More bike rental opportunities exist in Medicine Hat now than ever before.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
kking@medicinehatnews.com
As the warm weather returns, bicycles and e-bikes are hitting the streets and pathways throughout Medicine Hat, much to the delight of alternative transportation and outdoor/active living advocates working to increase local bike accessibility.
In discussions on unique and appealing opportunities available in Medicine Hat, biking is often referenced due to the city’s extensive trail system. But, up until recently, the accessibility of bikes in and around the region was relatively limited for individuals who did not personally own a bike.
Over the past several years, however, accessibility to bikes has increased thanks to the introduction of several bike rental services and other accessibility initiatives.
The city’s first bike rental service was introduced in 2015 by Tourism Medicine Hat, however it ended prior to the pandemic.
Shortly after the service was cut, the Medicine Hat Public Library introduced its own bike rental service through its Library of Things, a collection of various items which can be checked out of the library and returned at a later date.
Still in operation, the service is completely free to library card holders, though there is a limited number of bikes available. Bikes may be checked out for only one day at a time.
A bike repair kit is also available through the Library of Things.
“The cost of entry into biking, mountain biking, things like that, can be quite high,” MHPL head of marketing Marina Boese told the News. “So, this gives people the ability to try biking and then see if they want to invest into it further, or if they only needed a bike for a day, they can rent it.
“It’s just about making sure biking (is) accessible and cost effective, because not everybody has unlimited funds.”
Bob and Natasha Soltesz agree having a rental option is helpful for many individuals who may not be able to, or want to, purchase a bike outright, especially those with higher price tags, like mountain bikes or e-bikes.
They feel rental is also a good option for individuals who don’t have limited storage space.
Wanting to ensure there are enough rental options to meet local demand, the couple established their own drop-off and pick-up rental service, Let’s Go Adventures. It is currently the only service offering e-bikes and e-trikes rentals.
“We have over 150 kilometres of trails in Medicine Hat (and) there’s lots of great sights to see,” said Bob, who describes himself and Natasha as active outdoors-people. “We wanted people to get out and enjoy our city and the outdoors.”
As well as e-bikes and e-trikes, the couple also rent kayaks, paddle boards, rafts, and camping and ice-fishing equipment.
Bike Medicine Hat chair Carter Gramlich is glad to see the number of local bike rental opportunities growing, as well as the number of non-profit initiatives providing individuals in need with bikes at no cost.
Nevertheless, Gramlich feels Medicine Hat has not yet reached its full potential in regards to become a bike-friendly community.
“I think we have a really great bike culture (and) there’s certainly lots of opportunity for growth,” he said. “I think right now, for the most part, bikes are seen as a form of recreation (however) there’s definitely demand for growth in commuter cycling (as) there’s a lot of health benefits to them as a form of transportation. But it is entirely dependent on the infrastructure to make sure that you can do it safely.”
