Rides and Races - Toronto Fixed

Come to the Horseshoe Tavern tonight (just a random gathering)! I'd say give me a call, but I left my phone in my Mom's car :( Most untriumphant!

Wix, I am going to see what ms. Halen is up to tonight! I emailed the craigslist **** and he said that his buddy had one stolen earlier this week too! It truly is a brooks epidemic.

MEAT Hockey club (my team) is playing a motown review at the Dakota tonight if interested in heading over at some point.

So I went riding in the Don with Phil and Meghan from C.T. today. We'd finished the ride and come back down the path to Riverdale Park. Phil had already ridden down those stairs (at Queen) earlier on in the day so I talked some **** about him riding back up them. Of course he then proceeds to ride up alongside the bottom step, bunny hop sideways up to the next one and carry on all the way up to the next platform level of the staircase. I mean, seriously, what the ****.

So I went riding in the Don with Phil and Meghan from C.T. today. We'd finished the ride and come back down the path to Riverdale Park. Phil had already ridden down those stairs (at Queen) earlier on in the day so I talked some **** about him riding back up them. Of course he then proceeds to ride up alongside the bottom step, bunny hop sideways up to the next one and carry on all the way up to the next platform level of the staircase. I mean, seriously, what the ****.

Nice! Though I've seen what he can do just on that Breezer(?) cruiser - nuts :)

All this Brooks chatter makes me think I need to pop some chain around mine and ball/glue the nut. ****s sake :mad:

Okay, I wanted to keep it on the "d-lo" until it had healed up, but here's a photo of my first ever tattoo!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/2557754615_0d17a06aae.jpg

Patrick Swayze chippendale centaur FTW!

good cop story...was sprinting across viaduct and a cop was keeping pace with me in his cruiser...
he said: yup we're gonna have to pull this one over for speeding! and we started laughing (me nervously)
then speed trap cop saluted me and said "good sprint" as I flew by...

jokers! that was pretty rare. 3 good cops in a row? say it aint so! :D

Oddly enough (or not), I normally have a good time w/ speed trap cops ... the whole "how'd I do?" speed check, etc.

Okay, I wanted to keep it on the "d-lo" until it had healed up, but here's a photo of my first ever tattoo!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/2557754615_0d17a06aae.jpg

Patrick Swayze chippendale centaur FTW!

lol - you'll get the classiest cougars after you now! :lol:

I'm off to check out the Resurface Jam on the Queen West alleyway behind the Drake, etc. Laters gaters.

Also, MattR I couldn't remember and can't find it on your blog - where'd you get your u-lock holster? I find riding without a bag WITH a lock is a supreme pain in the ass. Does Sam/UTW carry them? It's heavy as heck in my jersey and makes the bike feel so sluggish locked around the seatpost :p

Oddly enough (or not), I normally have a good time w/ speed trap cops ... the whole "how'd I do?" speed check, etc.

Me too, though they never tell me how I did :p For the most part I've had pretty decent interactions with the police.

Okay, I wanted to keep it on the "d-lo" until it had healed up, but here's a photo of my first ever tattoo!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/2557754615_0d17a06aae.jpg

Patrick Swayze chippendale centaur FTW!

And you know what horses are doing when they raise their tails like that. That is so choice. I love the Crayola TM shading and the beer cans (?) in the foreground. Who did this for you? He's gotta do my next one.

lAlso, MattR I couldn't remember and can't find it on your blog - where'd you get your u-lock holster? I find riding without a bag WITH a lock is a supreme pain in the ass. Does Sam/UTW carry them? It's heavy as heck in my jersey and makes the bike feel so sluggish locked around the seatpost :p

i think i have the same one as him and it's a fabric horse (http://www.fabrichorse.com/index.php?page=utilitybelts&item=73). ordered mine from the website for $7 or something.

it's so hot out i actually drank a 1L slurpee from 711 and now i feel like i have sugar poisoning...

And you know what horses are doing when they raise their tails like that. That is so choice. I love the Crayola TM shading and the beer cans (?) in the foreground. Who did this for you? He's gotta do my next one.

http://www.cbc.ca/photogallery/arts/1273/

Warning for anyone who may be planning on a bike picnic to anywhere in the Don Valley park system:

THE BUGS! OH GOD, THE BUGS!!!!

Tell me about it. The other day I dropped dead in the grass after a long ride and came back to life in about 0 seconds when I realized I was nearly completely covered in those little half-invisible flying *******s nigh-instantly.

