Learning to ride a bike in Verdun
I learned to ride a bike in 1950. The first recommendation: « Just pedal and don’t look at your front wheel ». I practiced first in our backyard on Ethel St., then on the section of Victor Lane between Hickson and Regina. My dad accompanied me; we both rented a bicycle at Bicycles Brassard’s Cycles on Strathmore between Ethel & Gertrude. There were no training wheels on my bike, so my dad had more work to do, running besides me.
My father always rented a huge two-bar bicycle (CCM usually which was not FeatherliteÓ
Good memories !
What was your first experience on a bike ?
JM
40 comments:
My first 2-wheeler was a BSA, and my mom and aunts saved coupons from inside of cake mixes, which they redeemed for 3 bikes, mine and 2 for my cousins. I first tried it on Good Friday, promptly fell, skinned my knee and ended up with a black eye. My aunt loaned me her brand new sunglasses (with rhinestones on the rims), and Easter sunday I attended church with my sunglasses on. I think this was the only time I fell (or perhaps its just my selective memory), but I have never forgotten my first time on a 2-wheeler. Cheers, Linda
Jean Marie, J'ai eu mon premier bicyle at l'âge de 15 ans.J'ai eu mon premier emploie à cet âge et j'ai ramassé mon argent pendant 6 mois et j'ai acheté un bicycle usagé, fabriqué en Angleterre, avec la chaine entouré par du métal que j'ai payé $25.00, en 1945. Moi et mes amis avons fait beaucoup de voyages, dont Longueuil, Chateauguay pour ne mentionner que ces 2 endroits. Je fais encore de la bicyclette, surtout le long du canal Lachine et ce malgré mon âge (75). Merci d'avoir abordé le sujet. I got my first bike at age 15, the same age that I got my first job and I saved for 6 months and bought a second hand bike made in England, you know the type with the completely covered chain and paid $25.00 in 1945. I made many trips including Longueuil and Chateauguay to mention only those 2. I still ride a bike mainly along the Lachine canal and this despite my age (75). Thanks for bringing up the subject. Guy
Hey Linda
My first bike was also acquired with the coupons
from Quaker oates products(i think). I remember the deadline was approaching and
we were short quite a bit. All of our neighbours on Melrose Ave gave us their
coupons and we made it the day of the cutoff. I was the only NEW bike i ever
had
Wayne Brien
Remember the rentals of the little balloon bikes..as lived on Rushbrooke would go over to the ice house?? and rent from there??on Lasalle blvd.
Wayne, I wonder if you still have to go down to the police station to get a liscence for your bike which required a bell , head light and tail light, both of which operated by a dynamo that was run by your tire which generated elecricity to light the bulbs.Some of these youngsters in this group will probably say "What is she talking about" Sorry kids, it was probably before batteries were an option. Mid 50's Ruth
I remember going for that licence down to the Police station. I also remember the light and the dynamo. One day I was riding up Rolland Ave., made no stop at Monteith (no traffic after all) and kept going up the street. I didn't know there was a police car behind me. He stopped me right in front of my house. My dad was sitting on the balcony reading a newpaper. I think the cop's name was Allen (Sgt. Allen). He asked me if I "knew the rules of the road?".
Being frazzled at being stopped right in front of my dad, I came up with the brilliant retort of "What rules?". Really impressed everyone with that.
BobB
Hi Linda, My first bicycle was also a BSA with a gear shift on the handle of the bike. My brother and I got the bikes with Robin Hood Cake mixes. We had all of Third Ave. saving the coupons for our family. Just recently my family were talking about bicycle licences and how we had to go to the police station every year to renew your licence. Do you remember what day that was? A hint will be the "Moving Day" in Quebec Reggie Paine
Reggie, You're right...it was Robin Hood Cake Mixes, thanks for reminding me. If I remember correctly, we had cake as dessert for every meal, and like you, our neighbours helped with the coupons. Was a real snazzy bike, but I never did really like it. In those days, everything you got, including clothes, shoes, etc. was a larger size than you really took, so that the article would do you for quite a while. Same story with the bike. I could barely reach the pedals when sitting on the seat, and when I wanted to stop, I had to jump off the seat. Didn't help much that I was short! Never did grow a heck of a lot taller either, but it was a new bike, it was mine and not a hand-me-down so I persevered. And yes, like yours, the gear changer was on the right-hand of the handlebar. I do remember every year going to the police station on May 1st to get a license/
I think moving day was May 1
Must be all our parents were from the same school. Buy it a little bit big
and you will grow into it and it will last a little bit longer until you
grow out of it and pass it onto your younger siblings. Fortuneatley I was
the oldest and the only girl in our family
I was wrong of coursee July 1 makes more sense. Kids are out of school by
then.Maybe it was our lease that renewed May1
Ruth
You were rignt. Moving day used to be May 1, then was changed to July 1...probably for the reason you mention...kids at school.
