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General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)

Admiral Beez said:
That Citroen wagon is cool.
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My eyes were immediately drawn to the old Austin or derivative travelling west. But you're right! That Citroen is a usable size, and a 'station wagon type' to boot, unlike the Austin. (There's a refurbished Austin Cambridge in supreme condition driving around Guelph)

But the Citroen DS:
https://www.google.ca/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=Citroën+DS+Station+Wagon&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=pejuV86HJouN8QekmpmACg

It *is* a beauty!

And the Wall Street Journal thinks same:
The Citroën DS 19: Why It’s the Ultimate Classic Car
The Citroën DS is technically unsurpassed, completely inimitable, has a great back story and is the most beautiful car of all time, writes Dan Neil
[...]
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http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-citroen-ds-19-why-its-the-ultimate-classic-car-1430501156
 
It was either those fancy cars or the CCM your parents got you at Canadian Tire in the 1960s.

img00858-20120824-1641.jpg


But better with 3-speed gears and a banana seat, of course.
3-speed-ccm-mustang-banana-seat-bike-140-dundas-dufferin_8230033.jpg
 
ADRM said:
In general, there are so many streets in Toronto that are almost never congested and would be shoe-in protected cycle track candidates if this city was actually serious about building cycle safety infrastructure.
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I always feel like this opinion sounds a lot like Rob Ford's "subways subways subways". Basically, move the cyclists somewhere where drivers don't have to see them. There's a reason that side streets parallel to Woodbine don't have bike lanes: they don't need them. They're already cyclist-friendly, at least for short distances. It's the congested streets where the cycling facilities are needed the most, not side streets. Streets like Woodbine are hostile to cycling but they're also the most direct way to get through a neighbourhood, they have the businesses that cyclists go to, and they're not riddled with stop signs. Sure, side streets often run parallel to major roads, but they just as often follow circuitous routes or end completely. Along Woodbine for example, the side streets are very discontinuous south of Danforth and they don't cross the train tracks at all.

Woodbine is one of those streets that doesn't function very well for drivers since one lane is full of parked cars and the other is full of left turning cars. Driving on streets like that is an exercise in frustration, constantly weaving between lanes. It seems like it would actually function better with one driving lane in each direction, left turn lanes at intersections, and dedicated parking lanes where there's room. Dundas in this part of the city didn't turn into traffic chaos when it was redesigned and Woodbine won't either.

Besides, Woodbine was never designed for cars in the first place, that part of the city being developed in the 1900s-1920s. The four lanes of cars were the result of a retrofit that created a less pleasant streetscape and never worked all that well for drivers. A redesign like this is just restoring a better balance between transportation modes. As others have said, cycling will increase if this is approved.
 
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MisterF said:
I always feel like this opinion sounds a lot like Rob Ford's "subways subways subways".
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You misread my intent. I used to live at Gerrard and Woodbine, and there are some excellent side roads to avoid Woodbine. I'm *FOR* cycle lanes on Woodbine, but why fight with idiot drivers when there's better ways to get where you're going?

I *tour* on back roads to get away from cars passing me by inches. Until they do bike lanes properly, I'll continue taking safer routes, even if it takes me out of the way.
 
steveintoronto said:
You misread my intent. I used to live at Gerrard and Woodbine, and there are some excellent side roads to avoid Woodbine. I'm *FOR* cycle lanes on Woodbine, but why fight with idiot drivers when there's better ways to get where you're going?

I *tour* on back roads to get away from cars passing me by inches. Until they do bike lanes properly, I'll continue taking safer routes, even if it takes me out of the way.
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I wasn't quoting you but I don't disagree with your point. I use side streets to avoid major roads too. But when those major roads get decent bike facilities, it makes getting around on a bicycle much easier and more popular.
 
steveintoronto said:
Is this you?
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Not me. My Hog's still in good shape, on a hook in the basement. I'd like to donate it and replace it with an upright roadster with internal hub gears, like the:
Now, why can't I find an upright men's bike with Shimano Nexus 8 internal hub gears, fully enclosed chain case and centerstand like this in Canada? I'd gladly pay the equal CAD$ price to GBP.

http://www.begbicycles.com/ride/billy

2128671311.jpg


Too bad this isn't available in green with 8 speed http://www.pashley.co.uk/bikes/bicycles/roadster-sovereign.php
 
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W. K. Lis said:
Before the 401, one could bicycle from Avenue Road & Wilson to Yonge Street & Sheppard without negotiating any big hills.
Before:
2012410-ave-wilson-1949.jpg

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That's interesting about the Hoggs Hollow bridge. It was built in 1929, well before the 401. Trucks had real problem with the valley, so this bridge was built. It connected to the new highway 11A (Avenue Road - across the bottom of photo). It also allowed trucks to skirt the top of the valley on Yong Blvd. And join back to highway 11 at the south edge of the hill (just below tree line, going left to right on photo). In the 1950's, the bridge became part of the Toronto By-Pass highway (which then was planned to be 401 and 427).

Also interesting was that the bridge es built in 9 months. A similar bridge today would take 2 or 3 years.
 
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You can get a Simcoe signature 7-speed with an enclosed chain case. They don't come with the centre stand though.

Any ideas on where to donate a bike these days?
 
Wrenkin said:
Any ideas on where to donate a bike these days?
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Watchugot? I'm seriously considering getting a second machine as I don't ride my classic off-season. It's difficult to step down, however, I do so many distance miles on it, and it becomes an extension of me.

Meantime:
Search Results
Bikes Without Borders
www.bikeswithoutborders.org/
Pedal-Powered Change Donate | Volunteer Learn More. ... Our current focus is the Great Bike Recycle in Toronto, to support incoming refugees and low-income ...
‎What We Do · ‎Contact Us · ‎Our Story · ‎Malawi Research
Toronto Bicycle Recycling | Torontos easy soloution to recycling your ...
https://torontobicyclerecycling.wordpress.com/
Jan 2, 2013 - Toronto Bicycle Recycling has been established to initiate a means of returning ... The bikes that get donated normally end up in 3 groups:.
r e CYCLE—recycled bicycles—recycling bikes—donate-a-bike
www.2wheels.ca/
reCYCLEd bicycles, recycling bikes, donate-a-bike, used bikes, upCYCLED bikes | Recycling Bicycles in Toronto, We recycle used bikes, repair used bicycles, ...
Donate Your Old Bike | Community Bicycle Network
www.communitybicyclenetwork.org/recycling/
Please don't put your old bicycle(s) out at the curb for collection. Consider donating your wheels to a friend or family member -or to CBN. While bicycles are good ...

That Simcoe is a great looking bike for the upright Dutch style and it seems Bikes on Wheels carry them.
 
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