Ugh.

just got my wireless keyboard and mouse so now i need to test it out is all...

guh. fans. not. enough.

this is bull**** man, i take a huge forum break to try to find a job, and now im just broke and my ****ty salsa straps are dying!

anyone know anyone hiring? will wrench, ride, stock, cash, manage, for food. and uhm, i cracked my platforms dicking around the other day, anyone have some grippy platforms, extra straps? just axin.

good cop story...was sprinting across viaduct and a cop was keeping pace with me in his cruiser...
he said: yup we're gonna have to pull this one over for speeding! and we started laughing (me nervously)
then speed trap cop saluted me and said "good sprint" as I flew by...

jokers! that was pretty rare. 3 good cops in a row? say it aint so! :D

it ain't so.

On friday i was working on a vw commercial. we had cops hired to lock off the streets while we were doing driving shots on adelaide (at york) and before we started shooting a co-worker of mine walks over to me and says, "did you see that?! the cop just doored a cyclist!" they gave her a bottle of water.

guh. fans. not. enough.

this is bull**** man, i take a huge forum break to try to find a job, and now im just broke and my ****ty salsa straps are dying!

anyone know anyone hiring? will wrench, ride, stock, cash, manage, for food. and uhm, i cracked my platforms dicking around the other day, anyone have some grippy platforms, extra straps? just axin.

I have a cheap pair of platforms and some nylon straps if you want them.

Did the race at Kelso today. Insanely hot. The Commisaires suspended the "no spraying/dumping water on riders" rule so more ended up on people than in them. Good Times! I put some gears on for this one (escarpment anyone?) and raced in my age group instead of in the S.S. class. Got 16th out of 29. Also Good Times!

I have a cheap pair of platforms and some nylon straps if you want them.

Did the race at Kelso today. Insanely hot. The Commisaires suspended the "no spraying/dumping water on riders" rule so more ended up on people than in them. Good Times! I put some gears on for this one (escarpment anyone?) and raced in my age group instead of in the S.S. class. Got 16th out of 29. Also Good Times!

Nice! ANyone interested in hitting the Don or doing some hills in a park this eve? I am going to be home in 20 min or so. PM me punk.

I have a cheap pair of platforms and some nylon straps if you want them.


That would be very helpful, you dont wanna know what im riding on now for both counts :)

and 2wheels, wow. I hope she did some damage to that door. The most frustrating part? I bet they made it out to be her fault.

EDIT: nerds, im starting dinner, if youre up in aboot an hourish lemme know, i have to kill those pedals, i might as well.

Nice! ANyone interested in hitting the Don or doing some hills in a park this eve? I am going to be home in 20 min or so. PM me punk.

what time were you thinking? i wouldn't mind a ride one it cools down a little...

Keith, check your PM.

I was riding in the Don today and it was amazing, but I couldn't find a loop, I just kept going one direction and couldn't figure out how to get to the trailhead again without retracing my steps. Is this a problem most people have?

^^^ I have that issue a lot, I never take a map or make notes, and ill always end up at random trailheads, or looping into a backtrack, etc.

hey guys, does anyone have a spare 700c tire and a cog (pref 16-18 tooth) and a lock ring for formula hubs kicking around they want to sell (or give) me? I'm almost done my conversion but these last items i'm missing, and i'm running out of monies, if any of you fine folk do please pm me. :love:

the new sigur ros album has leaked and is owning my life.

just got my photo zine from the printers today... if anyone wants one its $5
60 photos, perfect bound, mainly music photography.
only made 250 numbered copies.

hey guys, does anyone have a spare 700c tire and a cog (pref 16-18 tooth) and a lock ring for formula hubs kicking around they want to sell (or give) me? I'm almost done my conversion but these last items i'm missing, and i'm running out of monies, if any of you fine folk do please pm me. :love:

I have both. 16 and lockring. 1/8. $10.

Thanks for the holster link.

Ride report:

Well yesterday my buddy Dave told me he couldn't join me for a ride east to Rouge Hill, so instead we planned on a decent ride for today, Sunday. We thought "let's start off early and do 100k by riding to Whitby and back", as the Ride for Heart 75k seemed a good workout, but we felt we could do more.

We busted that idea and ended up riding here instead (http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=lake+wilcox&sll=43.641252,-79.4462&sspn=1.182605,1.694641&ie=UTF8&ll=44.328346,-79.366908&spn=0.018266,0.026479&z=15)

We made a pitstop here (http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=lake+wilcox&sll=43.641252,-79.4462&sspn=1.182605,1.694641&ie=UTF8&ll=43.949822,-79.399223&spn=0.147069,0.21183&z=12&iwloc=addr) as that's always somewhere I wanted to stop by again.

Rob/oper - we saw you on Yonge right north of Major Mack when we were going north (you were heading south) perhaps around 11:30/12?, I yelled out but you didn't hear me/look around.

