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Cycling infrastructure (Separated bike lanes)

According to the 2017 budget presentation, see link, they fiscal conservatives want to reduce winter maintenance for all. Among other things.
  • Eliminate Driveway Windrow Clearing
  • Reduce Grass Cutting From 6 to 5 Cuts Per Season
  • Reduce Refresh of Pavement Markings – every 2 years
  • Reduce Street Sweeping on Arterial Roads to 1 per month
  • Reduce Winter Mtce for Sidewalks, Bus Stops, Bikeways

1. How do I get windrow cleaning? If you don't have a consistent policy across Toronto either eliminate or expand. We all pay equal taxes
2. How about getting funding from conservationists to naturalize a bunch of areas that are grass that are never used by anyone? Golf courses are doing it to save money and a side benefit it creates natural areas for birds and small animals
3. Do they even do it every 2 years right now? I barely can see the markings on the majority of streets
4. Can I get a street sweeper once a year? About 5-6 years ago I called city hall for 3 months to get one on Bathurst under the Gardiner for the sidewalk (when the cement plant was there and the dirt was caked on) and then they finally showed up probably just to shut me up
 
Seriously?
Referring to this, Pink Lucy emboldened the term "babes"
steveintoronto said:
people (babes especially) love him
Seriously?

LNahid2000 and ADRM like this.
Yes...seriously. Quite a few ask if they can post his pic with them on Facebook, etc. I gladly comply. upload_2016-12-26_20-8-11.png


You might have a problem with the term for whatever reason, most don't. For instance, I know one of these "babes", and they have absolutely no problem with the term: (TorStar did a write-up on them just recently, and the term appears many times in the popular press):
Toronto’s Babes Brigade not content to leave skateboarding to the ‘bros’
Female-only skateboard clubs and classes are spreading across Toronto, helping shift the balance in a sport long dominated by men.

By Christopher ReynoldsStaff Reporter
Jesse WinterStaff Reporter
Tues., Aug. 2, 2016
A group of female skateboarders are kickflipping their way into Toronto skate parks, and a new generation of girls could soon be chasing them down the half-pipe.

Babes Brigade, a skateboarding meet-up group, was formed last year and is paving the way one ollie at a time for female board fans looking to break into the sport.


Founder Stephanie Battieste says she was sick of seeing women underrepresented in skate magazines, videos and on the streets of the city. So she called up some friends and created a Facebook page.

“Having a community has been pretty instrumental in my growth over the past couple years,” says Battieste, 29. “I just wanted to give that back and spin it outward.”

The group meets weekly to forge a stronger community out of the women’s street-surfing set.

For Parm Kaur, 20, the crew couldn’t have come soon enough. She first started skateboarding at the park across the street from her childhood home in Orillia, and faced resistance and isolation from her male peers.

“‘Leave the skateboarding for the bros,’” Kaur recalls hearing. “It was really intimidating . . . I’d never seen a girl skating there ever.”

She says women are still being demeaned and objectified. “If you go to a YouTube video of a girl skateboarding, you’ll see comments by guys: ‘That girl’s pretty good — for a girl,’ or, ‘I wish I could find a girl that skateboards.’”
[...]
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...ntent-to-leave-skateboarding-to-the-bros.html

Absolute credit to them.

The view must be great from upon your high horse. I am privileged to receive the wisdom of The World Authority On Cycling
Gosh, no problem there UserName. Except I never claimed to be, albeit have built up many machines over the years, including building my own wheels and machining a number of replacement parts now out-of-production. Just rebuilding a twenty five year old Brooks Swift saddle now, albeit the leather has to be stitched by a boot maker around the corner. I'm Old School, btw. Steel frames, and lo and behold, more of the 'Lycra Crowd' are moving back to them from carbon. They're slowly realizing comfort and ride characteristic are more crucial than absolute light weight if you're doing the distance. Ditto leather saddles, although the real performance oriented ones save weight with Titanium rails and frame. (Personally, I don't think the weight saving is worth the extra $100 or so, and Titanium lacks the spring characteristics of Steel)
I'm not sure why you're always in these threads bragging about your "quality machine". It's not really relevant to the discussion since most people ride normal affordable bikes.
That's an odd claim, LN, since many people I know paid a lot more for their machines than I did mine. (Got an Argos Racing Renovated in the UK for 120 Pounds, second-hand, although I had to triplize the cranks for touring, and replace the headset and a few other items).

