most ebikes get stolen because they aren’t locked properly - or at all!  

ALWAYS lock your bike with BOTH locks, no matter how short the stop you are making. Otherwise it could cost you up to $3,600.

The Zygg Peace-of-Mind Liability Limit is designed to reduce your risk in case of theft, or accidental damage.

• Standard Limit is $1,000 + $300 for each lockable / removable battery (provided you can show a photo of the ebike securely locked before the theft as per our Liability Policy).

• Reduced Liability Limit is $350 + $300 for each lockable removable battery through the timely payment of a monthly reduced Liability fee (provided you can show a photo of the ebike securely locked before the theft as per our Liability Policy).

• Full Liability Limit is $3,000 + $300 for each lockable removable battery without a photo of the ebike securely locked before the theft, or without all keys after a theft.

Here are some important things that you agreed to in our Liability Policy.

As a Zygg rider, you must 

• Always lock the e-bike securely to an immovable object (bike rack, lamp post etc.), using all of the lock(s) provided by Zygg. (E-bikes equipped with a frame lock that goes through the rear wheel must always be used in conjunction with a chain lock, never only one of them). Even if you have parked the bike in a locked shed or garage, the bike should be locked with both the chain & framelock.

• TAKE A PICTURE showing the e-bike is properly locked, each time. (You should be able to show Zygg these pictures if there is a problem.)

• Park and lock the e-bike overnight in a secure, dry, indoor location.

• NEVER leave the e-bike outdoors overnight parked on the street, in a public or otherwise unsecured location, especially if it is visible from the street. eg DO NOT lock your e-bike on your porch overnight. Remove the battery(s) when leaving the e-bike locked 

• Report IMMEDIATELY to Zygg if any of the keys (lock or battery) have been lost or stolen.

• TREAT THE E-BIKE AS IF IT WERE YOUR OWN. Excessive wear-and-tear, damage, scratches, crash or accident damage,  bent wheels or other damaged components, lost components, etc.. are all indicators of usage that is not “normal” and will result in fees and/or fines as per the Fees and Charges List.

Read our blog to learn how to lock your ebike safely.