Anyway, 192km from my house back to my house riding fixed. Felt pretty good, my legs were feeling it up the hills on the way, but felt much much better on the way back - granted I did unclip and rest on some of the bigger hills (130+rpm is something I just can't handle for long over time). My first metric century fixed and my longest ever ride in a day so far at 119 miles (previous was 102 miles from Niagara Falls). Bike computer says 7:52 riding time but we basically took a good 12 hours including lunch and a swim and some cruising around Sutton area, I left my house at 9:45am and got in at 10:20pm.

nice ride there phil; i used to ride up that way all the time - a great way to spend the day indeed.

i was going to ride tonight before it started raining but didn't feel like getting wet so i'm heading out in the morning (before it gets hot) for a short spin (40-50km or so) if anyone feels like joining me.

anybody got a set of speedplay pedals I can try out? I want to upgrade my Shimano M505 stock pedals and speedplay's got good reviews. I'm not sure how I'll handle the free float though...

hey guys, does anyone have a spare 700c tire and a cog (pref 16-18 tooth) and a lock ring for formula hubs kicking around they want to sell (or give) me? I'm almost done my conversion but these last items i'm missing, and i'm running out of monies, if any of you fine folk do please pm me. :love:

shoot i just got rid of a bunch of tires before i moved; they may still be at the curb at my old apartment.

what frame did you end up gettinhg? i remember you were looking for one a while ago...

anybody got a set of speedplay pedals I can try out? I want to upgrade my Shimano M505 stock pedals and speedplay's got good reviews. I'm not sure how I'll handle the free float though...

FWIW - i've used the speedplays and the one thing i didn't like about them was that they don't release to the inside. have you thought about time ATACs? functionally similar to shimanos but with something like 20 degrees of float if you reverse the cleats...

the new sigur ros album has leaked and is owning my life.

just got my photo zine from the printers today... if anyone wants one its $5
60 photos, perfect bound, mainly music photography.
only made 250 numbered copies.

ill take for a fiver.

the new sigur ros album has leaked and is owning my life.

just got my photo zine from the printers today... if anyone wants one its $5
60 photos, perfect bound, mainly music photography.
only made 250 numbered copies.

i'll take a zine aaaaaaaaaand a link to that new sigur ros record!!!! hook a brother UP!

It is on the Sigur Ros site as a streaming album. Torrents are on Demonoid and Pirate Bay but so far the quality is not so hot. I have a 128 rip and it is good but I am sure it will be out on a higher format soon enough. And yep, it is good, so darn good :)

Brand new to this forum as I just got my first fixed gear this week. I've been riding around for about an hour everyday (aside from comings and goings- work, meeting friends, etc), and it's already starting to get boring.
Anyone else want to take a rookie rider unde their wing, show me around town a little? PM me! I'm usually up for at least an hour of biking a day depending on work schedule- gotta take it easy for the first bit, don't want to kill my legs right out of the gate.

I put some gears on for this one (escarpment anyone?) and raced in my age group instead of in the S.S. class.

1x9 or a full drivetrain? I'm going to try to get a 1x9 "kit" together next season that I can quickly put on the bike for really hilly days. I can guess which company you'll opt for but I'll probably just go XT/XT and run full housing to keep things simple.

PS. So ... the new Dura-Ace is going to have a chain with a master link. That M.L. is also going to be backwards compatible w/ other Shimano chains. That is all.

Yeah JW - was a great run, the rain was later than I'd preferred as it actually started to cool off a bit too much in places (and some of those rolling hills, as I zig-zagged down, on Leslie specifically sucked balls :p)


Brand new to this forum as I just got my first fixed gear this week. I've been riding around for about an hour everyday (aside from comings and goings- work, meeting friends, etc), and it's already starting to get boring.
Anyone else want to take a rookie rider unde their wing, show me around town a little? PM me! I'm usually up for at least an hour of biking a day depending on work schedule- gotta take it easy for the first bit, don't want to kill my legs right out of the gate.

Hey there and welcome...

Plenty of people in/around town that ride fixed, for a more "official" pickup ride/hang out, keep on the look out here for DSR/Devil Strip Roller rides (it'll be sprints this week I think, even if you don't run it's a good hang out) or checkout www.devilstriprollers.com for news/updates. Because of CMWC, Sprints should be huge this week!

I don't ride much socially but have enjoyed the DSR group rides and sprint events, my personal schedule and working in Whitby get in the way a lot :p

The big news of the week (month?) is that it's bike month AND the week coming up to the CMWC (Cycle Messenger World Championships) so fixed or not, it's a great time to be on a bike.