Of course, concern about what salt does to a bicycle is a topic with many references on-line. And a "quality" machine refers to what most people ride, contrary to your characterization. If you want to keep riding it for years, and take care, it will do that, it's a "quality" machine. That's why most put them away for the winter. They want them to last. Parts wear, quality steel frames don't. (Albeit salt can destroy them, especially from the inside)

Bike-Share: I almost thought to try one in the last few days, most of the paths and roads are now clear of snow and ice, and as much as I'd find the positioning on those bikes awkward, (once you get used to traps or cleats, riding without them is precarious) it could be handy for doing errands. There's still too much salt left on the roads to put my 'quality' machine in jeopardy. "Sealed Bearings" are more marketing ploy than engineering acumen, albeit true sealed bearings are used on some equipment, (marine for instance) but not on bikes, as all bike 'sealed bearings' are serviceable to some degree, even if it's just seeping in fresh thin lubricant to loosen congealed grease. And salt, unfortunately, especially in brine form, does same. And once in, it's staying there unless you do a complete re-pack.

So I started digging on the Bike Share (and Bixi bikes prior) to see what preventative servicing they do. I never got that far, albeit I'll try again. I did find a litany of reports on mechanical issues though, including seized brake lines and other issues, not the least being unable to return them to a stall where the plan was to do so.

I'd be interested to hear the experience of those who have parked their quality machines for the winter and rented bikes. How dependable and *predictable* do you find the experience of Bike-Share?
 

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A wet and sloppy ride this morning. The bike lane was plowed at some point this morning, but had filled in around 8:30 or so. I wonder if the service level has been reduced.
 
Thursday was the first time I was hit by slush spray from head to toe. I'm used to being with spray on the leg, but this one diesel/tanker truck barreled down Harbord just a foot or two away from me and brought a lot of muck up. Nothing like getting to work soaked. Generally drivers in the Core are pretty courteous when driving through puddles, so really caught me off guard.
 
I'd be interested to hear the experience of those who have parked their quality machines for the winter and rented bikes. How dependable and *predictable* do you find the experience of Bike-Share?
I got one of those $50 deal for one year of unlimited bike rentals (up to 30min each)

It is handy to use spontaneously even if you use it only two times a month, as it saves me from having to pay a streeetcar/subway fare for a short trip such as Church-Bloor to Parliament-Carlton. The bike ride took only eight minutes, faster than public transit for this particular journey. Membership paid for itself already.

I never use the kiosks, I just go straight to any random bike and undock immediately with my keycard. Each imdividual bike dock has a keycard reader, quite convenient.

If a bike is bad, just dock it again, press the "Repair" button to quarantine the bike.... and insert your membership card on an adjacent one to unlock a different one. Takes only seconds. Grab any random bike, if it is bad, there are usually plenty of bikes at the same dock. You ended your rental in seconds, you still have unlimited rentals of short length.

As I am not (yet) a daily user, I've never had to do it (yet) as all the bad bikes were pre-quarantined with a red indicator light by other members.

Bikes.... are mostly consistent for me in effort, braking and inflation (although some make different noises, and others had slightly different effort to pedal, but nothing unusual for a bikeshare) .... they are low performance bikes, muddy feel to brakes due to hub-braking, very heavy, but great for all the downtown 1-way short hops. If you are used to $1000 bikes and going fast, you won't enjoy the bikes for long trips. Just temper expectations accordingly, right trip for the right job. It is still "I'm glad I had my membership instead of waiting for the traffic-clogged streetcar" stuff.

Oh, and always have the Spotcycle app. Launches into a Google Map with all bike dock pushpins including fullness indicator. So you know where your destination dock is, and if it has plenty of empty slots to dock in, etc. And Transit App too, it can unlock Toronto Bike Share from your phone if you forgot your membership card key.
 
