Bixi - Hutchison/Van Horne station

Montreal's Bixi bike sharing program was inaugurated in 2009. I joined this year and I love the convenience. There are stations all over the central part of the city, including one on the corner of my street.

When I go out I usually use a Bixi instead of my own bike. With a Bixi I don't need a lock, I don't have to worry about repairs and there's nothing to carry up and down my front stairs!

When I go to work I walk to the Bixi station, use my electronic key to unlock a bike and ride to the Laurier metro station about five minutes away.

Bixis only have three gears and they're pretty heavy, so riding up the slope of Park Avenue from downtown can be a bit of a workout. But if I go downtown on a Bixi and decide to take the bus back, that's okay because I can drop off a Bixi just about anywhere. In the central area of the city there are Bixi stations about every two blocks.

I still ride my own bike from time to time, especially when I'm going somewhere that's more than 30 minutes away. That's the limit for using a Bixi without an extra charge. It's also nice to have 21 gears for a smoother ride. But I'm on a Bixi instead of my own bike about two times out of three.

The Bixi 2010 season will be over at the end of November. I'll definitely be renewing my membership when the program starts again in April 2011.

I took some pictures today of the Bixi station at the far end of my street, at the intersection of Hutchison Street and Van Horne Avenue. Don't let the snow on the seat discourage you though. The snow that fell last night almost completely melted by the end of the afternoon!