Rides and Races - Toronto Fixed

So many issues ...

So many issues ...

Oh yeah, you're a real people person. :)

Nice frame. And that dog video was funny. Reminds me of a story of some TBN guy who cracked his brand spankin new carbon frame in half on his/her first ride. on a MUP.

http://toronto.craigslist.org/bik/376477448.html

In case anyone wants details for Toby's Alleycat this Saturday night...

http://www.makergo.com/shutup/images/07_17_2007/disco.jpg

BLAH 10pm? I have to work!

:/

Nice frame. And that dog video was funny. Reminds me of a story of some TBN guy who cracked his brand spankin new carbon frame in half on his/her first ride. on a MUP.

http://toronto.craigslist.org/bik/376477448.html

Lord, that De Rosa is sweet. That is exactly how I want to paint my Razesa. Not a bad price either, considering the condition.

Did Toby's stolen ride ever surface? Is the Alleycat being held in order to raise funds for a new ride?

Did Toby's stolen ride ever surface?

Nope, but if / when it does...

Somebody a gonna get hurt reeeeal bad.


Is the Alleycat being held in order to raise funds for a new ride?

I don't think so - he's been doing this out of pocket so I think he'll be happy if he breaks even.

frig i thought this alleycat was going to start sooner - i am shooting madball that night, and they'll probably be on at 9:30 or 10. goddamnit.

Nope, but if / when it does...


lol@Russel peters dad... love that skit!

edit: anyone see this?
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/megallection/original-transformers-boxed-collection-sold-for-1000000-279598.php

gah what is up with everything happening this saturday?? the last few weeks have been pretty quiet for me, but i've been asked to go to four different events on the 21st already! i wonder if i can manage to coordinate the race and a couple other things... or figure out that whole being-in-two-places-at-once thing i've been working on *puts thinking cap on*

will this work on my bike as well?

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2007/07/macgyver-multitool.jpg

frig i thought this alleycat was going to start sooner - i am shooting madball that night, and they'll probably be on at 9:30 or 10. goddamnit.

Too bad, you could be down at the Disco Inferno Demonstratin' Your Style!

lol@Russel peters dad... love that skit!

edit: anyone see this?
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/megallection/original-transformers-boxed-collection-sold-for-1000000-279598.php

Russell Peters is a funny, funny man.

Yeah dude, I saw that Transformers post this morning - sad story, amazing outcome.

wes - what size chrome backpack do you have? is it the biggest one?

wes - what size chrome backpack do you have? is it the biggest one?

Nope. Medium (Ranchero). The large one is gigantor.

ATTN: Ryan O

I saw our "Queen Street Flip Flop" buddy again on Monday night... Wearing dress pants (not rolled up, perfect for chain-catching) and of course doing his signature move - lazily lollygagging down the street in flip flops on his fixed gear... Some people's children, eh?

Haha... no way! That dude won't learn 'til he dead. I've been seeing more of it as well but my phone is full of "Bike Lane Bastert" pics I need to offload. I'm really beginning to have my doubts about the bike lane. I know it's been a problem for years so it may just be that I'm in them all the way to work from the new diggs, but it really feels that drivers are even more defiant these days. I caught a dude on a motorcycle driving in the lane the other day. Not to mention that I've even spoken to a cop who was standing 100 feet from a car parked in the lane during "cycle safely week" (read: don't be a ****** and run over cyclists in yo car week) and he replied, "I'll call someone from parking enforcement". Hey thanks!

Can't wait for Saturday! I'm only working a check point but I've heard talk from young Tobermorey that there mayhaps be some skid and track stand comps afterwards!

Any word on Unwin? Maybe... if it doesn't rain? Will I end up down there by myself kicking my ass in every single sprint!?

Too bad, you could be down at the Disco Inferno Demonstratin' Your Style!

you mean YOU'RE not going?! madball in toronto, like rick smith's birthday, is a leap year event!

maybe i can work the first checkpoint so i can peace out early. i'll talk to the tobes.

I know it's been a problem for years so it may just be that I'm in them all the way to work from the new diggs, but it really feels that drivers are even more defiant these days.

I've noticed a slight increase in bikelane ******baggery lately as well, although nothing drastic. I've seen a few cars taking shortcuts through the bikelane, and several motorbikes/scooters/etc. Nothing I haven't seen before, but it just seems like I've seen it all in the past few weeks.

Yeah totally. Much like how in my old neighbourhood I'd call the cops almost daily and they'd not come. Then things very quickly went from bad to worse and ended up with three people getting shot and kids smoking crack on King St in the morning "before school". Without any reason to fear doing these things more and more people will. And do. I think that's why they do it - at least on College - since I see the same FedEx and UPS trucks parked just west of Uni every single day. Every. Total bulls.

