BikingToronto Forum: Recent Posts

BikingToronto Forum: Recent Posts http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ BikingToronto Forum: Recent Posts en Fri, 19 Mar 2010 04:42:02 +0000 Uncle Jacob Speaks http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=432#post-1947 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:21:49 +0000 shelaghdb 1947@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ i kind of feel sorry for this guy for everyone picks on him on CL because he owns a store so they flag his poss but half of the regulars on that forum ARE dealers so what they are doing isn't any different than what he does yet they flag his deals. On this i do agree with him and that is all he is saying here. I also do not believe he deals in stolen bikes as people claim for I know someone that recently wanted to sell him their bike and he demanded they be at home. He wouldn't meet anyone on the street so i am not sure he is deserving of the gossip that seems to go around concerning him. Great Prices on some Biking Gloves I have If interested??!!! http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=522#post-1946 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:02:43 +0000 shelaghdb 1946@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ BTW, all sold except for the Air Gel Carbon Bike Gloves in Medium for women........I had 3 pairs in different colors but have just 1 pair left and am not advertising it from here on as I will likely keep it for myself... Although if someone really HAD to have this pair of gloves I would sell them, but the number given up above is not the right one so best to email me. Great Prices on some Biking Gloves I have If interested??!!! http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=522#post-1945 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:06:11 +0000 shelaghdb 1945@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ Hi Fellow Bike Enthusiasts: I have a few pairs of biking gloves I am selling for good prices if anyone wishes to have a pair or two? Here is the List if so........(All NEW of course, Never Worn and with Pricetags or Manufacturers cardboard still attached) 1) SUGOi Riding Gloves Firewall Z - $5 size small... The price tag attached to these gloves is $80 $10.40 tax = $90.40 I will sell this pair to you for $55, saving you $35 The Firewall Z Glove features an articulated index finger for increased performance. Wind and waterproof, the glove provides SUGOI's warmest winter protection. Insulated for extra warmth, the Firewall Z Glove has a super grip palm graphic and ergonomic fit for comfort and durability. 2)Female: Air Gel Carbon Bike Gloves-Medium They cost $51 as price tags will prove so am only selling for $25 saving you $25.. Unrivaled perforated supple synthetic leather palm, patented Ergo Air Vent System which consists of an all-mesh palm, and multi-density vented gel inserts control both ventilation and vibration which reduces fatigue of the ulnar and median nerves. Strategically placed silicone gripping offers grip and stability. The amount of ventilation, padding, and grip is precisely engineered to fit the needs of cyclists. 3)GORE BIKE WEAR Cross Gloves 2 pairs Large 1 pair XX Large Price tags sell these gloves at $90 + $11.70 tax = $101.70 I will sell each pair for $65, thereby saving you $37 I didn't want to come on here and start hawing wares but really believe I can give someone a good price on these gloves if they either cant afford them normally or...well, whatever the reason, as you can see, I can give a good price and am only to happy to do so, as much as I can, for a fellow cyclist. I also have quite a lot of second hand but in perfect shape, bike racks, front baskets and other various items but i don't want to take up space here doing that, and, especially now. Perhaps once the bike season re-opens again I may list some stuff very cheaply if anyone is interested but i will have to go though it all first and sort it out. In the meantime, if you want a good deal on gloves take a look at what i have. If interested, feel free to call me at (647) 350-7476 ROad raging driver convicted LA http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=521#post-1944 Sat, 09 Jan 2010 04:09:17 +0000 oled 1944@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ In Los Angeles, a judge referred to the vulnerability of cyclist in condemning a road raging medical doctor to 5 years: "Government must become aware of the dangerous conditions existing on our city streets and the threat of injury to cyclists." Let's hope city hall, the provincial legislator and the courts are listening in Toronto! Los Angeles doctor gets 5 years for injuring cyclists The judge expresses doubt about Christopher Thompson's remorse over braking in front of two riders and calls on cyclists and drivers to respect each other. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cyclists9-2010jan09,0,4794493.story" rel="nofollow">http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cyclists9-2010jan09,0,4794493.story</a> Los Angeles Doctor gets 5 years for injuring cyclists http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=520#post-1943 Sat, 09 Jan 2010 04:05:49 +0000 oled 1943@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ In Los Angeles, a judge referred to the vulnerability of cyclist in condemning a road raging medical doctor to 5 years: "Government must become aware of the dangerous conditions existing on our city streets and the threat of injury to cyclists." Let's hope city hall, the provincial legislator and the courts are listening in Toronto! Los Angeles doctor gets 5 years for injuring cyclists The judge expresses doubt about Christopher Thompson's remorse over braking in front of two riders and calls on cyclists and drivers to respect each other. