Questions on TO weather/climate

Naw, you don't need eVent... if you've got cash to spend.. then hey - why not.

November/December is the worst, near freezing cold and wet, dark(DST not applied). The eVent jacket would be nice there. Otherwise when it snows you can wear some DWR coated wind-proof fabric(doesn't even need to be a fleece - just a shell if you have boarding clothing) all winter and brush any snow off before it melts. Get some warm water-proof boots... you'll have to step in cold slush and the fenders will keep your legs dry but not the feet.

Martin goodman was cleared last year, not sure about this year. Studded tires probably aren't necessary, I just use a cheaper pair I got used(sometimes intersections will be icy - careful when stopping).

MEC is a good one-stop shop, they win most of my business. It is hit and miss(price wise and stock wise) with some of the other shops, but keep an eye out for sales.

Get good lights - make sure the power source is lithium-ion. Try water-resistant pogies if you get cold hands and have a flat-bar bicycle.

Yeah, MEC is the place to start, and you can start looking online: mec.ca However, if you need to buy any clothing/parts that are expensive, look for online deals and buy before you come to Canada, since importing into Canada costs too much to be worthwhile: 13% tax, increased shipping charges, and something like 20% duty. Online deals are few and far between N of the border: 10% the size market as the US.

On the other hand, as you are coming from the Midwest, I doubt you need to buy much. @dances_with_traffic has some good ideas. As for his battery comment, you can get AA and AAA lithium batteries that go with standard lights: lithium works much better in the cold. I also use a headlamp with a battery pack inside my jacket, to keep the batteries warm and useful.

Gore-tex type fabrics are only useful for very heavy rain, as they cause too much sweat the rest of the time. Soft-shells work better, but even a wind-shell over fleece works well too. Gore-tex socks, over wool, might save you buying new boots; as will neoprene booties.

I tried studded tires and do not like them much, as they are very slow. A wide tire with small nobs will keep you upright most often in varied conditions. Varied conditions are Toronto's winter, unlike Montreal where snow/ice is more consistent.

Toronto drivers are as blind as they are stupid as they are aggressive: get lots of lights. I use my Planet Bike Superflash all day long, so I am visible in shade and under bridges.

Thanks for all the great suggestions guys! A drop tail jacket would probably be nice but I think I have enough jackets to make work for now...some waterproof pants would probably be the most important thing I guess. That or just wear my old pair of Burton pants and tape the ankles so they don't catch...it works on my dirt bike but not sure about pedaling a bike. Its worth a shot I suppose! If you ride clipless pedals in the summer, are you still using them for commuting in the winter or is it easier to rock the platforms & boots with the sketchy conditions? I figured I'd just use my snowboard helmet with adjustable vents in the winter too. At least it has a goggle strap if the wind is whipping and my glasses aren't enough.

As far as lights, I was going to pick up the Planet Bike package that includes the 1w Blaze and the rear Super Flash...I've heard a lot of good things about the new BikeGlow tube lighting for side visibility, and probably some of the LightWeights reflective wheel/spoke tape (invisible during day but sure lights up well at night). I have a cheap headlamp, better than nothing for now I suppose. Any opinions to the full fender versus the small clip on style? There are some full Planet Bike ones on clearance from REI that have a few reviews in snow/slush and says they don't have problems with build up. http://www.rei.com/product/723105

My family is still here in Michigan so luckily I'll still be visiting if I find a need for anything more expensive...I can always grab it on a trip back.

I went through a phase of getting lots of stuff for commuting but started using less and less, partly because my commute got closer, but also because I realized I can wear just regular clothing.

Last year I went back and forth from the east to the west end about 8-10 km and generally just wore thick stocks, regular boots with platform pedals; sweater with winter jacket; toque; mittens and just had semi-slicks for tires. Generally no cotton next to skin, but that doesn't matter too much either given the short commute

I didn't find myself getting wet most winter days. There may be the very rare day where the snow is sticky enough that my jacket would get a bit wet.

The Martin Goodman will probably be plowed, but out by the Beach maybe not.

Hi IROC,

Boots. Wellingtons or duck boots with gaiters, or something bomb-proof and warm. Of all the layers that got wet in the past 4 winters i've been riding, my shoes got the worst of it. I've been thru three pairs of cycling shoes in 4 years. The biggest culprit is the salt brine that City Of Toronto Transportation uses to de-ice the roads. It wreaks havoc on a drivetrain, and melts clipless pedals, as well as cleats, and stains the hell out of shoes. But it makes for nice ice-free pavement!

My other suggestion would be a neck warmer or fleece bandana. It is so useful to me, and can warm or cool within moments of application or removal on my neck. The rest of your gear list sounds fine, of course what one wears completely depends on one's morphology and metabolism. I'm a 6'2", 190 lbs, fit as a fiddle, athletic-looking male; but when this time of year comes with the cold, I have to wear at least three layers, because I hardly have any body fat, thus no natural insulation. What my friend Herb rocks so easily on his commute downtown would put me into hypothermia in minutes!