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I got one of those $50 deal for one year of unlimited bike rentals (up to 30min each)
[...] Launches into a Google Map with all bike dock pushpins including fullness indicator. So you know where your destination dock is, and if it has plenty of empty slots to dock in, etc. And Transit App too, it can unlock Toronto Bike Share from your phone if you forgot your membership card key.
Excellent answer, thank you. I was considering it, but on continued reflection, I'm on the look-out for a beater that I can set-up to my ergonometric needs, which includes using traps and the toe-in and saddle height critically adjusted. (The knees demand it) Plus I don't have a 'smart-phone' and don't want one. Those machines do look heavy with a high centre of gravity and very wide high bars. Passing stopped/parked cars could get me into trouble, the sense of perimeter clearance is so ingrained from decades of narrow machines and drop bars. There's a number of racks around here (Dundas West/Bloor) and I visually examine the machines every time I pass them.

This really concerned me from the link you posted: "The fee for a lost or stolen bike is $1200 (+ tax).". Yikes!

They do appear to be apt for a certain niche though. Internal gear hubs make a lot of sense for a short-hop bad weather bike. There is a significant transmission loss in them save for the one gear that locks to the case (think 1:1 overdrive in a car manual xmssn). An early Raleigh made Supercycle with the Sturmey 3 spd , (the vast majority came in a gold colour) drop bars and fenders would do me fine, since there's no way I'd be torquing in these weather conditions.

I was unaware of the ability to drop a defective one back into the rack and exchange it for a good one, at no charge. That negates any risk in that regard. How about if you have a flat or mechanical issue while it's in your possession? Are you charged for the extra time? You and I could fix a flat in minutes, (I always travel with tools, it's habit) but the average user? And would you want to? (Flats can be caused as much by improper tire mounting as a puncture, especially with polyaramid casings ).

In the event, I continue to power walk extensively and take transit until early Spring and keep my eyes open for the right junker. Only four months to go...tick, tick, tick.
 
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Just chiming in that it is perfectly possible to ride daily in the winter and not being "crazy". I buy a bike that is less than $1000 and it lasts for 5 to 10 years. I don't see the point of protecting the parts because then the cassettes chain etc. need to be replaced every six months due to mileage regardless of weather. I have no rusting or issues with salt. I understand bikes are actually made of alloys that resist rusting. My last bike that broke to an unrelairable state related to the internal STI shifter and had nothing to do with winter riding. Also apart from 0 degree days with a risk of freezing rain, if the roads are good enough for a car to drive on without slipping, they're good enough for a bike. But yes you have to watch for black ice which I think encounter once a year on side streets. But cars encounter that too. As do pedestrians on side walks.

I find the Bloor door article unfortunate. If you do see people running for two custom cars. I've asked the city to writing the door zone logo markings that have been described on this thread, but they declined. And riding as the TO bike map indicates, away from parked cars, basically on the white line, could prevent these issues. There still lots of room for cars especially with a thin road or tourin bike.

Finally I have noticed that's the bike lanes are not plowed quite so nicely, such as the College lane, which they went to the trouble of writing a winterized logo sign, only to leave it mostly unplowed. In any event wearing Gator booties over your shoes prevents you from getting wet at all. And the drivers seem ok with you coming into the car lane when they see why. But it's not accessible to newbie cyclists.

Also it's unfortunate the Bixi bike fenders are so short to be useless. They need to be longer as well as have mud flaps... you are right in the big profile of the Bixi bikes btw. It's too bad they did not include a variety of bike types such as those with drop bars that have a thinner profile. But people seem to be ok with them and I have successfully ridden them on Bloor although not very happily due to the wide profile.
 
Just chiming in that it is perfectly possible to ride daily in the winter and not being "crazy".
To clarify, I had stated (gist) riding "a quality machine". It appears your idea of what that constitutes and what many articles on-line consider to be is quite different. As for riding altogether, including junkers, for many, it is crazy to try and defy the elements in the city. In virgin snow, and off-roads, it's a very different story. I was alluding to in-city on-road cycling and especially salt use. It doesn't even have to be wet salt to ingress and wear, let alone corrode. Just living by an ocean wears cars, let alone bikes and almost all metallic machinery.