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cyclists9-2010jan09,0,4794493.story" rel="nofollow">http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cyclists9-2010jan09,0,4794493.story</a> Blechy ride today http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=519#post-1942 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:45:17 +0000 AnnieD 1942@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ I used my usual non bikelane route this morning and that went pretty smoothly overall. I ride two blocks on College and the bikelane is still full of snow and slush. A bit better on the block East of St. George - presumably got cleared by all the cars and trucks parking in it... oh the irony! No reply from the city. I have to bike from University to Dovercourt along College tonight - never fun to begin with, what with so much of the bikelane being in the doorzone. I hope it warms up enough today to clear the road. Blechy ride today http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=519#post-1941 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:20:33 +0000 michael holloway 1941@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ I took Joe s' pointer as per the city email complaint thingy at <a href="mailto:311@toronto.ca">311@toronto.ca</a> and sent this, <blockquote>I was at BikingToronto Forum and somebody said they almost had an accident because they had to ride in the car lane along the Bloor Viaduct. This is hear-say so you don't have to streak into action or anything. I personally haven't been out today, yet. I've had bad scares myself along Bloor because the bike lanes aren't maintained well. A lot of the time, after the snow is gone by melting or salting, there is all kinds of glass and garbage left behind that has been 'kicked' to the side of the road by cars and trucks - making the bike lanes un-usable. Perhaps some attention to sweeping the lanes in winter, is that possible? Sincerely, Michael Holloway Leslieville</blockquote> mh Blechy ride today http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=519#post-1940 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:24:59 +0000 theurbancountry 1940@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ I concur Annie. I took King St to work this morning and it wasn't much different than any other day. Then on the way home I took a detour along the lake. The Simcoe street bike lane was full of snow and slush, so I stuck to the car lane instead. Queens Quay wasn't quite as bad - I was able to stay in the bike lane most of the way - and the Martin Goodman trail along the lake was fairly well cleared. James Car rental http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=516#post-1939 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:24:19 +0000 Tourist 1939@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ i usually rent from discount or national. Usually last minute, so I call both places to see what kind of cars they have left and go from there. You can bypass their insurance packages if you bring in your own car insurance papers, or it is also covered if you use certain credit cards to do the rental. Saves $10-20/day right there. Blechy ride today http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=519#post-1938 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:21:08 +0000 toddtyrtle 1938@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ Yuck - sorry that you had a crappy ride. It does make me feel glad I left the bike at home today, though. I waffled back and forth but the wind is what eventually did me in... Hope they get around to plowing soon. Nothing like riding on slippery roads with drivers passing closely to start a day off. Let me know how the email works. Last night it looked like College was pretty much a mess, and when I rode up Strachan to get back from spin class on Sunday morning it was totally full of snow. Definitely up for thinking warm thoughts - I dislike winter on *so* many levels. :-) Blechy ride today http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=519#post-1937 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:59:40 +0000 AnnieD 1937@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ Thanks - I didn't know there was an email address. I've sent them a quick note. Here's hoping they get around to it soon. Blechy ride today http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=519#post-1936 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:57:48 +0000 joe 1936@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ Okay... thinking warm and fuzzies to melt the snow. :) You can also email 311 Toronto at <a href="mailto:311@toronto.ca">311@toronto.ca</a> to report a bikelane that needs plowing. :) They are usually really good at returning inquiries. Blechy ride today http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=519#post-1935 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:31:59 +0000 AnnieD 1935@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ I made the mistake of choosing a route with bikelanes today, thinking that if I was going to be riding through snow I'd rather do it off to the side away from the cars. But the bikelanes weren't plowed so were completely unusable, which meant I had to ride in the car lane and not everyone was good about giving me enough space when passing - presumably they didn't understand why I wasn't in the bikelane. I would have been better off riding on the sidestreets, I think, which is what I'm going to try doing tonight. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer so hopefully I can use my regular route on sidestreets and the roads will be relatively bare. I'd be pretty depressed if I had to stop biking already, but having wiped out twice in the past two years on hard packed snow on sidestreets, I don't want to risk having that happen when I just happen to be followed or passed too closely. Maybe if we all think warm and fuzzy thoughts, our collective energy can melt the snow on the streets and extend the riding season for me. Oh, alright, not very scientific. Humour me, will ya'? Help! I need a new bike! http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=517#post-1934 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:53:01 +0000 joe 1934@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ Awesome helpful discussion. Wish I could add some tips to help Annie, but these guys have you covered. :) Good to know Urbane sells those covers... I think I'll buy one for myself and my wife. :) Help! I need a new bike! http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=517#post-1933 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:50:02 +0000 toddtyrtle 1933@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ I've been looking at <a href="http://www.sks-germany.com/sks.php?l=en&a=product&i=2290400400">these</a> at Urbane - I may try one in the new year. They will work on multi-speed bikes. Help! I need a new bike! http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=517#post-1932 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:48:08 +0000 AnnieD 1932@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ I checked the automotive, plumbing, and electrical sections at Canadian Tire and couldn't find anything resembling the sheathing shown in the video. Then I looked at my bike and realized it wouldn't work on it anyway - presumably only works on a single speed bike. That's too bad - it looks really cool. I've considered converting my bike to a single speed and changing the brakes completely, which might involve changing the wheels if I decided to go for disc brakes, but at that point it probably wouldn't cost that much more to just get a lighter frame. Kinda think it would be cool to do a "build your own" from parts, like what you can do with computers. Anyone here ever do that? Help! I need a new bike! http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=517#post-1931 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:11:28 +0000 toddtyrtle 1931@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ I'm probably naïve but my solution is to put decent components on a not so nice looking frame. My bike's covered with stickers, paint is chipped off in places, and I don't keep it particularly clean. Not completely uglified but enough that it doesn't stand out like my nicer bike might. As for the freezing brake lines. You *might* be able to get some WD40 down in the cable (and up the other side) and with any luck that'll displace the water. If worse comes to worst, you could have the cable replaced. My reasons for considering an internal hub are maintenance centred as well. Because all the gears and gear-changing mechanism are inside the exposure to the elements is minimal and hopefully that means that there aren't many problems. I have to admit I also like the idea that I can shift down at a dead stop - you don't need to be moving to change gears. Definitely not a selling point on its own but combined with the other points it's a nice perk. Let me know how the chain guard works out for you. I'm looking towards doing the same thing. As long as the roads stay relatively decent I think I'll be commuting to work up at Dufferin and Steeles and a chain guard would help me arrive as presentable as possible... Help! I need a new bike! http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=517#post-1930 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 11:54:45 +0000 AnnieD 1930@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ That chainguard is soooooo cool! I've got to try that - I wonder if it works just as well on a non single gear bike? There's a Canadian Tire just a few blocks from my work, I'll go check it out at lunch. So darned easy even a non-mechy like me could do it in a minute. Also eyeing his setup for bike storage. I thought we had the best arrangement possible but it involved my bike not being protected from the elements, which I suspect led to my brake problems, so now I'm thinking wall hangers on the side of the porch and some kind of overhang might be a better option. So little space - argh! Todd, you were right - after bringing the bike in the brake was released and whatever moisture was in there must have evaporated because it behaved fine last night and even in the much colder weather this morning. Still, I worry it will happen again, especially since my bike is out in the open both at home and everywhere that I park it during the day. But I'm going to try holding off buying anything until the spring and will continue to research the different options. Disc brakes are appealing (my rim brakes keep wearing out). Let me know what you learn about the internal hub. My main concern is maintenance - if something goes wrong it must be a lot harder to fix. Then again, if things go wrong more infrequently, it can be well worth it. I also wish I knew more about the relative merits of different materials for the frame and for wheels. I'd really rather not