Meet our Members - Cole: "I Haven't Looked Back Since."

HUB member and Vancouver music teacher/musician Cole McBride gets to student lessons - and transports his instruments - by bike.

• You carry a lot of equipment with you - what methods do you use to get your gear around town?

When I first started cycling to students' homes, I carried my guitar and ukulele on a trailer. It was a bit slow, and the vibrations were bad for my instruments, so I looked for a better alternative. I ended up buying the Fusion Urban Gig Bag, which is a waterproof guitar case with pockets large enough to fit my music stand, iPad, lesson materials, rain gear, and other knick-knacks. I can even fit my ukulele inside it!

• Have you always been a cyclist and if not when did you make the shift to use your bicycle as your primary means of transit?

A few years back, I owned a truck and it constantly broke down. I was spending thousands of dollars to keep my truck running so I could commute to work. After rebuilding the engine and having it break down a few months later, I took it to the BC Scrap-It program and traded it in. I used the money to fix up a road bike and I also bought the best rain gear I could find. I haven't looked back since.

• What do you think the biggest impediment is in Vancouver for people to not use their bikes to commute?

I can't speak for other people, but I know for myself that motivation can be a huge factor. The other day, I had to commute to the North Shore from Vancouver, and I wasn't sure how long it would take on my bike. It was raining, and I almost didn't ride, but I ended up riding and it only took forty minutes-- which was faster than the bus and even faster than a car because of the traffic. I think if more people had better equipment and realized how easy it is to bike around the city, there would be a lot more cyclists.

• If you had a tandem bike, who would you like to ride with?

I would ride with my partner, Lily. She's been so supportive and awesome over the years. We definitely need to rent a tandem at Stanley Park this summer.  

• Why are you a HUB member?

HUB Cycling works on behalf of cyclists to make cycling easier and more enjoyable in Vancouver. I think they do a great job and I'm happy to be a member and support the work they do.

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