I buy a bike that is less than $1000 and it lasts for 5 to 10 years. I don't see the point of protecting the parts because then the cassettes chain etc. need to be replaced every six months due to mileage regardless of weather.
You have to replace your cassette and chain every six months? Holy Moly....either you ride junk or are completey unaware of what you're doing to your machine. Your chainwheels, cassette/freewheel and chain should ideally all wear together, and be replaced together, albeit there are exceptions. Some softer chainwheel alloys wear faster and can be replaced prior to the other two, and only those chainwheels that show the wear, almost always the smallest (closest to the frame). All day riding, if you take care of your machine, should allow your chain (if of suitable quality) and cogs (cassette or freewheel cluster) to last two years. The bike itself, if of sufficient quality and treated well, should last generations. One presupposes you know how to align your chain when shifting gears on a multi-chainwheel machine? That's a huge wear factor when the vector angle becomes high.

I have no rusting or issues with salt. I understand bikes are actually made of alloys that resist rusting. My last bike that broke to an unrelairable state related to the internal STI shifter and had nothing to do with winter riding. Also apart from 0 degree days with a risk of freezing rain, if the roads are good enough for a car to drive on without slipping, they're good enough for a bike.
I see...you make a point, just not the one you wish. Alloys corrode, some faster than others, unless you have Titanium, which unless is heated, is resistant. Somehow I suspect that's not an issue in your case.
"Also apart from 0 degree days with a risk of freezing rain, if the roads are good enough for a car to drive on without slipping, they're good enough for a bike." I see. So you lean your car over into turns such that the wheels are at an angle to the pavement? Gosh, who knew cycling defied the laws of adhesion and physics? It doesn't even have to be fully formed 'Black Ice' to lose your adhesion on.
Black ice may form even when the ambient temperature is several degrees above the freezing point of water 0 °C (32 °F), if the air warms suddenly after a prolonged cold spell that has left the surface of the roadway well below the freezing point temperature. [...]
Black ice - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_ice

Meantime, I suggest those who wish to keep their better machines from corroding consult one of the 556,000 Google hits to:
"rust prevention bikes"
 
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You still indicate it's crazy to ride in the city, and not off road, but given my 10 years of city riding, I note that is totally your opinion, but not my experience. I am very relaxed when I ride in the winter and don't feel a danger at all. Do you feel a danger walking in the winter?

Black ice - look for a sheen on the road and if you hit, don't brake. Scary but same thing walking or in a car. And it's rare.

The city keeps the roads clear for cars and by extension bikes. Is it crazy to drive in the winter? I just feel that epithet rubs me the wrong way. And my bike runs perfectly fine, thank you very much. No I do not envision having it in 10 years tho, just as a car would not be around in 10 years.

Yes the parts wear together and are replaced together. Just like a car you have to replace things every now and then. So what?

Chain replacement - I come up with 5000 km, not two years. See google. 10000 for a cassette. I choose to replace both at the same time as I have a heavy pannier that causes issues when the wear is not the same on replacement parts.
 
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You still indicate it's crazy to ride in the city, and not off road, but given my 10 years of city riding, I note that is totally your opinion, but not my experience.
Well if you want to play the experience game, I've cycled for fifty in this city, and in many others living in three nations. And I do up to 150 kms in a day in clement weather and environment. You can do as you wish, some days are cyclable in relative safety in this city, many aren't. I express the view of the majority of cyclists, btw. I've asked a lot of other cyclists on this issue. For many of us, there's a point where it's just rational to pass until the weather permits safe cycling again.

Black ice - look for a sheen on the road and if you hit, don't brake. Scary but same thing walking or in a car. And it's rare.
I suggest you read some more on Black Ice. You're wrong, and you verify my point on the dangerous chances you take. And it's far from "rare". "Scary but same thing walking"...hardly. Yes you can go down walking, which is why you stay away from roads when the icing is obviously dangerous. Falling is one thing, doing it off the road so you don't get hit by a vehicle is quite another. You also tread a much wider stance when walking...if you have two legs, and don't lean into turns...

