A year of riding in Montreal
Environment Canada climate normals for Montreal Trudeau airport (1991–2020) record a daily high above 10 °C on 201.7 days a year. The City runs two bike networks: a seasonal one, open April 1 to November 15, that adds routes, notably in parks, and an all-season one that is cleared of snow in winter.
Winter on an e-bike
January averages −9.2 °C and the same station logs 216.6 cm of snow a year, so a winter bike needs grip and a battery you look after. Of the city's 1,083 km of bike paths and lanes, 740 km can be used year-round, and the City says many lanes are cleared at the same time as the street or soon after. BIXI takes its electric bikes off the winter network because cold and salt affect their batteries. On a bike of your own, bring the battery inside after each ride (the whole bike if the battery is built in) and rinse road salt off the chain and frame. See our winter storage guide for the parked months.
Routes worth the ride
The Express Bike Network (Réseau express vélo) is a 191 km bike lane project. Its Piste Robert Silverman runs about 9 km along the Berri, Lajeunesse and Saint-Denis axis, from Boulevard Gouin to Rue Cherrier. Parks Canada's Lachine Canal path covers 13.5 km from the Old Port to Lake Saint-Louis and is maintained April 15 to November 15. The canal path is part of Vélo Québec's Route verte, which strings together 5,400 km of cycling routes across the province.
Bikes for Montreal riding
- Snow and slush: the Taubik Tour S rolls on 26 x 4.0 in Kenda Juggernaut fat tires, with a 500 W motor, a torque sensor, Zoom hydraulic disc brakes and a low step-through frame.
- Hills and long climbs: the Velotric Discover M drives a 500 W VeloCore mid-drive (960 W peak) through a Shimano CUES 9-speed, with a torque sensor and an 802 Wh removable battery.
- Stairs to the front door: the Velotric Tempo weighs 17.7 kg, on 700 x 42c Kenda puncture-resistant gravel tires with Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and a 374 Wh removable battery. More in commuter e-bikes.
Getting your e-bike to Montreal
Shipping is free across Canada. We process an order within 1–3 business days, then it spends 2–7 business days in transit, depending on where you live. We sell online only, so there is no pickup: the bike comes to your address or to a local bike shop you book for assembly. Quebec is covered in our guide to e-bike rules by province, and you can compare all our e-bikes side by side.
Questions
Do you deliver e-bikes to Montreal?
Yes. Shipping is free across Canada, Montreal included. The bike is delivered to your address, or to a local bike shop you choose for assembly; you book the shop. Someone must sign for the package, and every package we send is insured. We ship to addresses in Canada only, and not to P.O. boxes.
How long does delivery to Montreal take?
We process orders within 1–3 business days. Shipping then takes 2–7 business days, depending on where you are located, and we email you a tracking number once the order has been processed. On a long trip, tracking can show no new scan for up to 5 days; that is normal.
Is there an e-bike store in Montreal where I can test ride?
No. Fast Ebikes sells online only, so there is no showroom, no test ride and no pickup in Montreal or anywhere else. Each product page lists the specs its brand publishes, so you can compare models side by side before you order.
Can I ride an e-bike through a Montreal winter?
The City says 740 km of its bike network can be used year-round, and the all-season network is cleared of snow. With January averaging −9.2 °C at the airport, pick wide tires for snow and keep the battery indoors between rides, since cold and salt are hard on batteries.
I already ride electric BIXIs. Why own an e-bike?
BIXI's network includes 3,500 electric BIXIs, but they come off the network for winter because cold and salt affect their batteries. An e-bike of your own is ready in any month. Pick a model with a removable battery and the battery comes inside with you; you also choose the frame, tires and battery size for your rides.
Who assembles the e-bike?
Either a local bike shop you choose and book for assembly, which can receive the delivery, or you, at home. Before you open the box, take photos or a video of it, then check the frame, the wheels and the battery before you start assembling.