The Bike Valet Staff Spotlight: Peter MacMartin's Cycling Escapades

Our program, The Bike Valet, has a great group of staff and volunteers to help make our work possible. Whether someone has volunteered for one summer or has been with the program for several years, we value all the time people have dedicated to helping us offer a great service to our community. A love for biking is something many of the people on our team share, and Peter MacMartin is one of those people. As someone with years of involvement with The Bike Valet (BV), we wanted to highlight his cycling story.

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What got you into biking?

Well, I was a kid for one. I still am really. As a kid, biking was the way to get around. As an adult, I got a Miele road bike from my brother when I moved to Vancouver in 1996. However, about 2 months later, I incorrectly locked it up in Gastown and it got stolen. I gave up on cycling until 2009. I was 42 at the time when I was induced to do a TransLink Central Valley Greenway (CVG) cycle path timing project with a palm pilot. This meant that I had to time several rides in the summer of 2009 from Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station along the CVG to the Tin Man in New West. I had an old oversized Fuji 63cm frame which I rode from 2009-2010. I then bought the bike I have now.

As many back-to-the-bike adult riders will attest, I was hooked and started riding pretty much everywhere. During the recession, I had one job on Adanac St/Clark Dr and rode most days to and from New West. Starting cycling again saved me a lot of money and helped my moods,  A LOT. I got a desk job as a Salesperson at Novex Courier in 2010 and commuted almost daily along River Road in Richmond to and from New West. It was a lot of riding for me then; Now it’s a normal ride. I got a lot of on-road experience just from commuting.

As a food delivery courier, I got into riding for money with Foodora in February 2017 on a lark. It was an adrenalizingly curious but often scary gauntlet of on-road first experiences of many sorts. One can’t be trained per se to do bike delivery work. It’s a go-do-it thing. Tips and hints came from rider chats. Over the 2017-2020 time period, I started riding up to 300 km/week but on average 200 km or so. I even have the app logs to prove it. Food delivery bicycle riders devoured the road in those years before e-bikes. Then the pandemic came. This was a marathon of agency-fueled endurance. I rode 300-500 km/week from New West to Downtown Vancouver and around Vancouver delivering. For my shifts, I rode to Vancouver and then rode back to New West. This took a bit of a toll on me, but I was in a strong state and didn’t want to go on the SkyTrain during lockdown. Overall, I ended up riding 3,680 recorded urban kilometres from March 17 (during lockdown) until May 12, when Foodora left Canada. It was the most I’d ever ridden in 6 weeks. I've been in 7 years of work riding likely all over the city roads from 16th North between Alma and Victoria. Again, I’ve got the logs to prove it. Many bikers have this too so it’s inspiring.

On June 30, 2020, I crashed and broke my clavicle and was off the road for July and the first week of August. Then I started riding slowly and got back to bike and paper courier delivery in late August. Then, a guy on a bike hit me on Oct 5, 2020, and I was out until November. I finally started heavily riding Uber again until my heart condition over the last year or so cut my output. Now I’m on heart medication recovering and riding maybe 100-120 km/week. I can do maybe 50-60 km per day now but not consecutively like before. I need rest days a lot now. Important to listen to our bodies. We age but stay on the bike till we can’t ride.

So that’s that. With 7 years of almost daily urban courier riding while being middle-aged, I find people's reasons for not riding entertainingly misinformed. I’m very hyperactive so this is a natural bonus.

Do you have any tips for other cyclists as a longtime biker?

1. Smart, assertive riding. Take HUB Cycling classes if you aren’t confident yet. Another option is to find an experienced riding buddy or 2 and make it a social event to explore the city and trails.

2. Ride with others or alone, but just ride. I ride about 95% alone, however, it’s fun to ride with others too.

3. Face your fears through learning and step-by-step uptake. Process what scared you last time and listen to your gut, not your fears when it happens again because it probably will. Your gut will help more than anything else especially when you're calm. I’m calmer on the bike than in most other environments.

