Urban cycling is a great way to stay healthy and fit, despite the risks.

In a statement released Oct. 4, they say evidence is mounting that the benefits of urban cycling far outweigh the risks.

“An estimated three to 14 months of life was gained by an individual shifting from the car to the bicycle for short trips,” said the release.

Saskatoon Cycles is a non-partisan cycling advocacy group that formed in June 2010. They host cycling events year-round and often lobby and meet with city council. According to Sean Shaw, the group’s president, membership is currently just shy of 1,300. Membership is free and you can sign up online.

He said the objective is to “encourage both city administration and city council to do more when it comes to cycling infrastructure and safety.”

Recently, the City of Saskatoon has made some effort to accommodate cyclists, with shared traffic lanes, new routes and maps and a handful of exclusive traffic lanes. But Shaw says there are still sections of the city where it is dangerous to share the road with a vehicle.

Shaw points to the fact that in 2011 Saskatoon spent only $75,000 on cycling, while the transportation budget for managing roadways was up near $100 million.

Other prairie cities, such as Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg, have recently committed between $20 and $30 million towards cycling infrastructure over the next five years.

“They are light-years ahead of where Saskatoon is,” said Shaw.

When city council draws up the 2012 budget in December, Shaw would like to see them dish out $500,000 per year, for the next five years, toward cycling infrastructure.

He hopes that in light of the health benefits, the City will be inspired to spend what it takes to provide safe and convenient cycling.

John Dosman, a local doctor, said Saskatoon could potentially see some serious health benefits from an increase in cyclist infrastructure.

“As a family physician the major health challenges I address every day, and will in the future, are those chronic conditions we hear so much about — obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, depression and anxiety.”

Dosman said that evidence proves even 15 minutes of daily exercise can prevent these conditions, yet he still struggles to find ways to get his patients active. He said that although he is a cyclist, the situation in Saskatoon is still not safe for everyone.

“Unfortunately I am not yet confident enough to wholeheartedly prescribe this approach to all of my patients, as the cycling infrastructure in Saskatoon still needs some work so that all ages and sexes can feel safe biking on the streets.”

According to Saskatoon Cycles, studies show that when cycling feels safer, cycling rates rise, particularly with women, who tend to “prefer bike paths and cycle tracks that are physically separated from motor vehicle traffic.”

“I feel comfortable cycling in Saskatoon, but my wife, who would like to cycle more, does not. So until we get to the point where she feels safe to come out with me, I don’t think we’ve accomplished what we need to get cycling as safe as it needs to be in the the city,” said Shaw.

Saskatoon Cycles held its annual general meeting Oct. 13 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the University of Saskatchewan Graduate Student Commons on College Drive.

—
Photo: Paul Krueger/Flickr