clipin

I've ridden the DVP six times but not on a fixed, only on my road bikes. The 75k route although not gruesome can be challenging. If you're not familiar, here it is: leave west side of CNE go all the way to the top of the valley at York Mills (25k), back down to Bayview cutoff (12k+-), turn around and back up to York Mills (12k+-) then back all the way down to the CNE west side (25k). So you're climbing up and flying back down the valley route twice. Might be good to drive the route and see what the terrain looks like, then get in shape.

Shiznaz

Some joker comes up behind me fast and honking on front street when the inside lane is totally open. Starts tailgating me and honking more. We get to a light, he rolls down his window and gives me the spiel. He says I am breaking the law so I pretty much recite the highway traffic act, then he says its 'common sense' to ride in the gutter. I ask him to turn around his car so we can ask the cop a block back but he declines, calls me a prick and tries to spit on me from inside his car. Then he paces me for a while on front west of spadina yelling "PRICK PRICK PRICK PRICK" He overtakes me and stops at the light at bathurst. His car gets boxed in. As I pass him on the right I stop, give his side door a really big kick, and go on my merry way and take the first alleyway I can. He definitely wasn't in a saturn.

somnambulant

word. makes sense.

also: get a plate number?

Shiznaz

nope, but he got his comeuppance imo. stupid suburban drivers.

gokiburi

HAHAHA... good thing you scoped out the alleyway

zippered

haha... was on the way to pick up my new bike light mount. thanks again to cavit8 for coming through for me.

as all of us were talking, a woman approached me to ask a question. instead of the standard do you know where such and such place is, she askes me if i've ever ridden at the velodrome! this 50-60 year old woman rides track, and had been trying to tell her grandson that was with her how "you just use your legs to stop"! she mentioned she'd seen some "messengers from toronto getting lessons". so awesome.

then, as we were heading down university, i see a ragged-y looking guy with a bike calling to me that he needed a tire pump. so we stop, and brad hands this guy wearing a courier company jacket his pump so the guy can get home on his slow leak.

to top all that off, as we were taking a less-than-common route home i saw a pair of jeans (that will probably fit) left up for grabs outside of a house.

i love how life happens sometimes.

32flavours

YES! Token female FTW!

Nice seeing you too, Dan.

Offhoff

Alright combo post!

Danhalen: If your were truly doing a seacrest out I would have won by a mile.

Zippered: I WILL get in touch with you, sorry changing jobs, riding the bike all day and figuring out my life is currently a little much

Chinese: The dumpling house is amazing, the couple who own it are from northern china and make an amazing and authentic sweet and sour pork (yes it IS real) and dumplings, but the secret is that they'll make egg and tomato if you ask. I lived on that through China its like the perfect combination. Rol San is the best bet for dim sum if you don't mind the lack of carts. They also do a highly addictive crispy beef dish in honey ginger. The hunan chicken is also awesome there.

Duppy: At mother's dumplings order steamed dumplings and dalu noodles. Bring company, servings are large. The green onion pancake is also amazing. The family who runs it will literally mother you, I went in once with a cold and got the chinese medicinal broth treatment, its was pretty amazing.

After the rain this morning I pulled the most beautiful skid turn through the intersection of avenue and davenport, it was super sweet and made up for being wet.

Cavern: I'm going to want to order a Jamie Roy, so I might swing by to discuss details with you tomorrow if not then sometime next week. Are you going to be open this weekend, well I mean saturday??

Shiz: Fight the power! Up on st clair I saw Sunny D giving the full loogie treatment to a jackass in a rx-8 it was classic.

duppy.conqueror

sweeeeeeeeeeet thanx for the tasty treats recommendation...im on it...nice bike youre getting

Offhoff

I thought you'd like that. I want the fenders + single speed option + alu frame

PS: I'm looking for anyone who wants to give me music they have rights too. I want to stop using copyrighted music and start using more local indie stuff. So if anyone out there knows bands who want exposures all we ask for is a CD and a written release for us to use it. I can send you a release if you don't want to do your own.

Cheers!

Sirrobinofcoxly

You have more run ins than anyone I know.

Nice on the "street justice" though.

cavit8

I've got to concur on the dumpling house. I just rolled out of there.

Shiz, clipless sandals rock. Here's my $0.02 as cobbled from my own experience and some reading I've done. The newer three strap shimano's are apparently not as good as the older two strap versions. The Lake (what I had) lasted about two years of heavy use before a strap blew out. I've still got them in case I can figure out how to repair them. Very easy to walk/light hike in, but probably not stable enough for loaded hiking. The Lakes use the same sole as the Shimano's. The Nashbar house brand soles are apparently stiffer than the Lake and will probably be my next purchase. I did find the Lakes were a little lacking in stiffness, but I expect that's a trade off with walk-ability. Downsides compared to a shoe is you get less "pull up" power, soles aren't as stiff as shoes, and not safe for riding through brush etc. Upsides are extremely comfortable and generally more versatile for walking around and tend to dry faster than a shoe. Odour is about the same as a shoe or Teva.

