It just got easier to bike to class!

The warmer weather has returned and with it comes BIXI, Montreal’s popular bike-sharing service.

After a record number of trips in 2017, BIXI is once again offering a discount for Concordia students, faculty and staff: 20 per cent off an annual membership!

Thanks to the discount, a BIXI pass will cost you $72.80, tax included, instead of the regular $91. The offer is available until June 30, and the annual membership gives you bike access from April 15 until November 15.

There are currently six BIXI stations on or near the downtown Sir George Williams Campus and two at Loyola, including a brand new station with 27 bikes between the Administrative (AD) and Communication Studies and Journalism (CJ) buildings.

For more information on how to register, check out Concordia’s BIXI page.

Secure parking

If you’re riding your own bike to the downtown campus, a secure indoor bike parking facility is available underneath the J.W. McConnell (LB) Building.

Membership to the facility comes with access to bike tools and individual lockers. Users are also eligible for a discounted membership at Le Gym, where they can use the showers.

A stronger, healthier you

Riding your bike contributes to a greener, more sustainable campus. The health benefits of regular cycling include:

• Cardiovascular fitness
• Increased muscle strength and flexibility
• Strengthened bones
• Decreased stress levels
• Low negative impact on people who have joint pain or age-related stiffness

Stay safe

Here are some tips for safe cycling:

• Wear a helmet and ensure it is adjusted properly
• Ride in a straight line
• If there is more than one lane, ride in the far right one
• Always yield to pedestrians at intersections
• Signal your turns and lane changes, and check to ensure your path is clear
• Keep an eye on vehicle tail lights for turning signals and breaking
• Make eye contact with drivers before proceeding into an intersection to ensure they will yield the right of way
• Use bike lanes where possible
• Ride single file if you’re travelling with other cyclists

Keep in mind that the following accessories are mandatory for bicycles:

• Rear red reflector
• Front white reflector
• Reflectors on spokes of both wheels, visible from either side
• Amber reflectors on both pedals

Find out more about sustainable transportation at Concordia.