Rides and Races - Toronto Fixed

I've never even owned a bike with v-brakes. I missed that whole generation of mountain bikes. I went straight from cantis to discs. I actually love how easy it is to adjust disc brakes. I mean, I guess if I was well practiced at the art of adjusting canti's I might like that too, but I'm terrible at it. Road calipers are easy too I guess, but they also don't really brake very well so they're not that interesting. :)

hydraulic avids: loosen CPS bolts. pull brake lever tight. re-tighten CPS bolts while lever is depressed. done.

cable avids: loosen CPS bolts. adjust pad trim knobs in until caliper is 'clamped' and aligned properly in the caliper (not exactly centered). tighten CPS bolts. back the pad trim knobs out a few clicks. done.

32flavours rides out to UTSc regularly. I think she was pretty happy with the Danforth -> Kingston Rd route.

O'Connor->St. Clair->Kingston is also a decent route.. you can get to O'Connor from Broadview/Paper off Danforth, or from Pottery Rd. if you're on the Don. Any of these eastbound trips can get a bit hairy during the evening rush. Note if you take Danforth->Kingston that the merge puts you in the centre lane of 60-70 kph traffic.

For bonus fun / a scenic route if you're riding geared (& not in a hurry), bomb down Guildwood from Kingston E. of Markham, and climb back up Morningside.

i suppose if i had a bike with disks and had a chance to mess around with them i would get good at it. you're right about the cantis - i love using them but find that adjusting them maddening.

anyone know a good route out to the south east end of scarborough? i've ridden lawrence and it made me feer for my life, so i'm looking for something new ... i'm thinking danforth to kingston to lawrence (lawrence east of morning side is fine), anyone done that?

Yeah when I ride out to Whitby in the mornings this route is fine - I go straight and carry on down Kingston Rd. at Kingston/Lawrence but the Danforth/Kingston Rd. section is fine - fairly quick too with not so many big rollers. I've done it a bunch of times in the last little while, no drama at all so far.

i suppose if i had a bike with disks and had a chance to mess around with them i would get good at it. you're right about the cantis - i love using them but find that adjusting them maddening.

Oh, btw. I'm off this Monday and I'll likely be looking to go on a nice easy post-PA spin. I know you often post about riding on Mondays so I thought I'd mention it. :)

I've rediscovered listening to podcasts at work.. makes me fall in love with the CBC all over again. Great episode of DNTO from 3/30 on laziness: http://www.cbc.ca/dnto/podcast.html

Dude wrote a book called "How To Be Idle: A Loafer's Manifesto". I have a new hero. :D

Oh, btw. I'm off this Monday and I'll likely be looking to go on a nice easy post-PA spin. I know you often post about riding on Mondays so I thought I'd mention it. :)

yeah, i'm into that. just finishing up building my roadbike now (after sitting in my basement for two years) so i'll be itching to get it out.

did anyone else pick up some sweet curb jumping technique from that guy on the s-works last night?

i tested it out on the way to work by racing commuters and then jumping right in front of them


one day i'll get the balls to try an x-up over a speedbump.

did anyone else pick up some sweet curb jumping technique from that guy on the s-works last night?

i tested it out on the way to work by racing commuters and then jumping right in front of them


one day i'll get the balls to try an x-up over a speedbump.

curb jumping fixed? i still havent figured that one out, though i was ripping good on a freewheel

there was a guy racing a group of us from manic to dundas square on a specialized s-works (epic?) mountain bike (wearing matching ferarri shoes, hat, jacket)

he would ride really really hard on the sidewalk and then do a big curb hop in front of one of us.
it was pretty badass.

i like the way my girlfriend put it this morning when i was talking about it
"i think people on mountain bikes in the city think they are really tuffand like, you track bikes, are the art students
and mountain bikes are the jocks"

mm i miss pulling crap like that, i used to nail drops down sets of stairs, much to the horror and annoyance of North York mall goers. brings me back.

I've seen that mountain bike guy around before, but no idea who he is... I guess he didn't bother coming for the ride? Sounded at first like the hop in front of other riders was dangerous/irritating...

kyle, that was you and your gf I was stopped at with at the Lakeshore/Leslie lights last night?

on the ride?

that would have been blayne and jesse

my girlfriend rides an old dutch commuter and is afraid of fixed gears.

Ahhhh, sorry - had it mixed up. I did chat with the girl but didn't think to ask her name, heh.