BobB
Salut Guy ! En 1955, j’ai eu mon premier bicycle (CCM), équippé d’une dynamo, d’une sonnerie à l’effigie de St-Christophe afin de me protéger des accidents, et d’un petit panier en cuir (pour les outils) fixé sous le siège. Comme tu le sais, on devait se procurer une plaque au poste de police sur le boulevard Lasalle; la police surveillait les vélos afin de s’asurer qu’ils étaient bien munis de la plaque. A cette époque, il y avait essentiellement 2 sortes de bicycles 3-vitesses: système intérieur ou extérieur, j’avais un modèle avec système intérieur. Plusieurs préféraient le système intérieur car ils prétendaient que la chaîne déraillait plus souvent avec un système extérieur. Je fais du vélo pratiquement tous les jours entre mai et octobre. De plus en plus de gens utilisent leur vélo durant 12 mois (même à Chicoutimi à -30°C). Photo prise en mai 1964 au poste de police de Verdun, boulevard Lasalle, le maire George O’Reilly apparaît (2e rangée, à droite): Remise des plaques d’immatriculation pour les bicycles: In 1955, I had my own bicycle (CCM), equipped with a dynamo, a bell with a St. Christopher on it to protect me against accidents, and a little basket (for the tools) in leather fixed beneath the seat. As you know, we had to buy a plate at the police station on Lasalle Blvd and the police were checking the bikes for their compliance to that rule. In those days, there were basically 2 kinds of 3-speed bikes: inside and outside systems; I had an outside model. Many peoples preferred inside systems because they pretended that the chain had a tendency to derail in the outside system. I’m still riding a bike almost every day btwn May and October. More and more peoples are using their bikes 12 months a year (even in Chicoutimi at -30°C). Photo taken in May 1964, at the Verdun police station, Mayor George O’Reilly appears (2nd row, right). Getting the plates for the bikes. JM
Hi, My first bike was a grey tricycle which my backyard neighbour tried to steal from me. I later graduated to my first two wheel bike which I received at Christmas. It was a blue mustang with a blue and silver seat called a bannana seat. The handle bars were called monkey bars. It was my first hand brake bike with no gears.Lol I learned first with training wheels and then gradusted to just two wheels. I practiced on Galt Ave. in between Verdun and Wellington street. My favorite spot to ride was around the nuns residence by the Church I also remember almost taking out a parked car and once even a kid. Bikes sure have come a long since then
Jean Marie, As tu connu l'ancien maire de Verdun, Lucien Caron, nous sommes allés à L'école Notre Dame du Cénacle. Il était propriétaire du lave auto Drake au coin de Drake et De L'église et il a aussi eu un garage au même coin, l'autre bord du pont. Il est décédé il y a environ 2 ans. Il a aussi été député au provincial. Son père était policier à Verdun et conduisait une motocyclette avec "side car" dans les années 40-50. Une fois, Il m'a même arrêté pour vitesse avec l'auto de mon frère car je n'avait pas de license mais ne m'a pas donné de contravention. D'autres souvenirs d'enfance. I was just remenissing with Jean Marie some memories about Lucien Caron the former mayor of Verdun and Provincial deputy.We went to the same school, Notre Dame du Cénacle. He owned a car wash and garage at the corner of Drake and Church, just across the bridge. He passed away about 2 years ago. His father was a policeman operating a motorcycle with side car in the 40-50s. He once stopped me for speeding and driving my brother's car without a license but just gave me a warning. Guy
Wayne,
I wonder if you still have to go down to the police station to get a liscence for your bike which required a bell , head light and tail light, both of which operated by a dynamo that was run by your tire which generated elecricity to light the bulbs.Some of these youngsters in this group will probably say "What is she talking about" Sorry kids, it was probably before batteries were an option. Mid 50's
Ruth
Ruth
I sure do remember the dynamo, although I lived in Ville St. Laurent. We used to go to the old police station on Church Street, as it was called then, only now it's de l'Eglise, to get our bicycle licences.
Dave Pinto
who grew up on Edouard Laurin Boulevard in Ville St. Laurent in the 1950s, just a hop, skip and a jump away from the St. Aubin ice cream parlour.