With that, what's some good pay back? The cops don't care so how can we keep people from doing it? I've toyed with the idea of just letting the air out of their tires but I think that would be worse for other cyclists. And I really don't think resorting to violence is necessary - which is not to say I don't want to drag them out of their effin' window and stomp them so hard there future granchildren will be born with rubber in their mouth. :)

edit: anyone see this?
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/megallection/original-transformers-boxed-collection-sold-for-1000000-279598.php

Wow. Just...wow. I miss my toys.

you mean YOU'RE not going?! madball in toronto, like rick smith's birthday, is a leap year event!

maybe i can work the first checkpoint so i can peace out early. i'll talk to the tobes.

Ha, I'm not sure I could care less about Madball. I mean, 15 year old me would be clammering with excitement just now in anticipation of the NYHC onslaught I would soon experience but 28 year old me would rather just ride his bike with his friends. :)

Wow, I can't beleive I'm not deleting that...

Yeah totally. Much like how in my old neighbourhood I'd call the cops almost daily and they'd not come. Then things very quickly went from bad to worse and ended up with three people getting shot and kids smoking crack on King St in the morning "before school". Without any reason to fear doing these things more and more people will. And do. I think that's why they do it - at least on College - since I see the same FedEx and UPS trucks parked just west of Uni every single day. Every. Total bulls.

With that, what's some good pay back? The cops don't care so how can we keep people from doing it? I've toyed with the idea of just letting the air out of their tires but I think that would be worse for other cyclists. And I really don't think resorting to violence is necessary - which is not to say I don't want to drag them out of their effin' window and stomp them so hard there future granchildren will be born with rubber in their mouth. :)

While I have my little rage fantasies, I don't do them for the same reason you mention, what's this mouth-breather going to do to the next cyclist? That said, a little range may do some good. I saw a cyclist just about get drilled after a car passed him and then made a sudden left to get some gas. The cyclist followed them in, raged on him for a bit before spitting on his car and leaving. Will he look (or think) next time - maybe.

I think every cop should do a mandatory 3 month bike patrol. And I don't know what the city is thinking. They could make a fortune just having a couple of parking dicks ride around and give out tickets to cars parked in bike lanes.

With that, what's some good pay back? The cops don't care so how can we keep people from doing it? I've toyed with the idea of just letting the air out of their tires but I think that would be worse for other cyclists. And I really don't think resorting to violence is necessary - which is not to say I don't want to drag them out of their effin' window and stomp them so hard there future granchildren will be born with rubber in their mouth. :)

Ahhhhh... the bike lane. I'll ride in them if they are available but I think they have the tendency to send the wrong message to motorists and often give cyclists a false sense of security. With that said, I think some people just aren't confortable completely sharing the lane with motorists and for that reason, I'm really glad that they are there. In terms of sending the wrong message, a good amount of motorists who don't understand the law (much like cops, also ignorant of bicycle law) beleive that bikes are only allowed in the bike lane; While riding on the street I've had drivers tell me to get into the bike lane... I always tell them "I'm in the bike lane, dickhead!"

In terms of payback... I ocassionally "tap" mirrors on the way by but it really depends on my mood and what they are doing there... If I see someone doing something that they realistically couldn't do without parking in the bike lane (moving large furniture into their place, for example) then I tend to let it slide... If they are just sitting there because it would be inconvenient for them to go somewhere else? They get the gas face.

They could make a fortune just having a couple of parking dicks ride around and give out tickets to cars parked in bike lanes.

They'd much rather hand out $110 tickets to cyclists who don't have a bell on their bike, and warn them that they can deduct demerit points (they can't) for other infractions while they are at it.

My new golf discs are here. I am so happy. That is all

ps not quite, I love drop bars and deep V necks.

ATTN: Ryan O

I saw our "Queen Street Flip Flop" buddy again on Monday night... Wearing dress pants (not rolled up, perfect for chain-catching) and of course doing his signature move - lazily lollygagging down the street in flip flops on his fixed gear... Some people's children, eh?

Is that the bearded dood with a chrome pista? He was wearing Birks and was on platform pedals; he has a front brake at least but yeah, I don't think it is all that safe. I have seen him a couple of times now, I was going to post in here about it but thought it might have been one of you guys ;)

Lately when I come off Yogne onto the north path on Queen's Quay, there is always at least one cab hangin' in there on the path...they line up outside The Star on Yogne, where it say 2 taxis. Of course it's 5 deep.