Lovely day outside, might have to go cruise for a bit around Whitby again.

st. louis wings and beer on the patio in the sun with t-shirts

i love good weather

st. louis wings and beer on the patio in the sun with t-shirts

i love good weather

Yep.. just met the missus for lunch. Ate outside wearing shants and a short-sleeve shirt. Good times! However I'm now back in the office with absolutely zero air-circulation. *sigh*

3.5, 3.5 hours to gooo.. I wanna be sedated (aka riding in the Don)!

I've rediscovered listening to podcasts at work.. makes me fall in love with the CBC all over again. Great episode of DNTO from 3/30 on laziness: http://www.cbc.ca/dnto/podcast.html


podcasts of the Best Show (http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/bs) and Seven Second Delay (http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/SD) on WFMU have saved my life during many late night work and study sessions.

anyone know a good route out to the south east end of scarborough? i've ridden lawrence and it made me feer for my life, so i'm looking for something new ... i'm thinking danforth to kingston to lawrence (lawrence east of morning side is fine), anyone done that?

That's the route I take to UTSc. I like it much better than taking Eglinton or Lawrence across.

32flavours rides out to UTSc regularly. I think she was pretty happy with the Danforth -> Kingston Rd route.

Whoops!

Uh... yes.

O'Connor->St. Clair->Kingston is also a decent route.. you can get to O'Connor from Broadview/Paper off Danforth, or from Pottery Rd. if you're on the Don.

Hm, I'll have to try that next time I'm going out there.


Any of these eastbound trips can get a bit hairy during the evening rush. Note if you take Danforth->Kingston that the merge puts you in the centre lane of 60-70 kph traffic.

This is true. I'm usually commuting Eastward in the mid-morning, so traffic isn't as much of an issue. Coming back Westward the merge puts you in the right lane on Danforth, so there's no problems with traffic there.

Post hat trick!

did anyone else pick up some sweet curb jumping technique from that guy on the s-works last night?

i tested it out on the way to work by racing commuters and then jumping right in front of them


one day i'll get the balls to try an x-up over a speedbump.

Jeez man, hope everything's OK... sounds like quite the ordeal again for you.

What impressed me was that most of the faces there last night were totally new to me, which is always a good thing for cycling.

@nerdsgirth - sounds really cool, I hope to visit back home this summer sometime and will try to take a bike back with me there. Should be interesting going back to a left-side of the road deal ;) I also want to ride down to the US again this year, No real reason other than just doing it. We could always cross over on the Niagara fixed weekend, too.

Haha yeah the first was my fault, when we turned onto Queen from River everyone bunched and to avoid going into the track I rubbed someone. Luckily nobody went down, but I was going a little too quick. The second crash was a little more epic. On the way out from the spit Kaiser mentioned he wanted to bust some x-ups on the speedbumps and eventually got the courage to try it. He forgot to mention to me he was going all x games and proceeds to slam infront of me and I didn't have an out, I nose wheelie(d) up the speed bump and went over the bars when I hit him. One crash, two Rossin's! Crazy crazy.

Rubbin' Rossins. Dirty Boys. ;)
Everyone's ok though I hope. Pleas explain x-up.. I'm sure I know the trick, but not the name.

Aye aye aye, Rossin pileup! :eek:

X-up explained (not a barspin it seems, just a throw of bars to one side, then return to centre)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJBGzs8S9qI&feature=related

looks good, sounds pretty simple too

rode behind a bike cop for about 1/4 of my ride home, he was so damn slow but didn't want to pass him and have him think i am trying to show him up since i have no bell and what not

did not put 2 feet down at a stop sign, which they are 'safety blitz'ing, in fact, he just rolled through 3 of them

did not signal a left hand turn

i felt kind of bad for him, it's over 20 degrees and he was wearing more gear than i'd wear in the dead of winter, and he didn't seem to know how to get into his clips and straps

rode behind a bike cop for about 1/4 of my ride home...

It's times like that where I wish I always rode with a camera within easy grasp.

Or a video camera

helmut cam!

...did not put 2 feet down at a stop sign, which they are 'safety blitz'ing...

