Rides and Races - Toronto Fixed

I'll have my people call your people.

also: "Crankbrothers announced Tuesday that it has merged with Selle Royal. The US-based component company now joins Selle Royal's group of other premium cycling brands which include fi'zi:k, Brooks, and the Selle Royal line of saddles."

I'll have my people call your people.

also: "Crankbrothers announced Tuesday that it has merged with Selle Royal. The US-based component company now joins Selle Royal's group of other premium cycling brands which include fi'zi:k, Brooks, and the Selle Royal line of saddles."

Hopefully they continue to rule - crank bros make some nice stuff and have the kind of customer service (http://makergo.com/shutup/?p=101) that makes them one of my favorite companies to deal with. It also looks like they've been doing some work with Cane Creek (Crank Bros branded headsets already available & Wheels coming soon) and those seat posts, while not my style, look pretty neat.

Ok uh, so i'm being forced to take my G2 road test in < 1 months time - does anyone have any tips/experiences they want to share. Book it through your driving instructor and do the test on their car or?

etc. etc.

P.S What's a good/cheap place to rent a car from (nothing to do with road test).
P.P.S Fixed gears, bikes, cycling

This photo really moved me, King and Spad : http://www.watchthisspace.ca/pixelpost/index.php?showimage=375

Small Planet X cross frame on CL
http://toronto.craigslist.ca/tor/bik/566254205.html

Rocking out will very soon be a reality. Finishing off he last little bit of soundproofing....well sound dampening anyway...so we can soon have the first meeting of the Mouth Breathing Sucker Chumps.

If yer gonna steal my band name, I'm gonna have to get in on this.. guess I should dust off the old guitar and practice a bit :p




Speaking of which, to the musicians who haven't already heard, Songbird on Queen W is shutting down as well. They're having a big liquidation sale starting tomorrow morning at 10:00.


No way.. I used to go browse/drool over the consignment stuff hanging around there.. it was a nice alternative to the "big guys" (steves/long). I'd love to pick up a new guitar, but small apartment + several bikes + several guitars + upcoming "lifestyle changes" means no new toys for a bit :(



Ok uh, so i'm being forced to take my G2 road test in < 1 months time - does anyone have any tips/experiences they want to share. Book it through your driving instructor and do the test on their car or?


Do it in the boonies (up in RH/out in Oshawa/somewhere) and not at Vic Park/DVP.. I've heard of too many people who failed their first time there.

I asked Mike about that and he told me that he will be keeping his collection there for the foreseeable future and will also still be around on a part time basis mucking about with some projects he never had time for.

hey just back from riding around, didn't take me too long to flip the hub and i was outta there! You're right, that gear is NICE, especially in this weather, so much fun. I did take a wipe on a side st around queen/bath. but not too bad.......

back out on the road just three days after my bike got ripped.....all thanks to cavernmech.......it's a festivus miracle!

Op listen to f00 that flickin VP and DVP one is wackness!
alot of peeps Ive talked to said its the hardest test center...
not sure where mine was but it was way out...had its own on premises test center and all so no chance of failing!! ;)

Clown....glad you got a bike...if i see that fuji im a put that 'ish on lock!

songbird! thats where i got my norman acoustic guitar...I liked that shop!

Congrats Nerdsgirth! I have a Super Record rear derailler housing, which needs a cage plate and pulleys. That stuff will be pretty hard to find. You might be better off getting a whole derailler. Having said that, you are welcome to it if you want it. Damn I wish I went to B.S. today. Haha BS.

Keith and Wes. I'm in for major jammage. Give me a call. I'm not on here consistently.

yes it really is 4am. Going to be a long day tomorrow.

Do it in the boonies (up in RH/out in Oshawa/somewhere) and not at Vic Park/DVP.. I've heard of too many people who failed their first time there.

+1

Ok uh, so i'm being forced to take my G2 road test in < 1 months time - does anyone have any tips/experiences they want to share. Book it through your driving instructor and do the test on their car or?

etc. etc.

P.S What's a good/cheap place to rent a car from (nothing to do with road test).
P.P.S Fixed gears, bikes, cycling


I did my G1 test in Brampton and my full G test in Oakville... By then I'd developed plenty of bad driving habits but I made it through regardless...

P.S. If you're just running around the city quickly go for Zipcar or Autoshare... If not, I usually rent from Enterprise which is decent enough... The trick is getting a credit card (Platinum, baby! :D) that covers insurance on rental cars so you don't have to pay that $25-30 per day additional charge.