The guy today is sittin' on the phone yakin.... I roll up, stop and hold myself up with his roof and say hey man ...bike lane. Oh I'm dropping off, he says....BS you're parked, on the phone and not in front of the doors. I know you're extending the cab wait line. Now bugger off. He does. It's only a matter of time before someone gets creamed when they pull off. Next is calling all the cab companies that plop cabs in that lane. So Beck is the worst...I've seen three lined up there at the same time.

I get off the go train, and within 100m some ****ing ******** car behind me is honking. At a red. I'm already on the right.

Would you have moved over?

I didn't. ****ing pissed me off. Worse way to end a day off. **** this. I think as soon as you put people into a car they instantly become ****ing ******** morons like they are.

Maybe he just wanted to be friends. My task for the next week is to wave and smile at people who honk at me or are just generally bungholes. Perhaps I can completely spoil their day that way.

A friend of mine in Amsterdam made a pile of stickers with a little cartoon of a car parked in the bike lane and a cyclist swerving to avoid it...in big letters at the top of the sticker it said "ROT OP Biekfiets" or something along those lines which essentially meant "get the hell out of the bike lane". These were liberally affixed to drivers side windows. I seem to remember him cackling on about how he had the printer use some evil industrial type glue that was seriously hard to remove. Could be a charge of defacing private property or damage but if the car/van/truck is unoccupied it could be just the ticket.

mmm evil stickers

i think i mentioned my fantasy involving adhesive dart guns (a la snow crash) awhile ago... so if you saw a car with a bunch of flag you'd know to really watch out...

A friend of mine in Amsterdam made a pile of stickers with a little cartoon of a car parked in the bike lane and a cyclist swerving to avoid it...in big letters at the top of the sticker it said "ROT OP Biekfiets" or something along those lines which essentially meant "get the hell out of the bike lane". These were liberally affixed to drivers side windows. I seem to remember him cackling on about how he had the printer use some evil industrial type glue that was seriously hard to remove. Could be a charge of defacing private property or damage but if the car/van/truck is unoccupied it could be just the ticket.

i wonder what the repercussions (to the driver or yourself) would be if you built a strong beater bike and intentionally rode directly in to the rear or side of a vehicle parked in the bike lane to feign a crash? then arguing that you did not notice it because you were not anticipating a vehicle in the bike lane and have no idea what it was doing there illegally in the first place...could charges against the driver be laid?

I'd say you'd be charged if anyone, it's almost always the fault of the person coming from behind in a rear-end scenario. It's your responsibility not to hit things in your path, not everyone else's to stay out of your path.

They get the gas face.

ha ha! the gas face...yes MC Serch.

i wonder what the repercussions (to the driver or yourself) would be if you built a strong beater bike and intentionally rode directly in to the rear or side of a vehicle parked in the bike lane to feign a crash? then arguing that you did not notice it because you were not anticipating a vehicle in the bike lane and have no idea what it was doing there illegally in the first place...could charges against the driver be laid?

Paging I-herald.
I would guess that trying to claim you didnt see the car in the bike lane would get you a "fail to maintain care and control" or some such B.S. There was a messenger several years back that crashed into the back of a cop car parked in the bike lane on the Gerrard St. bridge over the Don. He went thru the rear window...ended up in the back seat...also ended up with about 65 stitches in his face. He sadly was..how should I put this....well lubricated. Because of this the asshat cop that thought parking in the bike lane was a good idea didnt think that an expanation to his behavior was warranted. I wonder how much those wheel locks they use in N.Y. cost?

I wonder how much those wheel locks they use in N.Y. cost?

*checks instructables* ... damn.

PS. Riding across town at 8am = never going to be dry again. Damn my lack of booties.

Get sandals, my boy. Free toe wash, which is kind of nice after riding through puddles full of sidewalk and street spoo. The water under the railway bridge on Donlands was about two feet deep this morning.

My new golf discs are here. I am so happy. That is all

Playing this weekend?


Maybe he just wanted to be friends. My task for the next week is to wave and smile at people who honk at me or are just generally bungholes. Perhaps I can completely spoil their day that way.

I love doing that.


A friend of mine in Amsterdam made a pile of stickers with a little cartoon of a car parked in the bike lane and a cyclist swerving to avoid it...in big letters at the top of the sticker it said "ROT OP Biekfiets" or something along those lines which essentially meant "get the hell out of the bike lane". These were liberally affixed to drivers side windows. I seem to remember him cackling on about how he had the printer use some evil industrial type glue that was seriously hard to remove. Could be a charge of defacing private property or damage but if the car/van/truck is unoccupied it could be just the ticket.