I can recall getting a license for my bicycle at the police station on Lasalle Blvd. & Rielle, around the back and in the basement starting May 1st. It was from the mid 60's and we didnt need a light or dynamo even though my bike had them. My father gave me a blue CCM in my 7th grade year. If you got there real early and stood in line before they opened, you got a low plate # like 35 or 68. I might still have an old one in the basement that I'll try and look for this weekend. If you don't hear from me until Monday......send a search party!!! Mac.
Salut Guy ! Je me souviens très bien de Lucien Caron et de son lave-auto (Lave-auto Drake). Il cumulait les fonctions de maire de Verdun et député à Québec. I well remember Lucien Caron and his car-wash (Drake Car Wash). He cumulated two functions: mayor of Verdun and deputy of Verdun at Quebec. JM
Hi Guy, The Caron's were our neighbours on Claude Street. That was in the forties and they were indeed a beautiful family. Extremely honest people and Lucien was indeed one of the best mayors and MPP for Verdun. It is unfortuneate we don't have any of these good people in politics today. Reggie Paine
JM: Bicycling was my #1 activity growing up in Verdun. I was always on my bike. I would sometimes leave early in the morning and only come back around supper time. I went everywhere..........Mont Royal, Lachine, Park Ex., even Greenfield Park via the Jacques Cartier bridge. My favorite bike was a Mustang, with banana seat, high handle bars, three speeds on the middle of the frame, slick back tire. The only problem: I was a "little chubby" and gave Wolfe Cycle a lot of business replacing broken spokes on the rear wheel. I still enjoy biking, but don't have the urge to de it very often. What is very nice in my area is that I can go from Deux Montagnes to Oka on a very nice network of bike paths. When I first moved to DM the bicycle license was a real minature metal plate, now it is just a sticker I think. Ralph.
I guess I should not start a new topic under an existing heading, but I will anyway. Thinking of bicycling reminded me of Pedal cars, something that I could never master. I believe that Les might have posted a picture of one of these "things" but I can't find it so I found a couple... on the net. The one on the right is a Mustang! I would have been in pedal car heaven if I had had one of these. I don't know why I could never grasp the manouverability of the pedals, as I don't have a problem with my ability to use two feet on three pedals (even on a hill at a red light) on my pedalcar of today.......
I remember my buddy had a Saturday job working at Drake Car Wash in the late 70's. I worked one Saturday with him and was paid cash, it was great! We would be amazed that every car was expensive, mostly cadillacs and they were over $10,000. That was a huge amount of money even then. I was driving by there a couple of years ago heading on to the Metropolitan, and it was gone! The same building is there, but it was changed into a restaraunt I think, I can't remember. The car wash seemed to be there forever, as it was a momument growing up in the 60's and 70's. Mike
Hi MPU, Like you (and many others), I would disappear from home all day biking all over the place. I still remember going to (new) LaSalle with my buddies (we were maybe 6-7 years old, so it was quite the expedition), along the old RR tracks where there was pretty well a forest there (kind of behind Agrignon Park), and that forest extended to Dollard street. There were even rickety old shacks in that bush that hobos used to use. Toward the Lachine canal, you would start getting into industrial factory country. I remember one train engineer who was shuttling cars into factory sidings - he started freaking out at us, because we were so close to the tracks, leaning off of our bikes to put pennies on the rail so they would get flattened. He was probably so worried because he wouldn't be able to stop in time if he had to. Other memorable bike trips as a little kid were to: - Nun's Island shortly after the Champlain Bridge was build, and that big psychedelic-looking barn was still there, - Industrial section of Cote St. Paul along Lachine Canal with all the factories still in operation there, - the town of Lachine, along the river. You would be picking shad-flies out of your eyes the whole way, it seemed. BrownBlvd
I forgot to mention that, when I return to Montreal for visits, I still really enjoy getting around by bike. The last time, I went from Brown Blvd through the old Expo Islands over to the south shore and along the seaway - all the way to Kaughnawaga (or should I say, Khanawake?) where there was a giant sign stating "this is Indian territory - no trespassing", or something like that. So I turned around and headed back to the Champlain Bridge (or the Ice Boom bridge just upstream from Champlain Bridge), Nun's Island and home. I clocked on 62 km, but saw Verdun from the Cote St. Catherine/LaPrairie side for a change, instead of the other way around. Another nice thing about visiting the river across from Verdun, is the different perspective you get of Heron Island and the Lachine Rapids from over there. Before, I was only ever familiar with the Rapids from the LaSalle side of the river. Anyways, I agree with MPU - the current bike trails are another great thing about Montreal! BrownBlvd
Hi Ralph, Here's my very first car. Remember it like it was yesterday. Robin's Egg Blue. Of course I was not allowed off the sidewalk with it, so round and round the city block I would travel. I still remember it!!! Cheers, Linda
Hi habfan, Drake garage is now located on St.Patrick Street a little east of Church Avenue. Danny
Hi again, My post should have said Drake Car Wash. Danny
The old location of Drake Car Wash is now an Insta Cheque outlet. I will take a picture this week. Ralph.
