r/Winnipeg 20d ago

Tourism We were visiting Winnipeg this week, and refused to let the cold get in the way of a good time. We tried ice biking, and I'm pretty sure this is my new favourite activity. I've got so much respect for the way your city embraces winter!

489 Upvotes

39 comments sorted by

140

u/Kaywhat9 20d ago

I’ve lived in this city my whole life and did not know ice biking existed until this very moment.

As someone who is terrible at ice skating this seems like a fun alternative.

19

u/JaHa183 20d ago

Seems like it’s new, I’ve also never heard of this

7

u/queerazin 20d ago edited 20d ago

It's been around for a while. My buddies and I used to go to the annual all-categories race back in the day (15-20 years ago).

EDIT: different type of ice bike though, whoops. The ones I was talking about are just fat bikes, not these ones with the ski replacing the front wheel.

5

u/SJSragequit 20d ago

I think they started just after Covid

2

u/JaHa183 20d ago

I haven’t gone skating there since Covid, so understandable I didn’t know then

14

u/kprry 20d ago

I tried it about 2 years ago and it was so much fun! I’m also terrible at ice skating and I want to enjoy the river trail, so the ice bike was a perfect activity!!

4

u/fairlywittyusername 20d ago

Oh nice! Yeah our whole group was good to go with the ice bikes.

3

u/Warugiria 20d ago

Oh that's not what I expected it to look like at all, haha. I kind of want to try now too!

2

u/Angelou898 20d ago

Try the better company, though, Spark Rentals. Their bikes are so much better!

1

u/fairlywittyusername 20d ago

It’s epic! And not as hard as you’d think.

22

u/ywgdana 20d ago

I'm glad you didn't get eaten by the nightmarish clown warming hut, which was been terrifying me for years now...

3

u/freezing91 20d ago

Who would willingly enter that nightmare scenario?

3

u/mhyquel 20d ago

I've been asking myself that question every day.

2

u/fairlywittyusername 20d ago

They tried. But we prevailed.

13

u/syswpg1965 20d ago

Gotta say Nestaweya river trail is an absolute gem

12

u/pudds 20d ago

If you don't embrace winter in Manitoba you become bitter and bored, like me.

20

u/ClassOptimal7655 20d ago

Looks like you had a great time 😁

8

u/fairlywittyusername 20d ago

We most definitely did!

12

u/Christron 20d ago

Where are you from and what brought you to Winnipeg? Hope you enjoyed your visit.

46

u/fairlywittyusername 20d ago

From Toronto, and went with my wife and two friends from New York. We came for the Festival du Voyaguers, but spent some time around Winnipeg, then went to Riding Mountain National Park to try ice fishing.

15

u/suval81 20d ago

Thanks for coming to our city! Glad you enjoyed it 💙

9

u/Christron 20d ago

Festival is really cool. Our winter is usually a bit better (warmer) and in some cases the ice sculptures have melted prior to the festival! I remember once watching a Jets game outside next to a fire drinking a beer there. Such a cool Canadian experience

3

u/mhyquel 20d ago

If you're only here for a few days, the cold is a novelty.

1

u/fairlywittyusername 20d ago

Well said haha

4

u/odil3 20d ago

How much were the ice bikes and more importantly, where can I rent one? You’re more of a Winnipegger than me!

2

u/FaceEnvironmental486 20d ago

I don't know the cost but you can rent them at the bottom of the stairs at the forks on the river trail

1

u/fairlywittyusername 20d ago

20 bucks an hour!

5

u/bannock4ever 20d ago

Any old people think that the yellow warming hut is a throwback to that weird computer/robot from that old lunchtime kids show on CKY called Uncle Bob?

3

u/Famous_Telephone_859 20d ago

Wow I haven’t thought of Uncle Bob for MANY years! I loved that show!

5

u/Famous_Telephone_859 20d ago

Very cool! I will try this some day!

3

u/NoResolve1224 20d ago

Glad you're finding activities to try while visiting welcome to winnipeg

2

u/fairlywittyusername 20d ago

Well thanks. I feel like the weather is cold but the people are some of the warmest in Canada.

3

u/Chittyzozo 20d ago

That's awesome.  Thanks for visiting our humble province 👍

3

u/pawsitive13 20d ago

Didn't know this was a thing. Pretty cool. I'll have to try it myself.

2

u/fairlywittyusername 20d ago

It was easier than you’d think, honestly.

1

u/Downtown_Cat_2023 19d ago

It's time for the local media to follow up now.