I know someone who does vinyl printing and I asked him once about getting a roll of stickers like this made. Originally I suggested just getting them printed on those "static cling" type ones to avoid that situation, but he said that he can get his hands on this really evil material. Basically it goes on like a normal sticker, but if you try and peel it off it totally just disintegrates into little threads. There's a solvent that gets it right off, but if you try and peel it off yourself you're in for a world of frustration. Very tempting. :P

*checks instructables* ... damn.

PS. Riding across town at 8am = never going to be dry again. Damn my lack of booties.

I had the total opposite happen. I put on full rain gear and when I stepped outside it suddenly stopped raining and the sun seemed like it was about to peek through the cloud cover. Bone dry on the inside, shweaty on the inside. Lovely. I was actually looking forward to riding in during the heavy rain since I was well prepared.

also: does someone here ride a bike with blue anodized rims? I was riding along College and down Brock near another fixie rider and just before we parted ways I noticed the rims and it made me think it might have been someone from here. Then when I was leaving my friend's place and riding under the rail bridge on Brock (btwn Queen/College) there seemed to be some bike punks (:P) up top having a beer. I've always thought that would be a cool place to hang out or use as a race checkpoint or something.

With that, what's some good pay back? The cops don't care so how can we keep people from doing it? I've toyed with the idea of just letting the air out of their tires but I think that would be worse for other cyclists. And I really don't think resorting to violence is necessary - which is not to say I don't want to drag them out of their effin' window and stomp them so hard there future granchildren will be born with rubber in their mouth. :)

I agree - i don't think violence is the answer. I would be tempted to do something like affix a sticker or sign to their car that says something like "paedophile on board" or a "hi my name is..." sticker with "registered sex offender" shapied in. but that's just the kind of vigilante justice i enjoy dreaming about because it's as close as you're going to get to the real thing with respect to bike lanes.

I also want to get a roll of bumper stickers printed that say "I'm ruining the environment... ASK ME HOW!"

There was an article in the local paper about bike lanes & how the city was not going to continue to build more biased on advice from Paul rappel (a member of the velo club!)Reasons, gives people a false sense of security, they go no ware & other BS. Pretty crappy this city is 99.9% built for traffic flow.

Our car just broke down & wife has been riding her bike to work she’s nervous about it; if there was a bike lane i’m sure it would be N/P at all.

^^^ fantasy #2 involves a sticker dispenser akin to what homer had when he became mayor...

There was an article in the local paper about bike lanes & how the city was not going to continue to build more biased on advice from Paul rappel (a member of the velo club!)Reasons, gives people a false sense of security, they go no ware & other BS. Pretty crappy this city is 99.9% built for traffic flow.

Our car just broke down & wife has been riding her bike to work she’s nervous about it; if there was a bike lane i’m sure it would be N/P at all.

Kingstons gig is interesting. I'm not convinced Paul is on solid ground as some of his opinions conflict with the evidence for bike lanes. He's a proponent of "wide lanes" as I recall, which do little to remedy the issues of safety concerns for new riders, oncoming lane encroachment by passing motorists, distance from curb cyclist position etc. that bike lanes appear to help. I agree to a point about his concerns about disconnection of lanes, but that's a reason to improve the network, not abandon it. I've often wondered if the racers are happier with wide lanes on the periphery of the city for training and aren't interested in promoting utilitarian cycling.

In other news: SET-BUG (South East Toronto Bicycle User Group), formerly the Dundas EAST group, also known as BEAST (Bike East) will meet at SRCHC 955 Queen St. East. from 7-9:00 PM. I'm not sure I'll make it, but if you're an east ender and want to get involved, feel free to attend.

Cam

I also want to get a roll of bumper stickers printed that say "I'm ruining the environment... ASK ME HOW!"

There used to be an organization that made "I'm changing the climate - Ask me how" bumper stickers and you could order them from http://www.changingtheclimate.com/ BUT it looks like the URL is no longer active.

There was also another group a few years ago that would write tickets (that looked like proper New Jersey tickets) charging people for driving things like Hummers and whatnot. According to the article I'd read at the time, apparently some people didn't really read the tickets and just showed up wherever they pay tickets and tried to pay them. Hilarious.

There was also another group a few years ago that would write tickets (that looked like proper New Jersey tickets) charging people for driving things like Hummers and whatnot. According to the article I'd read at the time, apparently some people didn't really read the tickets and just showed up wherever they pay tickets and tried to pay them. Hilarious.

That's awesome. We could make some up that look like city tickets and put "Exhausting the environment" down as the infraction. I'm in for this. It would make great copy.

this one is from martino's bike lane diary:

http://www.tino.ca/ticket1.pdf

i seem to recall keeping a copy of a different one from many years ago that was much more realistic...