Rides and Races - Toronto Fixed

Update (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081120.CYCLIST20/EmailTPStory/TPNational) on the Dovercourt case... Well, not much of an update but the only new story I've seen on it thus far.

hey guys im fairly new to this community, although i have been lurking for a couple months

i commute everyday to work, from downtown to the keele and lawrence area on my ****ty niskiki conversion. Its a kind of hilly ride with a TON of pot holes and im curious what recommendations you guys have on tires for the winter...

thanks in advance!

hey guys im fairly new to this community, although i have been lurking for a couple months

i commute everyday to work, from downtown to the keele and lawrence area on my ****ty niskiki conversion. Its a kind of hilly ride with a TON of pot holes and im curious what recommendations you guys have on tires for the winter...

thanks in advance!

Hey Ryan, welcome. I just picked up a set of Schwalbe Marathons (http://www.schwalbetires.com/marathon) and should be installing them tonight or on the weekend so I'll be sure to let you (y'all) know how they are. Generally speaking, I like 25s in the winter but they had 28s and the price was right so I took 'em. I picked them up on the recommendation of a good friend who messengered on them through the entire winter last year and swears by them if that's any help at all.

hey guys im fairly new to this community, although i have been lurking for a couple months

i commute everyday to work, from downtown to the keele and lawrence area on my ****ty niskiki conversion. Its a kind of hilly ride with a TON of pot holes and im curious what recommendations you guys have on tires for the winter...

thanks in advance!

I think most people here just stick with 23c road tires through the Winter. There's kinda two schools of thought:

1) stick with a narrow road tire that will slice through the crud to the pavement beneath
2) go with something bigger knobbier that will have a larger contact patch and that you can ride at lower pressure.

I think #1 is probably the better option 85% of the time, although if it's icy (and you don't have dedicated studded winter mtb tires) it probably makes more sense to have a larger contact patch, but you'll obviously be slower. Not that that's a bad thing if the potential of meeting the ground is high. :)

I'm getting winter marathons tomorrow... will post a report once I've had some time on them.

I'm just going to keep chuggin' along on my Ritchie Speedmax Comps (700x32) ... so far, so good.

Hey Ryan, welcome... I'm another running 23s, mixed brands right now as I went through my Vredestein on the back in pretty quick fashion. Vredestein Fortezza SE on the front and a Vittoria Rubino Pro on the back (after having run Continental Ultra Sport kevlars, I ripped two on two different blow outs so decided to switch away from the cheap rubber). The conti's had/have a LOT of grip, but I've never ridden them on my fixed bike in the snow, so no comment.

Based on last night and this morning, my bike is pretty skittish on the packed/icey junk, but that's expected. Otherwise, it rides just fine - I was riding at my normal pace until I got onto the few side street sections - as Stuart rightly posted in the main SSFG forum, just ride appropriately for the ground conditions. I aim to keep my setup as-is unless it looks like we'll have lasting ice-pack on a bunch of my major ride-routes, then I might get some CX tyres, or even studs.

Also, I ride up Keele a lot of late, as our customers site is just by York University (Canarctic) so I know the roads up here can be a little hair-raising with the potholes. My advice in the current goop is just to steer clear (if need be, take the sidewalk or wait for the traffic rush to go) - heading south particularly around Lawrence is pretty horrible pavement. My 23s survive that (I take the whole lane going down the hill past that hospital (Ingram Dr?) toward Eglinton - as that's a fast/shaky section and I'd rather not risk a spill).

Which route do you take? I'm close to Keele (Queen/Roncesvalles) so I go north up Lansdowne to St. Clair W. then meander over to Keele just north of Rogers Rd via some side streets and Old Weston Road.

I'm getting winter marathons tomorrow... will post a report once I've had some time on them.

Neat. Interested to hear what you think of those. I like the bit in the description on their website that suggests running them at low pressure when it's especially nasty, but at high-pressure the studs don't contact the asphalt much, so they're still quiet/etc. You got the 26x1.75, I assume?

