My G2 expires on february 5th, which means that I have very little time to get my license before I have to start all over again. I had a test on november 30th, but I failed it on account of the roads in the north of the city being insane (ie. everything is road.. its just one big six lane wide wasteland full of interchanges and gigantic intersections), me living my entire life downtown, and also not having driven for about 3.5 years. I only made one (seriously, just one) mistake in the whole test, but it was enough to fail me. I'd just forget about it and not get a license, but for some reason my mother has this strange obsession with me getting a license and she actually deposits money in my bank account from overseas to pay for driving tests and a car for the day and stuff. So I do the good son thing and do what she asks me to do, but at this point I may not be able to even book another test before my license is expired. Who needs a license anyways? You just need friends with licenses, then you can never be the DD. Woot!

Dang, that sucks so hard.
at least you get more funds from your parents hoorah!

... or get a girlfriend, just kidding!

I regret getting my drivers license, $400 I could've better spent on a bike, or beer or strippers.

It (g2 license) expires in ilke 2009 or something like that. Can anyone actually afford insurance? Companies quoted me like 3-5g's. Wth.

Welcome to the wonderful world of private insurance. A nasty shock for me too when I came to Ontario from Saskatchewan (which has government insurance as well as private).

If you've had your licence for three years and don't want to fork out for a car, autoshare may be an option
https://www.autoshare.com/isit.html

Or ride your fixed gear (to stay on topic).

holy shiznit.
3000 for insurance in INSANE.
so Operator, how long does it take you to ride down from richmond hill to downtown?
yea my g2 also expires sometime in 2009.

well, my insurance is $500 for a year when listed as a second driver of my parents' 2 cars.
(partially because they both have spotless driving records)
But yea, driving in downtown is quite silly when you have you guys have such sweet bikes.
IMO I think its a different story when you live uptown where places aren't located quite so near to each other.
Unless your a hardcore biker, then in that case, a car is silly in any situation

Does anyone 'round here know if there is a Critical Mass ride going in Toronto this month? I'll be down visiting relatives and I might still be around on the Friday night. I figure if anyone comes out, it would be a fun way to kill an evening in a city I've never really biked in before.

It's about 29k from my house to UT campus. Takes 1hr 10-15min in good traffic down and 1hr 20-30min back up.

Thats good time
I was just wondering as I'm applying for Uni this year and just seeing if if it'd be manageable biking 3 - 4 times a week from Scarborough to U of T campus.
I guess 1hr and a bit its't too bad.
What route do you take op?
btw- any of you guys part of Toronto Fixed Group or take part in any planned group rides like the donut ride I keep on hearing about?

https://www.pathcom.com/~praxis/rides.html

I drive a fair bit, especially in the winter. I was only able to afford insurance because I have a university degree. I went through TD Meloche Monex. I just told them that I have a degree from U of T and they gave me a group rate of 1350$/year, which is a lot more than I am used to paying but much less than the 3500-5500$/year I was being quoted by other insurers. I hope this info can help someone here; and when you do drive, I know you will all be respectful of cyclists

That's definitely doable, route choice, for me not much of one. Straight down Yonge st. to bloor and across. I live on Bayview so. Did that for a 2 months straight last year.

Shiznaz and I did the donut last year..... we got out asses kicked. I feel the need to go back to that ride though.

Did you guys do the "short" or the long version? There's a regular at Cycle Therapy who does it every week and I think it still kicks his ass on a regular basis.

yea....
me and my friend thought we were cool after we biked over to lake simcoe last summer.
So the same week we went to the donut ride ...
We were both on our garage sale road bikes
(I had a benotto which i scored for 20 bucks... but I had no clue what it was worth back then. Now its sold... and I totally regret it!)

We were wearing baseball caps, t-shirts and shorts
and it seemed that everyone else had their 1k road bikes and lyrca shorts + we were the only teens.
We got embarassed the hell out of and consequently got our asses kicked.
It was alright in the beginning when everyone was just going at 35km-ish but after that bridge section... we got SWOOPED.

I'm going to train all summer and my goal is to somehow keep up with those people, they are BEASTS!

Er, what is the donut? I don't see it in that link there.

We didn't get far enough to decide ...

Sr20det I could swear you were 25+. Donut ride is a regular ride fri/sat/sun starting from elginton & laird, uninsured every man for himself hammerfest once it goes north on Keele. Tempo up until there.

Friday night triva time, name that bike:



Jessica Alba ^

Thanks for the compliments.
Maby if I was legal drinking age then I could come and hang out with you guys.

I have a license and a van but only use it in the city to pick up large items or bikes. The nice thing about not having a license is being able to run stop signs and whatnot without having to worry about getting a ticket. It comes in handy when I want to go to London or go to ravenshoe or Hardwood with a bunch of my buddies. When I was looking for insurance, cold calling places, thay were quoting me $4000-$5000. My gf hooked me up with her Dads insurance company and got it down to 2500...but thats for insurance that allows anyone on my team to drive as well. Get a hook-up with someone you know and you will get a better deal.

The donut ride was hilarious. I can still feel pangs of shame from when we were drafting that poor girl up that hill with the crazy headwind for like 3 kms. Then I had to get off the bike so that I didn't die on the saddle. The ride back was freaking wicked though, we probably averaged around 40km/h most of the way back. Those guys really do look down on you if you don't fit in though, so if you ever feel like messing with some meatheads, then show up on a tricycle or something just to freak them out.

PS. Jessica alba ain't gonna be so pretty once that rev-x explodes and she sucks asphalt. Also I didn't know she lived in a homeless commune....

cannondale frame for sure (note the integrated front shock/headset thing).... is that from when she used to star on DarkAngle as a bike courier in seatle?


I'm 24 and have never got my car licence, but I have had my motorcycle (m) licence since I was 16... and have owned and insured bike(s) for the last 8 - 9 years. Usually for $1000 or less per year. Unlike a car that is a money pit waiting to happen (maitnince, parking, insurence, etc), a motorcycle is completely different and I would never think of giving it up no matter what city I lived in.

Damn Dood. How long is this thread going to go on for? I think you folks in Toronato should ask the BF admins to set up another forum called "Toronto has more Fixies than any other town". 1400 repies! That more than some other forums like Folding bikes.

The funny thing is there are like four of us

Plus all the lurkers.

Sweep, looking in your direction ...

Ps. Did you get that IRO you mentioned?

I haven't responded yet, I just joined, so if you're counting make it 1401. And blame it on Cavernmech, he's so cute.

OK, so I'll toot my horn. Ride a fixed on the street, plus other good wheels as well as a tandem. Used to run the fixed gear sprints on Wednesday night on Unwin Ave (how many remember those). And I'm the designer of the HPR, that crazy over/under figure eight velodrome. I know you talked about it in various forums, so if you need to know more, send me a note.

Can I rent that thing out this summer for my birthday?

Holy **** you designed that thing!?
Rent it out to us and you'll become the richest BF member!