Cycling in Canada

[kool maudit]

I biked into the centre from Hellerup today around 4 p.m.

It was crowded but aside from a clog nearing Kongens Nytorv I'd say I was able to maintain 25-30 kmh.

Right/left "lane" (sub-lane I guess) etiquette and bell use go a long way.

[megadude]

Haven't seen this thread before. Interesting.

I'm not much of a cyclist other than taking part in the Becel Ride for Heart 20 years ago downtown TO from I believe Lakeshore and up on the DVP and back. Also did the one that went from Square One to DT Brampton and back.

In the past year I had a renewed interest in cycling and decided to try out three different forms of it. It turns out they're all in nearby Milton. So while it's not a matter of urban street infrastructure there, it's a matter of varied facilities infrastructure.

Milton is somewhat of a mecca for road cyclists who want the challenge of riding the ups and downs of the roads in the Escarpment. You see them all the time. However, this is one form I did not partake in.

Has anyone else tried the following?

The Velodrome was built for the Pan Am Games. What a fitness challenge that is. It's hot as Hell in there. The extreme banked track makes for tired legs and lungs because going around in circles fast is one thing, but doing up on an angle requires that extra set of muscles to keep you up there. Also, there's no brakes and only one gear on their rentals, which is apparently standard.

I was the third youngest of a group of 16 people trying the track for the first time. There were several people 15-20 years my senior who were faster than me. You could tell who was the serious hobby cyclist and who wasn't. One guy said he bikes to work everyday from High Park to the CTV office at 401 and McCowan.


http://niagara-pauls.blogspot.com/20...e-mattamy.html


http://www.cyclingcanada.ca/sport/tr...cup-in-milton/


I borrowed my cousin's mountain bike and went down the trails at Kelso Conservation Area where they have MTB races. Some interesting natural obstacles and jumps from the Escarpment, and man-made ones as well. The best part is the end where they created berms (banked curves) in the soil so the last section is steep, twisty and fast.

I got to observe some real hardcore dudes on bikes that cost 20x more than the one I was on. The speed and agility they put on display made me ashamed to even be there. Two of the guys also told me it only takes 10-15 minutes to ride from the bottom back up to your car via Appleby Line. It took me 40 minutes!


https://www.trailforks.com/region/ke...ore&order=desc


https://www.trailforks.com/region/ke...ore&order=desc


Couple months ago I tried the BMX track. Surprisingly I was not the oldest. At least three 40+ year olds riding with their kids.

There were 12 year olds that were faster and jumping higher than me. I saw a 15 year old jump so high on the specially designated jumps that I thought he was taking ET home.


https://www.ontario.ca/page/pre-game...lton-bmx-track


https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j...36204238255476

[Doug]

Surprising the cycling is considered progressive given that it skews heavily to the upper income, middle aged, white male demographic.

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by rousseau

I was just in Montreal, and I found myself passing slower riders a lot in the bike lanes, though not as recklessly as some there do. I haven't been to Copenhagen or Amsterdam, but the videos of cycling infrastructure there that I've seen suggest to me that the laws and regulations for riding are much more rigorously followed, and that one wouldn't, say, jump red lights or take liberties with bike lanes in polite company.

Funny how "Wild West" even Canada is in comparison to Western Europe.


That...is awesome. It's so gratifying to see an attitude shift about the feasibility of cycling in winter.


Uh, how do fractions work with bikes? I'm at 3. One road bike, one town bike with saddlebags for getting groceries, and one mountain bike for bombing around in the snow.

Tandem, i only get to claim half of it. By the way i also have an italian road steed. Willier.
Most people i know have 5 or more. I have commuting, cyclocross, road, mountain, downhill and the tandem. May add a fat bike for the winter but just put fatter tires on my mountain bike and that gets me through most winter riding except for new snow days. Check trailforks Edmonton to catch the single track here. Easy to get out in the country for some decent roads. Sundays are usually 100km or more. Mondays 50-60 rd. Tuesdays 20-40 mountain then Weds 50 km rd. Thrursdays are a toss up may do some gravel riding. Friday and sat aee off days, i need those at my age. Sept i turn to cross racing and that has 2 races a weekend so not much rd riding during the week. Come november cross ends and most switch to fat bike until April.

[GeneralLeeTPHLS]

Originally Posted by Doug

Surprising the cycling is considered progressive given that it skews heavily to the upper income, middle aged, white male demographic.

Upper income? I don't see that correlation at all. Bikes aren't really catered to a specific class of folks....I'd say it's just for those who want it. The income level never has nor should matter.....where are you given this sense/idea by the way? Just curious.

[kool maudit]

That's a pretty well-rounded set of cycling experiences in Milton!

[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by rousseau

I was just in Montreal, and I found myself passing slower riders a lot in the bike lanes, though not as recklessly as some there do. I haven't been to Copenhagen or Amsterdam, but the videos of cycling infrastructure there that I've seen suggest to me that the laws and regulations for riding are much more rigorously followed, and that one wouldn't, say, jump red lights or take liberties with bike lanes in polite company.