I'm a big fan of the Conti Contacts, I ride the 28c's on my 6-speed. They're smooth enough to not drastically dimish speed but grippy enough for winter riding. As a bonus they come with a reflective strip along the sidewalls and also offer kevlar lined puncture protection. I rode Vittoria Rubino Pro 23c's last winter on my fixed and found those to be fine, plowing through snowbanks and hopping hidding streetcar tracks. Usually you can get away with thinner balder tires on a fixie.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/conti%20contact%2003.jpg

I run 20s all year round but Queen West is my route and there are no potholes there...lol, what a sec, what am I talking about? QW is one entire pothole and yeah, it sucks regarldess of what tire you run, I just make sure the pressure is pretty high, about 110psi and I am okayish, bleagh.

i use conti contacts on my winter bike as well, but my commute tends to not get plowed properly and is not well traveled when i leave for work, so i am going to pick up schwable snow studs and put them on my mountain bike for icey days, days after a snow fall where the roads are chunky and icey, etc

even if i only ride the snow studs a dozen times it'll be worth it, i fell infront of my office 4 times last year

skinny tires are definitely fine for any well traveled road

I run 23's, usually Rubino Pros or whatever I might have on hand. As I'm moving to Ottawa, I may end up running studded a bit more, we'll see, but I'm hoping 23's will do fine there too. They did great last winter with the big snow dumps and I felt much more in touch than I did with the CX tires I ran for one day.

I've never been a big fan of Contacts. It may have been the pair I had but they were a bugger to get on and off the rim. That plus cold weather on the fingers made me hate them irrevocably.

I pulled a forget-how-in-the-snow last night. MTB with my slicks, hit the brakes and went down like a ton of bricks on my hip and knee. :lol: doofus, that is me. Knobbies went on this morning, was nice ride in this morning.

And here I am taking the cross knobbies off my commuter for 23c slicks *shrug*

Anyone know how much a cross-check frameset should cost locally?

And here I am taking the cross knobbies off my commuter for 23c slicks *shrug*

(I think) I get the whole cutting through the snow/slop to the asphalt underneath rationale for running slicks, but how are they at all effective when there's a packed base of snow, like on side streets or even pre-plowed major streets when it's coming down? At that point maybe it's a wash and nothing really works.

Anyone know how much a cross-check frameset should cost locally?

Any frame prep being done? Facing/chasing/checking & fixing the alignment/etc.? Probably a 5-number for just the frameset, maybe more if it's being worked on before you take it. for sub $500 the store wouldn't be making much (at all) after shipping fees so you'd probably need a friend discount or some good haggling skills.

At that point maybe it's a wash and nothing really works.

Yep. Just keep your chin up and your eyes open for really slick parts. My mantra for today was "slow and steady" plus I stick to the majors when it is really nuts out.

Yep. Just keep your chin up and your eyes open for really slick parts. My mantra for today was "slow and steady" plus I stick to the majors when it is really nuts out.

This was my strategy this morning, though I did use the one shortcut that was still caked in wheel-packed crap which was slippy, I just went slowly there (read: VERY slowly and unclipped :p)

I definitely underestimated how wet it got and didn't put my booties on much to my feets eventual disappointment, my one shoe took a bunch of water at some point I don't remember and I had wet cold toes :mad:

I just took the regular majors though, steered clear of the puddle zone as much as I could as I don't have the pothole-map memorized, and some of those stretches on Keele are brutal - almost wiped out at the 401 squeezing down between the curb and a car in some slippy crap and the road surface gets all uneven without me noticing.. :)

Ride home was clear but for a wee bit on the side streets in my immediate neighbourhood which made for fun seated skids :D Said -2 but GD it felt colder tonight for some reason.

I've been working on my Armadillo 25s, and except for the spill I took right outside my door this morning they've held up just fine so far. I wasn't a courier last year so daily winter riding regardless of conditions is new to me.

(I think) I get the whole cutting through the snow/slop to the asphalt underneath rationale for running slicks, but how are they at all effective when there's a packed base of snow, like on side streets or even pre-plowed major streets when it's coming down? At that point maybe it's a wash and nothing really works.

Pre-plowed is awesome. If the fools in their cars get their first, it gets hairier, but is still do-able. Like Jet, slow and steady and you're fine. The worst for me is about 6 inches of pack with mega car ruts. The ruts seem to want to steer me, sort of like front wheel drive.

