Thinking about a bike commute if the TTC goes on Strike? Get prepared by learning how to navigate the streets of Toronto on 2 wheels!

The City of Toronto has webpages packed with information about staying safe on the roads.

• Tips for New Commuter Cyclists
• Cycling Safety Pages
• Sidewalks are for Pedestrians
• Helmet Safety
• Please Don't Squeeze

Visit BikingToronto.com's popular post about handy hints on cycling with automobile traffic: 8 Secrets to Cycling with Traffic.

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Lights are essential for foul-weather, early morning and evening commutes. Buy a white light for your handlebars and red lights for your seatpost and helmet. (photo courtesy of richardmasoner)

Lighting equipment from Mountain Equipment Co-op

Lighting equipment from Canadian Tire

Another way to stay visible: SCOTCH REFLECTIVE TAPE can be cut into 1-inch sections and stuck to rims; because they’re in motion, they’re more noticeable to drivers than a steady light, and you’ll never forget them like you might a rear blinker.

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• Don't overdress - cycling produces a lot of bodyheat!
• Dress in layers - allowing you to remove or add layers as you heat up or cool down
• A windbreaker-type jacket and/or pants are great for cutting out the early spring wind
• Sunglasses are essential - both to keep out the glare of the sun, but also any salt or sand still on the roads from the winter
• A strap or band to secure your right pant leg - if your bike does not have a chain guard


Bring a change of clothes:

• You can get sweaty biking to work (even in the winter!), so be sure and bring a change of clothes to change into, along with deoderant to keep any bad smells away.

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• Change clothes and clean up in a washroom. For privacy, use a toilet stall. Use wheelchair-accessible stalls for the most room.
• Remove your work clothes from your bag and hang them up. If stalls don't have wall hooks, buy adhesive ones and put them in the stalls yourself.
• Take off your cycling clothes and put them in your bag. If you've nowhere to let cycling clothes dry, put them inside a plastic bag.
• If you store your bike in a secure, private area, lay your cycling clothes on the top tube and handlebars to dry.
• Use a towel to dry off sweat.
• If you feel smelly: Carry a package of disposable, moist towelettes and use them to sponge off. Or use a washcloth. Some people use some talcum powder.
• Towel off hair, wet it if necessary, and brush, comb, and/or blow-dry.
• Put on jewelry away from toilets and sinks so you don't drop it in.

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• Some people use backpacks:
• Good: Low cost
• Good: Can use a bungee cord to secure to a rear rack
• Bad: Can make your back sweat a lot
• Bad: Some can't carry a lot of stuff

• People who cycle a lot use pannier bags:
• Good: Hold lots of stuff
• Good: Attach easily to a rear rack
• Good: Easier to bike (no weight on your back)

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Fenders are a small but essential part of cycling when it's raining (or shortly thereafter). Your tires like to pick up water and spray it at you, but fenders can stop this and keep you remarkably dry!

Before you leave home, plan your route and learn where to leave your bike – and how to lock it so it’s there when you return!

The city of Toronto Bikeway Network has around 400 km of bikelanes, shared roadways and park paths. You can stay safer by planning your route to work. It's always safer sticking to quieter residential roads and on-street bike lanes. To help plan your route, check out the Toronto Cycling Map.

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• Enquire at your workplace about secure bike parking. Many workplaces have space available for bikes but don't promote it much...
  
  If Parking on the Street:
• Use a FLAT KEY U-Lock to secure the frame and rear wheel to a bike rack or other fixed object.
• Use a CABLE LOCK to secure the front wheel.
• Alternatively you can use a U-Lock with a cable loop.
• Two different types of locks require different tools to defeat and therefore make your bike a less desirable target!

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Need to find a bikeshop to get your bike tuned up? Or perhaps scout out locations in case you get a flat biking to work? Here's a map with all the bikeshops in Toronto (click here for a larger version).

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1. Stay Healthy and Fit!
Biking is a great cardiovascular workout and does wonders for circulation and muscle tone. It's much easier to stay fit when you work exercise into your daily routine.

2. Save Time
Biking is often faster than driving and you don't waste time looking for parking. Exercising while commuting could save you a trip to the Gym!

3. Save Money
No Gas! No Insurance! No Tickets! No Headaches!

4. Have Fun
Biking is lots of fun! Toronto is a beautiful city to bike through with over 200 km of bikelanes!

5. Keep Our Planet Green
Bicycles do not use fossil fuels, cause ozone depletion, or emit deadly pollutants.

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Here's a pretty good video from MP Olivia Chow, who has biked in Toronto for a long time. Some browsers have trouble displaying this, so click through to the YouTube page to see it.

This video requires Flash (free) to view.