Fat bikes not welcome on ferries
It’s a Saturday tradition.
Allana Loh and her husband, Wayne, leave their home in Dartmouth and ride their fat bikes over the Macdonald bridge to explore downtown Halifax.
From there, they return to the other side of the harbour on the ferry to give themselves a 10-minute break before they have to tackle the uphill battle of Alderney Drive.
But recently, the couple has had to pump the brakes on any future ferry rides with their fat bikes.
“We got on the ferry on Saturday and the gentleman — he was a crew member — he came over and said we had to put our bikes in the bike rack,” Loh said in an interview Wednesday morning.
Loh and her husband explained and showed the worker their bikes were too big for the racks.
They had discovered the issue on a previous ferry ride, but another crew member let it slide. This time was a different story.
“This man took exception and said this is the last time you’re allowed on the ferry with the bikes,” Loh said.
The news took Loh by surprise, especially since she was impressed by the addition of designated bike lanes across the municipality after she returned from a nine-month stint out west.
“I just thought, I’m so disappointed,” she said. “This means that I can’t join my husband, who can drive much farther than I can, on our Saturday morning adventures anymore because we either both have to shorten our routes or I have to leave earlier and travel back without him.”
Loh said while there are other styles of bicycles available, she and her husband prefer riding fat bikes because their wider wheels give more stability and are also easier to ride in the winter.
Ryan Nearing, spokesperson for Halifax Regional Municipality, said Halifax Transit installed different bike racks, designed to be more secure as they restrict movement by securing the pedals, on the ferries a few years ago.
The bike racks are designed to fit most bike sizes and styles, Nearing said, however added “there may be some discrepancies depending on the bike’s unique features that make them unfit for the bike racks.”
When it comes to certain rules for the ferries, Halifax Regional Municipality must meet requirements under the Canada Shipping Act.
“Specifically, all risks associated with operations must be assessed under the safety management plan, and steps must be taken to mitigate any risks to safety or security,” Nearing said. “This means that all bikes must be secured while the ferry is in movement.”
While Loh said she understands safety protocols must be followed, she’s sad for her fellow cyclists who will be left behind if they wish to take the ferry but can’t because of their fat bike.
“It’s a shame that we haven’t quite captured the direction of active transportation yet,” she said.
Nearing said HRM is not considering modifying the bike racks at this time.