BikingToronto

Photo of the Day: Baby Blue

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:08:00 +0000

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Elsewhere: Give Someone The Gift of Bixi this Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:39:00 +0000

Wow... Bixi continues to impress with their new Bixi Boutique. Can't figure out what to get someone in Montreal for Christmas? How about a monthly or yearly pass to the hottest piece of cycling infrastructure this side of the Atlantic?

via the Biking Toronto Forum

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Photo of the Day: Orange Monark

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:29:00 +0000

via flickr.com

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Cycling Events This Week: Dec. 7 - 13

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:29:00 +0000

What's on this week:

View more than the next week on the BikingToronto Events Page.

Tues, Dec 8
7pm-10pm
CBN Bike Repair - Bearings and Wheels

We are now offering classes in bike repair that build on our introductory (‘Flat-fix and Tune-up’) class. Registrants should be familiar and comfortable with the subject of that class before taking the intermediate class(es).

http://communitybicyclenetwork.org/node/641

Wed, Dec 9
10am-2pm
TBN's Wednesday Wheelie Ride

The nature of the Wednesday day rides known as the "Wednesday Wheelies" might be the best-kept secret in the TBN. Wednesday Wheelies are social, tourist-level rides that cover routes similar to the popular Country Cruises, but which have the glorious advantage of roads, often busy with traffic on a Sunday, being nearly deserted mid-week.

http://www.tbn.ca/cycling/wheelie.htm

Wed, Dec 9
7pm-10pm
CBN - Wheelbuilding Part I

The wheel building workshops will teach with standard wheels in a 3-cross lacing pattern. We will cover spoke calculations, lacing the wheels, truing and tensioning. Participants must take both classes.

http://communitybicyclenetwork.org/node/643

Wed, Dec 9
7pm-11:55pm
Spacing winter 2009 - 10th issue *release party*

On Wednesday, December 9, 2009, make your way to the Toronto Reference Library (7pm-midnight) to take part in Spacing's 16th issue release party and holiday party.

Come check out the Reference Library's new event space The Appel Salon. It's up on the second floor, overlooking the halfway point of Church Street's turn toward Bloor. This fall, it played host this fall to discussions and readings, and next week welcomes Jeff Rubin, author of Why Your World Is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller.
Visit http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/appelsalon for details.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=182430064596

Thurs, Dec 10
BikeChain Winter Maintenance Seminar

Bikechain is holding amazing, awesome and fun-as-hell seminars on winter riding. All are free! And require no advance registration! Whoo! Come learn the basics of winter riding: how to stay safe, upright, and in good repair.

Questions? Email bikechain@utoronto.ca or call 416-978-6849. Ask for Toby.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=185205815671

Thurs, Dec 10 7pm
VeloSocial Bike Party

This group is dedicated to the monthly VeloSocial party in Toronto. The first Monday of every month we all get together and hang out and watch bike videos, drink some pints of Amsterdam Blonde, dance & listen to DJs, rock the open mic, yamn some spicy pad-thai, and grab some goodies at the info and merch table.

http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=36270116494

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An Early Ride Along the West Toronto Railpath

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:21:00 +0000

James D. Shwartz, editor of The Urban Country, has made this great video of an early morning (and chilly) ride along the West Toronto Railpath:
Read about the railpath in James' article here.
Share your thoughts on the West Toronto Railpath in the BikingToronto Forum

via Duncan's City Ride Blog

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Kenk to lose thousands of bikes as details of civil settlement reached

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:07:00 +0000

Kenk to lose thousands of bikes as details of civil settlement reached

Igor Kenk will give up his used-bicycle shop, pickup trucks and his hoard of more than 2,200 old bikes in a settlement reached Friday in a civil suit brought against him by the province of Ontario.

Under the deal, Mr. Kenk will get to keep the proceeds of a provincially-supervised sale of the bike shop, which he has previously valued at $700,000, but only after he pays $50,000 to the Crown, $65,000 to Legal Aid Ontario for his ongoing criminal case, legal fees incurred to defend against the suit, and any outstanding taxes or bills related to the building. The bikes and pickup trucks will be sold off and the proceeds kept by the Crown.