P.P.S. sometimes when the roads are like this i can't pass cars and i have to sit in traffic like everyone else. sitting in traffic is against the basic nature of the bicycle and hurts my soul. that is all.

Our young Rob is growing up. Driving...what next? *sigh*

http://thesuperficial.com//bfm_gallery/2008/02/Eva%20Longoria%20Bebe/gallery_main/gallery_main-0207_eva_longoria_bebe_06.jpg

Is it really possible to order the orbea orca in the no-words version like this or what? Also I noticed the seatpost and seat had no words on it and the STI shift cables have been photoshopped out wtf?

P.S THanks for the tips guys, I have that boonies thing locked down, aurora is a 10 min drive from here.

Not to be the fly in the ointment here but.
I would assume driving down in the city is something that is gonna happen on a regular basis. If someone (not trying to point fingers at Rob but just speaking generally) can't handle a downtown driving test, then they shouldn't be driving. Just what we need....more people driving in the city who are unprepared for it....like none of us see this on a daily basis. The test should be hard and suggesting someone go the easy road is not doing them any favours. End Rant.

Our young Rob is growing up. Driving...what next? *sigh*

I think it's time we had that... *gulp* talk... you know... the birds... the bees... oi vey!

http://thesuperficial.com//bfm_gallery/2008/02/Eva%20Longoria%20Bebe/gallery_main/gallery_main-0207_eva_longoria_bebe_06.jpg



I saw this photo somewhere else and just shook my head that the first thing I noticed was the pedals. "hey, what's up with those pedals.... oh there's a girl on there..."

http://thesuperficial.com//bfm_gallery/2008/02/Eva%20Longoria%20Bebe/gallery_main/gallery_main-0207_eva_longoria_bebe_06.jpg

Is it really possible to order the orbea orca in the no-words version like this or what?


i like bikes as much as the next guy on here but how are you gonna post a picture like that and talk about the bike?

maybe it's not time for that talk after all, eh TJ? Phew!

hey just back from riding around, didn't take me too long to flip the hub and i was outta there! You're right, that gear is NICE, especially in this weather, so much fun. I did take a wipe on a side st around queen/bath. but not too bad.......

back out on the road just three days after my bike got ripped.....all thanks to cavernmech.......it's a festivus miracle!

The miracle isn't complete until we do the "feats of strength"

Those gloves are kinda funky....

The name-brands would have been photoshopped out so that the bike wouldn't act as an advertisement.

I was cruising for some more Cyclops info and found a funny TO thread from before my computer time... Cavernmech you kill me! - a discussion of clip vs clipless:

"And yer typical clipless shoe looks like something Walt Disney puked on, so the style factor can play a part as well."

Cam did you ever track down some frames after Mike Mulholland died?

what's that specialized SS cross bike called?

tricross singlecross
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=32208

wow: http://www.marinoni.qc.ca/Html/Fango.html

Not to be the fly in the ointment here but.
I would assume driving down in the city is something that is gonna happen on a regular basis. If someone (not trying to point fingers at Rob but just speaking generally) can't handle a downtown driving test, then they shouldn't be driving. Just what we need....more people driving in the city who are unprepared for it....like none of us see this on a daily basis. The test should be hard and suggesting someone go the easy road is not doing them any favours. End Rant.

Yeah I agree, we need a broader and harder testing system - so many people are inexperienced at all but the basics it's scary.

First thing I noticed about bike-girl was the tubing/moulding around the headtube/TT/downtube join - looks lovely.

well one exception is I think the major part people were failing was the highway part...which is the difference between the VP test center and most others...most dont do the highway merge thing...this seemed to be the failing part for most people i know who went there...that they were either a few kms over or under the merging speed and got failed...that i thought was a little rigid....who merges at exactly the merge speed posted;)....I dont think the city part is actually that hard there.

P.S. If you're just running around the city quickly go for Zipcar or Autoshare... If not, I usually rent from Enterprise which is decent enough... The trick is getting a credit card (Platinum, baby! :D) that covers insurance on rental cars so you don't have to pay that $25-30 per day additional charge.

A good way to go is get a zipcar or autoshare membership to get the insurance they offer. It was $50 when I looked into it, then rent from who ever you need. Zipshare insurance was a onetime fee and lasted for the duration of your membership. So even if you never rent from them over a 2 year period, one would still get credit for 2 years accident free on their insurance record. I like enterprise, but I also got a good discount from them. Credit card also works well, but read the fine print, it doesn't cover everything on the insurance.

