Dan Burkhart 

I'm supposed to be retired, but I'll be starting a new gig that will be at least a couple of days a week in Toronto. The job is with a new startup bike shop specializing in city and cargo bikes.
The commute will be a combination of bike and train with about a 3 1/2 km bike ride on each end of the train trip.
The bike I chose to build for the job is based on a 1999 Cannondale F2000 mountain bike that I have owned since new.
The bike has gone through a couple of incarnations, but the frame hung in the garage unused for the last 7 or 8 years.



The components I chose for the build include a Shimano Alfine 8 speed, SP PD8 dynohub, Herrman head and tail lights, Deore crank set with a single 38 tooth ring, and BB7 brakes.
The only original parts are the frame, wheel rims and the XTR rapid rise rear derailleur used as a tensioner.
I used a Surly rigid steel fork, having given away the original Fatty years ago.



The frame lacks mounting bosses for racks and fenders, so I had to get creative. I mounted a seatpost clamp style rack and fabricated support struts to mount to the V brake bosses.



To mount the rear fender stays, I rummaged through my parts bins and found some reflector brackets that fit nicely around the seat stays. This allowed for easy routing around the disc brake caliper.



I mounted the front fender stays by installing Riv nuts in the fork legs.

ThermionicScott 

Welcome back to it, @Dan Burkhart!

RubeRad

They made (frames for) disc brakes way back in 1999?

Are you using the RD as tensioner because the dropouts are not horizontal? I would definitely look into an eccentric BB to clean that up, but it's cool you were able to cobble that beast together.

BobbyG

Sweet! Ride safely!

Darth Lefty 

Nice bike!

Seems like both ends have eyelets you're not using?

Dan Burkhart 

Way back in '99? That seems like yesterday to me. And yes, discs were old news by then.
Vertical dropouts, so it needs a tensioner. With everything else going on with the bike, I'm not too concerned about cleaning it up by eliminating it. It works like a charm, and function is where it's at for this application.

Dan Burkhart 

Yes, but they are inconveniently placed for mounting fender stays to clear the brake calipers.

mcours2006

You planning to take the bike on the GO train? Is that practical, or even allowed?

Dan Burkhart 

It is both practical and allowed.There are rush hour restrictions, but I can take any train from Oakville that arrives at Union Station after 9:30 am. If I catch the 9:05, I get off at Exhibition and can be at work by 10. The afternoon restriction ends with the first train to leave Union after 18:30.

mcours2006

That's perfect, then. What's and where's the new shop, not that I venture down into the core very often, but there are no shortage of bike shops downtown.

Dan Burkhart 

Well, I can tell you it's in the Queen and Landsdown area, but I can't be more specific than that. It's an appointment only business for the time being, no storefront yet.
This shop will be specializing in utility and cargo bikes.
Here's a temporary web page.
CityAndCargo.Bike

mcours2006

This must be quite a niche market. I don't see many of these bikes around, even downtown.

Dan Burkhart 

Well, I did the commute for real a couple of times this week. I had done two dry runs previously to meet with the shop owner, so I already knew it was going to work pretty slick.
It's the most stress free way I can imagine to get into the city. Sitting on the train as you wizz by all the stopped traffic choking up the Gardner expressway is smile inducing.
Plus, 15 km of fairly pleasant bike riding tops it off.
The owner has just inked a deal for a permanent location which makes the ride at the Toronto end somewhat longer, but still doable.

Dan Burkhart 

Here's a video showing part of the commute. Like all commuting videos, it's long and boring, but I did capture a couple of classic TTC streetcar shots on King st.

Daniel4

Why are these developments always downtown? We need them in the suburbs just to show the motorists there is a presence of cyclists there and a demand for road usage too.

mcours2006

That'd never work in the suburbs. People love their cars too much there/here. Plus distances are just too much for it to be viable for most people. Most people in the suburbs ride their bikes for fun/recreation, not transportation.

Dan Burkhart 

OK, if you think you can build a viable business model around the concept in the burbs, go for it. Maybe if this shop gets off the ground, they will expand out that way, don't know, not my call.

Dan Burkhart 

Yup. meanwhile, the owner has inked a deal for a permanent location. Osler and Dupont, right beside the rail trail. A bit longer for me to ride from Exhibition station, but still doable.

mcours2006

Hey, how bout trekking it all the way from Oakville? It's, what, like only 45-50km, right?

BobbyG

Looks relaxing, as described. Very cool.

Dan Burkhart 

Actually, it's more like 30 km according to Google maps, (I'm in the east end of Oakville) but if I'm gonna ride 60 km a day, I don't think I'm up to putting in a days work in between. I'm gonna be 63 in a few weeks. Can't keep up the pace I once did.

Daniel4

On my daily cycle commute, I usually see two or more cyclists going in my direction. I see the same going in the opposite direction. At work, I see several bicycles locked up at the various racks we have scattered around the building parking lots. In my office I know of two people who would like to ride from about 20km away. One guy is from Woodbridge and another from Etobicoke. However, they can't find a safe and direct route to ride. Strava gives them a meandering route that doesn't look efficient. A third guy used to ride from Victoria Park and Finch until he got hit. Luckily, he only has a sprained wrist.

It's the same argument we heard when the city installed the bike lanes on Adelaide. Now Adelaide is busy with cyclists because it's there, it's a viable route, they wanted to get out of their cars and public transit doesn't work for them.

mcours2006

These people are the rare exception, as am I. ride 20km one-way into work from York Region to Agincourt. The number of people I see commuting by bike in the last month I can count on one hand. I know people who'd like to do it, but there's always some reason for not doing it, and these people live less than half the distance I do. I hear things like, it's too hot, it's too cold, too wet, too far, too much trouble, my bike is not good, I have a flat tire, etc.

Like I said, people are too comfortable in their cars around here.

Dan Burkhart 

Well, cycling infrastructure is a whole different conversation, and one that needs to be put forward. We're getting there slowly. Oakville and Mississauga are making accommodation for bicycles on any new road upgrades, and connections are getting better, but there remains a long way to go.

mcours2006

I don't know this for a fact as I'm more of an East-ender, but I've heard that Mississauga is one of the worst municipalities for biking infrastructure, and having driven there occasionally I don't doubt it.

York Region, on the other hand, is great for it--lots of dedicated bike lanes, shared routes, etc. My commute takes me on mostly secondary routes which are very bike-friendly, but some of the major arteries are still not great for cycling, especially south of Hwy 7.