own two bikes (no space), so whatever I get has to be tough enough for winters and I ride everywhere which means I park everywhere, so I don't want to get an obvious target for theft or something so expensive that if it does get stolen it will kill me to replace it. Which always ticks me off - the fact that I don't feel I can get the best bike I can afford because I know that it would get stolen, so I settle for something more ordinary. Copenhagen wasn't built in a day http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=512#post-1929 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:24:15 +0000 toddtyrtle 1929@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ See, I knew there had to be a simple answer to this. Sometimes I think poorly executed plans are worse for the cause than no plans. Look at our bike infrastructure. So many suburbanites and their councillors say "Nobody ever uses the bike lanes here!" when you have lanes that start and end nowhere. So then poorly done infrastructure becomes an argument against future, possibly well done infrastructure. Copenhagen wasn't built in a day http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=512#post-1928 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:21:39 +0000 theurbancountry 1928@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ To solve this, they could issue special permits for business owners to be allowed to drive to their shops (slowly of course). I believe this is how they address this in the Netherlands as well. Copenhagen wasn't built in a day http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=512#post-1927 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:21:56 +0000 toddtyrtle 1927@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ Total no-brainer. Challenge is, as I read in an article a few years back, the fruit, vegetable, and meat vendors. They're sending and receiving lots of deliveries throughout the day and impacting them might not be the best thing and may result in increased gentrification (fish market moves out, Starbucks takes its place) and before long Kensington Mkt goes through the same transition Yorkville went through many years back. That said, perhaps there's a balance to be struck. I've volunteered many times for Pedestrian Sundays and we still let business-owners and residents drive in (very slowly and carefully and often escorted). Deliveries could also be scheduled for off-hours as well. It's definitely do-able - lots of places have already done just this sort of thing before. It's just a matter of logistics. Training and Nutrition for Long Ride http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=518#post-1926 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:18:12 +0000 toddtyrtle 1926@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ Hey folks Hope everyone had a good holiday - nice to see people making their way back here. Anyway - I have a question, possibly more for the 'spandex-clad' segment of our group: I have been waffling for years on doing the Friends for <a href="http://bikerally.org/">Friends for Life Bike Rally</a> - a 600 km, 6 day fundraising trip from Toronto to Montreal. This year I finally bit the bullet and signed up. Now comes the challenge. I'm in reasonable shape - cycling for a few hours is not a problem. However, cycling for an average of 100 km/day for six days is a whole new ball game and I know I'll need to train for that. For now I'm just doing spin classes and/or rides (and being less of a weenie about commuting to work) but can you recommend good training rides and just general training tips? This is all new to me. Same holds true for nutrition. I suspect that after a certain point in my progress what I eat is going to make a lot more difference than it does today as a casual commuter cyclist. Any help is appreciated. Also, should anyone feel moved to <a href="http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2430267">sponsor me</a> I'd really appreciate it. The minimum sponsorship goal is pretty steep thus I'm starting as soon as I can. Thanks :-) Help! I need a new bike! http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=517#post-1925 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:10:45 +0000 toddtyrtle 1925@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ I'd get the brake fixed - even if you said "Take the entire rear brake, handle, and cable off and replace it" it wouldn't cost anywhere *near* what a new bike would cost. I'm guessing you've got some moisture in your brake cable housing. A quick way to check would be to bring it indoors for a few hours if you can. If it is fixed then you've found your problem. I don't know if a new cable/housing would fix that but that's a place to start. If it *won't* fix it then you're likely to have the same problem with a new bike. That said, I bought my last bike from Urbane - very good service, good bike, and zero pressure. The salesperson totally *down*sold me. I ended up with a Dahon Cadenza - full size bike that folds so I can bring it with me on business trips and the like. When looking, one thing you didn't mention but that I am definitely looking for in my next bike (and possibly retrofitting my current bike) is an internal hub. All the gears are actually *inside* the wheel with one cog on the outside. Less maintenance than a derailleur and much less subject to weather (and the occasional idiot kicking your derailleur when it's parked somewhere). They're a little more expensive, a tiny bit heavier, but otherwise quite good. Good luck either way! Help! I need a new