4. Develop fitness slowly. Be easy on yourself until you’re more fit, then do more if you want. It’s addictive to add load but be very aware of nutrition, rest, and recovery. Also, don’t forget about your ride pace. Be comfortable until you want to jazz it up with power. Exploring your body capacity which takes time.

5. TAKE HILLS PATIENTLY. The leg burn isn't on or off. It is a gradual process and sometimes the pain can be sustained for some time. It’s easier to find a lower pace and stick to it than to always want to devour, but that’s fun too.

How did you get involved with the BV?

I had met Stephanie Williams, the BV Manager back in 2010, somewhere at an event and got involved because it looked pretty cool.

What has been your greatest experience with BV?

Probably doing the Ride Don’t Hide event in the summer of 2010, which had well over 400 bikes and took the south side of the Swangard Stadium almost entirely.  Then other than that, I think July 1, 2023. The ride to and from New West to Steveston was one of the best days for me in 2023 across many aspects and from my BV involvement at the event. It was the first “long, aggressive ride” I could do since December 2022 as my heart meds were just kicking in. It was a very good day.

Why should someone volunteer/work with BV?

BV is composed of a great group of people who have varied histories, a shared love of biking, and advocacy for biking and multimodalism. The BV is also a fair employer and the purpose is real and honest, not something simply with a profit motive. I enjoy working here, and the people I work with make all the difference. BV users compliment us a lot for just being there. Sweet.

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It’s stories like Peter’s that encourage us to continue the work we do and encourage our community to choose more sustainable transportation options. If you want to get involved or stay up to date with The Bike Valet, follow our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Any involvement opportunities or events we’ll be at will be shared there! If you also would like The Bike Valet at your event, public or private, click here to receive a quote. Let’s keep the bike love going!

The Bicycle Valet x Optimum Security Press Release

The Bike Valet™ has been proudly providing safe and secure bike parking services across many community events and locations since 2006. We are poised to complete another successful summer season with 80+ events and 5 municipalities served, with our service consistently expanding to new events and returning to beloved ones, year after year. From our seasonal bike valet in the West End to Vancouver Pride Fest, we have seen the Bike Valet program grow over the last 17 years thanks to the great partnerships we have formed with various organizations and municipalities across the Province. At Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST), we look forward to continuing our mobility justice mission to make active, clean transportation more accessible to everyone for years to come.

To continue providing safe and reliable bicycle parking service in BC, The Bike Valet™ is stepping up its game and partnering up with Optimum Security, who will bring industry-leading expertise to help ensure the safety and security of our patrons, staff, and bikes.

As one of the top security companies in Metro Vancouver, serving BC and Alberta, Optimum Security is committed to the communities they protect, taking pride in making them safer for everyone. 

The Bike Valet™ is committed to providing our patrons peace of mind when you entrust us with your bikes and micro-mobility devices. We are taking this step to reduce the risk of bike theft and offer enhanced protection of our Bike Valet™ facilities. We look forward to this partnership with Optimum Security to help enhance the Bike Valet™ experience for everyone. We are grateful to all our patrons for their ongoing support and will continue to dedicate our efforts toward improving our services. 

The Bike Valet™ is available in different locations across British Columbia. Check them out at www.bikevalet.ca

The Bike Valet™ is a social enterprise of Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST), a registered Canadian charity with over 32 years of experience promoting mobility justice through active and sustainable transportation options. Consider donating here.

Dos and Don'ts of Biking in Vancouver

As a long-time resident and someone with a passion for cycling who both bikes and drives in this city, nothing is more annoying and frightening as a cyclist and a driver than witnessing someone else cycling without care. This post will outline some techniques for bikers to stay safe in Vancouver.

