You are right, I don't think it is okay for drivers to throw their weight around, I just think that in Toronto, a cyclist is better off riding defensively. Don't put yourself in a position to get cut off. Keep your head up at all times. Do your best not to get mad at drivers; not easy, I know, but having a nice ride ruined by your own anger really sucks and I have learned to let it go. Now and then I give someone the bird, but it is rare. I have seen so many crazy things as a cyclist (and a student paramedic), it just isn't worth the hassle of getting into a fight with cars. The cyclist always loses.

Just my 2 cents.

I'm also guilty of hocking loogies at cars, primarily when they're parked in bike lanes.

For cars in traffic, I'm tending now to simply wave as I pass them later on or slowly crawl by while they're stopped and grin at them.

Those look good. What did they cost you? I was shopping for gloves last weekend, but co-op was charging too much for ski gloves. I ended up getting some fleece lined mitts for around 30 bucks. They are warm, but the split fingers would be better.

Anybody looking to trade framesets? I have a NOS miyata track from the mid 80s, 56 cm top tube, 56 cm ctt, which is too big for me. Looking for something in the 53-54 cm range.

This isn't my bike, but the frame is the same:


I live in Winnipeg right now, but I'll be going to toronto for the holidays. I could bring the frame with me and trade there.

PM me if you like.

You're entirely correct. Now we need to think of a way to make it so that we *don't* always lose.

<point of view>
And this is why stuff like Critical Mass and social rides are important.
</point of view>

do any of you guys rock any sort of cycling 'booties'? My toes are the only thing that gets uncomfortably cold these days. The toes of my shoes are basically open mesh, so the wind just whips right through there. I'm sure thicker socks would probably help also, but my shoes fit pretty snug, so I don't know if there's much room for that.

You could go the cheap way and just duct tape over the mesh...kind of ghetto but it does work fairly well. Yet another use for duct tape>

I'm ashamed of myself for not thinking of that myself.

Re: lobster claw prices.

I'm a bad person to ask about that since I got mine for free from the shop. I just did a quick web search and it looks like Velotique is selling them for $39.95. Hope that helps.

- eyefloater

I bought some recently, but I haven't tried them yet. I find wool socks in my cycling shoes with no covers are good down to around -5 to -10, then it starts to get really uncomfortable. The shoes fit so tight that adding another pair of socks won't do much good. What I used to do was put milk bags over my socks and under my shoes-that helps, and it's cheap.

I have a pair of LG cycling shoe covers that I think I got at Velotique. I tend to wear my sandals, though, with a polypro sock inside a neoprene bootie. I haven't tested this for a long ride as yet. I found my cycling shoes were tight enough that it was difficult to keep me toes warm, although the over booties helped a lot.

i don't think this is the case anymore but milk bags used to be a canadian thing exclusively (someone slap me if i'm talking out of my butt again). i heard one american ex-pat say they had no idea what to do with them after they were opened.. so they were propping up individual bags in the fridge! i guess all canucks just know to buy the plastic pitchers. ok back to bikes........

hahahahaha

It is a blast out there today. I took out my FG mountain bike with some big knobbies. Fun! Much more stable than my road bike. Unstoppable.

damn... all that salt makes me cringe. makes me want to buy some frame-saver. we got spared from all that snow that got dumped in the US northeast though.... or will we...

Kensington Avenue aparently has some sort of by-law prohibiting snow plows ... but other than that, ya it's been fun lately.

damn... i was going to ride out there today too. hey, it's snowing... pretty.

Hmm ... I wonder *checks calendar* ... d'oh, so close. I was hoping this month's CM would be on NYE, but it's the night before. Anyone want to come out to that one? It might make for some fun snowy mayhem. I've got to go out of town to make my token visit w/ the family, but I'll be back in Toronto by Boxing Day night (yes, I show up Christmas Eve and leave Boxing Day morning ... I couldn't care less about this stupid holiday).

brrr.. cold out there today! Icey near the curbs too.. definite side-street riding time.

The snow has been awesome lately. If you don't mind a little fishtailing, the roads are prefectly viable for the most part. I'd stay away from East York, though. Our plows suck, but it's not too bad closer to downtown.

i find the main streets are more clear of ice and snow.. i was wobbling like crazy trying to navigate through a few inches of semi hard-packed snow in a laneway near my place.. king/queen/richmond/etc. were fine though. i'm still on slicks though

oh yeah? I just took Harbord from Ossington to Bedford and then Bloor to Bay and North on Bay to Davenport, where I work. All of those streets save Bay had a fair amount of ice/snow at the curb. I'm sure it varies from area to area though.

and I'm still on slicks also.

I bit it this morning on some polished ice near a side-street intersection. Pretty slick stuff, I could barely walk on it after I got up. Need some of those carbide studs for christmas.... Don't you hate it when you bail in view of some cagers....so humiliating.

My MEC shoe covers are great though-my feet were toasty all the way to work-they get my seal of approval.

ugh. A guy on a mtb bailed pulling up to an intersection 5 feet away from me on Friday morning. He went down hard enough that his glasses flew off his face. d'oh!

Anyone have any recommendations on studded tires?

I checked out shoe covers at MEC a few weeks ago (picked up some leg/arm warmers and some cordura pants), but the only ones I found seemed pretty expensive to me. They're weren't actually MEC branded though I can't remember what they were. I haven't shopped around though, so the prices could have bee fine.

I managed to find my neoprene socks, so I'm rocking those right now. It's a bit of a squeeze inside my bike shoes though. But they kept them from falling off this morning, so I guess that's something. It's sad when low-pile carpet over concrete feels warm on your feet, huh?

If you guys see any good deals on fixed gear wheelsets here in Toronto give me a shout!
I saw a pretty good deal at urbane today. Their mavic open pros 36h are on sale for $75 bucks. But I still need to get them to build it up for me
Thanks!