With Zipcar I also paid for the deductible waiver. I can write the car off and not pay a cent.

well one exception is I think the major part people were failing was the highway part...which is the difference between the VP test center and most others...most dont do the highway merge thing...this seemed to be the failing part for most people i know who went there...that they were either a few kms over or under the merging speed and got failed...that i thought was a little rigid....who merges at exactly the merge speed posted;)....I dont think the city part is actually that hard there.

+1.. I wasn't suggesting ducking out of the responsibility of being a good city driver, but I've heard that the VP/lawrence test centre seems to have a higher fail rate -- whether this is related to the DVP merge, or more dubious factors (higher "failure quota" = MTO makes more money on city folks?), I was trying to give rob the best chance at passing :)

On a car-related note.. despite my best efforts to hold out, I'm reluctantly joining the dark side and buying one. Building up an insurance history (i.e. via zipcar) would have been a good thing.. insurance looks like it's gonna be pricy.

I gots me an ice racer as of this afternoon! :)

nice!!!

I gots me an ice racer as of this afternoon! :)

Pics?

On a car-related note.. despite my best efforts to hold out, I'm reluctantly joining the dark side and buying one. Building up an insurance history (i.e. via zipcar) would have been a good thing.. insurance looks like it's gonna be pricy.

Any kind of hook-up you can get with an insurance company is gonna help....parents...siblings..friends...anyone who has a history with the company and can refer you. When Mindy and I started looking for car insurance, we cold called a bunch of places and got quotes in the $3500-5000 range for just liability. :eek: After getting a hook-up thru her dad's insurance we ended up starting at about $1100...it has gone down every year since.

Another good way to get cheaper insurance is to through a group plan, many of the universities and colleges are hooked up with Meloche Monex and will give you a good deal once you have a degree.

Like CavernMech, I was getting quotes of $4500 for my POS Honda that is worth half that until I called up Meloche Monex and, on a whim, the guy asked me if I had a degree from a Canadian university. When I said I have one from U of T, he asked me for my student number, confirmed who I was and he gave me a rate of $1100. It has gone down each year as well....

on a whim, the guy asked me if I had a degree from a Canadian university. When I said I have one from U of T, he asked me for my student number, confirmed who I was and he gave me a rate of $1100. It has gone down each year as well....

Interseting, I did not know this.

Totally off topic....I am stoked to learn the Jamaican Dog Sled Team will be competing is this weekends festivities! COOL RUNNIN'S!

higher "failure quota" = MTO makes more money on city folks?)


Is it them that gets the money, that'd make sense, but I've noticed a lot of the MTO offices are run by independant private companies on behalf of the MTO.. always made me smile when I think about the licence corruption stuff came into the news ;)


Building up an insurance history (i.e. via zipcar) would have been a good thing.. insurance looks like it's gonna be pricy.

yeah +1 on that, I'm going to regret that when I do come to get a vehicle (I'm sure it'll happen) - I need a licence first myself, my UK provisional doesn't mean squat here, and it's a bit pricey to fly over just to take my test (though I've got until 2048 when it expires :)).

Interseting, I did not know this.

Yup, the same deal works for people from York, Waterloo, Queens and McGill, that I know of....all of my friends use Meloche Monex now. It is a subsidiary of TD Price Waterhouse, so it is a pretty safe bet.

Thanks for the tips, everyone.

FWIW, Meloche Monnex was at already the top of my list -- I guess the UofT thing helped with the quote, plus I can get a combined discount as I also use them for tenant's insurance.

Another good way to get cheaper insurance is to through a group plan, many of the universities and colleges are hooked up with Meloche Monex and will give you a good deal once you have a degree.

I too have my insurance from Meloche Monnex on my Jetta, and it's gone down every year since I've had it (about 6 years) with them. *knock on wood that I haven't just jinxed it* Basically it's "group insurance" so you have to be part of a group of some sort... as you guys mentioned, being part of a university alumni group is one method, but there are others. Also, you get a pretty significant discount if you get another policy with them as well. I do my renter's insurance through them as well, and with the discount it was actually cheaper WITH the renter's insurance than it was without. :P

I <3 Cyclocross. Pictures from the Gentle Lovers blog (http://www.gentlelovers.com/)

http://www.gentlelovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/rear.jpg
http://www.gentlelovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/cyclcrossslideshow10.jpg
http://www.gentlelovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/11557jpg.jpg
http://www.gentlelovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/11559jpg.jpg
http://i17.tinypic.com/6y169sy.jpg

Yep. [these] Chicks on bikes are hot.