The city keeps the roads clear for cars and by extension bikes. Is it crazy to drive in the winter?
If you don't need to, absolutely. There's already been a number of warnings issued this season to not drive unless "absolutely necessary".
Chain replacement - I come up with 5000 km, not two years. See google. 10000 for a cassette. I choose to replace both at the same time as I have a heavy pannier that causes issues when the wear is not the same on replacement parts.
The weight on the rear of the machine will affect the wheel bearings, not the chain and cassette teeth, the wear of which is due to other factors.
I just feel that epithet rubs me the wrong way.
You're welcome to feel however you like. The majority of cyclists disagree.
And my bike runs perfectly fine, thank you very much.
In your opinion, and yet you claim to have to change your chain and cassette every six months.
No I do not envision having it in 10 years tho, just as a car would not be around in 10 years.
Cars are lasting well beyond ten years on average now.
Search Results
Cars That Can Last For 250,000 Miles (Or More) - Forbes
www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2013/03/14/cars-that-can-last-for-250000-miles/
Mar 14, 2013 - “Today's cars are built to last as long as 250,000 miles or more with ... is predicted to deliver better- or much-better-than-average long-term ...
Whether by necessity or choice, U.S. motorists are holding onto their cars for longer than ever, with the age of the average vehicle on the road at a record-high 10.8 years, according to the research company R.L. Polk in Southfield Mich. By comparison, the average life expectancy of a new car in 1930 was a scant 6.75 years. Fortunately, today’s cars are more than up to the task of going the distance....
How to Make Your Car Last 200,000 Miles - Consumer Reports
www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/05/make-your-car-last-200-000.../index.htm
Many of today's cars last for 200000 miles or more with few if any major repairs, ... it will be time to move on because it's costing too much or is no longer safe.
Buying a Car: How Long Can You Expect a Car to Last? - Autotrader
www.autotrader.com/car.../buying-a-car-how-long-can-you-expect-a-car-to-last-2407...
How many years and miles should you expect to get out of a new car? ... When you're buying a new car, it's hard to know exactly how long it'll last. ... The answer could be infinite, depending on how much money and time you're willing to ...
10 Long-Lasting Cars That Will Go the Distance and Then Some
www.cheatsheet.com/.../10-long-lasting-cars-that-will-go-the-distance-and-then-some....
Mar 9, 2014 - Here are ten cars determined to be the longest-lasting, according to ... However, it should be noted that the Civic is a much higher-volume ...
Cars now last longer than ever -- will yours? - CBS News
www.cbsnews.com › MoneyWatch › Money
Aug 7, 2015 - "Every new car today is built to last a quarter of a million miles," said Mike ... fluid and other engine liquids were pretty much interchangeable among brands. ... Other long-lasting cars included the Subaru Legacy, Toyota (TM) ...
How long can a car realistically last? - Quora
https://www.quora.com/How-long-can-a-car-realistically-last
There are cars, which are mostly show vehicles, which are over 100 years old.They are towed ... Highway miles are much easier on a car than city miles. [...]
Bikes, unfortunately, due to the attitudes of the consumer generation, skinny chains, wider yaw ratio and lack of upkeep on many, are not lasting as long as they used to.

Gosh...I wonder why?

Even the majority of motorbike owners pull their machines off the road for the winter.

Excellent recent (three weeks ago) bicycle forum on black ice here, be sure to read the comments:
Black Ice - The Hidden Threat for Cyclists
>Black ice is back. It is one of the most harmful threats for cyclists at this time of the year. The only way to deal with it is with awareness, attention and care. It can cause a cyclist to have a dangerous wipe out instantly because it eliminates the traction and stability that is needed to stay upright. >Wiping out on black ice can be reduced if you, go slower, avoid using your front brake as often and especially when turning. Lowering your tire pressure might help to increase traction. Also, using a lower gear can help. Because of the instability black ice causes when riding, one must ride more deliberately and concentrate on their balance and use less counter balance in turns to remain stable.
Don't let black ice wipe you out. Ride aware and ride safely.

A few helpful articles:

http://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/article/cycling-in-icy-condit...

http://www.icebike.org/winter-cycling-techniques-for-any-kind-of-sn...

[...]
http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/t...Id=2211490:Comment:1030513&xg_source=activity

Lots more articles on-line for black ice and cycling.
 
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Re: Bikeshare versus beater bike
Excellent answer, thank you. I was considering it, but on continued reflection, I'm on the look-out for a beater that I can set-up to my ergonometric needs, which includes using traps and the toe-in and saddle height critically adjusted. (The knees demand it) Plus I don't have a 'smart-phone' and don't want one. Those machines do look heavy with a high centre of gravity and very wide high bars.
...[snip]...
I was unaware of the ability to drop a defective one back into the rack and exchange it for a good one, at no charge. That negates any risk in that regard. How about if you have a flat or mechanical issue while it's in your possession? Are you charged for the extra time? You and I could fix a flat in minutes, (I always travel with tools, it's habit) but the average user? And would you want to?
Center of gravity is actually lower than it looks, the bikes feel more bottom-heavy than top-heavy, and it's very hard to tip over, and easy to recover from ice slipping. Though with the mass, they do have extra momentum.