The settlement brings an end to one of two parallel court proceedings, one civil and the other criminal, brought against the 50-year-old Mr. Kenk, whose arrest in the summer of 2008 and subsequent raids of his numerous rental garages filled with bicycles stunned Toronto's cycling community.

...

Friday's settlement was reached before the court tested the government's case, which hinged on affidavits from Toronto police who led the criminal investigation. Court filings showed that officers relied on a confidential source for information about Mr. Kenk's alleged drugs-for-bikes enterprise. Court never heard testimony from the source, nor does the case file contain any written statements from the informant.

Jacob Stilman, lawyer for Mr. Kenk, said outside court that the government's forfeiture application “was going into uncharted legal waters in the sense of asserting that the building was an instrument of criminal activity.” He suggested “there would have been a lot of interesting legal and evidentiary issues” had the case gone to trial, but also serious implications for his client, who stood to lose virtually everything he owns.

“While it's fascinating from a lawyer's perspective,” Mr. Stilman said, “the stakes are very high for the person at the receiving end of the litigation.”

According to court filings, Mr. Kenk paid $85,000 for his shop in 1995 and is mortgage-free. Its value has since skyrocketed due to gentrification along trendy Queen Street West. The bicycles were recently appraised at just over $50,000, and the two Toyota pickup trucks at $14,000.

Full Article

via the Biking Toronto Forum

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Weekly News Wrap-Up: Mississauga Ghost Bike and Bike Union Job Posting

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:21:00 +0000

Happy Friday to you.Here's all the bikey news fit to view! :)

Ghost Bike Memorial in Mississauga
[via bikelanediary] A little over a week ago, a cyclist was struck and killed in Mississauga, and a "ghost bike" memorial has been set up by the Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists group: via the Biking Toronto Forum Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

CultureLink / Bike Union Job Opportunity
A new job posting for a full time Newcomer Cycling Outreach Coordinator has been posted: [via the Bike Union] We are very excited to announce that the Partnership for Integration and Sustainable Transportation, a joint project of CultureLink and the Toronto Cyclists Union which was recently granted funding by the…

Photo of the Day: Railpath Ramp

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:31:00 +0000

via flickr.com

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Ghost Bike Memorial in Mississauga

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:06:00 +0000

[via bikelanediary]

A little over a week ago, a cyclist was struck and killed in Mississauga, and a "ghost bike" memorial has been set up by the Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists group:

via the Biking Toronto Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Photo of the Day: Oh Christmas Tree...

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:05:00 +0000

via flickr.com

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CultureLink / Bike Union Job Opportunity

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:51:00 +0000

A new job posting for a full time Newcomer Cycling Outreach Coordinator has been posted:

[via the Bike Union]

We are very excited to announce that the Partnership for Integration and Sustainable Transportation, a joint project of CultureLink and the Toronto Cyclists Union which was recently granted funding by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, is seeking just the right person to take on the full time role of Newcomer Cycling Outreach Coordinator.

The Full job posting can be viewed here - http://www.charityvillage.com/cvnet/viewlisting.aspx?id=205631

Newcomer Cycling Outreach Coordinator
• Full-Time (35-hour week), 36-month Contract

CultureLink is a non-profit, community-based organization committed to the settlement and integration of newcomers in the South-West area of Toronto. The Toronto Cyclists Union is a city-wide, membership-based cycling organization working together with citizens, community groups, bike shops an d the City towards the common goals of ensuring that cycling is a legitimate, accessible, and safe means of transportation.

We are currently seeking a Cycling Outreach Coordinator for 35 hours per week for up to 36 months for our collaborative Partnership for Integration and Sustainable Transportation, funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, with a target start date of Mid-January/February 2010. This position will report to the Program Manager of CultureLink, as well as to the Project Steering Committee.

The primary goals of the Partnership project are:
• To promote cycling as a healthy, convenient, economical and legitimate means of transportation among newcomer communities in Toronto
• To promote sustainable green living habits among newcomers as part of green settlement service delivery strategy CultureLink works within an anti-oppression framework and is committed to equity.

The ideal candidate demonstrates a commitment t o the values guiding the work of the project: sustainability, empowerment, equity, inclusion, cultural competence, health and social justice.

This position is remunerated between $23.77 - $25.71 per hour along with comprehensive benefits after 3 months of successful completion of employment.

The deadline for external applicants is Tuesday December 15, 2009 5:00 p.m.

Applications should be addressed electronically to: The Hiring Committee at jobs@culturelink.net

Photo of the Day: Wave Rider

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:54:00 +0000

via flickr.com

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Photo of the Day: Little Red Riding Tights

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:59:00 +0000

via flickr.com

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Photo of the Day: Fall Basket

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:19:00 +0000

via flickr.com

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Cycling Events This Week: Nov. 30 - Dec. 6

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:19:00 +0000

What's on this week:

View more than the next week on the BikingToronto Events Page.

Tues, Dec 1
7pm-10pm
CBN Bike Repair - Brakes and Gears

Wed, Dec 2
10am-2pm
TBN's Wednesday Wheelie Ride

Wed, Dec 2
7pm-10pm
CBN - Flat Fix/Intro to Bike Repair

Participants will remove their own rear wheel and tire and go through a tube repair and installation.

http://communitybicyclenetwork.org/node/639

Need to know what's happening in Toronto concerning bikes?
If you haven't signed up yet, get this post in your email every Monday!

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Video: How To (Not) Drive in Toronto

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:41:00 +0000

Here's a great tongue-in-cheek video from riconroy about how drivers should deal with pedestrians and cyclists in Toronto:

Weekly News Wrap-Up: Top Cyclist Complaints, Cop Caught Parked in Bikelane

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:48:00 +0000

Happy Friday to you. Here's all the New stuff! :)

UPDATE: No sign of Trial for Bike Thief
Is a deal in the making? Stolen-bike case close to ending in deal, court told Lawyers in the Igor Kenk stolen-bicycles saga are discussing a possible deal to resolve the massive criminal case and head off a trial for the 50-year-old bike repairman, a Toronto court heard yesterday.… (Read More)

A Toronto Cyclist's Top 10 Complaints
AWESOME post by BlogTO: Toronto cyclists have much to complain about and generally aren't shy about airing their discontent. Whether it be the scarcity of bike lanes, the abundance of potholes or simply the fact that our climate makes year-round riding nearly impossible, I think it's only fair to… (Read More)

UPDATE: Toronto streets a job hazard, ex-courier says
Interesting update from the Star, which addresses my concerns about the City not employing cyclists: Law backs cyclist's quest for safe roads A former bike courier's bid to take the city before the Ontario Labour Board – claiming Toronto streets constitute an unsafe workplace for people who bike on… (Read More)

UPDATE: Cop nailed for bike lane parking
Follow-up article from the Sun. Councillor Pam McConnell (vice-chairman of the Police Services Board) says that cops should be held to the same standard as the general public, while surprisingly, Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker and Councillor Adrian Heaps say that maybe there should be exceptions for cops… (Read More)

Cyclist dies after being hit by car in Mississauga
From CP24: A male cyclist has died after being hit by a car in Mississauga on Tuesday evening. The crash happened after 6:30 p.m. at Bloor Street and Runningbrook Drive, between Dixie and Tomken Roads. The cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. The intersection has been shut down… (Read More)

City peddles bikes to its employees
From the Star: Police do it. EMS workers and bylaw officers do it. But the city wants more of its employees to use sustainable transportation on the job. That's why Toronto's Smart Commute office has set up a bike-sharing program where employees can sign out two wheels instead of… (Read More)