Since someone mentioned this the other day, I have been searching (in vain) for a definition, or clarification of what a 'stop' is, either for a car or a bicycle in the HTA, and all of the associated RSOs. This is probably another city cash grab, like the drivers who flash their lights to warn of a speed trap being charged under a section of the HTA that does not apply.

i think the main thing to remember, is ride safe around cops, and if you cant see them ride fast enough so they cant catch up to you... but considering my luck with the cops in cars, not always the advice to go with :D

Or a video camera

Well yeah, most compact digicams do video these days.. :) Having one of those 'digital hero' thingies on my helmet at all times would work, also. Speaking of which...

*pokes andrew/phil for more footage*

I want to see some footage in the Don from one of those.

I've got some raw footage that needs cutting, I have the snowy Critical Mass on 'film' amongst other stuff. Mounting it on the top tube seems to work out well, I just forget to bring the thing out with me all too often. I'll try and remember for the DSR rides in future - the Don... might have to pass that to Andrew, I don't bode well offroad (over cautious/slow) :p

It gets time consuming to keep the footage manageable when running it for all riding time, that and I'm lazy processing it all :p

ps. make sure you got bells on your bikes, y'alls. it's the no-bell prize time of the year.

hmmm - does this mean fines for not having one? is there a blitz on?

Since someone mentioned this the other day, I have been searching (in vain) for a definition, or clarification of what a 'stop' is, either for a car or a bicycle in the HTA, and all of the associated RSOs. This is probably another city cash grab, like the drivers who flash their lights to warn of a speed trap being charged under a section of the HTA that does not apply.

Stop at through highway

136. (1) Every driver or street car operator approaching a stop sign at an intersection,

(a) shall stop his or her vehicle or street car at a marked stop line or, if none, then immediately before entering the nearest crosswalk or, if none, then immediately before entering the intersection; and

(b) shall yield the right of way to traffic in the intersection or approaching the intersection on another highway so closely that to proceed would constitute an immediate hazard and, having so yielded the right of way, may proceed.

nothing about two feet down there!

hmmm - does this mean fines for not having one? is there a blitz on?

Yes and yes. The fine is something like $110 or something outrageous like that as well (correct me if I'm wrong).

Yes and yes. The fine is something like $110 or something outrageous like that as well (correct me if I'm wrong).

when did a stupid dinging noise save your ass more than screaming at the top of you lungs?

its a silly law.

when did a stupid dinging noise save your ass more than screaming at the top of you lungs?

its a silly law.

Exactly what I've always said. However, I did throw a little bell on my bike this morning, just in case. $2 < $110. The worst thing is that it makes a noise with every single little crack and imperfection in the road. It's making me insane! :P

But yeah, silly or not, it can still cost you money. Better safe than sorry.

But yeah, silly or not, it can still cost you money. Better safe than sorry.

i (unfortunately) have to agree...

what are the odds i'm going to be stopped on my 5 minute ride home tonight now i've discussed this...

just behave yourself. I highly doubt they'd stop someone JUST for the bell. It's usually a combo-deal of running a stop sign / red light, or some other infraction. Trust me, I even came to a complete stop at the stop sign T-intersection on St. George St Northbound at lunch today. Of course, some girls thought I was stopping just to let them cross the street too.. *cough*

Stop at through highway

136. (1) Every driver or street car operator approaching a stop sign at an intersection,

(a) shall stop his or her vehicle or street car at a marked stop line or, if none, then immediately before entering the nearest crosswalk or, if none, then immediately before entering the intersection; and

(b) shall yield the right of way to traffic in the intersection or approaching the intersection on another highway so closely that to proceed would constitute an immediate hazard and, having so yielded the right of way, may proceed.

Right, that's all I found too. The generally accepted definition in court in the past has been (for a car) that all 4 wheels must stop rotating, and for a motorcycle, one foot must touch pavement co-incident with the wheels ceasing rotation (m-cycle has a foot-operated back brake, hence the single foot). It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to insist that bicycles do something unnecessary to even a motor vehicle, and without a written definition either. But that's our city cops for you. I have witnessed them doing some frightening things to people (beatings) in the recent past, as well as witnessed one stealing money from a woman downtown. If they want my respect, they're going to have to work a lot harder to earn it.

Question for those who ride crossbikes. Are cross tires closer to road or mtb tires on the pavement? And on trails like the Don is it noticibly different on the skinnier cross tires over mtbs?

