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ADVOCACY FOR RESPECT FOR CYCLISTS Activist lobby group works on legal defence, direct action, lobbying and education. 416-604-5171, www.respect.to.
ALWAYSMAD.COM Mountain biking for the street, dirt, free-ride and trails set. www.alwaysmad.com.
BICYCLES CROSSING BORDERS Volunteer-coordinated project supports and promotes cyclists and bike use in Cuba though skills development and shop set-up. Donated bicycles shipped for repairs by Canadian-trained mechanics in Cuba. BCB is always expanding. Financial help, volunteers and warehouse space are needed. www.BikesToCuba.org, chitttar99@yahoo.com.
BICYCLE FRIENDLY BUSINESS AWARDS Recognizes organizations and businesses for their support and promotion of cycling. Nominations 416-392-2577, www.city.toronto.on.ca/cycling.
BICYCLE SAFETY HOTLINE 416-392-1311, toronto.ca/cycling.
BICYCLE SPECIALTIES Touring and racing cyclists can check out this website and store for info on road and track racing, cyclo-cross, commuting and randonneuring. 45 Cranfield. 416-423-0456, http://www.bikespecialties.com.
BIKE SHARE Bike-lending project of the CBN. $30 season pass. Participating hubs offer yellow bikes for daily use. 416-504-2918, www.communitybicyclenetwork.org.
BIKETORONTO Website devoted to cycling issues in Toronto. www.biketoronto.ca.
bike week Events info 416-392-7592.
BMX-FORUM.COM Online BMX community.
BUG The Bicycle User Group Network encourages cyclists in workplaces, neighbourhoods, communities and schools to join together to improve conditions for cyclists. Organizes group rides. Watch for their new cycling magazine The BUGle this spring. 416-338-5091. www.toronto.ca/cycling.
CAN-BIKE Cycling Committee-sponsored low-cost cycling training and safety program. Courses for all levels across the GTA: Adult Learn To Ride, Teens Can-Bike, childrens courses and instructor workshops. 416-338-4386, www.toronto.ca/parks/torontofun.
CANADIAN CYCLIST ONLINE Website of daily cycling news, forums, classified ads, product reviews and more. 519-442-7905, www.canadiancyclist.com.
CITY OF TORONTO BIKE PLAN Objectives and recommendations for cycling in Toronto and making a more bicycle-friendly city. www.city.toronto.on.ca/cycling/bikeplan.htm.
CLUB MTB Mountain bike website provides a list of Ontario clubs and local bike shops. www.clubmtb.com.
CBN – COMMUNITY BICYCLE NETWORK Non-profit organization supports and links community-based sustainable transport initiatives. (See BikeShare, Wenches With Wrenches, West Toronto RailPath Project and Intersection.) 761 Queen West. 416-504-2918, www.communitybicyclenetwork.org.
chicoracing.com Ontario’s mountain bike racing event site includes info about 24 Hours Summer Solstice race (Jun 24 & 25, Albion Hills Conservation Area), 24 Hours Hot August Nights (Aug 19-20, Albion Hills) and Ontario Cup Races throughout the summer. chicoracing.com.
CRITICAL MASS CYCLING EVENTS Hundreds of cyclists take over the streets the last Friday of each month year round. Meet at Bloor and Spadina at 6 pm. www.cmtoronto.ca.
CYCLING AMBASSADORS Team of cycling experts encourages cycling and delivers safety messages through seminars. 416-338-5071, www.toronto.ca/cycling.
CYCLECANADA.COM Online cycling information service provided by organizers of cross-Canada cycling tours. www.CycleCanada.com.
CYCLING AND TRANSIT WORKING GROUP Group makes policy recommendations to the TO Cycling Committee on the development and delivery of policies and programs to integrate cycling and transit. www.toronto.ca/cycling/committee/cycling_transit.htm.
CYCLISTS’ YELLOW PAGES ONLINE Informative directory compiled by the Adventure Cycling Association contains info for bicycle travellers and tour planning. www.adventurecycling.org.
CYCLOMETER Toronto Cycling Committee newsletter includes updates on cycling issues. www.city.toronto.on.ca/cycling/cyclometer.
DETOUR’s URBAN SOURCE Non-profit online bookstore working for sustainability and social justice, with a catalogue of over 300 books and resources on sustainable transportation, urban planning, climate change and more. 416-338-5087, www.urbansource.org.
don valley trail users club Mountain bikers who appreciate the Don Valley trail system and advocate sustainable trail use. Rules of the trail, events, links, forums and photos. www.dvtuc.com.