For combos, cold weather is polypro sox, wool sox, neoprene socks and occasionally a wind breaking nylon or another neoprene booty overtop. You can likely get a way with the three layers for three seasonand in warm weather go au naturale (don't forget sunscreen on your feet). Largest sizes for the Shimano's and Nashbar's is 45/46 with the Lakes going up to 47/48. I'm probably going to order a Nashbar set in the next week or so; they're on sale for $39.99 USD (Lake's are similarly on sale and I'm seriously considering buying a set of both). I wish I'd bought two pair when I got the Lake's when MEC was dumping them

skin flute

Jesus, you're some kind of vigilante. I admire your alacrity for confrontation; though I can't help but worry about your safety. Maybe you're a huge guy and love fighting, in which case, keep on keeping on. Otherwise, I'd suggest you pick and choose your battles carefully. I had a motorist pull a knife on me a couple years back for flipping him off on Bloor street. Up until that incident I was a complete hothead when it came to drivers acting foolish; but when I saw the pyscho look in his eyes—that unmistakable glare that says "I'm totally unhinged and I don't give a f*ck"—I knew I had messed up. I'm not willing to die over bull****, which is what 99% of these incidents are.

Now I'm not denying that guy had it coming to him; in fact, a part of me was cheering for you as I read that post. I'm just saying you might want to think twice before hoofing in someones passenger door.

Shiznaz

Maybe I just need to wait until I do get a knife pulled on me, but this time the guy really was purposely ******** with me from simcoe all the way to bathurst. He could have driven off into the distance at any time. Pretty intense actually. I made quite sure he was boxed in before I kicked the car though. I have serious trouble letting myself get bullied by other people...

Ill Mitch

I'm going to get a big reflective "POLICE" patch and sew some velcro on the back of it so I can attach it to my bag.

I don't think drivers will try to mess with me then.

tovi

Just a heads up for this thing I'm organizing tomorrow (the more the merrier):

Cyclists Public forum on Lake Ontario Park

Hi Everyone,
Building on the momentum from our first meeting in February, I would like to invite you to the next round of discussion and planning about Lake Ontario Park and what this means to the cycling community. I encourage you all to get active and be heard, since the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corp. (the ‘builder’ of the Park) is quite open to our suggestions at this time.
WHEN: Next Thursday, April 5, 7-9 PM
WHERE: Pandarvis Room, International Student Centre @ 33 St. George St., just north of College
The idea is to discuss how we, as cyclists, envision the waterfront as a recreation destination. Aside from the obvious issue of cycling access and connectivity to the (eastern) waterfront, which is also up for discussion, here’s a recap of some suggestions from our first meeting:
(1) Trail construction that naturally encourages users moving at different speeds to separate themselves (e.g. using different colour/material for different bands of each lane)
(2) Trail wide enough to *comfortably* accommodate multiple types of users in both directions (i.e. wider than many existing trails)
(3) Ensuring distance between dog off-leash areas and the trail to minimize collisions (ie. don’t have trail running through the middle of a field)
(4) A trail layout that has unobstructed sight lines
(5) Appropriate road width and smooth road surfaces to accommodate road cyclists (typically doing time trial training), even for relocated roads that may not, technically, be inside the new park perimeter
For more info about Lake Ontario Park, these documents should do the trick:
https://www.towaterfront.ca/dbdocs//45b1277ce7719.pdf
https://www.towaterfront.ca/dbdocs//45b7b7d904644.pdf
See you next week,
Tovi

_K.

Hmm some years back when I paid to enter that event, it was just one pass on the parkway. So after that, I simply waited at the south-most on-ramp (Don roadway) and joined in shortly after the lead riders. There was generally time to make three laps that way. Sure the ride for heart is a great cause, but I felt like I was owed something from a highway which I never get to use, for all my tax dollars. Good to hear they've boosted it to two laps now.

Sirrobinofcoxly

Kaibot: Congrats! Your Rosin was voted one of the sexiest bikes on the forum

Ill Mitch

Does anybody know of any shops in the city that carry the Felt TK2 track bike?

I'm thinking about getting the frameset and building it up, but I want to see it in person first and give it a test ride.

shapelike

Not the shin, not the calf ... but 5" basically directly above my ankle (inboard) got smacked the other day and now I can't walk or pedal out of the saddle properly. What muscle did I go and cock-up?

STEEKER

how hard of a hit was it ??? and what colour is the area of impact
?? and what happens if you point your toes straight down?

shapelike

Not a fall, just an off-balance foot-down where my leg hit the pedal on the way by.
Not discoloured.
Ow.

STEEKER

a nicely bruised bone most likely , just run your finger along the edge and check for a chip

shapelike

Rightio, gov'nah.

STEEKER

if it really hurts you might have teeny tiny hair line fracture get it checked,, AND do you have any red bike shoes at the shop ????