City bike calendar: http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/uds/cyclingcal.nsf/AllEvents?OpenView
CMWC 2008 website: http://www.cmwc2008.com (check out events)

Keep your eyes peeled for more stuff, search on facebook for CWMC - there's a few side-events and movie screenings/stuff going on that aren't on the official event list.

As for solo riding, checkout the Martin Goodman Trail (not so great in peak hours, but when it's quiet traffic-wise, it's a great run) - that's the path that runs along the Lakeshore. Check out the valleys, some nice scenic runs (can be busy traffic wise on the sunny days) - Don right from Edwards Gardens (Bridal Path) right down to Lakeshore/Lower Don Road and the Humber valley you can go from Steeles/back down. Get yourself a city bike route map, some of those routes aren't so bad - you'll also get to see how incomplete and mis-matched/badly planned some of them are :p I personally ride a lot on my own due to transportation and I love riding my bike.

is anyone else super stoked about the thunderstorms that have been happening lately?

last night there was a sweet double rainbow after the storm

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack

anybody got a set of speedplay pedals I can try out? I want to upgrade my Shimano M505 stock pedals and speedplay's got good reviews. I'm not sure how I'll handle the free float though...

+1 on Time.

1x9 or a full drivetrain? I'm going to try to get a 1x9 "kit" together next season that I can quickly put on the bike for really hilly days. I can guess which company you'll opt for but I'll probably just go XT/XT and run full housing to keep things simple.

PS. So ... the new Dura-Ace is going to have a chain with a master link. That M.L. is also going to be backwards compatible w/ other Shimano chains. That is all.

I run a 1X9 SRAM set-up. 32 ring with an 11-34 cassette. If you have slotted cable stops you don't need full housing...you can pull it off without dis-connecting anything as long as you have an open cable guide under the B.B. The SRAM works well for me also as I can remove the shifters from the bars without taking the grips off...I use a little dohickey that lets me use the same clamp for both brake levers and shifter.

With the amount of broken Sh!tmano chains I have seen at the races, I will never put one on my bike again. SRAM, KMC and Wipperman all use master links also. I prefer the SRAM.

anybody got a set of speedplay pedals I can try out? I want to upgrade my Shimano M505 stock pedals and speedplay's got good reviews. I'm not sure how I'll handle the free float though...

The free float takes some getting used to, though it's a big help if you have knee issues like I do.

I went from Look (red cleats) to Speedplay Zeros on my road bike and had a bit of a learning curve to keep my feet from waggling back and forth when sprinting. I don't know how they'd feel on my fg.

As for getting out, the action is pretty easy on the Zeros. I have the float adjusted relatively low, so they disengage at about the same point as my Looks did.

The only quasi-PITA is the break in/maintenance thing. The cleats are STIFF for the first few rides. Clicking in is...challenging until they loosen up a bit. Dry lube on the cleats (which are barely walkable - covers are a must) frequently. Every so many months/miles, you're supposed to grease the pedals.

All in all it's really not so bad, but they're definitely more needy than other pedals I've used. And only being able to get out of them to the outside may be a drawback.

With the amount of broken Sh!tmano chains I have seen at the races, I will never put one on my bike again. SRAM, KMC and Wipperman all use master links also. I prefer the SRAM.

I'm willing to bet (once, at least) that most of those broken chains are due to people glazing over the instructions, not using the replacement pins properly and basically just ****ing up their own chains. As for factory installed chains, well if that's the case then Shimano really has no excuse.

Edit: add to my speculation, how many of those chains previously had a pin pushed out/back in w/ no replacement?

*shrugs*

+1 on Time.

I picked up some Time RXT shoes at Curbside this weekend for $10

I don't yet have a clipless set up on my bike - maybe if I get a road bike or build a dedicated distance and/or track bike then I'll throw them on but for daily riding in the city I think I'll stick with clips / straps.

Either way, for $10 I figured I couldn't go wrong!

Give Time your time. So what's all going on this week for CWMC... I'll be taking the kids to the island on Sunday.

I'm willing to bet (once, at least) that most of those broken chains are due to people glazing over the instructions, not using the replacement pins properly and basically just ****ing up their own chains. As for factory installed chains, well if that's the case then Shimano really has no excuse.

Edit: add to my speculation, how many of those chains previously had a pin pushed out/back in w/ no replacement?

*shrugs*

The ratio of broken chains (and I always ask people when I see them with a busted chain what brand) are at least 4-1 in Sh!tmanos disfavour. I will concede that some of these are no doubt poor maintenance and assembly, but there have been many that were factory or installed by competent wrenches. Their chains suck...at least for off-road.