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The Dos:

Lock Your Bikes Up the Proper Way

Do invest in good bike locks. Notice how this is plural? That's because you need more than one bike lock and not the flimsy wish.com kind. Bike thieves in Vancouver are always hard at work, and they take their jobs very seriously. The proper procedure of bike locking demands at least two strong locks. The first lock is the most crucial; you must lock the body and your front tire to the bike rack. This will prevent anyone from detaching and stealing either your front wheel or the body of your bike. Locking only your front wheel would make your bike vulnerable to detachment, leaving you with only a wheel. The next thing you want to do is to lock the back tire to the body of your bike. Especially if you have a popular bike model, as many people steal bike tires to use on other stolen bikes that are missing tires. More often than not, people are not taking their bike locking seriously enough, resulting in their bikes being stolen.

If you want extra security for your bike, you should look into where our Bike Valet’s seasonal locations are by clicking here. Just drop off your bike, get your ticket, and go about your day with peace of mind that your bike, or anything that rolls, is safe. The Bike Valet also has a new layer of protection by partnering with Optimum Security, so you don’t need to worry about someone stealing your gear. Click here to see what events the Bike Valet will also be at!

Use the Right Lane

Make sure to follow the proper bike lane procedures. For instance, don't bike on a highway. Familiarize yourself with the locations that are good for biking and know the streets. Not all streets are the same; some are much quieter than others. Choose the streets more catered to bikers or streets with separate bike lanes. Avoid shared lanes when possible. Streets like the 49th are shared lanes that tend to get quite dangerous due to careless drivers and heavy traffic. Remember, they are in a metal box; you are not.

Stay Visible and Avoid Dark Streets at Night

This should be a no-brainer but know to have adequate night lights if you are biking at late hours. There are a lot of popular bike lanes with terrible night lighting to protect the ecosystem and nature. Areas like, for instance, North and West Vancouver, have really poor lights at night to ensure wildlife's habitats are not disturbed. It’s quite difficult for drivers to see you if you are wearing full black with no light. A good rule of thumb is to wear something reflective, usually on your riding shirt or carrying belt, and have backlights turned on. Avoid wearing dark colours, especially at night.

The Don’ts

Okay, now that we've talked about what to do as a biker in Vancouver, let's start talking about what NOT to do, which is just as important, if not more. There are tons of tips and tricks to ensure your biking experience is as safe and enjoyable as possible. Be sure to look out for things to avoid while on the road riding.

Focus on the Road, NOT your Music

We all love a good jam while riding, but please, do not blast the music with noise cancellation turned on. It’s crucial to listen to the street noise for your safety. Always maintain a healthy balance between biking and listening. A good playlist helps with the ride but can distract you and shift your focus away from the road. Using bone-conduction open-ear headphones or headphones with active ambient noise is better. The perfect balance between hearing your music and the road is a fine line; best to ensure you hear the road more than you do your music. Of course, it also depends on where you are biking. If you are biking in a very secluded area with low traffic, the situation changes compared to biking on a shared road.

Don't Go Riding Without Checking Tire Pressure

One of the worst things that could happen while riding would be your tire running out of air in the middle of your ride. The bike tires must have adequate pressure on both the front and back. A good rule for bike pressure is that it should be very stiff when applying pressure on them and that no air is lost. Ultimately, it depends entirely on personal preference, but it’s always better to have more air than not enough. Road bikes with 700C wheels demand higher air pressure than mountain bikes, depending on your bike model.

Avoid Bad Roads

Some streets in Vancouver, especially the more popular roads, have inadequate infrastructures for biking (such as Main and 2nd from personal experience) with far too many potholes. Especially for commuting city bikes, these potholes can result in a lot of inconveniences by causing flat tires. Out of the seven flat tires I've ever had, six times were caused by the same intersection on Main and 2nd. This one is especially applicable for city bikes with thinner tires, as those are far more susceptible to flat tires than mountain bikes. Be sure to look out for potholes on the ground for city bikers, as you definitely do not want to push your luck (don't be like me). Mountain bikes, on the other hand, don't have too much to worry about.

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These are just some pieces of advice for bikers, the common dos and don'ts. Biking is both a fun and convenient activity, but please be careful as it does carry a certain degree of risks that many underestimate. Remember, safety always comes first!

Written by: Raymond Wen