Totally off topic....I am stoked to learn the Jamaican Dog Sled Team will be competing is this weekends festivities! COOL RUNNIN'S!

ha ha sweeeeeeeeeet!

sounds like its gonna be a fun outing...take picx!!

FWIW, Meloche Monnex was at already the top of my list -- I guess the UofT thing helped with the quote, plus I can get a combined discount as I also use them for tenant's insurance.

Meloche Monnex is the company I use too. I just told them I graduated from University (I hadn't at the time) and I don't think they even checked. You can also ask your parents to put you on their policy as a co-insured, explicitly. I'm not sure if it works for family members, but it will give you an explicit insurance record. My ex was on my policy as a co-insured, even though she didn't need to be. Then when she got her own car insurance she had a track record of insurance.



Cam did you ever track down some frames after Mike Mulholland died?

I was talking with is son, Marcel, about getting one. I just didn't have the cash at the time. Charlie got one, though.

I stopped into Cycle & Fitness, a shop on Dufferin just north of Rogers on my way back from the Great White North. Small shop with a tonne of new bikes: opus, rocky, giant, ridley... among others.

The owner Ziggy raced for the Polish national team. He said that there are 8 velodromes in Poland!

I told him about the Devils Strip Rollers and the sprints at ont place. He was really into it and praised it as an effort to get more peeps on the road (not his words). Yo go ryan and will!

He is organizing a road race May 11th on the island. Could be a good warmup for the Worlds.
www.zmcyclefitness.com (http://www.zmcyclefitness.com)

Cyclops - pre getting cleaned up. Still not sure if I am going to get it painted... prob not. I guess it depends on the components I find. Thoughts? http://www.flickr.com/photos/83074031@N00/2251513514/in/set-72157603875351187/
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2217/2251513514_659bb2359f.jpg?v=0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/83074031@N00/2251513514/in/set-72157603875351187/

Pics?

I do bikes much better than I do photos, but this is what I've got. I left the wheels at the shop so can't take any more right now...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a9/I_brad/iceracetire08fe08002.jpg

Also, Ziggy is a great guy, and he always has some good deals at the bike show too :)

Cyclops - pre getting cleaned up. Still not sure if I am going to get it painted... prob not. I guess it depends on the components I find. Thoughts? http://www.flickr.com/photos/83074031@N00/2251513514/in/set-72157603875351187/
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2217/2251513514_659bb2359f.jpg?v=0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/83074031@N00/2251513514/in/set-72157603875351187/

I've always liked white frames with darker components, something like the grey Campy Centaur group would look wicked on that frame. The group can be pricey on eBay but it is supposed to be a great group. My Razesa is white now and I sort of took this Pini and this Univega as an idea of how I wanted it to look:

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j103/jetsanchEz/PiniWhite.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j103/jetsanchEz/Univega.jpg

Yeah, Ziggy's races are always awesome. He ran a couple of the Toronto cx races this year. Individual lap times and everything including splits/etc. Pretty awesome.

eg: http://www.ontariocycling.org/web_pages/results/75oca07_2.html

Mouse-over a lap time and you get stats for just that lap.

Yes, once again, I'm a total data-nrrd. :)


Nerdsgirth: bike is hot! I'm excited you'll have a road bike this summer. I was actually thinking about maybe giving the Island Crit a go.. it looked like a fun atmosphere last year, but I was too busy playing bike polo. ;)

I'm also planning on checking out the Learn-To-Race Monday night crits out at Centennial park, which is organized by the Midweek Club. Apparently the Monday/Tuesday evening crits are a lot of fun. Nice to spin out there after work and hang out and do a little racing!

I've always liked white frames with darker components

+1

In fact, I might have one on the way! :)

Nerdsgirth: bike is hot! I'm excited you'll have a road bike this summer. I was actually thinking about maybe giving the Island Crit a go.. it looked like a fun atmosphere last year, but I was too busy playing bike polo. ;)

I'm also planning on checking out the Learn-To-Race Monday night crits out at Centennial park, which is organized by the Midweek Club. Apparently the Monday/Tuesday evening crits are a lot of fun. Nice to spin out there after work and hang out and do a little racing!

Hey, I thought you were thinking of selling your road bike?

The polo was great though... I'd forgotten about that. Now that the ice racer is done I think that'll be my new project!

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j103/jetsanchEz/PiniWhite.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j103/jetsanchEz/Univega.jpg

Serious Wheels!
I can't wait to play polo!