Usual accidental flats (riding over sharp debris) and unexpected mechanical issues (not caused by fault) aren't your responsibility. You just dock it anywhere and press the Repair button, and grab a different bike, even at any interim station nearest you. They are pretty forgiving about common damage. Which is really the nice thing; don't need to worry about biking over an unexpected thumbtack...

I don't worry about the $1200 fee for lost bike because once you dock (Green light) the responsibility is 100% ended.... It's their responsibility if a thief later rips the bike out of that dock immediately, even five seconds after you returned the bike (after you've already seen the green light indicating transmission of signal to central servers confirming the complete ending of your own bike rental responsibility -- the green light takes only 1-2 seconds to show up after you docked!). But bikeshare theft is almost nonexistent with modern bikeshare systems, due to the bike distinctiveness and sometimes they have built-in GPS trackers (like SoBi Hamilton).

Although for Toronto' specific system you can only park bikes at official bike docks (And not regular bike racks, unlike Hamilton's SoBi bike share) -- necessitating making sure you've got a dock near your intermediate stops and destinations -- it means your rental responsibility temporarily ends during those stops. Your bike trip before/after are treated as separate bike rentals (from the moment you undock to the moment you dock) with no bike responsibility or worry in between.

A beater bike purchased from a bike shop, adjusted to your comfort, will certainly be more comfortable. The bikeshare bikes aren't inherently uncomfortable to me, and seat height adjustment is really quick (big lever handle) but a beater bike that's well tuned might be preferred.

A smartphone is optional. You'll just have to rely on memorized or paper map of bike share dock locations, and use your keycard only.

On the other hand, freedom of worry from theft & weather & damage can also be quite worth it for a percentage bike trips within the bikeshare territory. You can suddenly decide to take transit instead, Car2Go, Uber, taxi, to fill other legs of your trips in between your 1-way bikeshare hops. Certainly fills needs for some trips...
 
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Re: Bikeshare versus beater bike

Center of gravity is actually lower than it looks, the bikes feel more bottom-heavy than top-heavy, and it's very hard to tip over, and easy to recover from ice slipping. Though with the mass, they do have extra momentum.

Usual accidental flats (riding over sharp debris) and unexpected mechanical issues (not caused by fault) aren't your responsibility. You just dock it anywhere and press the Repair button, and grab a different bike, even at any interim station nearest you. They are pretty forgiving about common damage. Which is really the nice thing; don't need to worry about biking over an unexpected thumbtack...

I don't worry about the $1200 fee for lost bike because once you dock (Green light) the responsibility is 100% ended.... It's their responsibility if a thief later rips the bike out of that dock immediately, even five seconds after you returned the bike (after you've already seen the green light indicating transmission of signal to central servers confirming the complete ending of your own bike rental responsibility -- the green light takes only 1-2 seconds to show up after you docked!). But bikeshare theft is almost nonexistent with modern bikeshare systems, due to the bike distinctiveness and sometimes they have built-in GPS trackers (like SoBi Hamilton).

Although you can only park bikes at official bike docks (And not regular bike racks) -- necessitating making sure you've got a dock near your intermediate stops and destinations -- it means your rental responsibility temporarily ends during those stops. Your bike trip before/after are treated as separate bike rentals (from the moment you undock to the moment you dock) with no bike responsibility or worry in between.

A beater bike purchased from a bike shop, adjusted to your comfort, will certainly be more comfortable. The bikeshare bikes aren't inherently uncomfortable to me, and seat height adjustment is really quick (big lever handle) but a beater bike that's well tuned might be preferred.

A smartphone is optional. You'll just have to rely on memorized or paper map of bike share dock locations, and use your keycard only.

On the other hand, freedom of worry from theft & weather & damage can also be quite worth it for a percentage bike trips within the bikeshare territory. You can suddenly decide to take transit instead, Car2Go, Uber, taxi, to fill other legs of your trips in between your 1-way bikeshare hops. Certainly fills needs for some trips...