bike! http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=517#post-1924 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:11:23 +0000 unclegill 1924@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ MEC and Duke's Cycle would be two more options, although I haven't tried either for new bikes. You can add a chain guard to an existing bike. You could also try this ;) <a href="http://vimeo.com/5116465" rel="nofollow">http://vimeo.com/5116465</a> Copenhagen wasn't built in a day http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=512#post-1923 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:30:16 +0000 jeff 1923@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ Kensington Market seems like a no-brainer to me. Help! I need a new bike! http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=517#post-1922 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:14:07 +0000 AnnieD 1922@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ For the second time this month, despite having taken it in to have it fixed a couple of weeks ago, my rear brake has frozen in place - the first time I couldn't brake, this time I can't "un"brake. I suppose I can just have it fixed a second time and then take my time choosing a new bike, but I worry about having this happen when I'm so far from home that I end up stuck in the middle of nowhere. I don't want to buy a beater - this bike *is* a beater and that seems to be the source of my problems. Urbane's is closed for the holiday season. I checked out both Urbane's website and Sweet Pete's but am a bit overwhelmed by all the choices. I don't want something heavy, and I don't like to sit upright when riding. I don't need a ton of gears. A chainguard would be nice, but isn't a dealbreaker (is it possible to *add* a chainguard to an existing bike?). I'd love to have good brakes for a change. Gears that don't go clickety clack when changed would be nice too, but I tend to use only one speed so it's not as high a priority. Does something jump out as a good option at either Urbane's or Sweet Pete's, or should I just try to get the brake fixed again and wait until the spring to get a new bike? Annie Car rental http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=516#post-1921 Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:27:53 +0000 toddtyrtle 1921@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ I rent from time to time when work sends me to suburbs not well served by transit. Our company uses National. My experience has been good but almost 9 times out of 10 I would reserve the tiniest car and would end up with a full size or luxury car. On the one hand it was a good deal price-wise. On the other hand, it definitely wasn't so good on gas as you pointed out. What works best for me is to rent from National and go to Terminal One at the airport. There's an extra charge for using the airport site but the advantage (at least with their frequent-renter membership) is that I can walk in and just pick out the car that I want. Usually that means I can find a small car or at least an somewhat efficient larger one (e.g. Corolla or Camry). I think most of the rental car companies have a similar setup in Terminal 1. Car rental http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=516#post-1920 Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:17:18 +0000 joe 1920@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ Hey Annie. Have a good trip. I rented from Enterprise once years (10+) ago, and I don't remember what exactly happened, but it was a bad enough customer service experience that I haven't rented there since. Other companies are generally better - I generally go with Avis, Budget or Hertz as they have downtown locations that I can get to easily after work on a Friday if we are taking a weekend trip somewhere. Having said that, they aren't necessarily better... I've often reserved compacts or mid-sized and then get there and they are out, and they give me a bigger car. They give the larger size for the same price, but you are right about gas... bigger cars use a lot more. When this happens, I usually ask them if I can get a discount on the car, as I reserve smaller cars because they are better on gas, and their mistake shouldn't cost me. They usually give me a discount. Of course, one has to be very nice to get them to consider this. My wife says I have a knack for dealing with bad customer service people, though... so I guess that helps. :) Related: I rented a truck on Monday from Discount Rentals to pick up some nursery furniture some acquaintances gave us... and let's just say I'll never be renting from them again. We used Budget when we moved house, and it was great. Car rental http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=516#post-1919 Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:33:07 +0000 AnnieD 1919@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ We finally sold our car and have been using Autoshare as needed and it's been working out very well. For the holidays, we reserved a full size car with Enterprise to use for our trip to Montreal. When Ralph went to pick up the car yesterday, he was told they didn't have it - the previous renters called in to say they wanted to extend their rental. They offered Ralph a Yaris instead (we have two kids, a labrador retriever, and two cats - the Yaris wouldn't have been big enough) and when he turned that down, they offered him a pickup truck!!!! Finally, they gave him a minivan (for the same price as the original rental) - a ***monster*** of a minivan - this thing is HUGE, it's a