winter cycling

Councillor Adrian Heaps talks to press: Credit: Brian Betsworth

Did you fail to get your "bodily oils" flowing with a nice winter bike ride? Well, you missed out on the pleasure of cold weather rolling, as well as the opportunity of hearing Councillor Heaps talk about fluids, oils and pleasure as he trumpeted winter cycling. If you were more likely to be at your favorite brunch spot instead, here is a recap.

After leaving High Park at noon we rode approximately 1/2 km before stopping for hot chocolate, a view of the snow plows that clear the Martin Goodman Trail, and listen to Heaps' press conference on the benefits of cycling and plowing the trail, both worthy causes.

Snow clearers: Credit: Brian Betsworth

We stood around drinking hot chocolate, looking at the distinct lack of snow. The plow guys were probably feeling under-appreciated.

Crowd stopped for hot chocolate and plows: Credit: Brian Betsworth

There was a distinct over-representation of "sporty" cyclists. I'm not sure where all these cyclists came from. I see a lot of winter cyclists but rarely see them decked out in waterproof booties, jackets, helmet covers and tights. Apparently such cyclists do exist, but they are a rare breed downtown. TBN must have recruited a sizable portion of their membership.

Looking for a bike related activity for this cold Saturday? You could try the Coldest Day of the Year Ride, starting at the Grenadier Cafe in High Park at noon. Or you could go to the Live Auction of 5 of the legendary yellow BikeShare bikes starting at 3pm at the Community Bicycle Network at Queen and Euclid.

The info is posted below:

CBN Open House and Auction

Join us on Saturday, January 30th, from 12 to 6pm, when we will hold an all-afternoon Open House!

We will be holding a Live Auction for five of the legendary yellow Bikeshare bikes at 3pm. Get them while the getting's good!

Also, throughout the day (and ending at 5pm) there will be a Silent Auction for high-end and unique vintage parts.

And if you don't want to hang around till that happens, just drop by and get used parts at astonishing prices - we will be slashing our always-low prices on used parts. (All used parts just $2.00 -- One Day Only.)

Plus, hot cocoa and snacks to keep you warm on a wintery bike day.

(If you're planning to go to the Coldest Day of the Year Ride, there should still be time to get to CBN's auction afterward, so you can do it all!)

See you then!

Coldest Day of the Year Ride

Saturday, January 30, 2010 - 12:00

What: Come out for a group ride on the statistically coldest day of the year.

(Photo: Toronto Star)

A nice article on Yvonne, bike union ED, and her take on winter riding by Catherine Porter of the Toronto Star. Apparently the key to winter cycling is tissues for the running nose (and a bicycle). The best part of this article is the pretentiousness and, yet, feminine angle. You don't need much more than a bicycle, a warm jacket and confidence to bike in the winter. If one day is too scary, wait until the snow clears up and you'll find it's quite refreshing:

We've met on a sunny morning and set off in search of winter's axis of evil: snow, slush and ice. Now that we've found it, Bambrick instructs me to push into it, slowly, but with confidence. "Don't lose your nerve."

Look at her: tall, long black coat, chic red hat dotted with a delicate bicycle pin, dark sunglasses. She could be shopping in Paris.

Her bike is a grey Dutch seven-speed, the front basket adorned with bulrushes, white plastic flowers cascading off the back.

How could you spout epithets from your car window at this woman? If the old cycling crowd is Kensington Market, Bambrick is Uptown. She is gentrifying the image of cycling in the city.

Her tool is the Toronto Cyclists Union. Bambrick, 33, is its executive director, her salary paid mostly through the dues of its 800 members, proof in itself of the rising class, and commitment, of cyclists.

Photo: uwajedi

Paul Terefenko of NOW Magazine has some pretty good winter cycling tips but I feel I can provide better suggestions in places (having taught CAN-BIKE and ridden in many winters).

Bike

Just ditch style in the winter. That Pashley doesn’t deserve to get eaten by salt, covered in grime and penetrated by water for four months. Instead, find a beater.

Get a bike with as few gears as possible. Frames don't rust quite as easily as NOW suggests, just shake or wipe it off frequently. The real issue is rusting of gears, brakes, and cables.

Choose a more upright bike that allows you a better field of vision.

I suggest cleaning up the bike mid-way through the winter at a do-it-yourself shop such as the Community Bicycle Network (Queen and Euclid), Bike Pirates (Bloor and Lansdowne) or Bikechain (U of T).

Tires

Something with wider knobby tires works.

There is almost no advantage to knobby tires on Toronto streets. When the roads are icy knobs don't help you, and when it's snowy you almost want a bike with thin tires that can cut through the packed snow.

There are studded tires out there, if you’re convinced you need them, but again, Toronto roads are pretty well cleared most of the time, and you’ll just be buzzing along most of the time.

Welcome to our new banner. (if you don't see it refresh your browser)

I'm beginning to think winter is not ending this year. Should we start a poll to see where people stand on this issue? Maybe we can correlate the results with those who prefer Obama to Clinton. Obama: summer. Clinton: winter.

I've become quite skilled at navigating ice and snow. The recent sloppy snowfalls and melting/freezing cycles has created ideal conditions for chunky, rutted and very slick streets. Back in November I would have slipped or fallen once per ride but now I've got the hang of it, taking the bumps head on and riding over black ice with confidence (as long as I'm not heading downhill). You get a knack for it: no sudden movements, no sharp turns. Perhaps I can learn to love winter riding if I'm stuck in it long enough.

My bike is a different matter. It's quickly oxidizing. I may have to replace a number of rusty parts like the chain, cables, housing and perhaps even the rear dérailleur. The salt gets in everywhere and no bike part is safe from its corrosion.

I hope the banner won't become permanent.

The increasingly popular commuting mode known as "winter cycling" was profiled in the National Post this week.

Torontonians are reputed to be whiners when it comes to weather. But, as Canadians, we are better known for our innate drive to conquer the elements. It is in our bones, part of our history. A robust people who embrace our northern landscape in all its inclement glory, we refuse to be kept inside by a simple snow squall.

Read more at the National Post.

You'll see some familiar names there. The author is Tammy Thorne, and one of the people interviewed is Tanya Quinn.

Video by Wendy Lucas. The Funniest race on ice.

Hey!

Who needs studded tires? Come out and ride the Elite Rubber Class Race.
If you dare.

Video by Wendy Lucas from the 2007 race.