I took the marathons out tonight for a little spin... found a couple super icy patches and tried my hands at stopping on them at speed... a little hairy but i stayed upright. there were a couple of spots where there was relatively hard packed snow and the tires handled very well on those.

overall they feel like they handle well on pavement and on the rough stuff... obviously they have yet to be put to any real test but so far they seem pretty decent...

it took a bit of fudging to get them to clear the fenders but that probably has more to do with my setup than the tires - the fenders are rated for 28s max and these are 28s... both on a frame that wasn't reeeeeeeally designed with fenders in mind.

Later on in winter when I've got cabin fever I'm going to wander out with a few sets of tires and try to settle this for myself once and for all.

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/11/20/tech-bell.html <-- Throttling not illegal.

Edit: At least currently, for Bell --> wholesalers (TekSavvy, etc.) ... another inquirey is on the way to look at it from a more broad perspective. Hopefully that'll shut down throttling across the board.

anyone know much about the conti twisters?

im thinking of running one on the front at low psi (maybe toss some wood screws in there for ****s and giggles) and keeping the gatorskin out back...


and i'll run the misfit when we get a big dump (700x52 just seems like the perfect size for tobogganing)

new favorite beer: Mill St.Wit beer

Does anyone else here find that riding has directly affected their driving habits? I was driving back from a funeral in Montreal yesterday with my sister, and we caught that storm right outside of Coburg. Immediately, I drop down to 75~80km/h while people are blasting by at 110~120, whilst unable to see the lanes! Lo and behold, tons of accidents: spinning out, landing in the ditch, etc... people should be forced to ride through Canadian winters on a bicycle to teach them some basic handling skills for poor road conditions. Jet is completely right: slow & steady.

I must acquire a cross frameset and winter boots asap. Boots must come first.

wow... you can ride at 80km/h on snow on a bike???


:P

Update (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081120.CYCLIST20/EmailTPStory/TPNational) on the Dovercourt case... Well, not much of an update but the only new story I've seen on it thus far.

my good friend had a byline on the globe's first story on the incident... i mentioned to him on tuesday night that the general consensus was their reporting was far better than the star -- maybe that had something to do with them doing follow-ups.

but seriously, apparently the cyclist is/was in a drug-induced coma, he told me. no surprise he can't remember much.

Anyone know how much a cross-check frameset should cost locally?

$550 was the price quoted for me when I shopping around locally.
Alternatively, I found Phat Moose Cycles to be the cheapest located in Ottawa.

$550 was the price quoted for me when I shopping around locally.
Alternatively, I found Phat Moose Cycles to be the cheapest located in Ottawa.

Sweet, I'll give 'em a call tomorrow.

My 23s survive that (I take the whole lane going down the hill past that hospital (Ingram Dr?) toward Eglinton - as that's a fast/shaky section and I'd rather not risk a spill).

Which route do you take? I'm close to Keele (Queen/Roncesvalles) so I go north up Lansdowne to St. Clair W. then meander over to Keele just north of Rogers Rd via some side streets and Old Weston Road.

I know that section by the hospital well, its a really hairy ride even in the best of weather!

I live around Ossington & Harbord and ride up Ossington to Davenport, Davenport to Old Weston Rd. then Old Weston to Keele. so far thats the best way i have figured to get up there with the least amount of hills. Sometimes i ride through Prospect Cemetery on the way home if i don't feel like dealing with traffic.

It looks like I'll just stick with my regular tires for now unless we get hardcore snow and ice.

thanks for a the detailed responses and general niceness!

And here I am taking the cross knobbies off my commuter for 23c slicks *shrug*

The contact patch on the MTB slick, worn as it is, was close to an inch. I can see how the road slick would function waaay better than the MTB slick in getting to the pavement better. My issue was a combination of the not-so-thin slick and the lion's share goes to my idiocy on the brakes....hitting the front indeed.. I deserved to go down. :lol:

Keith .. what time does stuff happen on Saturday at Broadview? I'll most likely be able to pop out for a bit to see some of the setup and such.

The contact patch on the MTB slick, worn as it is, was close to an inch. I can see how the road slick would function waaay better than the MTB slick in getting to the pavement better. My issue was a combination of the not-so-thin slick and the lion's share goes to my idiocy on the brakes....hitting the front indeed.. I deserved to go down. :lol:

Keith .. what time does stuff happen on Saturday at Broadview? I'll most likely be able to pop out for a bit to see some of the setup and such.