friekin' boat!!!! While the rental won't cost us extra, I bet we'll be spending close to twice as much on gas for this monstrosity. This isn't quite as bad as the time the moving van we reserved wasn't available - the day we had to empty our place for the people who were moving in - but it still really irks me. Are we just incredibly unlucky or is this typical from car rental companies?!? (off to Montreal in the boat now) Happy holidays everyone, A Copenhagen wasn't built in a day http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=512#post-1914 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:11:55 +0000 joe 1914@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ Agreed. St. Lawrence Market would be a great car-free area... especially on the weekends from May - October. Yonge south of Gerrard as well. I know what you mean about the Distillery... but it's a bit ahead of the rest of the neighbourhood... seems to be lots of infill going on in the area, along with all the waterfront condo development planned down there... I'm sure it'll be the heart of a bustling area in a decade. Cyclometer - Dec. 2009 http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=513#post-1913 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:00:55 +0000 joe 1913@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ Since I'm re-working the <a href="http://www.bikingtoronto.com">main site</a>, I thought I'd post news from the City's Cyclometer here for anyone who isn't a subscriber: IN THE CURRENT ISSUE OF Cyclometer (Issue #160 December 2009): _____________________________________________________________ 1. Bicycle Friendly Business Awards Night 19 January, 2010 Come out and join us for the second annual Toronto Bike Awards! An evening of awards, performances, contests and more, this will surely be a night to remember. Jointly held between the Toronto Cyclists Union and the City of Toronto, the Toronto Bike Awards celebrates cycling in our city, and acknowledges the efforts of a few key players. Many awards will be presented and range from the Golden Spoke to the Bicycle Friendly Business Awards. This year we will be celebrating at the Gladstone Hotel on January 19th 2010; doors will open at 7pm. Be sure to mark this date down on your calendars as this event is not to be missed. 2. New Bike Lanes Installed in 2009 The following is a list of bike lane projects installed this year: Conlins Rd, from Ellesmere Rd to Sheppard Ave E, 1.9 km Brimorton Dr, from Brimley Rd to Scarborough Golf Club Rd, 4.1 Annette St, from Dundas St W to Jane St, 2.5 km Dupont St, from Dundas St W to Lansdowne Ave, 1.0 km Simcoe St, from Queen's Quay to Front St, 0.6 km Yonge St, from Queen's Quay to Front St, 0.6 km The Queensway, from east of High St to Windermere Ave, 1.7 km Crescent Town Rd, from Dawes Rd to Victoria Park Ave, 0.7 km West Toronto Railpath, from Caribou Ave to Dundas St W, 2.1 km In total, 15.2km of on-street and Railpath trails were installed in 2009. In addition, Toronto City Council has this year approved for installation a further 15.5 km of bicycle lanes. For a comprehensive project list please see the following link: <a href="http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/network/network-project-status.htm#a2009 "><a href="http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/network/network-project-status.htm#a2009" rel="nofollow">http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/network/network-project-status.htm#a2009</a> </a> A preliminary list of the 2010 bikeway projects will be available at the January meeting of the Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee, scheduled for 18 January 2010. 3. Post-and-Ring Program Update About 800 new post-and-rings were installed in wards across Toronto between May and October 2009 using double rings and bigger bolts for added security. At this point, there are approximately 17000 post-and-rings installed city-wide. 2010 installations will resume in May. To request an installation print this form: <a href="http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/postandring.htm." rel="nofollow">http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/postandring.htm.</a> 4. Bike Lane Audit by Transportation Staff Cycling Infrastructure and Programs staff visited all the City roads with existing bike lanes for the purpose of state-of-good-repair and gathered data in terms of pavement condition, pavement marking, traffic by-law and bike route signage and missing bike lanes at the intersections. We are preparing a work plan for 2010 to address all the above. The objective is to complete all the repair works by spring/summer 2010. 5. New Bike Events Calendar Now Online Several volunteer organizations have banded together to list all cycling events in Toronto on one website calendar, BikeEvents.TO . Watch for this calendar in the new year and submit events to it as well. This online resource is not affiliated with the City of Toronto. [also, <a href="http://www.bikingtoronto.com">BikingToronto</a> will have a brand new events system up early in the new year! Yay!] 6. Winter City and Bike Winter Preview Coldest Day of the Year Ride Saturday January 30th start time is 12 noon. The City of Toronto has expanded its winter maintenance program to include snow ploughing for cyclists on the Martin Goodman Trail. Come learn more about this pilot program, by meeting at the Grenadier Café in High Park for a family friendly ride. This ride along the Waterfront will include hot chocolate, snow ploughing equipment, and free turtle lights thanks to our sponsor Mountain Equipment Co-Op. Ride Your Bike to Winter City! For the first time this year Winter City will feature Valet Bike Parking. Ride your bike to Nathan Philips Square for exciting fire installations, spectacular displays of acrobatics, and don’t forget to bring you skates! Valet bike parking will be available for the evening programming on the weekends of January 29th and February 5th. Stop by and check it out on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night between 4:00 and 9:00 pm. Cycling Legends Toronto Artist Janet Attard presents various stencil prints, including a series of portraits, inspired by riders whose cycling exploits have become the stuff of legends. Come check them out at City Hall from Monday January 4th – Friday January 15th. ---------------------- Ahead in the Bike Lane: 1. 