Congratulations for choosing to ride in Toronto! Enjoy!

Brian

The roads are (usually) mostly clear in the winter. I'm a wimp and wont ride if there is snow on the road, and I miss maybe an average of 5 days a month from Nov-Mar.
I can't comment on snow clearing on the waterfront trail- but I can say that I've noticed that what is a slight breeze a few blocks up seems to be a serious headwind along there. I would expect that to be an issue in the winter.
I'll give a thumbs up to MEC as the place to go for gear- but I have to give a nod to Urbane cyclist on John Street- Its a bit pricier than MEC but I have an old bike that other shops can't deal with, and they baby it with no problems and no stupid questions. I wont get service anywhere else.

More awesome info...thanks guys! Sounds like Platforms are the way to go. I'm VERY familiar with salt on roads...Metro Detroit loves it (why do you think our cars look like crap after 5yrs?!?) When I lived up in Traverse City (N.W. corner on the mitten, right on Lake Michigan) it was more consistent snow and they just used sand for traction. Regardless, I invested in a great pair of boots so sounds like I just need some good, shin splitting platform pedals. I'm definitely feeling more confident about this commuting process after hearing from everyone!

Any comment on the types of fenders? Full mud flap style or smaller style clip-ons?

Thanks again everyone!

Welcome to Toronto. I moved here myself from Lansing about six years ago. There is less snow here than Lansing, but probably about the same as metro detroit.

Go with full coverage fenders. You won't regret it. As SunnySide1 says, the city is pretty good about plowing, and there are usually only three or four big snowstorms a winter.

I use studded tires, but they are expensive, and most people don't bother.

Also earflaps:

As others have said, it's mainly going to be your feet and hands that feel it.

Hey jnyyz, cool to run into another person from Michigan. Thanks for the info, I really like your blog. I'm picking up a set of the BikeGlow from REI this week :) (Just hope its the newer waterproof kit!) The ear flaps are a pretty good idea! Simple and functional, thanks!

Twice I was riding home on a day that was barely below freezing, and some snow had just started falling. Hit the brakes....next thing I knew I was lying sideways on the ground. This was a road bike with narrowish tires, probably 700x28C. Not sure if knobbies would have helped a whole lot.

Fortunately Toronto gets relatively little snow during the winter--we ship it all off to Buffalo.

Yes, you can use your clipless(provided you are used to it) if you want - mec sells a cheap($35) reflective bootie that is basically water-proof(not gonna help if you step in a slushy pot-hole :) I wear those when it's wet out.

If your clipless is spd, my friend has troubles with ice freezing the mechanism at lower-temperatures - much kicking of pedal ensues. Crank brothers pedals don't freeze as much.
Eventually I switch to a winter-boot and platform, it's more comfortable, warm and don't have to drop dough on a special winter-clipless shoe.

I have used spds in the winter, and fallen more because of it. Maybe someone can get their feet out fast enough when slipping on ice, but that someone isn't me.

I'll agree with Brian. The salt brine used by the City to de-ice the streets is effective, but turns unprotected drivetrains into a pile of rust. It is vital to have internal hub gears and a full chaincase.

I've seen some of the Gary Fisher bikes, and the ones I saw required the rider to adopt a very uncomfortable racing position. They may have been good for Lance Armstrong wanna-be's, but they were not very good commuter bikes.

Probably the best description of what you need and why is provided by David Hembrow. Unfortunately, the link seems to have triggered the robot spam killer. I'll see if I can post it separately.

I myself ride a Pashley Sovereign Roadster that I bought at Curbside Cycle on Bloor Street. It has given me excellent service. Batavus is also a superb brand for commuter bicycles.

Kevin Love

hembrow.blogspot.com/2009/01/anatomy-of-reliable-everyday-bicycle.html

While i like bicycles with internal gears and the nice upright commuter seating, i myself can't drop the dough - i use an old MTB for the winter. Yes the chain will literally rust before your eyes. I occasionally coat it chainsaw fluid and leave the whole deal outside... it's not a pretty affair for the chain and associated parts.

There is another trick, and this one gets most people... you have to have the freehub flushed with new lighter oil if the old gary fisher freehub has been around. A decent shop will know how todo this. Failure todo this may result in the dreaded "i pedal but don't go forward" issue.

Kevin, Lance Armstrong Wanna Be...I am most certainly not! I'm simply looking at my means and finding a way. I can see the practicality of the bikes in the link you posted, thank you for sharing! My bike is a 2004 Hardtail, I only paid about $700 at the time. I'm aware its certainly going to take some abuse. I'm OK with this. Its certainly past its prime for a MTB, but will suit my needs for the time being. I actually had a plan to rebuild a commuter specific single speed, but for now, my current bike works for my budget. I like that blog! I saw a great video on dutch cycling on YouTube that backs up what you are saying about the practicality of the dutch and their bikes, and how good they are at the bike commuting game because they've done it for so long. I wish I could find it again...but this is one that was posted along with it

...almost all on those type of bikes in the blog post. I'm going to give this winter a shot and then I'll have about 6months to make my next plan of attack. Based on the comments, and what I know about corrosion, I'm going to swap over to platforms and call it a day :)

I'm not looking for any special awards for biking the most days out of the year with my coworkers, or to be considered "hardcore." I'm sure I'll still be buying some tokens for the Red Rocket on the really bad days. I just enjoy riding my bike, its great exercise, and moving to a city of this size, certainly seems easier than driving and parking!

