The News Cycle for Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011

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Cyclist’s death prompts call for mandatory truck side guards [The Star] The NDP is calling for mandatory side guards on heavy trucks after the death of cyclist Jenna Morrison last week. Toronto MP Olivia Chow, the opposition transport critic, will introduce a private member’s bill Monday that demands trucks be fitted with the guards that can prevent cyclists or pedestrians from being trapped between a truck’s wheels. In the aftermath of tragedy, once more unto the breach [Globe and … [Read more...]

Toronto Girls Cupcake Ride Recap (with Photos)

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You may know that BikingToronto organizes co-ed "Sweet Rides" that revolve around food every once in a while, and we organize them with Hyedie Hashimoto, the woman behind the Toronto Girls Cupcake Rides. Hyedie has posted a re-cap and photo wrap-up of the latest Girls ride, and it looks like a great one. Go to the Cupcake Ride site to check in out. In case you are wondering, yes... there WILL be a Sweet Ride soon... we're aiming for mid-November, and we're aiming for a warm food theme. … [Read more...]

Photos from the Red Bull Mini Drome

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Two weekends ago, the Red Bull Mini Drome came to Toronto and set up at the Evergreen Brickworks. Dandyhorse Magazine was there and caught all the action: In the heart of Evergreen Brick Works, next to the kilns that fired the bricks that built Toronto, 85 skilled and daring riders took on a steep and shrunken velodrome. With speeds reaching 35 km/h, on a track that appeared no larger than a suburban garage, the challenge was not only to set the best time but do so without slamming to the … [Read more...]

Video and Photos from the Toronto Tweed Ride

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This past Saturday was Toronto's first Tweed Ride. It was immensely successful (we estimated about 200 people showed up) and this will be an annual event. We kept hearing again and again how much fun everyone had and how they can't wait until next fall when we do it all again (and hopefully bigger and even better). The best part is the event raised over $10,000 for the fantastic work that Bikes without Borders does, which is currently sourcing and buying bicycles and bicycle ambulances … [Read more...]

More Photos from the Sweet Ride: Pie Edition

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We posted some of Hyedie's great photos from the Pie Ride yesterday (and Dandyhorse did a post about it too!), and I thought I'd share some photos I took too. I was leading the ride through a unique route through industrial, residential, rich and poor neighbourhoods, through pedestrianized streets and car-free bridges... and didn't get any photos of the ride (thankfully Hyedie did), but snapped a lot at each pie place! We started out at Madeleine's Cherry Pie and Ice Cream Shop.  It looks … [Read more...]

Photos and Re-Cap from the Sweet Ride: Pie Edition

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Over on her Cupcake Ride blog, Hyedie has posted a great re-cap of the Pie Ride we had this past Saturday. Start Point: Madeleine’s Cherry Pie and Ice Cream, 1087 Bathurst Street (south of Dupont) End Point: Canadian Pie Company, 798 Queen Street East (east of Broadview) Here are a few photos from her Flickr set from the ride (and I'll be posting some later today or tomorrow as well), but be sure and read her full post here.   There are way more … [Read more...]

Re-Cap and Photos from the “Ride for Jarvis”

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The Ride for Jarvis happened last night, and thankfully had a good turnout.  I've seen estimates of between 900 -1200 cyclists. Here are some photos and a few words about the event: People start gathering at Allan Gardens.  Lots of news media.   It's like a two-wheeled bike party.   There were LOTS of bikes! [photo by Hyedie Hashimoto]   Dave Meslin addressed the crowd. He sounded like a politician with a lot of soundbites. A bike-friendly … [Read more...]

Photos from a BikingToronto Firepit Social

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One of the great things about running a website about biking in Toronto and building it up into the largest and most popular one is all the people you meet.  With a few exceptions, everyone I meet through my work with BikingToronto is kind, generous and giving, and I've made some good friends. A few weeks ago we had a BikingToronto Social at the Madison, and we're planning a "Biking Toronto Ice Cream Social" for mid-July... and last week a few of us got together for a few hours around a … [Read more...]

Photos from TCAT’s Complete Streets Forum

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Last week, the Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation and the Clean Air Partnership hosted speakers and guests from all over the North America at the 2011 Complete Streets Forum. The goal of the 2011 Complete Streets Forum is to explore best practices, share ideas and success stories, and showcase research and technical solutions on how to better plan and design complete streets that will embrace and protect cyclists and pedestrians while accommodating all road users, including transit … [Read more...]

Photos of Bixi Toronto Docking Stations

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Bixi Toronto is launching tomorrow!  To whet your appetite, here's a collection of Bixi docking stations that have been plunked down around the downtown and are awaiting bikes. :) All photos are property of the respective photographers - you can click their names to go to the source photo, and click the location to see it on a map. :) Hoskin & Devonshire - by jamesarming   Toronto Music Garden (Queens Quay West) - by torontocget   Bellevue Park, … [Read more...]

The Bixis are Coming! The Bixis are Coming!

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Spotted yesterday by @AdamSchwabe ... Bixi Toronto bike docking stations on a truck en route to Toronto! Frankly... it's about time!  Bixi Toronto is launching in a week ... and we don't even know where these stations are going to be (there will be 80 of them around downtown - with 1000 bikes altogether). … [Read more...]

Toronto’s Newest Bike Shop Helps Regent Park Youth

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Toronto's newest bike shop, Charlie's Bike Shop (242½ Queen Street East, between Sherbourne and Parliament) is also Toronto's only youth-operated bike shop. Springing from the energy that gave rise to the Charlie's FreeWheels organization (which teaches Regent Park youth bicycle repair skills, in memory of Charles Princep, who was killed by a car on a cross-canada touring trip in 2007), Charlie's Bike Shop is launching with the hope of producing revenue which can better sustain the skills … [Read more...]

Photos from the Sweet Ride: Cupcake Edition

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Saturday was an absolutely great time as we had the Sweet Ride: Cupcake Edition.  We had a great turnout of 22 people (I think) - we seemed to have more people when we finished than when we began - and all of them were super nice and friendly. Here's a re-cap of the ride with LOTS of pretty photos for you. All photos by myself or Hyedie Hashimoto or Craftleen. We started out at the Cupcakery ( 1034 St Clair Avenue West, near Dufferin ) where the owner, Jennifer, surprised us all and gave … [Read more...]

Showing off an I Bike T.O. Shirt Winner!

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You may remember that a few weeks ago we ran a "Twitter 5000" contest to celebrate having 5000 followers on Twitter.  5 lucky people won I Bike T.O. shirts - @minx2012 @DavidDuttonCA @Peejaay18 @creativaty and @Lola_318 All the shirts have been ordered, and are starting to be delivered to the winners.   @Lola_318 did us a favour and snapped a photo of her wearing her shirt.   Looks great! :) We are always looking for photos of people wearing their I Bike T.O. shirts - so let us … [Read more...]

Testing out the Cupcake Ride Route

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Hyedie of the Girls Cupcake Ride and I met up today to test out the route we're taking tomorrow for our co-ed Sweet Ride: Cupcake Edition (click here for the facebook event page). Other than a whole ton of wind that fought us every step of the way, it was a great route. It essentially takes the Davenport, Jarvis, Gerrard and Dundas East bikelanes to get from the Cupcakery on St. Clair West to Bobbette & Belle in Leslieville. The ride took us about 45 minutes. Here are some photos we … [Read more...]