DUNDAS E.A.S.T. (Everybody’s Access to Safe Travel) Promotes safer conditions for cyclists and pedestrians in SE Toronto. Participates in a Bike Week group commute. South Riverdale Community Health Centre, 955 Queen E. 416-461-1925 ext 241, paul@srchc.com.
FIXED GEAR BICYCLE GALLERY Huge online index of fixed gear bicycles from around the world. www.fixedgeargallery.com.
Gay West Bicycle Club Gay and lesbian bicycle club plans weekly rides and social events. 416-533-6428, http://gaywest.905host.net.
green fleet Cycling events and activities for employees at their workplace. Businesses can sign up for a workshop or the whole series. www.communitybicyclenetwork.org/greenfleet.
HIgh park bicycle club Recreational cycling club organizes weekend trips, Tuesday-night rides, Friday ride-and-dine nights, Sunday road and mountain biking and more. $20 membership. www.hpbc.ca.
icebike Cyclists braving winter conditions for transport or competition meet, learn bike handling techniques, safety and apparel tips. www.icebike.com.
martino’s bike lane diary Photo blog and more about cycling in Toronto. Links to films and other blogs. http://bikelanediary.blogspot.com.
MISSISSAUGA BMX CHALLENGE PARKS Clarkson BMX park has beginner to intermediate rhythm sections with rolling tabletop features. Bromsgrove and Winston Churchill. Meadowvale BMX park for dirt jumping hosts its annual comp July 22. Syntex Park, Mississauga and Meadowvale. 416-578-DIRT.
NORTH TORONTO SKI CLUB Off-season skiers organize rides of varying difficulty to southern Ontario sites. Weekend group mountain bike rides every two weeks, Thursday evening ride in the Don Valley Trails, 6:30 pm. No membership fee. www.ntsc.ca.
ONTARIO CYCLING ASSOCIATION Host for 100 affiliated clubs promoting competitive cycling. Oversees and issues racing licences and memberships for road, track, cyclocross, BMX and mountain biking. 416-426-7416, www.ontariocycling.org.
Ontario’s worst municipal roads Submit your worst, read facts and analysis on roads when trip-planning. www.worstroads.ca.
OUT & OUT CLUB Gay and lesbian club hosts group recreational cycling rides, sport tours and social activities in Toronto and abroad. 416-925-9872 ext 2800.
OUTING CLUB OF EAST YORK Non-profit volunteer-run club organizes cycling outings for weekend day trips, evenings and weekends. Trips usually 60K with shorter evening trips offered. 416-724-3316, info@ocey.org.
PEDALING.COM Self-guided road bike routes, maps, trail descriptions. www.pedaling.com.
pedal magazine Bike reviews, new products, events and everything cyclists want to read. 317 Adelaide W, ste 703. 416-977-2100, pedalmag.com.
RECUMBENT CYCLING ONTARIO Informal club dedicated to design, construction and use of recumbent bicycles and tricycles. Workshops and rides. www.hpv.on.ca.
TAKETHETOOKER.CA Group organized to create a continuous bike lane along Bloor and Danforth in honour of late activist Tooker Gomberg. www.takethetooker.ca.
TOOLWORKS DIY bike repair workshop provides tools, equipment and mechanical advice. Base fee $5/hr, Sat 1-3 pm. www.communitybicyclenetwork.org/toolworks.
TORONTO BICYCLING MEETUP GROUP Get together with other cycling enthusiasts for weekend ride planning, gear talk, training tips and fun. bike.meetup.com.
TORONTO BICYCLING NETWORK Largest recreational cycling club in Canada organizes riding events evenings and weekends. Workshops on cycling skills, safety and maintenance. 416-760-4191, www.tbn.ca.
TORONTO CYCLING COMMITTEE Advises the city on the design, development and delivery of bicycle policies, programs and facilities to promote and enhance cycling and the Toronto Bike Plan. 416-392-7592, www.toronto.ca/cycling.
TORONTO CYCLING MAP A component of the Toronto Bike Plan. Shows bike lanes, paths and routes, plus cycling resources, safety tips and more. 416-392-7592, www.toronto.ca/cycling.
toronto road problemS 416-599-9090.
toronto unicyclists Attend a practice session to meet riders, get info on riding, skill levels, equipment, unicycle hockey and basketball, races and outings. www.torontounicyclists.ca.
VELOHOSPITALITY.COM Bike-friendly accommodation for touring cyclists. www.velohospitality.com.
