‘You vote with your bike’: cyclists celebrate freedoms, call for increased safety

Winnipeg's Fancy Women Bike Ride, a celebration of cycling and women's empowerment, saw over 100 cyclists gather on the legislature grounds on Sunday. Founder Patty Wiens encouraged attendees to ask city candidates about their active transportation plans during the upcoming election. The event, now an annual tradition, originated in Turkey in 2013 and aims to raise awareness about the freedom and importance of bicycling in public spaces.

Participants decorated their bikes and dressed in formal attire, riding through West Broadway, Wolseley, and River Heights to the beat of female popstar ballads. Cyclists like 11-year-old Sophie Campbell and her mother Lynn emphasized the value of the city's active transportation network, noting the savings from not using gas and the positive impact on road conditions and personal health.