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1st Place
My New Riding Partner
I love riding: mountain epics, road, and commuting to work.

The freedom, mind clearing, and health benefits are well documented. I love riding in the promising days of spring, the long warm days of summer, and the cool crisp days of fall. I never loved the wet dark days of winter, until this year.

I hurt my back last summer after BCBR and, while in the best riding shape of my life, I watched my buddies go riding. They made sure not to tell me about it; but I could tell through the glint in their eye and their proclivity for falling asleep before 9:30pm the rides were great. I was bummed.

When I healed, the carefree days of summer were gone, replaced by late fall days. No longer cool and crisp, they were short, dark, and wet. My buddies traded their bikes for skis. I didn't care; I rode alone. I rode for all the rides I missed during the summer. I would not miss a day.

I would ride around athlete's village, Riley Park, and the Richmond Oval before or after work as part of my commute. My commutes became longer; I was fascinated by the evolving city. I was happy to ride in the rain, watching the transition of the Olympic village and venues, switching from trades to athletes just in time for the games. The Olympics became my riding partner. I learned wet winter riding is great with the right riding partner and a good jacket.
—Brennan Cook

2nd Place
The Pink Sail
It appears as though the Olympic spirit brought out the creative side of all cycling commuters. On my way to work in late February, I was cycling down 10th Ave and noticed a curious shape on a bicycle in front of me. It looked a bit like a pink blob. I tried a little harder to catch up, and when I did, I realised that the pink blob was in fact a smallish sized girl, with a large exercise ball attached to her back with a pink sheet.

Thinking to myself, “what a genius way of getting to whatever exercise class one needs a ball for?” I continued to watch her as she crossed Kingsway. Just as she came through the intersection a gust of wind caught her and her ball, turning the sheet into a bit of a sail. Unfortunately the wind was not going her way and the sheet filled up, taking with it, her exercise ball. Also unfortunate for her was that it was still attached to her back and as she cycled through the gust of wind the ball came full circle slamming into the her, catapulting her off of her bike onto the side of the road. I watched, waiting for the light to turn, as she got up, somewhat shocked, and cycled away.

I’ve lived in China, I’ve seen the things people can bike with, but this poor girl, so wrongly attacked by her exercise ball, taught me that some things just cannot be taken on the commute.
-Emily-Anne Paul

3rd Place
A Bike's Perspective
I could tell I had a new rider because he wheeled me into a space I’d never seen before, with a hard floor, this big black panel, a giant humming white box, oh and he’s given me lights! I am in much better spirits because my new rider lets me live with him! My last rider left me alone in this tiny scary black room for most of my life. Although I must admit, my new rider is much heavier, but don’t tell him that! Anyway, I have noticed a lot more people outside because my new rider takes me out more. All these people seem to be shouting the word ‘Canada!’

I don’t mind getting wet you know! Well, my new rider has taken me around this path a couple of times on our way back home, which I don’t think he’s appreciated as much before I started living with him. According to my odometer, it’s almost 10 kilometers long, winding in one big circle. We blow past other riders, but then slow down on the other side because we are facing this massive pool of water with beautiful orange and pink and purple colours at the edge of it. He can’t drive me that far, but I’m happy driving near home, especially with fewer people, I can go faster!
—Austen

February 8 - March 31

What is The Dizzy Cycles 2010 Vancouver Road Closure Bike Commute Challenge?
A lot of us are fair weather commuters. It's pretty easy cycling in Vancouver from April to October, but bike commuting in February and March when the rain won't stop, the sun doesn't shine, and the temperature can hover around 6°C, and yes sometimes it does still snow, well that is a whole other challenge for most of us. Only the impending road closures, over-crowded public transport, and general road chaos forced on us by the 2010 Winter Olympics will make some of us consider starting our bicycle commuting season earlier, or for some, for the first time.

But don't fret, we want to hear from you, the Vancouver Olympians by default — the Vancouver Bicycle Commuter. From February 8 to March 31 send us your tales and anecdotes about riding your bike in Vancouver during the Olympics. Close-calls, good samaritan acts, funny sights, famous athlete spottings, weird run-ins with security staff, etc. we want hear how you rode your way around the biggest party we’ve had since Expo’86! 

So park your vehicles, jump off the bus, dust your bikes off a few months early and start riding to work, school, to do your shopping, visit your family and friends.

Essay Contest Rules
1. It has to be true. There are plenty of fiction contests out there, this isn't one of them.

2. 250 words or less.

3. No political vitriol. Save that for your personal blog, Facebook, Twitter, letters to the editor, or media outlets.

There are three ways to send us your essay.

Fax: 604 739 6859
Mail: Dizzy Cycles Essay Contest, 1856 West 4th Ave., Vancouver, BC V6J 1M3

Our favorites will be posted daily here on the Dizzy Cycles website and on our Facebook page throughout the Olympics.

There will be three awards announced March 31. Winners will be voted on by Dizzy Cycles staff. (Dizzy Cycles family members and buddies need not submit entries.)

Prizes

Gold medal winner will receive a 2010 Kona Dew Deluxe bicycle.

Siver medal winner will receive a $200 Dizzy Cycles Gift Certificate

Bronze medal winner will receive a $100 Dizzy Cycles Gift Certificate

What You Will Need
1. Patience and a sense of adventure.

2. A bicycle in safe, good working condition.

3. A helmet, a very good lock, and lights if you are riding either before dawn or after sunset. Helmets and lights are the law in Vancouver.

Maps
Official Olympic route maps, route planners and lot's of other useful information can be found here.

Good luck! We look forward to reading your stories.