WENCHES WITH WRENCHES CBN free bike repair workshops run by and for women in a friendly learning environment. Tools provided, courses begin early April. Intersection, 761 Queen W. www.communitybicyclenetwork.org/wrench.html.
WEST END BIKE CLUB Volunteer-run drop-in bicycle repair and recycling club. Open Thursdays 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Lower level parking garage (P2) at Dufferin Mall, 900 Dufferin. chittar99@yahoo.com.
WEST toronto railpath Community initiative to facilitate the conversion of an abandoned rail line from the Junction to Strachan into a linear greenway. 416-504-2918, http://railpath.communitybicyclenetwork.org.
Wizard of wheels Mountain bike events in Ontario. List events, clinics and services. www.wowmtb.com.
BIKE RENTALS
Cyclepath 1510 Danforth. 416-463-5346.
Cyclepath 2106 Yonge. 416-487-1717, www.twowheeltravel.ca.
toronto island bike rental Comfy standard, tandem and quad cycles. Opens May 1. 1 Island Airport, Centre Island. 416-203-0009.
Wheel Excitement 249 Queens Quay W, unit 110. 416-260-9000. www.wheelexcitement.ca.
BIKE TOURS
butterfield & robinson Organizers of bike tours in Canada, France, eastern and western Europe, Latin America, Italy and more. 1-866-551-9090, www.butterfield.com.
chain gang Organizers of bike tours in France and Italy. www.thechaningang.co.uk.
laneway bike tours Three free laneway tours offered every other Sun afternoon in June: Queen West/Little Italy, Corktown/Cabbagetown or the Junction. Reserve laneing@graemeparry.com.
sights on bikes Daily downtown, TO Islands or custom tours. Bike rental included. 416-274-8784, www.sightsonbikes.com.
MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS IN & AROUND TORONTO
Albion Hills Rolling hills and forest, good for beginner and intermediate riders. 19K of trails. Helmets mandatory. $5. 16500 Hwy 50, 8K north of Bolton. Trail conditions 905-880-0227, http://www.trca.on.ca.
DON VALLEY TRAILS Beginner to expert trails in the ravine from the Brick Works in the south to Thornhill Park in the north run approx 10K. Access from Mt Pleasant Cemetery, Bayview and Pottery Rd.
DUNDAS VALLEY CONSERVATION CENTRE 40K of trails along the Niagara Escarpment open from 8 am to sunset daily. Trail Centre 905-627-1233, www.conservationhamilton.ca.
DURHAM FOREST Huge forest with 85K of trails and double tracks, good hill climbs and variety for all levels. Brock Rd (Pickering) to Durham Rd 21, to Sideline 7. Free. www.canadatrails.ca/mtb/on/durhamforest.html.
ETOBICOKE CREEK 18K of trails run south from airport along Centennial Park Ravine and Markland Woods. Burnhamthorpe to Ponytrail, north to Rathburn, follow to the end.
GANARASKA FOREST Over 100K of trails an hour from TO’s east end. Single track trails, logging roads and lots of hills. $10 day pass required. 905-885-8173, http://www.grca.on.ca/ganfor.htm#bike.
GLEN MAJOR FOREST AND WALKER WOODS Forest located on the Oak Ridges Moraine in the Duffins Creek watershed offers 19K of Trans Canada trail. Access from Brock and Lakeridge Road. 416-661-6600, http://www.trca.on.ca.
Hardwood hills Mountain bike centre with over 80K of beginner and expert trails through forests and along obstacles, bridges, teeter-totters, etc. Rentals, bike repairs, bike camps, parts shop and bike wash stand. Apr 29-Nov 5, weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm, Wed and Thur till 9 pm, weekends/holidays 8:30 am to 6 pm. $12, stu $10, under 12 yrs $7.50, special evg rates. RR #1, Oro Station, 1-705-487-3775. www.hardwoodhills.ca.
HUMBER VALLEY 20K+ trails for beginners to experts run through from Thackery Park at Steeles. Can be accessed from Kipling at Steeles.
KELSO CONSERVATION AREA Trails follow the Niagara Escarpment for 16K. Trail tag $7. 401 to Hwy 25 north to Campbellville, west to Tremaine and south to Kelso. 905-878-5011, www.conservationhalton.on.ca/kelso.ca.
TAYLOR CREEK Similar to the Don Valley trail system, but some variations on this 10K beginner-expert set of trails. Enter at Don Mills, Haldon or Dawes.
