January 18th, 2008
Bike show at the auto show
By Christopher DeWolf // 5 Comments
WHAT? "The Bike Show" just outside the car show
WHERE? Corner of St. Urbain and Viger (in front of Place d'Armes metro)
WHEN? The afternoon of Sunday, January 20th
I've always found it a bit odd to see car ads in the metro (although I can't begrudge the STM for going after such a large and lucrative source of advertising revenue) but it was especially perplexing to arrive at Place d'Armes station the other night only to find all of its ad space taken over for a Dodge-sponsored promotion of the Montreal International Auto Show, which will take place this weekend at the Palais des congrès.
Even though I loved car shows as a kid, my interest in them has waned. I'm sure I'm not alone. But there's still a very good reason to head down to the convention centre this weekend: on Sunday, cycling enthusaists will crash the car love-in with a bike show just outside. Here's more information from the organizers:
Sunday 20 January, at the corner of Viger and St. Urbain, join us in showing the car-crazy consumers what a truly beautiful design looks like.
While the 'Salon de L'Auto' goes on inside the Palais de Congrès, we will amuse ourselves despite the violence wrought by automobiles.
Bring your bike to the first, outdoor, velo-rutionary bike show!
Why? A bike is... sexy, practical, fast, REALLY green, unique, mechanical, puissant, aero-dynamic, feminist, cheap!
Decorate your bike! Put some energy into something really unique. There will be a prize for the most beautiful bike!
There will also be a free community lunch, and music!
It would also be great to see strange machines and contraptions that have been made from bike parts.
Get those 'two-talls', low-riders, fixeys, recumbents, unicycles, trailers, all manners of pedal-power down to the 'Salon du Velo'!
It's a bike party in front of the Montreal Car Show!
You heard them. If you like bikes, a trip to the car show might be exactly what you need.
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Comments
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Going to be a high of –15° on Sunday afternoon, which might dampen some of the enthusiasm for a bike event. Still, good luck to them.
What's the story with the trike guy? He has been around forever!
Incidentally, re the car ads at Place d'Armes metro, I noticed the same phenomenon last year: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtlweblog/380162930/
Neath, there was an Urbania article on him (in their "Locomotion"-themed issue) but, as usual, most of their content is not available online.
Bravi!
A generation ago, we (Le Monde à bicyclette) held die-ins and other theatrical protests at the car show. I'm glad someone has taken up the flame!
Oh God, I hope the guy with the white beard and the tricycle isn't a portent of the future!
But no, I am not cycling down there in the snow. Got bicycle out last week when streets were dry.
Comment by Maria Gatti
January 18, 2008 | 2:56 pm