I got my first bike shortly after I moved to Burlington in 1981. A friend gave me an old three speed.
Since that time I have owned many different bicycles and a lot has changed in the local bike scene. When I started riding there was only limited biking infrastructure. The Burlington Bike Path had not been built. My evolution as a bike rider is interwoven with many of the bike developments in Burlington.
My next ride was a mountain bike. I got it at Skirack in Burlington. It was just after the first mountain bikes were mass produced. I bought it because I saw someone riding a mountain bike up the Colchester Avenue hill. I was impressed at how easy it looked. I wanted those low gears! I wasn’t planning to use it off road. Glenn Eames sold me the mountain bike. He has gone on to be a legend in the Burlington bike scene. He started Old Spokes Home which was my bike shop for many years until Dan Hock opened Winooski Wheels. Dan worked at Old Spokes before he opened his shop. I live in Winooski so it is much easier to drop off a bike at Winooski Wheels and walk home. Other bike shops have also opened since the 80’s.
I rode that mountain bike into the ground! For a while I was one of three people who rode through the winter in Burlington. We would see each other every once in a while and wave. The increased number of people who ride through the winter is one of the biggest changes I have seen in my years as a biker. Studded tires and then fat bikes made a big difference. I have a fat bike with studded tires and last winter I did not miss a day of riding. Infrastructure is also important for my winter adventures. The mixed use path on Riverside Avenue gets plowed during storms and there is a bike lane on Colchester Avenue. The climate has also changed. Winters really were colder and snowier in the 80’s. In the month of December 1989 the average temperature was 7.5 degrees. It was below zero almost every morning!
In the early 90’s I received a grant from the Vermont Arts Council to create a performance piece that included bike riding around Vermont. I got a road bike with clip-in pedals. In those days you really had to crank hard to get out of the clips, I fell down many times! Now clip-in pedals are adjustable and much easier to use. Many serious riders use clip-in pedals. Road bike use has exploded!
Over the years I have seen bikes become more and more specialized. Now you can get a bike that exactly fits your needs. There are cargo bikes, racing bikes, hand crank bikes, gravel bikes, recumbent bikes and tricycles for adults. The most versatile bike I ever had was a Surly Cross-Check. It was good on dirt roads but could also be used for longer distances. The only disadvantage was the brakes. When disc brakes became available I really wanted to get them. If traditional brakes get wet they become less effective. Riding down Colchester Avenue in the rain meant clamping down hard on the brakes. I finally traded in my Surly for a Salsa Fargo. It is a kind of hybrid touring and mountain bike. Because it is steel it has lasted for many years.
Fixed gear bikes are another trend I followed. I got a Surly Steamroller. It made riding up and down hills a challenge but it was a wonderful bike for riding on level ground. The momentum I achieved made the ride seem effortless. While there are still many mountain bikes, road bikes and gravel bikes around, there are many fewer fixed gear bikes. Although they are beautiful in their simplicity, they are not very practical.
About ten years ago I started teaching commuter bike workshops for Local Motion. This organization has made a big difference in how I ride. With its advocacy for infrastructure it has made my daily commute safer and more efficient. The bike ferry has opened up the Champlain Islands.
Up until my involvement with Local Motion I was mostly a solitary rider. Now I feel that I am part of a community.
In addition to my connection with Local Motion, I helped start The Winooski Bike Gang. We ride every Wednesday through the summer and early fall. We get around 75 participants a week and that has really helped me connect with other riders. The biggest change I have seen over my 40 years of riding is the number of people riding bikes. It has been great but we still need many more people out there! On my morning commute I see hundreds of cars and a handful of riders. There should be at least as many riders as car drivers! Electric bikes are making riding more of a possibility for many. People who didn't feel confident riding in traffic or making it up hills are getting out and riding. Sometimes on the bike ferry there are almost as many electric bikes as there are conventional ones!
Recently I had a conversation with Dan at Winooski Wheels. He said that more and more people are turning to electric bikes as an alternative to owning a car. This is because they cannot afford a car to get to work.
These bikes are not a recreational vehicle. They are essential transportation!
I am grateful that there have been so many positive changes in the last 40 years but we still have a long way to go! Let’s make a brighter future together!
About the Author:
Peter Burns is a long-time bike enthusiast, and one of the original year-round bike riders in the greater Burlington area. In addition to writing about walking and biking, Peter teaches a variety of bike workshops. He also works at a group home for people with psychiatric disabilities, teaches classes for the Vermont Humanities Council, teaches swimming at the Burlington YMCA, and is a regular host of Storytelling VT. You can contact Peter at [email protected].