Plenty of people in/around town that ride fixed, for a more "official" pickup ride/hang out, keep on the look out here for DSR/Devil Strip Roller rides (it'll be sprints this week I think, even if you don't run it's a good hang out) or checkout www.devilstriprollers.com for news/updates. Because of CMWC, Sprints should be huge this week!

I don't ride much socially but have enjoyed the DSR group rides and sprint events, my personal schedule and working in Whitby get in the way a lot :p

The big news of the week (month?) is that it's bike month AND the week coming up to the CMWC (Cycle Messenger World Championships) so fixed or not, it's a great time to be on a bike.

City bike calendar: http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/uds/cyclingcal.nsf/AllEvents?OpenView
CMWC 2008 website: http://www.cmwc2008.com (check out events)

Keep your eyes peeled for more stuff, search on facebook for CWMC - there's a few side-events and movie screenings/stuff going on that aren't on the official event list.

As for solo riding, checkout the Martin Goodman Trail (not so great in peak hours, but when it's quiet traffic-wise, it's a great run) - that's the path that runs along the Lakeshore. Check out the valleys, some nice scenic runs (can be busy traffic wise on the sunny days) - Don right from Edwards Gardens (Bridal Path) right down to Lakeshore/Lower Don Road and the Humber valley you can go from Steeles/back down. Get yourself a city bike route map, some of those routes aren't so bad - you'll also get to see how incomplete and mis-matched/badly planned some of them are :p I personally ride a lot on my own due to transportation and I love riding my bike.

Thanks for the tips. I heard about DSR yesterday and I'm definitely going to try to make it out to some of their events. I'm also going to be going to the island on Sunday to check out the CMWC. So excited. I've been in Toronto for four years but I've never gone to the island before, so it should be a realy exciting day.
Right now, since I'm pretty unexperienced on my FG I'm sticking to neighbourhoods I know well, staying close to home (which for me is College/Bathurst area) but as I get my legs going I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for some of those longer paths you mentioned. Thanks again!

The free float takes some getting used to, though it's a big help if you have knee issues like I do.

I went from Look (red cleats) to Speedplay Zeros on my road bike and had a bit of a learning curve to keep my feet from waggling back and forth when sprinting. I don't know how they'd feel on my fg.

As for getting out, the action is pretty easy on the Zeros. I have the float adjusted relatively low, so they disengage at about the same point as my Looks did.

The only quasi-PITA is the break in/maintenance thing. The cleats are STIFF for the first few rides. Clicking in is...challenging until they loosen up a bit. Dry lube on the cleats (which are barely walkable - covers are a must) frequently. Every so many months/miles, you're supposed to grease the pedals.

All in all it's really not so bad, but they're definitely more needy than other pedals I've used. And only being able to get out of them to the outside may be a drawback.

This pretty much summarizes my experience with zeros too. I use them on my road bike where clipping/unclipping is at a minimum. For urban/commuter stuff, I'm not sure I'd recommend zeros. Walkability with covers is interesting and would get old really quickly if you're on and off your bike a lot. I use spd on my bikes, mostly because that's what I started with and I've had no major incidents or problems.

This pretty much summarizes my experience with zeros too. I use them on my road bike where clipping/unclipping is at a minimum. For urban/commuter stuff, I'm not sure I'd recommend zeros. Walkability with covers is interesting and would get old really quickly if you're on and off your bike a lot. I use spd on my bikes, mostly because that's what I started with and I've had no major incidents or problems.

Pretty much my experience as well. That said, I totally love the Crank Brothers stuff for pretty much everything. I currently have Candies or Eggbeaters on all my bikes plus two pairs of shoes with Crank Bros cleats (one pair of Shimanos that are comfortable to walk in, and a pair of SIDI Dominators). I haven't tried their road-specific pedals yet, but I love my Eggbeaters. A little bit of free-float.. no worries of accidental upwards release (assuming the cleats are in decent shape).. 4-sided entry.. really simple mechanism.. good mud-clearing.. etc.

That said, a lot of people swear by Time stuff, but I've heard the newer stuff isn't nearly as nice as the older stuff.

As for CMWCs, I'll definitely be on the island on Sunday (assuming I'm not doing a mtb race), maybe on Saturday afternoon too. Might check out the party on Friday. And there's Goldsprints on Saturday night. Also, Martin's showing some bike movies (incl Quicksilver! :P) at Cinecycle on Wednesday night starting at 8pm. Andre and I are talking about hitting the Don on Wednesday in the early evening, and then I might swing by Cinecycle.

so who has rock solid bouncy dirt ride with no tensioner issues? Crank replaced this evening so the ring with no long shift on the crank....yay!.... dirt?