...I tread on virgin forum territory!
...I tread on virgin forum territory!
Hellllooooooo Torooonnnooo
Where is everybody?
On the Don Valley trail.......
Just got back from the Don Valley trail, actually! (I'm lucky to have it as a part of my commute if I feel like it.)
It was nice. :-P
I haven't been on the Don Valley trail in years.
Shame on you!
I've moved on.
I ride from Riverdale to Sunnybrook and then Victoria Gardens most days. Sometimes I go over to Edwards Gardens and head up under the 401, and just keep on going - when I can find the time.
Anyone got some suggestions of other good 30 to 40km rides - on tracks - I hate the roads....
Oh, come oooon! You can't move on from the Don Trail. Just like a marathon runner would take a relaxed walk in a nearby park or a hardcore gamer would once in a blue moon fire up that Tetris...Originally Posted by IronMac
I've moved on.
Do you have a copy of Toronto cycling map? It's free, available in lots of bike shops, put out by the city. Shows trails and such. Although there are also lots of smaller and/or more technical trails that aren't there.
Yeh I have the map from the internet.
Any good trails on there I should check out ?
Yep, that's the thing. I find the paper version more convenient to use though; whenever you go by any bike shop, just go in and ask for a free copy - most bike shops I've been in have those maps.
One weird thing about this map is that it gives no indication which streets are one-way. I guess the city is trying to send a message that it's ok to bike the wrong way on one-way streets.*shrug*
Well, the three major Toronto trails are the Don, the Humber and the Waterfront. You already know about the Don. The Humber trail is in the western part of Toronto. It's long, has good pavement and several branch-outs that you can explore. Then there is the Waterfront Trail; it's interrupted between Bay and, um, Spadina or so (no path or bike lane there) but that section is over fairly quickly; it's just a couple of kms. The Humber trail also has an interruption, but it's even more trivial. There must also be trails in the eastern part of the city, but I am not familiar with Scarberia at all.Any good trails on there I should check out ?
So if you are around the Riverdale area, one thing I would've suggested is going south instead of north, then west on the Waterfront path and north again on Humber. "Would've" because the Don Trail is closed for 2006 south of Queen. But you can get to the Waterfront by other means, of course: there are some small streets that go from Queen to the Lakeshore.
Extend that to around 50 and you can do a square, almost all on trails. Up the Humber, across to the Don (that bit is roads, but mostly quiet roads), down the Don and then along the Waterfront trail back to the Humber. I might try it tomorrow if the rain decides not to rain. The bike map will show you where the road bits are. Or you could start at Vic Park subway, and ride along the trails/waterfront to Etienne Brule Park and subway back. That's probably 30km.
Enjoy.
Zero gallons to the mile
There's more...you can take the Etobicoke Creek Trail from Centenial Park, I get off at Old Burnamthorpe Road, take Burnamthorpe to Glenn Echo, pick up the Mimico Trail to Eglinton, then take the Eglinton bike path to Scarlett Road, and follow the Humber trail to the lake (there's a jog at The Old Mill and again at Stephen Drive (get back on the trail at South Humber Park (Stephen Drive & Cloverhill))...then across the Martin Goodman Trail to the Don, head north...I usually get off and head back to Etobicoke through the city to explore, maybe grab a bite, and enjoy the sights...usually along Bloor back to Kipling
a nice afternoon ride
Thanks guys.
I do go south on the Don sometimes and then East out round cherry st and then east along the lakeside over to the Beach and back.
I went west a couple of times but I really don't like that stretch on the road around the Bay St intersection -
I got mpv'd by a guy pulling into the bike lane without signalling outside the Westin. Fortunately I had helmet on and landed directly on my head, so only a couple of cuts and bruises, but really freaked me out - it can be so busy round there with idiots.
Might try that Humber trail though - sounds great.
I used to ride on that path... It's annoying for a couple of reasons:
1) Frequent intersections, just away from the main intersection. A PERFECT right hook set-up!
2) Blind corners. There is one around the only hill of any size. Well, it's not even a hill, it's a "bump". But people can build up quite a bit of speed going down that bump.
Recently, though, I hear there were some improvements around that trail. Centreline markers, for one (at least for a part of it).
Wow, the roads really do bother you! Have you considered taking a CAN-BIKE 2 course offered by the city? Should boost your confidence in traffic...
I'm not sure what mpv'd means. Did he cut you off by turning in front of you? It is one of the more common collisions. Some caution and very defensive riding (i.e., always expect the most idiotic move from every driver on the road) usually helps one prevent this sort of thing though...I got mpv'd by a guy pulling into the bike lane without signalling outside the Westin.
Sorry to hear that its annoying...the section you speak of is that little rise by Royal York...the only problem i had there at one time was when I came around that last bend and found that some local school had sent their phys ed class jogging down the bike path straight into the cyclists...a stupid thing to do as the Eglinton path has seperate paths for bikes and people
Intersections are just a part of life in the big city, at least most have traffic lights to keep us safe...at least we're fortunate to have a dedicated bike path that joins the mimico and humber trails
Yeah, that happens a lot on bike paths around here, even when a separate path for pedestrians is provided. Another reason to dislike them (bike paths AND pedestrians
Anyway, I personally never had a problem on that little rise with anybody. I also realize that it's just pure luck and there were many situations where I wasn't and couldn't've been in control there (I saw cyclists fly down that at ridiculous speeds and on the wrong side of the path - had I been in their way, neither of us would've had any time to react).