Funny how "Wild West" even Canada is in comparison to Western Europe.

It's true. In Montreal I rode like a messenger, weaving in and out of traffic, drafting buses, all of that. When you are in the mood it's exhilarating. When not, it's frightening and tiresome.

In Copenhagen I ride more sedately, behaving like a vehicle in regulated traffic with a similar set of constraints as an auto driver.

[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by rousseau

Thanks! Italy is everything when it comes to bikes, I believe. Only the pedals, tires and bar tape on this machine aren't Italian. It's not really that old a ride, though: the frame and components are from about fifteen years ago. I think I've worked out the formula that aesthetics plays in my enjoyment of the ride. It's right around 50%.

I like looking at it. I like getting on it. And I'm not above admitting that I like the compliments I get from other cyclists in the know. Though even the uninitiated understand that the colour is unique.

Campy is the only way to go. That loud clicky freewheeling!

I ride a steel-framed Italian with Veloce; it's heavy and workmanlike but I like the '1992 Tour' look.

I have put in a lot more miles this year, and borrowed a friend's carbon De Rosa for a club ride a few weeks back. It was night and day. It was so much faster. But it looks like a tennis racket.



I think I need something like you are riding, it's a great balance between modernity and trad cycling aesthetics.

[niwell]

I agree - Rousseau's Bianchi looks great for a modern bike. I can't really stand the style of most new road bikes, although they are certainly a dream to ride.

95% of my riding is on city streets and after destroying several old (cheap) steel frame road bikes I decided to finally get something new a few years ago. Opted to go single speed (not fixie) as gears are often counterproductive in Toronto and keep weight down. Settled on the Fuji Feather which fittingly weighs a fraction of any previous bike I've owned:


https://www.bikeradar.com/commuting/...-review-50677/


Mine is in the same colour as the photo, although I replaced the ugly track grips with grip tape and both wheels have been replaced (due to theft...*) and now have black rims. I've had zero complaints so far, except for the aforementioned theft. Super easy to ride and maneuver on city streets plus very minimal maintenance. I generally ride it from Spring to late Fall, then switch over to bike share for the winter months. There's just too much salt on the streets and winter destroys bikes here. Thankfully Toronto's bikeshare has expanded aggressively and now covers almost the entirety of the inner city.


*My rear wheel was stolen outright, just outside my office building, midday. I guess the flip flop hubs are very easy to sell and a hot commodity. Usually I lock through the rear wheel but must have been lazy that day. In a much more bizarre case my front wheel was stolen a few months ago, except whoever took it replaced it with... a new wheel? When I went to unlock my bike after work the front tire was flat and I noticed it wasn't the original wheel, but in it's place was a quick release of technically better quality than what was taken (plus my original rim was a bit bent and I was planning to replace it). The best I can figure is someone got a flat and was really in a hurry and decided to swap out wheels. Still annoying as I don't like quick release in the city, but could have been a lot worse.

[kool maudit]

Love the Fuji feather. Its huge here, because it's the perfect city bike for people who like to go fast.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Doug

Surprising the cycling is considered progressive given that it skews heavily to the upper income, middle aged, white male demographic.

I think this needs to be broken down a bit.

In terms of "upper income" I'd definitely disagree. Certainly there are lots of cyclists across all income groups. Of course many on the lower income rungs are not cyclists by choice. Also the likelihood of wearing a helmet seems to increase with income.

In terms of age, I also see cyclists of all ages. There is no age groups that dominates IMO.

In term of skin tone, yes this is one point where I will agree. Cyclists (certainly adult cyclists) are overwhelmingly white. Even in our most diverse cities, the cycling crowd is disproportionately white. The one exception of course is little kids where you have cyclists of all origins.

In terms of gender, my observation is the bicycle commuters are overwhelmingly male. Recreational cyclists seem to be fairly evenly split between males and females.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

I have put in a lot more miles this year, and borrowed a friend's carbon De Rosa for a club ride a few weeks back. It was night and day. It was so much faster. But it looks like a tennis racket.

I'm hesitant about newer frames too, but I can't help but like the head tube and the way the fork almost seamlessly meets it.

I'm still torn on front fork shape, though. If you'd never seen a bike before you'd think that curved forks were elegant, wouldn't you? The modern trend of straight forks leading from the head tube at an angle seems like a clumsy homage to Cubist art.

But the hill I'm going to die on is the losing battle against disc brakes on road bikes. They look clunky. I don't care if they supposedly work better, though the ones on my mountain bike squeal like geese more often than not.

Originally Posted by kool maudit

I think I need something like you are riding, it's a great balance between modernity and trad cycling aesthetics.

I put this bike together by trawling the classified ads and UK retailers for deals. Did it part by part, which is a lot of fun if you have the tools, the space and some basic know-how.

[rousseau]

That Fuji Feather looks nice.

Originally Posted by niwell

*My rear wheel was stolen outright, just outside my office building, midday. I guess the flip flop hubs are very easy to sell and a hot commodity. Usually I lock through the rear wheel but must have been lazy that day. In a much more bizarre case my front wheel was stolen a few months ago, except whoever took it replaced it with... a new wheel? When I went to unlock my bike after work the front tire was flat and I noticed it wasn't the original wheel, but in it's place was a quick release of technically better quality than what was taken (plus my original rim was a bit bent and I was planning to replace it). The best I can figure is someone got a flat and was really in a hurry and decided to swap out wheels. Still annoying as I don't like quick release in the city, but could have been a lot worse.

Crazy story!

[MonkeyRonin]

Man, you guys have some nice bikes. I ride a 14-year-old, $100 Raleigh from Canadian Tire. Still works fine though.

Originally Posted by kool maudit

It's true. In Montreal I rode like a messenger, weaving in and out of traffic, drafting buses, all of that. When you are in the mood it's exhilarating. When not, it's frightening and tiresome.

This basically sums up how I feel riding on most of the non-bike lane streets in Toronto. It can be fun, but also a bit stressful at times.

[Nouvellecosse]

I think disc brakes look fine. Seems to me that the classic rim brake aesthetic simply became iconic and engrained in the public consciousness due to them being so ubiquitous over the years. People get used to something and therefore find that to be the aesthetic that looks "right". I feel like the same thing happens with CVT transmissions in cars. People expect a certain traditional feel and sound they've grown accustomed to and won't accept something different even when it's an improvement in performance or efficiency.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by megadude

Milton is somewhat of a mecca for road cyclists who want the challenge of riding the ups and downs of the roads in the Escarpment. You see them all the time. However, this is one form I did not partake in.

Has anyone else tried the following?

The Velodrome was built for the Pan Am Games. What a fitness challenge that is. It's hot as Hell in there. The extreme banked track makes for tired legs and lungs because going around in circles fast is one thing, but doing up on an angle requires that extra set of muscles to keep you up there. Also, there's no brakes and only one gear on their rentals, which is apparently standard.

I was the third youngest of a group of 16 people trying the track for the first time. There were several people 15-20 years my senior who were faster than me. You could tell who was the serious hobby cyclist and who wasn't. One guy said he bikes to work everyday from High Park to the CTV office at 401 and McCowan.


http://niagara-pauls.blogspot.com/20...e-mattamy.html


http://www.cyclingcanada.ca/sport/tr...cup-in-milton/

Not crazy about the fact that it was built in the middle of nowhere. But it does sound like a lot of fun. There's a velodrome in London as well, though it's a ramshackle setup in an old hockey rink. I'll have to make a point of trying it sometime.

I've also never ridden in the escarpment area around Milton. Ontario's only switchbacks are there (https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.47135...7i13312!8i6656). There's not much real climbing around here, but those switchbacks are Europe-worthy in nature, if not in scale.

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

I think disc brakes look fine.

Argh, no, they look awful. Hulking Meccano erector set monstrosities sucking all of the elegance out of a road bike, is what they are.

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by rousseau

I've also never ridden in the escarpment area around Milton. Ontario's only switchbacks are there (https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.47135...7i13312!8i6656). There's not much real climbing around here, but those switchbacks are Europe-worthy in nature, if not in scale

Not the only ones! https://goo.gl/maps/hUJPq18bEK82

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Not the only ones! https://goo.gl/maps/hUJPq18bEK82

What, you mean we've got two sets of switchbacks in Ontario? Wow, we're practically the Swiss Alps here!

I've gotta get over and ride those one of these days. Speaking of steep climbs/downhills, wouldn't Pottery Road be just about the steepest stretch of asphalt in Toronto?

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Man, you guys have some nice bikes. I ride a 14-year-old, $100 Raleigh from Canadian Tire. Still works fine though.

Oy. Aren't you a man of discriminating taste and style? Why not pick up a classic road bike for a couple hundred from My Little Bike Shop?

https://www.instagram.com/mylittlebikeshop/?hl=en

The owner's social media presence makes him look like a narcissistic showoff, but he's actually an alright guy, and his shop on College is really kinda cool.

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by rousseau

Oy. Aren't you a man of discriminating taste and style? Why not pick up a classic road bike for a couple hundred from My Little Bike Shop?

https://www.instagram.com/mylittlebikeshop/?hl=en

The owner's social media presence makes him look like a narcissistic showoff, but he's actually an alright guy, and his shop on College is really kinda cool.

Ha, that's my local shop - I've been there a few times for gear & repairs. Much prefer Riders Cycle & Board up the road though.

I would very much like a nice new road bike, but I'm just a little wary as it "lives" on the sidewalk on a fairly busy street, and well, you know Toronto and bike thefts.