Funny you should mention that blitz... I'm fighting the tickets I got yesterday, and I've already gone down to 137 Edward. I need to let 10 days elapse for the tickets to come into the system, but 9 days from today, I'm going to see the prosecutor and JP. I'll likely come out ok, too. Some problems with my "tickets"

1. Failure to identify vehicle type as "bicycle"
2. Failure to write down proper date of birth. (he had my freaking birth cert in front of him)
3. Indicated a motor vehicle was involved. (none was)
4. Recorded area of infraction does not exist.
5. Officer initially failed to identify himself as a cop. Pro-tip: yelling stop doesn't mean jack, unless I know who's asking.

On my way back from the filing center, I asked a meter maid about the errors, and she was pretty confident that any errors on the ticket would void it. We'll see...

Well yeah, most compact digicams do video these days.. :) Having one of those 'digital hero' thingies on my helmet at all times would work, also. Speaking of which...

*pokes andrew/phil for more footage*

I want to see some footage in the Don from one of those.

I just bought a helmet hero 3. Was scratching my head on how to mount it to my handlebars and realized that it was a seperate ($20) mount to use it.

I said **** you and got a spare light mount and superglued the flat mount to the bracket. Presto, change-o handlebar mount for about $3. Next time it's going to film the donut.

P.S T.J. Do you get thos horrible engine soundy noise in Lo/Hi audio mode? Even if it's dead silent and I record, I get this garbage on the audio stream on a vid record. Any ideas?



5. Officer initially failed to identify himself as a cop. Pro-tip: yelling stop doesn't mean jack, unless I know who's asking.


Funny you even bothered stopping. I ignore all sorts of **** now. Honking, yelling, cursing, engine revving. And especially if someone yells stop without identifying himself. Last time I got nailed for a ticket, my court date was like 12 months later.

Funny you should mention that blitz... I'm fighting the tickets I got yesterday, and I've already gone down to 137 Edward. I need to let 10 days elapse for the tickets to come into the system, but 9 days from today, I'm going to see the prosecutor and JP. I'll likely come out ok, too. Some problems with my "tickets"

1. Failure to identify vehicle type as "bicycle"
2. Failure to write down proper date of birth. (he had my freaking birth cert in front of him)
3. Indicated a motor vehicle was involved. (none was)
4. Recorded area of infraction does not exist.
5. Officer initially failed to identify himself as a cop. Pro-tip: yelling stop doesn't mean jack, unless I know who's asking.

On my way back from the filing center, I asked a meter maid about the errors, and she was pretty confident that any errors on the ticket would void it. We'll see...


Number 1 is the classic as to how people get dinged for points off their licence, which can't be deducted for infractions on a bicycle.

Speaking of the law...

I got hit with an improper streetcar passing about two weeks ago, on a day when there were about 10298651092837430 bike cops in the core. Does anyone know if you can still file a notice of intention to appear before court (plead innocent) after 15 days?

Oh, btw. I'm off this Monday and I'll likely be looking to go on a nice easy post-PA spin. I know you often post about riding on Mondays so I thought I'd mention it. :)

I don't have to be in till 12 on Monday. If you don't mind a morning cruise I'm in.

I don't have to be in till 12 on Monday. If you don't mind a morning cruise I'm in.

Word.

I'm "off" tomorrow ... probably heading to the Don at some point.

PS.
Cog #1, shallow teeth, ramped and flexy (to the tune of Crash Into the Bushes)
Cog #2, 1/8" my ass! Too wide and didn't fit the spec'd chain. I wasn't willing to run a 3/16" chain w/ a 3/32" ring
Cog #3, I should have known better. Pulling a cog off a 7sp cassette = using a part waaay beyond what it was designed for (I ripped a tooth off the cog)
Cog #4, hopefully on the way from Misfit Psycles on Monday ...

I too am mired in dante's unwritten level of hell reserved for ppl with hours of uneditted video. 500G HD's hold alot of footage. I do have some killer software I need to learn (final cut pro/after effects) Re: the Digital Hero... sound... SUX... night time filming... also SUX, but with lights/editting trickery some neat shots are possible. I used a .99 clamp from home depot to make a fork/frame mount. The effect of having the cam at bumper height is quite dramatic... I too am suffering from keeps-forgetting-to-charge-batteries-an-just-gitn'rdone. I wish I'd brought it yesterday. Where are these officers blitzing? Aside from seeing a parade of bike cops leaving the greasy spoon near daughter's school, I've seen nothing. I have no bell. *looks worried*