I would guess we will be there by Noon at the latest.

Do you still have the michelin slicks TJ?
I can't say I was too impressed with mine the other evening. Perhaps you're right about the width, or perhaps ice is ice and it doesn't matter.

Yup to the Michelines... I call surface area, same way my mom's old dodge colt with 8 inch all seasons never got stuck in Montreal, but the step dad's VW needed digging at least a few time a year. Like a boot vs a snowshoe.

Surface area (math formula) in contact with friction surface coated with friction negation material. hmmm Math geeks on bikes?

u=fn

yea yea engineer man .... make it look soooooo simple. :lol:

Factors affecting the friction between surfaces

Dry surfaces

1. For low surface pressures the friction is directly proportional to the pressure between the surfaces. As the pressure rises the friction factor rises slightly. At very high pressure the friction factor then quickly increases to seizing
2. For low surface pressures the coefficient of friction is independent of surface area.
3. At low velocities the friction is independent of the relative surface velocity. At higher velocities the coefficent of friction decreases.

Well lubricated surfaces
1. The friction resistance is almost independent of the specific pressure between the surfaces.
2. At low pressures the friction varies directly as the relative surface speed
3. At high pressures the friction is high at low velocities falling as the velocity increases to a minimum at about 0,6m/s. The friction then rises in proportion the velocity 2.
4. The friction is not so dependent of the surface materials
5. The friction is related to the temperature which affects the viscosity of the lubricant

Bike GEEEKS! Show your work

u=fn

so

ice = -fun

(no I can't do math for a damn)

UPDATE

Cabbie charged with assaulting cyclist - CBC

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2008/11/21/taxi-bicycle.html

After investigating for a week police have now charged taxi driver Sultan Ahmed of Maple, Ont., with criminal negligence causing bodily harm, dangerous operation of a vehicle, failure to stop at scene of an accident, obstructing a police officer, aggravated assault and assault with weapon.

Oh YEA BABY!!!!
It made no sense to me how one pins someone to pole using the back of the cab if the driver is being robbed.
Via the trunk? Glad to see reason prevailed in this instance.

Wow! My cycnical self who thought if he'd be charged at all, he'd be charged under the HTA steps down.

I wonder if his friends beat him up to make look "robbed", or if it was an authentic altercation? I sooo can't wait for the full story. You can bet Beck drivers are under standing order to be as good as gold out there.

I am glad that they charged him and I hope that the cyclist pulls through.

Anyone want to go halfsies on a Dodge Ram with me? They are 2 for 1 now. America is ****.

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j103/jetsanchEz/dodge.png

Why don't they have 2 for 1 bikes? Come on Trek....

... and you know they are still going to make money with that deal. Give them Billions to keep them going? I just don't know.

Wow! My cynical self who thought if he'd be charged at all, he'd be charged under the HTA steps down.

Yeah me too after the door prize leading to a cyclist's death and a 100$ fine for the driver...

It seems the cab driver got what he deserved. I mean hitting a guy from behind, then leaving the scene, then reporting THREE hours later and changing his story... The cyclist may have done something, but he lost a leg for Christ's sake...

Jesus christ. From the article on the cabbie getting charged, posted in the comments section



Lacroseguy wrote: 'What the hell are you doing biking around at 230AM in November. Sounds like the guy was up to no good. Granted he shouldn't have been run over but get off the road. Was he wearing a helmet? Did he have the appropriate lights on his bike? Did he use the proper hand signals?
I love biking around at all times of the day and night but I know one simple rule. "I am bigger than a person, and a car is bigger than me; don't mess with a car." This rider has learned this lesson now, but it's to late. Everytime he looks down at his (missing) leg he will be reminded of this rule


For every bit I may be disgusted with that cabbie, I can't help but feel that I hate this person about 10 times more...

I'm impressed by most of the comments page though....generally calling for cab driver to be charged with attempted murder.

At least we can take some sollace in the fact that Lacroseguy doesn't know the difference between "to" and "too"...

Lacrosse is also wrong

He's probably Rob Ford's demon spawn or something

Hrmm. Does anyone know if any local shops have a 26" rim built to a track hub?