Some of you may be surprised how often Saskatoon hits -40, with or without windchill. I suspect many of you dismissing winter cycling don't get out much during the winter months, or take off to some place warm
I don't commute via bicycle in the winter, but I do load my bike onto a rack, and pedal up and down the river trails, bridges, downtown, and anywhere else where the snow has been cleared (that is the downside to living in the burbs, no one clears the sidewalks, or side streets...treacherous at best). I bike for recreation, but I am still biking during all seasons. It is not as bad as some of you believe it to be.
I don't have the time right now, but when I get back from tonight's talk I'll search Environment Canada's archives and post the Saskatoon temperature data for all to see.
Beyond a certain distance (2,3,4,7 km?), the willingness to bike or walk to a destination will drop off sharply for most people. This is especially true during our winter months. However, for those who are able, and within a certain distance (there is data to support this...I will try and find something) of a particular destination, the willingness to travel via bicycle increases at a measurable rate.
No one expects suburbanites to navigate arterial roads to hit up downtown. But, if public transit had enough coverage and frequency (only possible with the right mix of land uses and densities), the people could bike for part of the trip, and hop onto a bus (future LRT). A multimodal transportation system is what Saskatoon should strive for. It is not a choice between walking and cycling, transit or automobile, it is more about the interaction of these different modes to achieve a desired level of efficiency.
Anyways...