Agree with all of this and, just to add on because it's great, "Transit App" makes the retrieving of a bike and location of available stations super quick and straightforward.

If you have a bike share membership (half off for the year if you have a Presto card), the app geolocates you very quickly upon boot-up, identifies the stand nearest to your location, and displays the number of bikes remaining at that dock. You click "get ride code" and it gives you a code to unlock a bike at the nearest dock. Very slick.
 
Excellent answer, thank you. I was considering it, but on continued reflection, I'm on the look-out for a beater that I can set-up to my ergonometric needs, which includes using traps and the toe-in and saddle height critically adjusted. (The knees demand it) Plus I don't have a 'smart-phone' and don't want one. Those machines do look heavy with a high centre of gravity and very wide high bars. Passing stopped/parked cars could get me into trouble, the sense of perimeter clearance is so ingrained from decades of narrow machines and drop bars. There's a number of racks around here (Dundas West/Bloor) and I visually examine the machines every time I pass them.

This really concerned me from the link you posted: "The fee for a lost or stolen bike is $1200 (+ tax).". Yikes!

They do appear to be apt for a certain niche though. Internal gear hubs make a lot of sense for a short-hop bad weather bike. There is a significant transmission loss in them save for the one gear that locks to the case (think 1:1 overdrive in a car manual xmssn). An early Raleigh made Supercycle with the Sturmey 3 spd , (the vast majority came in a gold colour) drop bars and fenders would do me fine, since there's no way I'd be torquing in these weather conditions.

I was unaware of the ability to drop a defective one back into the rack and exchange it for a good one, at no charge. That negates any risk in that regard. How about if you have a flat or mechanical issue while it's in your possession? Are you charged for the extra time? You and I could fix a flat in minutes, (I always travel with tools, it's habit) but the average user? And would you want to? (Flats can be caused as much by improper tire mounting as a puncture, especially with polyaramid casings ).

In the event, I continue to power walk extensively and take transit until early Spring and keep my eyes open for the right junker. Only four months to go...tick, tick, tick.

You really should never have to worry about losing a bike. Just make sure you dock it properly (a green light will flash when you do). If you're planning on locking it up elsewhere, BikeShare probably isn't for you. That's just not the way it was designed.

The closest I come to that is when I drop off and pick up my laundry. There's a BikeShare dock right in front of my building, but nowhere near the laundry place. It's only like a 5 minute ride away, so plenty of time to get there and back, so I just lean it up against a pole for 5 seconds. But really, you shouldn't be doing a ton of that kind of stuff. BikeShare is designed mostly for point to point services, not necessarily round trips, and certainly not touring or recreational use. Though, I do use it for the latter from time to time, and just keep track of how long I have the bike out and re-dock every 25 mins or so.

The bike's themselves are decent. They're sturdy, heavy, and upright. The gearing is fine, but the top speed isn't very high. But that's all you need to get around the city. Again, not really for touring or recreation. The baskets could be a bit more useful, but they're perfect for a shoulder bag, even a re-useable grocery bag fits nicely in it. I've also managed to stuff a carry-on sized roller suitcase in there once for a segment of a trip back from the airport.

As for defective bikes, there's a button on the dock at each bike which you press if it needs service. Don't fix a flat or anything yourself. Ideally there should be a dock close enough to you basically at all times that you can get there to swap it out quickly. If you do go over, you can usually explain it in an email or phone call and they can waive the extra time (this hasn't happened to me, so mostly speculation).

And, if the dock is full, you can press a button on the kiosk to extend your time to reach the next dock.

I'm a huge fan of the system the way it is. I want to see it expand even further and increase the density and visibility of the docks throughout, and fill in some gaps. It's so nice to just be able to spontaneously take one-way trips and not worry about your bike being locked in a risky place, or have to lug it home if it starts to rain and you decide to take the TTC, and so on.

I know Mark talks about Sobi in Hamilton a lot, and I know he likes it, but I have some reservations about it that I've mentioned on here before. I think the dock system works well for my needs.
 
You really should never have to worry about losing a bike. Just make sure you dock it properly (a green light will flash when you do). If you're planning on locking it up elsewhere, BikeShare probably isn't for you. That's just not the way it was designed.

