About

SCU Founding Members
Kids Bike Exchanges
Kids Bike Exchanges
Kids Bike Exchanges
Bike Valet Parking
Bike Tune-Up BBQs
Bike Valet Parking
Kids Valet Parking
Can-bike Instructors
Kids Bike Rodeos
Kids Bike Rodeos

Who We Are

WE ARE: People in Sudbury who love to bike, whether for transportation or recreation.

WE ARE: People who want to help build a better cycling culture and climate in Greater Sudbury.

The Sudbury Cyclists Union was formed in June 2010 by a group of cycling enthusiasts who have cycling at heart.

We are a volunteer grassroots organization whose main focus is to provide a strong unified voice for cyclists and to facilitate a better urban cycling culture in the City of Greater Sudbury. Our aim is to make cycling safe, accessible, and fun for cyclists of all ages and ability.

Working together with those who share our same values, the SCU lobbies and advocates to make cycling improvements within the city. We work with a number of organizations and groups including: the City of Greater Sudbury, the Greater Sudbury Police Service, the Rainbow Routes Association, the Sudbury & District Health Unit, the Share the Road Coalition, EarthCare, Conservation Sudbury, the Sustainable Mobility Advisory Panel, the Sudbury Road Safety Committee, the Brain Injury Association, Northern Lights Folk Festival Boréal, UpFest, the River and Sky Camping and Music Festival, the Canadian Mental Health Association (Ride Don't Hide event), the Walden Mountain Bike Club, the Sudbury Cycling Club, the Sudbury Women's Mountain Bike Club.

We are members of the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury, EarthCare and reThink Green; and a partner in Sudbury Cycles.

Our Focus

  • Advocacy
  • Safe Cycling Education
  • Fun Events

Our Activities

  • Group rides
  • Kids bike exchanges
  • Bike valet parking
  • Bike rodeos
  • Bike tune-up workshops
  • Resources on safe and fun cycling
  • Social activities throughout the year
  • An opportunity to become involved in promoting cycling in Sudbury

Membership

We offer paid memberships of $10 per year to individuals who wish to support our activities. New in 2018, we also offer $15 Family memberships. Membership dues are needed for insurance and event expenses so that we can hold group rides and other fun events like Bike Repair BBQs. By buying a membership, you help us build cycling skills, cycling culture, and connect cyclists in Greater Sudbury.

We also welcome members who wish to pay according to their means or to their level of support for cycling. We also welcome donations to support specific activities, like Kids Bike Exchanges.

Our Vision

Our Vision is: city wide safe cycling for all in Greater Sudbury

Our Mission

Build a strong cycling culture in Greater Sudbury through fun and accessible cycling activities.

Be a voice for safe cycling for people of all ages and abilities throughout Greater Sudbury.

Our Values

  • we respect people and promote honesty and integrity in all discussions
  • we value diversity, new ideas and opinions
  • we work in a spirit of collaboration and promote a supportive environment
  • we are role models and leaders for safe cycling in the community

Our Executive

  • Chair: Rachelle Niemela
  • Vice Chair: Vacant
  • Secretary: Andrew Graham
  • Treasurer: Phil Croteau
  • Membership Coordinator: Jennifer Trainor
  • Members at large: Dan Carnovale

Executive Position Descriptions
Terms of Reference

Position Statements

SAFE AND CONVENIENT CYCLING

Safe cycling is a right for cyclists of all ages and abilities.

Cycling is an activity that can improve and help maintain good health, provides economic benefits to the community, and is a cost-effective mode of transportation. Cycling should be an integral part of our transportation network.

Bicycles should be used in a safe and lawful use on all roads. We encourage all cyclists to abide by the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and to follow vehicular traffic laws. We also encourage all cyclists to learn and use safe and proper bicycle handling skills.

Traffic laws should be enforced fairly and equitably for all road users.

Cycling safety education should be available for all road users, including cyclists and motorists.

We support and encourage the use of helmets by cyclists of all ages.

CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE

COMPLETE STREETS
Principles of Complete Streets should be applied to all roads and benefit all road users. Generally speaking, Complete Streets are designed to be safe for all users, such as people who walk, bicycle, take transit, or drive, and people of varying ages and levels of ability (ref: City of Toronto).

ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE
In Ontario, the Ontario Traffic Manual includes a series of 22 traffic engineering and traffic control reference manuals to provide municipal guidelines on various traffic control options and approaches. Specifically, Book 18: Cycling Facilities, provides guidelines to safely manage bicycle traffic in various situations. Cycling infrastructure in Greater Sudbury should meet the minimum standards described in Book 18. Our goal is to provide dedicated and physically separated infrastructure on all roads with speed limits equal or greater than 60 km/h, and dedicated infrastructure for roads between 50 and 59 km/h. Shared infrastructure is appropriate for roads with speed limits of 49 km/h or less. We advocate that all residential neighbourhoods have a maximum speed limit of 40 km/h.

GREATER SUDBURY CYCLING NETWORK
Greater Sudbury should develop a network (minimum grid) of safe cycling infrastructure that follows the recommendations of Book 18, and that contains separated infrastructure for high-traffic and high volume roads, such as protected on road bike lanes or raised bike lanes (cycle tracks), with the goal of creating a safe and connected cycling network in all of Greater Sudbury. Ideally, the grid offers riders safe and convenient route options that allow people to safely get to their destinations when using a bicycle.

SHARROWS
Sharrows do not improve road user behaviour, nor do they improve the level of safety or comfort for all road users, especially cyclists. Sharrows should only be used in very specific circumstances such as for wayfinding on on-street residential routes. Sharrows should not be used on streets where traffic is moving at speeds over 40 km/h or where traffic volumes are high, such as on arterial roads. Sharrows should be removed from roads with speeds over 40 km/h and be replaced with appropriate, safer cycling options as outlined in Book 18.

CYCLING ON SIDEWALKS
Cycling on sidewalks puts both pedestrians and cyclists at risk. We urge cyclists to avoid riding on sidewalks. However, we understand that in some cases where safe cycling infrastructure is not provided, some cyclists might choose to cycle on sidewalks. In these cases, cyclists should always respectfully and safely operate their bicycles, and always give way to pedestrians. In addition, for everyone’s safety, these cyclists should also cross intersections as pedestrians (walking across), following all applicable rules.

WINTER CYCLING
Year-round cycling should be encouraged and the City of Greater Sudbury should take steps to provide safe options for people who bike year-round—for recreational reasons or out of need. For some cyclists, riding a bike is a personal choice or purely a recreational activity, but for many others, it is a necessity. Many people do not have vehicles and/or public transit does not meet their needs to get to work, to school or to run errands.

ACCESSIBILITY
All road designs or traffic management approaches should allow cyclists to safely and conveniently reach their chosen destinations.