Reasons Why Ottawa is Perfect For Cyclists

Lifestyle • June 6, 2022

Here at West Ottawa Real Estate, we’re pretty avid cyclists. You may have even seen Andy cruising the west-end bike paths. Or maybe hitting the trails at South March Highlands. Like many Ottawa residents, we love to explore the area on two wheels.

The National Capital Region has so much to offer cyclists of all ages, levels, and disciplines. Here’s a look at some of the reasons why Ottawa is the perfect place for cyclists to call home.

There’s Mountain Biking Everywhere

The rolling foothills of Ottawa/Gatineau provide the perfect landscape for a variety of trails. Unlike some areas where mountain biking is reserved for actual ski hills only.

In West Ottawa, you can find South March Highlands. A relatively flat, rocky, and technical terrain great for perfecting your skills at rock rolls and navigating roots. Bring plenty of bug spray in the summer because the marshy wetlands are pretty buggy!

If cross-country is more your style, you can head out to Almonte for a day trip on some of the nicest and most varied trails around. The Mississippi Valley Trail starts in Almonte proper and weaves through farmland and forest. Once you pass the Mill of Kintail conservation area, you’re close to another popular trail network: Bennie’s Corners. Bennie’s offers a range of technical ‘black’ trails and easier ‘blue’ and ‘green’ trails, perfect for all ages and skills.

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The Ottawa Greenbelt is another hidden gem for mountain biking. These trails are mostly wide double-track with a few single-track paths weaving throughout. Relatively flat, the Greenbelt is the perfect place for beginners to learn the basics of riding trails.

But Wait, There’s More!

Larose Forest is also nearby in Ottawa’s east end. A relatively new trail network, Larose is sandy and flowy. With fantastic features like the Sidewinder, Larose is the perfect playground for mountain bikers looking for a fun day in the forest.

We can’t mention mountain biking in the area without talking about Gatineau Park. Just a short 10-15 minute drive from downtown Ottawa, Gatineau Park is the premiere destination in our region for mountain biking.

The ‘Lower Gats’ feature flowy, technical, and high elevation trails, perfect for a variety of riders. Camp Fortune is another popular spot for mountain biking, although it’s not for the faint of heart. Big drops, rock rolls, and steep features are just the beginning here.

Further north, but still part of Gatineau Park, you’ll find the Wakefield trails, slightly more technical and full of challenging climbs and descents.

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You Can Commute by Bike From Almost Anywhere

Ottawa has excellent bike infrastructure with extensive paths and bike lanes throughout the city. Depending on where you work, it’s possible to commute by bike without ever riding on the road. The Ottawa River Pathway runs along the river from Britannia all the way out to Orleans. While paths like Watt’s Creek can take you all the way out to Kanata.

Many employers in the city also encourage bike commuting by offering bike parking and shower facilities in the offices.

Road Closures For Safe Road Cycling

Ottawa is also a mecca for road cycling. The city offers fantastic events and programs meant to help people enjoy the roads without cars. The NCC Weekend Bikedays draw thousands of users every weekend during the summer months, rain or shine!

On weekends, the NCC closes various city parkways to cars and reserves them exclusively for active use in the morning and afternoons. This includes the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway, and the Queen Elizabeth Driveway.

Additionally, the Gatineau Park Parkway is closed to cars most of the time, they follow a different schedule that you can find here.

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There are Numerous Cycling Clubs and Teams

Joining a cycling club is a great way to make friends, stay fit, and stay connected with the bike community in Ottawa. Luckily, we have a variety of clubs that appeal to many different types of riders.

Whether you join the Ottawa Mountain Biking Association (OMBA) or clubs like the Ottawa Bicycle Club (OBC), you can find your people here. There are also more niche clubs and teams to join such as the Ottawa Women’s Cycling Club, CycleFit Chicks, Euro-sports, or semi-pro teams such as Ride with Rendall that focus specifically on training for races and events.

Speaking of events…

There’s Always a Race or a Ride to Join

Are you interested in racing or do you want to find new ways to challenge yourself on the bike? There’s no shortage of race series and cycling events in Ottawa. From the Eastern Ontario Cyclocross Series to the local favourite Almonte Roubaix, Ottawa cyclists love riding technical courses on drop-bar bikes.

If mountain bike racing is more your speed, there’s the Bakkers Trailblazers Sunset Series starting this year, the Coupe Skinouk at the Nakkertok XC Ski facility in Gatineau, or the Marin Wildside Enduro at Camp Fortune!

Road racers can also participate in iconic races like the Clarence Rockland Classic as well as the Tour de Gatineau. We even have our own fixed-gear event, The Battle of the Gats, where riders race up to the top of Champlain Lookout on fixed-gear bikes!

If your heart isn’t into racing but you’d still like to participate in events, there are numerous options for you. The CN Cycle for CHEO is a popular event that raises money for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, while other events like the Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour will test your endurance without the pressure of racing in your mind.

There’s nothing quite like summertime in Ottawa! Check out these blogs to help you make the most of the summer in our nation’s capital!

Winter Cycling in Ottawa: A Growing Sport

If you thought cycling in Ottawa would be reserved for the summer months, you would be forgetting an exciting new sport gaining popularity in the area: fat biking! Fat bikes are essentially rigid mountain bikes with extra-wide tires (typically greater than 4” diameter). These bikes are designed to “float” over the snow and allow riders to enjoy cycling in Ottawa all year long!

In Ottawa, fat biking is exploding and it’s not uncommon to see winter cyclists commute using these big bikes. Various trail networks like Larose Forest, Benny’s Corners, South March Highlands, and Gatineau Park offer specific trails for fat biking. The Ottawa River Pathway is also groomed in the winter as the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail for XC skiing and fat biking.

You can even sign up for the Wendigo Fat Bike Ultra race if you dare. It’s a winter endurance race throughout the Ottawa valley with route options ranging from 50km to 200km for experts!

Whether you prefer adventure riding, cycling to work, or meandering to a local cafe, Ottawa is a veritable cyclist’s dream destination. Cycling is engrained in the Ottawa community, making it a great place to live if you love to bike!

Want to learn more about living, working, and playing in Ottawa? We’re here to help! Contact us here today for all your Ottawa real estate needs.