31 December New Year’s Eve Cyclocross Races: Midweek Cycling Club presents its third edition of its annual ‘fun’ year-end race next to Lake Ontario. The races will be at East Humber Bay Park on from 11:45am - 4pm. Register at the race: $10 - $25 cash. Other details: <a href="http://www.ontariocycling.org/web_doc/calendar/2009_new_years_eve_cross_ad.pdf "><a href="http://www.ontariocycling.org/web_doc/calendar/2009_new_years_eve_cross_ad.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.ontariocycling.org/web_doc/calendar/2009_new_years_eve_cross_ad.pdf</a> </a> 2. 18 January Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee Meeting The next TCAC meeting is 18 January, 2010 at City Hall, 7pm. Location TBA. 3. 19 January, Bicycle Friendly Business Awards Night, Gladstone Hotel, 7pm 4. 30 January, Coldest Day of the Year Ride, High Park Grenadier Café, noon. Copenhagen wasn't built in a day http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=512#post-1912 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:59:03 +0000 Duncan 1912@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ As James mentioned above, Toronto Island is an amazing car-free space. We also have the Distillery District as a great car-free space. The only problem with the Distillery is that, to me, there is little to draw in day-to-day traffic. The shops and restaurants are great, but the location is too out of the way and I don't find myself in need of expensive designer clothes and jewelry that often. I think the area surrounding the St. Lawrence Market would be a great pedestrian zone. The streets are already narrow and the historic buildings create a stunning atmosphere. Limit traffic to delivery vehicles for the businesses and you'd have an even more inviting area already accessible by transit, bicycle and foot. There are even parking garages in the area so the transformation could be quite simple. Copenhagen wasn't built in a day http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=512#post-1911 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:20:37 +0000 Angus 1911@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ I think the easiest area for pedestrian/cyclist only would be the University of Toronto campus. That would be a good start, very little obstructions from residents or businesses. Yonge Street would be even better, it would have obstruction from business but can be dealt with since it has back alleys for deliveries. It would really revitalize the whole strip. Mayor David Miller Cycling in Copenhagen http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=511#post-1910 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:13:02 +0000 Angus 1910@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ If only every driver in Toronto visited Copenhagen, you mean? :-) David Miller fought for us on Jarvis, spending a lot of personal political capital on the bike lane issue. Could he have done more? Sure, but he was aware of the limits people could be pushed. Bloor Street? Why didn't WE make this a priority to him earlier? He mused on putting tolls on highways but knew we weren't ready for that battle. Will the Gardiner still come down without him leading the way? I don't know, it depends on the direction the people want to go. The people lead the way, not the mayor. Mayor David Miller Cycling in Copenhagen http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/topic.php?id=511#post-1909 Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:07:29 +0000 theurbancountry 1909@http://bikingtoronto.com/forum/ I don't recall Mayor Miller ever being a utilitarian cyclist. Prior to becoming Mayor he was an avid public transit user and over the last couple years he has been jogging a lot but I rarely hear him talk about cycling. I think the amount of public transit investments Miller has pushed for (transit city LRT, York subway extension, etc.) shows where his priorities are. Don't get me wrong, public transit is important, but nothing is more sustainable than bike infrastructure. Our city is bankrupt largely because we can't afford the operating costs of our cumbersome public transportation system. Although I think Miller has good intentions about improving cycling in Toronto, he fell way short of where he could have been if he had a bit more passion to push through changes. It's insane that we are spending billions and billions of dollars on public transit and less than $20 million/year to very slowly implement the City of Toronto Bike Plan. We are willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to send 400 diesel trains each day from downtown to the airport, but we can't spend the $15-20 million to link the Toronto West Railpath to downtown? If only Miller had visited Copenhagen prior to his last year in office ;)