Toronto streets a job hazard, ex-courier says
Cyclist takes city to labour board, claiming roads are unsafe workplace for those who bike for a living. From the Star: Ten years ago, bike courier Wayne Scott won an epic battle against Revenue Canada. His arguments persuaded the Federal Court of Appeal to rule that bike couriers could… (Read More)

Toronto Cop Nailed for Bike Lane Parking
A Toronto Police officer who parked his cruiser in a bike lane to get his lunch is getting no love from his superiors, who are coming down hard on his "stupid" and "unacceptable" actions. On Sunday,the Sun witnessed a city cop sitting inside the Grillway Cafe, at Runnymede Rd.… (Read More)

Photo of the Day: Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute!

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:43:00 +0000

via flickr.com

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Cup Holder for Bike HandleBars

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:02:00 +0000

This would make a fantastic Christmas gift for so many people I know!

From NOW Magazine:

FELT handlebar cup holder

If you need a jolt of java while you ride, mount FELT’s cup holder ($25, Urbane Cyclist, 180 John, 416-979-9733, ucycle.com) on your handlebars but beware cycling with scalding coffee down speed bump-pocked streets!

via the Biking Toronto Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

UPDATE: No sign of Trial for Bike Thief

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:01:00 +0000

Is a deal in the making?

Stolen-bike case close to ending in deal, court told
Lawyers in the Igor Kenk stolen-bicycles saga are discussing a possible deal to resolve the massive criminal case and head off a trial for the 50-year-old bike repairman, a Toronto court heard yesterday.

Mr. Kenk, 50, was charged with more than 80 counts involving 2,865 used bicycles and a large quantity of illegal drugs seized in police raids in the summer of 2008, and has been awaiting trial in the Don Jail for almost a year since his bail was revoked last December.

Mr. Kenk appeared yesterday at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, where he was to make a bid to have bail restored. Instead, his lawyer, Lon Rose, told Mr. Justice John Hamilton that "a proposed resolution to most if not all" of Mr. Kenk's charges is in the works as a result of pre-trial talks with Crown officials and lower-court Justice Kathleen Caldwell.

...

The sheer size of the case, which involved raids on 12 properties, about 100 police officers and more than 80 charges, created a mountain of evidence to be gathered, sorted, assessed and disclosed to Mr. Kenk's defence before any trial could proceed.

Court filings obtained by The Globe and Mail, including Mr. Rose's Nov. 12 notice of application for yesterday's bail review, suggest that disclosure has been slow and sporadic. Mr. Rose only recently received, for example, statements from 70 police officers who worked on the case. Dozens more pieces of evidence have also been slow to materialize.

...

Regardless of any deal in the offing, Mr. Kenk still faces a lawsuit brought by the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney-General to seize his bike shop, two pickup trucks and 2,292 bicycles as proceeds of crime. Even though Mr. Kenk has not been convicted criminally, the province can use the Civil Remedies Act to seize and sell off his property if it can prove that it was used for a criminal purpose or obtained by crime.

Full Article

via the Biking Toronto Forum

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Photo of the Day: Twin Towers (of East York)

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:49:00 +0000

via flickr.com

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Duncans City Ride: My One and Only Cycling Complaint about Toronto

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:32:00 +0000

Ok, the headline of this post is a little misleading. I have plenty of complaints about cycling in Toronto. And, if you read BlogTO, you know that there's a list and growing discussion of even more gripes going on there.
But... and this is a big BUT... nothing outweighs the benefits of cycling in Toronto...
We have trails through ravines!
We have a growing bike lane network!
We're busting cops for parking in bike lanes!
We have a cyclists union!
We look damn good on our bikes!
We have more than 70 bike shops in Toronto!
However, I do have one big complaint... and boy-oh-boy is it a doosie!
There are simply not enough cyclists in Toronto.
That's it, that's my complaint.
Some days it's just so lonely. I know there are thousands upon thousands of cyclists around. But, I want to see more... don't you?
Join the discussion in the BikingToronto Forum
Photo via the BikingToronto Flickr Pool

via Duncan's City Ride

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A Toronto Cyclist's Top 10 Complaints

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:54:00 +0000

AWESOME post by BlogTO:

Toronto cyclists have much to complain about and generally aren't shy about airing their discontent. Whether it be the scarcity of bike lanes, the abundance of potholes or simply the fact that our climate makes year-round riding nearly impossible, I think it's only fair to provide a little two-wheeled perspective on the heels of Toronto traffic safety officer Tim Burrow's recently compiled Top 10 list of motorist complaints.

...

# 10 - The close pass
Having seen a friend's elbow shattered by a van "passing" altogether too closely, it gives me the jitters whenever vehicles don't afford myself and other cyclists adequate space. Granted this isn't always their fault -- roads are, after all, only so wide -- but it's still a common threat cyclists face. I'm not asking for the insanely wide berth some drivers give, but it's a little scary when a passing car brushes me with its wind trail.

# 9 - Lack of bike lanes
Directly related to #10, the lack of bike lanes on major streets throughout the city is an obvious pet peeve that many cyclists share. But it's not just an issue for cyclists; the scarcity of bike lanes is also a pain for drivers who are forced to share the road with those on two wheels. I know it's not so easy as just snapping one's fingers and putting them in, but it's obvious that we need a more comprehensive vision for encouraging the safe use of bicycles in this city.

# 8 - Cars parked in bike lanes
Boneheaded moves like this are getting a little more attention after the Toronto Sun spotted a cop car parked in the bike lane on Annette St. for 20 minutes the other day. The officer's gotten a bunch of flak for his parking job, but the reality is that this happens all the time. Normally it's not a huge deal, but when another vehicle and a cyclist inevitably try to pass the improperly parked car at the same time, the situation can get pretty tricky.

# 7 - Potholes

# 6 - Winter

# 5 - Other cyclists

# 4 - Car doors

# 3 - Streetcar tracks

# 2 - Oblivious pedestrians

# 1 - Sudden right turns (without signaling)

Full List at Blog T.O.

via the Biking Toronto Forum

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What Do You Want From BikingToronto in 2010?

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:53:00 +0000

Hi everyone,

Every winter, I generally take stock of BikingToronto and update the design of the site and figure out what's working well and what's working not-so-well.

With the success of the forum, I'd like to add more interactivity to the site to make is as useful for Toronto cyclists as possible... but I need your help.

What do you want to see from BikingToronto in 2010? Is there a feature you wish it had? Have you seen another website (cycling-related or otherwise) with a cool feature you love that could be used for cyclists in Toronto?

Feel free to express and and all ideas here.

If 2010 follows the pattern of the past few years, we are going to see another large increase in cycling on the roads of Toronto... so the more useful BikingToronto is for everyone, the better!

Share your ideas in the Biking Toronto Forum

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UPDATE: Toronto streets a job hazard, ex-courier says

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:51:00 +0000

Interesting update from the Star, which addresses my concerns about the City not employing cyclists:

Law backs cyclist's quest for safe roads
A former bike courier's bid to take the city before the Ontario Labour Board – claiming Toronto streets constitute an unsafe workplace for people who bike on the job – has merit, says a personal injury lawyer.

Patrick Brown said Wayne Scott's "novel'' legal action is about an individual trying to hold the city responsible for providing safe roads.

...

Scott claims the city has failed to comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which requires employers to take reasonable precautions to protect their workers. As many as 500 police officers are on bike patrol on any given day, and about 30 Emergency Medical Services paramedics use bikes.

Brown, who has acted on behalf of many cyclists injured on city streets, and for the families of those killed, says there is legal precedent in Ontario compelling municipalities to ensure their streets are safe for bikes and pedestrians. The Ontario appeals court ruled in a 2008 case involving a Halton cyclist who was killed that municipalities must ensure roads are in a proper state of repair to provide safe passage.

Article Link

via the Biking Toronto Forum

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