Linda; It is so nice to have pictures like this of our earlier years. I don't seem to have very many, but there is no shortage of memories. Thanks for sharing yours. Ralph.
Funny that this should be a topic here, because my husband and I were just in Montreal last week visiting family in Chateauguay (they all live across the river now!). My sister and brother-in-law invited us to go for a nostalgic walk in Verdun and while walking, we talked about having to get a licence plate for your bike and that it had to have a headlight/tail-light and bell (ours also had rear-view mirrors courtesy of my Dad along with the almost obligatory streamers on the handlebars - LOL). My husband who is from Toronto, thought we were nuts!!! We had a good laugh remembering how we learned to ride our bikes through the back lanes (no traffic -- just those lovely grates waiting to grab your front tire and stop you dead in your tracks, perhaps tossing you over the handlebars if you were going fast enough!). What freedom when we had bikes -- going off for hours and hours at a time all over the place. We began our walk at the Nat, noticing the changes that have occurred over the years -- the diving pool no longer has diving boards, extended grassy areas and no bleachers on which to lie in the sun and bake. We attempted to go to the roof but were told that it is permanently closed to the public -- what a shame! They're probably afraid someone will fall off now (LOL). (Anyone remember sitting on the ledge with legs dangling over the side near the pool????) We wandered along the boardwalk (also many changes since I lived there) and then decided to meander down Riverview, past our elementary school. My sister and I both dashed to the main door (used to be for teachers only) and had a peek inside through the windows. Things looked pretty much the same from our vantage point. We continued on down Riverview and then down the back alley between Allard and Godin, having a look at the backs of the houses -- some have been remodelled or updated while others still look the same as they did in the 60s & 70s!! Finally we headed for "home", 1313 Valiquette. Wow -- lots of memories came flooding back of all the times we played tag, hide and seek, "ledgies" against the wall of our house, sitting on the gallery, the neighbours who used to live there....We got up the courage to knock on "our" door, and a French gentleman answered. My sister who speaks fluent French, told him our parents were the original tenants when the house was built and that we had grown up there. He looked at us kind of funny, said something along the line of "that's nice", and closed the door!! We had hoped he would invite us in to have a look, but it's probably better that he didn't so our memories are still intact of the time we lived there. We walked (now in the pouring rain) along Beurling and bought popsicles at "Ponchos" at the corner of Rolland and Beurling, and then continued down Stephens to the car at the Nat. Wonderful evening, lovely memories.... Pam (Hyde)
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The store at the corner of Rolland and Beurling has been named "Oma's" for at least a good 15 years now. But yup, it's still there.
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I remember the store being called Poncho's and Oma's. When was it Poncho's? Claroleca
Hi Claroleca
I think the name on the store front at Rolland and Beurling was "Oma's", but the owner was known as Poncho. I don't recall the sighn ever reading "Poncho's". I have no idea who Oma was.
BobB
Hi Bob, Yep, it is still there and the window sill still has newspapers on it. Mind you they have upgraded from the National Enquirer to include La Presse and The Gazette! The store seemed much smaller than I remembered, but I was smaller then too!! LOL Next door is now a hair salon, but I remember the shoe store well. We always went to visit Mrs. Smith in late August to get fitted with our new "Savage" shoes for school. As for "Oma's", isn't it a Dutch word for "Grandma's"? I remember hearing kids calling their grandparents Oma and Opa. Don't know where the name "Poncho" came from, but was always called that as along as I can remember. Pam :)
Hi Pam
You're right, Oma is Grandma, Dutch and German I think. Maybe it was named that before "Poncho" came along. I lived at 1224 Rolland, so it was the local store for all the junk candy I could eat.
You mention Mrs. Smith. Didn't she have something to do with the soccer league in Verdun?
BobB
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Hi Bob
Thanks for filling in the blanks for me. So many years ago. But some of the memories are as fresh as yesterday.
BobB
Gosh, I don't know about them being involved in soccer, but that brought back a long-forgotten memory of me as a soccer cheerleader!!! White dress, white socks, white runners, and we had a couple of ribbons pinned to our shoulders in the team colours (I think mine were green and gold, but don't really remember). We thought we were pretty hot stuff....ROFL Pam
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