Intersections - yes. Intersections of trail and road just to the side of main intersections (hidden by trees, too!) - no.Intersections are just a part of life in the big city, at least most have traffic lights to keep us safe...Traffic lights don't keep us safe from right-turners. The only thing to do there is to slow way down. Which is fine, if you agree to pay that price for using a trail instead of the road.
I agree, Eglinton is not an exceptionally welcoming street to cyclists, so for many (including myself at certain times of day) the path is preferable.
i think that that those of us in Toronto are well served by our bike paths...as a year round bike commuter, i wish we had more
the only trail I have a problem with is the Martin Goodman...its way too narrow and used by walkers, joggers, and rollerbladers...I've seen some nasty accidents there which is why i no longer use it(also because its unlit and not plowed...better to use the streets in winter)
I'm not sure what mpv'd means. Did he cut you off by turning in front of you? It is one of the more common collisions. Some caution and very defensive riding (i.e., always expect the most idiotic move from every driver on the road) usually helps one prevent this sort of thing though...
Lol....I mean the guy was in a minivan and just pulled in front of me, no signalling, just swerved to park. I am tearing along at 30km (well that is fast for me...) and go into the side of the jerk.....over the handlebars and land on my head. These helmets are good aren't they.
More a case of the hassle my wife and kids give me when I get home with various injuries. LOL
I notice that it is sometimes more dangerous on the roads when we have bike lanes, people just pull into them, park in them etc. and as a cyclist you get a false sense of security when you are in the bike lanes.
Not that I drive much, but it has made me a much better driver. I hope.
I'll try riding there again. Incidentally the worst road I find for ignorant aggressive cars is Avenue - anyone agree ?
Oh yeah, a pretty common scenario. It helps to be further to the left when you're riding. Also, I always expect EVERY overtaking driver to pull a trick like this, and plan accordingly (i.e., I always have an escape strategy in mind - or a strategy to prevent the driver from doing this, like going further to the left...) Sounds complicated, but happens automatically by now and seems to work well (knocks on wood).
Definitely a true observation! My commute of the last couple of months took me along Sherbourne, which has a bike lane. At Sherbourne and Bloor there is a right turn lane for northbound cars - properly positioned on the right of the bike lane - and I had to always be super-extra-vigilant for moron drivers passing me only to swerve right into the right-turn lane. When you expect that to happen, however, it makes it a lot less dangerous: the situation may be annoying, may slow you down etc. - but I didn't feel unsafe cause I knew how to act and what to watch out for.I notice that it is sometimes more dangerous on the roads when we have bike lanes, people just pull into them, park in them etc. and as a cyclist you get a false sense of security when you are in the bike lanes.
Yeah, Avenue can be pretty bad! I live pretty close to Avenue, and that's the road I mostly avoid. Bathurst, Spadina, Yonge - I ride them all fairly frequently, but Avenue makes me nervous.I'll try riding there again. Incidentally the worst road I find for ignorant aggressive cars is Avenue - anyone agree ?
Of course, I'm talking about down-to-mid-town area. Once you go north of, say, Wilson, these all become the roads of horror (except Spadina which disappears
Oh, interesting - I've never been on Toronto bike paths in winter: are some of them actually cleared of snow? That would be good to know about!
I have nothing against Toronto bike paths, and I do like some of them (especially if they are of adequate width and follow a valley/park where there are no intersections).
There are okay sections there, but I agree, most of it is quite bad. And oh yeah, it's scary in the dark... there is a part of it in the east, near the beaches, I think, that's winding and cuts through some really tall grass - know what section I'm talking about?.. I find that scary during the day!the only trail I have a problem with is the Martin Goodman...its way too narrow and used by walkers, joggers, and rollerbladers...I've seen some nasty accidents there which is why i no longer use it
However, most other paths I know of in Toronto (Humber, Don etc.) are also unlit, while some sections of Martin Goodman (the newly built one between, uh, Cherry St. and Coxwell, that follows the Lakeshore) actually has lights (I think...)
I like the Gooodman trail - busy but very smooth paths and you get to see the lake.
The only problem I find is coming down from where I live on the Don trail, they have cut off some of the trail at Queen East - can't wait to have that put back and I'll have a great run all the way to the beach and back.
I'm doing about 150km a week on a trek mountain bike. Mostly trails with a little bit off road. I guess I'll keep this up till it gets sooooo cold. How often do you need to change tires on these sorts of bikes with same a mielage of 3000 km a year ?
Alos I am going to try the 75km Becel run next year - are there any others local to Southen Ontario ?
Still a novice see........
yep, it's a shame about the lights, and I have yet to find a bike path thats plowed...that means that these paths are the last to clear in the spring because all the walkers pack down the snow so that it takes longer to melt.
Its been a while since i've been on the MG, even though my office is a few blocks from the lake, but i still use the Mimico and Humber trails fairly often during the week...on weekends we're on the trails and concessions up north
@ 3000km/year tires will last for quite a while...i have to change my rear commuter tires fairly often because I keep blowing out the sidewalls and beads hitting curbs when playing in traffic. Tires don't have to be changed until the tread is worn thin or when they get sticky and begin to disolve because of old age.
I just changed a front tire on a bike that does 8000km/yr that was about 7 years old
First of all, no, they are not cleared of snow or else I don't know of any sections that are. There are always signs around indicating that the trails are not cleared of snow.
Second, the section near Cherry St. right? Near all of those sailing clubs? I guess it can be but I've got a Jetlites Starfire light system so I'm good to go!
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote