Folding Bikes Aboard

Years ago, many years ago, my wife Susan and I bought folding bikes to take with us on our Columbia 26 sailboat. They were Raleigh three speeds, state of the art back then. They were no comparison to today’s bikes but they did the job. They were certainly bulkier than modern bikes, but once folded, they could be stowed away in the cockpit lockers or even under the dinette table.

Today, now in our senior years, we have a pair of 11-speed folding bikes with 20-inch wheels, internal gear hubs, integrated handlebar lights powered by a front-wheel dynamo and 3D forged aluminum handle posts—a far cry from our old Raleighs.

The Perks

Having our bikes on board allows us to do more exploring on shore and to see and do things we might otherwise miss. And, groceries, supplies and services can be accessed miles away from an anchorage. Sightseeing, exercise, even ice cream, what’s not to like?

While full-size bikes and even electric bikes can go on boats, folding bikes (which can also be electric) generally fit better on a smaller boat and are easier to get ashore. When at anchor, we load both of our bikes (folded) into Haven’s RIB and take them to a nearby marina/government dock or dedicated dinghy dock. Once unloaded, they are easily unfolded (and refolded) in less than a minute.

 

Where to Stow

Deciding where to stow folding bikes depends on the type and size of your vessel. As noted above, we stowed our two original three speeds either in the cockpit lockers or underneath the dinette table of our 26-foot sailboat. We stow our current bikes on the flybridge of our 32-foot trawler. With the kickstands extended and with the bikes velcro strapped to the rail they are very secure. Weighing 13.3 kilograms each, I can get them up and down the ladder to the flybridge with little trouble. The folded size is 16.5 x 31.1 x 28.3 inches. Susan made protective nylon bags that we use when we’re out for an extended cruise. A similar canvas or nylon bag could be used to allow stowage below, perhaps on an unused berth. Some manufacturers offer bike bags as an optional extra.

While it is beyond the scope of this article to discuss the many brands that are available, to readers considering a purchase I would make a few suggestions. First, buy bikes that have at least 20-inch wheels as smaller wheels make the bike too wobbly. Second, buy a bike with a rack capable of carrying panniers, a water bottle holder and a mirror. While the bike might be mostly for exploring and sightseeing, you never know when you might find something that you want to carry back to the boat and having a dedicated space for groceries is a huge bonus. Also, keep weight in mind and imagine loading the bikes in your dinghy. I will add that I find my folding bike as easy to ride as my full-size bike and just as comfortable. So, test a few bikes before deciding which is right for you.

Now, where might one go, you ask? A few of our favourite rides are to East Point from Winter Cove on Saturna Island; from Tod Inlet to the Red Barn Market on the Saanich Peninsula and from the Sointula Harbour dock, on Malcolm Island, to either the north or south side of the island.

 

1. Winter Cove, Saturna Island

A nearby public dinghy dock allows easy loading and unloading of bikes. Saturna Island is definitely a hilly island but the road to East Point is relatively flat. This is a scenic 11.5-kilometre ride each way, with two hills (you can walk them). For the most part it follows the shoreline closely enough to provide some excellent views looking north and east. There are several low bank beach-access points and both ends of the ride have public toilets. Alas, no ice cream, or anything else is available, so bring along a drink and a snack. East Point is part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, and offers a headland with spectacular views. Here, overlooking the San Juan Islands, we usually have our snack while keeping our eyes out for whales transiting Boundary Pass. Lunch finished, we head back on the same road or take Cliffside Road for a change of scenery. Once, returning to Winter Cove, we stopped to watch five eagles taking turns to feed on an octopus on the nearby shoreline. Watching right from the road!

When biking on the islands, watch out for deer. They can jump out of the bush and be in front of you in a split second—and watch out for the one behind the first.

 

2. Tod Inlet, Saanich Peninsula

On the west side of Saanich Peninsula, near Brentwood Bay, is the start of another favourite bike ride. Much has been written about Tod Inlet, a boating destination in itself (PY June 2018), so I won’t go into detail here about the anchorage, which is part of Gowlland Tod Provincial Park. A dinghy dock provides convenient loading and unloading. Get up to Wallace Drive by one of two routes (Benvenuto Avenue past the entrance to Butchart Gardens or the nearby Tod Inlet Trail). Once on Wallace Drive you can choose your destination. Heading north on Wallace Drive will take you to the village of Brentwood Bay, a few kilometres away. Groceries, restaurants, a post office, liquor stores, a bike shop and… ice cream(!) are available there. Our favourite route is south, taking the Tod Inlet Trail to Wallace Drive and riding about five kilometres to the Red Barn Market. Be careful on the road—it is narrow with no shoulders and can be busy. Just before the market you will be on the Interurban Rail Trail. This in turn connects to an entire network of biking trails including the Colquitz River Trail and the the Galloping Goose and Lochside regional trails. These provide approximately 45 kilometres of north-south and east-west connections to the surrounding area. But the Red Barn Market is usually our turnaround point. With groceries, fresh produce, a deli and sandwich bar, outside seating, picnic tables and a wide choice of ice cream, it’s a great destination! If you choose to ride farther, you will be on excellent dedicated bike paths.

 

3. Sointula, Malcolm Island

I was born in Finland and this community, established in the early 1900s by a group of utopia-seeking Finnish settlers, captured my heart years ago on our first visit. The Sointula Harbour dock is a welcoming and safe stopover. With a laundromat, showers and washrooms it is very busy in summer months. We have two favourite rides here. The first heads south from the docks along flat First Street, about two kilometres into the village. Here we stop at the Sointula Cooperative Store, the oldest co-op in BC, to get a treat or two and perhaps make a list of things to purchase on the way back. This is a “there and back again” ride. Riding on, we continue south to the cemetery (an interesting historical stop) and follow Kaleva Road east to Meynell Point before following the same route back. This is a 10-kilometre roundtrip from the harbour dock. The stretch from the cemetery to Meynell Point is very low and flat and offers many access points to the wide beach. Our first time biking on Kaleva Road was during a high tide, and the shoreline road is so low and flat it felt as if we were looking up at the seawater to our right. It reminded me of going down the Swinomish Channel those many years ago on our sailboat; there too, a high tide with low banks on both sides, but that time we were on the water and it seemed we were looking down at the cows grazing on both sides of us.

Our second ride on Malcolm Island starts at the harbour dock again. This time we head north along First Street for about half a kilometre before turning right on Bere Road.

In all honesty, I must say that this ride is unlike the previously described rides. Parts of this route are rough, gravelly and hilly though the ride is only about 2.5 kilometres each way. While challenging, it can be very rewarding—you are riding to a whale rubbing beach!

So, we carry on along Bere Road to Bere Point Regional Park. Follow the shoreline campsite road west then park the bikes and walk the Beautiful Bay Trail for about half a kilometre before coming to a viewing platform that overlooks the whale rubbing beach below.

We have been here perhaps five or six times and we have been fortunate enough to see orcas rubbing here on two occasions plus once missing them by about 30 minutes. We have spoken to residents of some 20 years who frequent this area and they claim to have never seen orcas at the beach. So, the odds of seeing whales rubbing on the beach are slim. But, as the saying goes, you can’t win if you don’t play.