Everyone's info has been fantastic. I appreciate it!

I've learned there are legal requirements for bikes in TO (such as a bell being mandatory by law) I read on a product review on the MEC site that white reflective stripes are required on forks and red stripes required on the rear. Is anyone anywhere of a link online that I can find what else is required by law? I've tried searching all over the City's cycling pages and haven't found anything.

Or...if anyone is aware of what the police actually enforce, that would be sufficient as well.

Thanks!

Cori, I don't think that stripes are required by law, though they are of course helpful. You just need a bell and lights. Here's a list of fines the police can enforce.

...and here are specifics:
(from http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pubs/cycling-guide/sectio... )

HTA 62(17) - Lights
a bike must have a white front light and a red rear light or reflector if you ride between 1/2 hour before sunset and 1/2 hour after sunrise and white reflective tape on the front forks and red reflective tape on rear forks. Set fine: $20.00
HTA 75 (5) - Bell
a bike must have a bell or horn in good working order. Set fine: $85.00
HTA 64(3) - Brakes
a bike must have at least one brake system on the rear wheel. When you put on the brakes, you should be able to skid on dry, level pavement. Set fine: $85.00

Get the reflectors, police could write you a ticket if it's not retro-reflective - many blinkies aren't.

I have no idea where to buy them actually either :)

Cool, thank you for the help! Heading to REI tonight and I will start the bike transformation this weekend...hoping my LMO/Visa paper work comes through any day and I'll be headed out there next week :)

I found white reflector strips at MEC, but no red. I wasn't clear if they didn't carry them, or were out of stock. I eventually found red at Active Surplus (Queen St west).

I have no idea if city police enforce the reflector strips, but was paying attention when I installed mine and noticed that not all police bikes seem to be outfitted with them. For what that's worth.

C'mon, when you have the guns you make your own rules. Anyway, that's a $20 fine only, and you hardly see reflector strips. Blinkies will actually work.

I cycle all year round in Toronto. Modern clothing makes cold weather cycling easier but the cold was still getting to my hands so I designed the BarBra TM - It is a protective cover for my handlebars. www.barbra.ca
The hard part is still getting out the door!

Hi cori,

Great reflector tapes are available at Canadian Tire. Look in the automotive accessory section. Ontario's Highway Traffic Act says all bikes must have them if being operated within half an hour of sunset or sunrise.

Same for lights, and LED lights are the best - they make a bike and cyclist more visible, and will enable you to see the trail in some parks that are accessible year round but not well lit.

I recommend a long-ring bell (drrrrrrriiiiinnnng), as opposed to a short-ring bell (ding), because they are more audible, and harmonic. Long-ring bells are more noticeable than short-ring bells. And please don't bother to ring your bell while you're passing parked cars - it's already too late. Please take as much of the road as you need to avoid getting doored. Collisions can be prevented - it's about paying attention, not calling attention.

One would wonder why the bike community hasn't gotten together to lobby bike retailers, distributors, and manufacturers to have reflectors, lights, and bells - these legally mandatory items - to be included on new bikes - hey, trucks, buses, and cars come with them, why not bikes?- but oh wait, that would be becuase most ppl percieve bikes to be toys, not vehicles. Huh. The best thing you can do for the biking community and yourself is to ride responsbily, with all the tools and accessories you need to make yourself visible, predictable, and a vehicle.

Cheers,
Brian

Hello hello

I'm new...Nice forum !

My name is Eric, 24 years old (French).

Nice to meet you !

I'll second the comment on the brine. Depending on the time of day you ride (and how snowy the winter ends up being) there's a good chance that you'll want waterproof to keep the slush off your shoes and lower legs. Fenders help (a lot), but they don't block everything, and certainly don't protect you from the crap thrown up by passing cars.

I typically wear leather shoes for all the non-summer months, and found that in the snowiest winters I'd have to clean/polish them every day or two (to prevent them getting damaged by the salt) if I didn't wear shoe covers, but could get away with only polishing them 2-3x each month if I wore shoe covers whenever the roads were slushy. Also, expect to ether clean/relube your drivetrain very frequently, or to replace it entirely every couple of years (and replace the chain every spring regardless of how well you keep up with the cleaning/lube. My rule of thumb is to expect to expect salt to be laid as late as might be necessary to clear a snowstorm on the fist weekend of April; once that's passed, the bike gets a new chain and a spring tune-up).

I got my work permit yesterday. I am moving tomorrow...looks like I'm in for a nice week of RAIN for my first commuting...figures!

Thanks again for all the help...maybe I'll see some of you around, who knows :)