The closest I come to that is when I drop off and pick up my laundry. There's a BikeShare dock right in front of my building, but nowhere near the laundry place. It's only like a 5 minute ride away, so plenty of time to get there and back, so I just lean it up against a pole for 5 seconds. But really, you shouldn't be doing a ton of that kind of stuff. BikeShare is designed mostly for point to point services, not necessarily round trips, and certainly not touring or recreational use. Though, I do use it for the latter from time to time, and just keep track of how long I have the bike out and re-dock every 25 mins or so.

The bike's themselves are decent. They're sturdy, heavy, and upright. The gearing is fine, but the top speed isn't very high. But that's all you need to get around the city. Again, not really for touring or recreation. The baskets could be a bit more useful, but they're perfect for a shoulder bag, even a re-useable grocery bag fits nicely in it. I've also managed to stuff a carry-on sized roller suitcase in there once for a segment of a trip back from the airport.

As for defective bikes, there's a button on the dock at each bike which you press if it needs service. Don't fix a flat or anything yourself. Ideally there should be a dock close enough to you basically at all times that you can get there to swap it out quickly. If you do go over, you can usually explain it in an email or phone call and they can waive the extra time (this hasn't happened to me, so mostly speculation).

And, if the dock is full, you can press a button on the kiosk to extend your time to reach the next dock.

I'm a huge fan of the system the way it is. I want to see it expand even further and increase the density and visibility of the docks throughout, and fill in some gaps. It's so nice to just be able to spontaneously take one-way trips and not worry about your bike being locked in a risky place, or have to lug it home if it starts to rain and you decide to take the TTC, and so on.

I know Mark talks about Sobi in Hamilton a lot, and I know he likes it, but I have some reservations about it that I've mentioned on here before. I think the dock system works well for my needs.

All great points. This is pipe dreaming here, because Toronto council, but what should also really happen is a prioritization of the construction of protected cycle tracks along some of the most-trafficked bike share routes.

That should be very easy data to assemble (and I'd love if BST would make all their trip data open source), and it'd be a great way to both encourage bike share usage and enhance safety of a large number residents.
 
BikeShare is designed mostly for point to point services, not necessarily round trips, and certainly not touring or recreational use. Though, I do use it for the latter from time to time, and just keep track of how long I have the bike out and re-dock every 25 mins or so.
Yeah, I've been reading up a lot on it, mostly the predecessor and the Montreal model it was based on. It appears to be aimed at, and therefore appeal to a limited niche. I actually picked up the rear end of one at a docking station an hour ago to test weight and balance. It was much heavier than I'd even imagined. The claim of "aluminum frame" matters little in the overall weight of a machine once it's adorned with heavy attachments. I could immediately tell the centre of gravity is also top heavy, just by the feel of lifting it by the saddle.

Curiously, I've been looking for a review by a cycling org or mag, found none, just by the TorStar (Dave Rider's two major articles years back) and within the confines of the parameters you describe, it appears very apt. For myself, with boxes of bike parts from over the years? I'll buy a junker and optimize it for my needs. For me, the saddle nature, height, and *forward backward adjustment* is crucial to not further damage a torn knee. I can do hundreds of kms a day on it...*if* position is critically adjusted. Needless to say I'd have flat or slightly dropped bars too. That body positioning is crucial to being poised to roll with an accident if one happens. (It's been over twenty years since I folded up a frame)(an unmarked cop car pulled in front of me with no lights)(I got their insurance to pay).

If anyone does know of a 'road test' of the present or Bixi forerunners (same machine, different stickers) please link. I must admit, it's like renting a car though, the thought of keeping clean fingernails grows more desirable with time!
but what should also really happen is a prioritization of the construction of protected cycle tracks along some of the most-trafficked bike share routes.
Certainly got to agree with that. I'm an aggressive and fast cyclist, even obeying all traffic rules, and half an hour doesn't get me even half way across Metro's boundaries.

For most of the "close destinations" Bike Share is optimized for, I can walk almost or as fast, taking the back alleys and shortcuts whenever possible (not something you'd do with bike like the Bixi). A well balanced machine, even a junker, should be able to be pushed from the saddle when trucking along. In the event, I take my chances on the sidewalks walking than in the curbs where ice and debris collects this time of year. And when I'm walking, I never have to keep looking over my shoulder...
 
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