Saskatoon Cycles January 2026 Newsletter
Winter BYXE Week 2026
Winter BYXE Week 2026 is just around the corner!!
Saskatoon Cycles is excited to announce that we are once again partnering with the City of Saskatoon to bring you BYXE Week (pronounced “bikes week”).
These annual celebrations aim to promote and encourage cycling year-round by providing fun activities for everyone, whether they’re a seasoned veteran of cycling, a beginner, or just thinking about becoming a beginner.
We want to help everyone make cycling a part of their life. Ride a bike to work or school for a change of pace. Go for a long ride and work up a sweat just for fun. Explore your community and enjoy Saskatoon’s beautiful parks and trails with a loved one on a slow ride. Grab some groceries and skip the car.
BYXE Week might not change your life, but it could help you look at the world differently. We’ve been delivering BYXE Weeks with the City of Saskatoon for years and we’ve seen the smiles that come from people rediscovering their bikes, or trying a new adventure on their bikes. We’re looking forward to making 2026 more fun than ever, and maybe you’ll be similarly inspired!
You can find all the details on our Winter BYXE Week page, but some notable takeaways are here:
- Winter BYXE Week runs from February 7 – 15, 2026
- Winter Bike to Work Day is Thursday, February 12, 2026
- The Scavenger Hunt (all week)
- The BYXE Week Launch Slow Roll on February 7 (register to get treats!)
- The Social Media Contest (all week)
- The “Winter is Awesome” Slow Roll on February 14
- Lots of great prizes up for grabs
- and always more!
Save some dates and plan to participate in any way you can. For every person who gets involved, we spread more fun, become all the more visible, and amplify our collective desire for a safe, healthy city even more.
These celebrations are an invitation from the City of Saskatoon to make cycling a part (or a bigger part) of your life. Get out in the snow and show your community how it’s done!
Check out Winter BYXE Week info here!
Please note: some details on the BYXE Week page are subject to change. Watch for updates and new information regularly.
Advocacy Action Alert – Comment DEADLINE Feb. 2!
On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation (SPCT) will vote on three important infrastructure reports.
Make your voice heard by the deadline of 5PM Monday, February 2, 2026!
Our Action Alert page has all the information you need to send a comment or request to speak:
CLICK HERE TO MAKE A COMMENT OR REQUEST TO SPEAK
Saskatoon Cycles agrees with and supports the administration’s recommendations in these documents and is urging the SPCT to forward them to Saskatoon City Council discussion and voting. The reports:
- 51st Street and Millar Avenue Intersection Improvement – A redesign of this problematic intersection has been developed to improve safety and operations for people walking, cycling, and driving at the intersection of 51st Street and Millar Avenue. Saskatoon Cycles is recommending Option C, which includes a better road configuration for traffic, pedestrian accessibility ramps, and a shared-use pathway on both sides of Millar Avenue.
- Connecting Millar Avenue from 43rd Street to Marquis Drive – Active Transportation Improvements – This project identifies active transportation improvements along Millar Avenue and connects the avenue to the new pedestrian/cycling railway crossing at Assiniboine Road. Saskatoon Cycles recommends “Functional Design Report Option 1” which would include shared-use pathways on both sides of Millar Avenue.
- 8th Street at Canadian Pacific Kansas City Rail Grade Separation Evaluation – This report examines the grade separation options at the 8th Street and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) rail crossing in Saskatoon. These design options will provide a vital connection from the Brighton neighbourhood to the east end of 8th St. E, and both include consideration of active transportation users. Saskatoon Cycles supports either design.
Saskatoon Cycles is encouraging the SPCT to move all three recommended options forward to City Council.
Please submit your comments of support to the committee as well, using our handy Action Alert page! It will walk you through the process and provide a template letter to get you started!
Ice Cycle 2026
Saturday, January 24th, 2026 was a bitterly cold day, with temperatures between -25 and -30C (without windchill added), but it didn’t stop dozens of Saskatoon bike riders from coming out to have fun!
From 1PM to 5PM at Gather Local Market, participants had access to demo fat bikes from Bike Doctor, expert knowledge and advice from Bruce’s Cycle Works, food and beverages from the Gather vendors, prizes, activities, and a slow roll along the Meewasin/Broadway/University areas.
Despite the temperatures, foot traffic and enthusiasm was high for the event. Many attendees were curious, some were regular winter cyclists who still came out to chat but had a personal riding temperature red line of -15C, and others stopped only briefly as they continued pursuit of 150km for the Global Fat Viking Race! Participant ages ranged from 8 to 78. Local media outlets attended and interviewed a number of cyclists. Many litres of hot chocolate were consumed.
Our hearty thanks go out to everyone who braved the crisp weather to participate, our amazing volunteers Garret and Anne, Gather Local Market, additional prize donors Doug’s Spoke N Sport and Turning the Tide, Shea and Chris, and the City of Saskatoon for their WinterCityYXE Grant.
Your Saskatoon Cycles Board
On Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 the newly minted Saskatoon Cycles volunteer board of directors met to strategize for the coming year. We weren’t surprised at our conclusion: there’s a lot to do!
We have major, well established programs that will need steady hands again this season:
- Bike Valet (free bike parking at events)
- Keep Rolling (cycling instruction and equipment for newcomers and new riders)
- Pedal Express (bicycle delivery service)
And we have new and existing projects that we plan on strengthening throughout the year:
- Advocacy with the City of Saskatoon to advance better, safer cycling infrastructure
- The “Bike Bank” (a collaboration with Bridge City Bicycle Co-operative to make more bikes accessible to more people)
- Promoting Traffic Smarts for Cyclists (a collaboration with The Center for Cycling Education)
- SafeConnect (campaign for a baseline network of active transportation routes)
- Ongoing networking and community building with other great local organizations and businesses
- and much more to come
Saskatoon Cycles is proud of the work we’ve done since our inception in 2010, but we’re not resting on past accomplishments; there is always more to do.
We hope to have your ongoing support as we continue forward with our vision of “a Saskatoon where cycling is a viable, year-round mode of transportation that is safe, convenient, and comfortable for all ages, confidence levels, and abilities.”
New Board of Directors Spotlight: Stephanie Siemens
As a non-profit, Saskatoon Cycles relies heavily on the efforts of its volunteer board. Our Board of Directors bring a range of perspectives and skill sets to the organization, contributing what they can without pay or very much glory. At our AGM on November 13, 2025 Stephanie Siemens joined our Board. Allow us to introduce her!
Q: Why do you ride a bike?
Most often it serves the very practical purpose of getting from A to B; be it for work, groceries, volunteer activities, socializing, etc. I don’t own a car, so biking year-round is my go-to. But if the question were about why I like riding my bike, the list would be endless! Riding my bike makes me feel good. The movement is good for my mental health, as is the fresh air. It is cheap and aligns with my values of respecting and caring for the earth. It also reinforces my relationship to the earth and my community. I get to take in my environment as a participant in that environment when I’m on a bike, rather than being boxed in and separate from it. I feel accomplished when I arrive places, I feel alive and energized. Getting from A to B on a bike never feels like some annoying thing that is a necessary evil. Rather, it is enjoyable.
Q: Why did you decide to run for the board?
I don’t know if I so much ran for the board, as I was asked to join. But I agreed to let my name stand because I wanted to be part of the good work the organization does. I’ve benefited from the work of Saskatoon Cycles for years, and I found that in this season of life I have capacity to give back. Also, the other people on the board seemed really cool. Who doesn’t wanna hang out and do good things with cool people who understand the love and the struggles of being a cyclist in our fair city?
Q: How would you describe cycling in Saskatoon to someone new to the city?
Depends. Saskatoon is small and generally flat, this makes for easy riding! Unfortunately, the lack of safe infrastructure often leaves cyclists vulnerable to the whims and ignorance of motorists. This can be really scary. My therapist and I talk about my cycling experiences a lot (:-) . BUT! It is absolutely doable to ride around Saskatoon, and with a little planning, it is worth it and enjoyable.
Of course, if you exclusively ride for recreation, then zero complaints. The Meewasin does a great job of keeping the riverside paths enjoyable to ride all year-round, and it is a beautiful way to enjoy the river valley.
Q: If you could make one change to the cycling experience in Saskatoon overnight, what would it be?
Well-protected bike lanes everywhere would be the ideal, wouldn’t it? Short of that, I heard-say someone once suggested that every 4th street in the city should be bike and pedestrian-only street. I like that idea too.
Maybe those dreams are too big though. I guess if I could be confident that everyone in a motor vehicle would respect cyclists and their right to use the road safely, that’d be nice.
Q: Do you have any favourite cycling rides or routes in or around Saskatoon?
I love riding anywhere with other people. It’s a powerful thing to do something you love with others who also love it. The feeling of not being alone on the road makes every ride with friends my favourite ride.
Q: When you’re not cycling, what are your favourite activities?
In the summer I love going camping off my motorcycle. I know, I know, I just raved about loving cycling, and now I’m listing being on a motorcycle as one of my favourite activities. I love both (:-)! It’s just that I can get a lot further on two wheels that have a motor, ya know?
I also help lead a Girl Guides unit, which brings me so much joy.
Being involved in social circles that value social justice and community building is another important way I spend my time.
Memberships!
If you like the work we’re doing, you should consider becoming a member. It’s easy to sign up, there is a range of affordable price options, and you’ll instantly be a part of something that matters.
When you become a member of Saskatoon Cycles, you help us advocate for new, expanded, or better places to ride throughout the city. We engage at City Hall with both elected officials and administration staff to keep active transportation issues on the front burner with a steady, constructive voice. The more members contributing to that voice, the more clout we have.
By joining Saskatoon Cycles, you also connect to activities and programs that educate, support, and encourage more people to ride and enjoy the freedom of being on a bicycle. There is strength in numbers at every level of our work.
Check out our membership page and get on board! We’d love to have you as part of the team making Saskatoon a safer, easier, more fun place to ride.
Donate
Your donations give us the resources to press toward a Saskatoon where cycling is a viable, year-round mode of transportation that is safe, convenient, and comfortable for all ages.
We want families to be able to simply hop on their bikes to go grab an ice cream and enjoy the beauty of Saskatoon. For you or your partner to pick up groceries or a library book. And we really want you to be able to commute to work and back safely and conveniently.
Your donation helps us work on these three ‘pillars’ of cycling development for Saskatoon:
- Infrastructure – A safe, convenient, comfortable, and well-maintained cycling network throughout the city that allows cyclists to go from every neighbourhood to key destinations.
- Ridership – Educate, encourage, and promote cycling so more people choose bicycles as a convenient and safe transportation option year round.
- Culture – Educate, encourage, and promote diversity in ridership with respectful inclusion of all modes of transportation.