Anyone here a cyclist? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Anyone here a cyclist?

MaksTO

Well-known member
I've been cycling for a long long time. Stopped riding much during my four years at UofT, but getting back into it this year. Undergrad did not treat my body well lol. Gonna try being two wheels only in the city - powered, and unpowered.

Partly curious because as a life-long cyclist, it seems Motorcyclists and Cyclists have a lot of the same experiences about riding in Toronto, especially with things like theft, automobile related deaths, and generally dangerous riding conditions due do being virtually invisible on the road.

If you ride unpowered bikes, what do you currently ride on?

I've been seriously wondering why motorcyclists and cyclists don't get along or intermingle as much, at least on an advocacy/civil basis. Obviously there's probably a massive ideological difference with some, but I also know many cyclists who love motorcycles and don't own them for financial limitations (*Cough* insurance). I'd imagine there are some common goals shared by both worlds, or maybe I am just an idealist.
 
I ride a Specialized mtb , since living in Milton we have some where to go, and a beat to heck Cannondale road bike thats older than Lance Armstrong. And an Amish 1spd for going to the grocery store.
I pedal and motor, living where I am my only dream for co-operation is just because you can pedal three wide , up a hill playing "tour" doesn't mean its helpful for anybody but you. Longterm probably not for you either....
 
I ride a Specialized mtb , since living in Milton we have some where to go, and a beat to heck Cannondale road bike thats older than Lance Armstrong. And an Amish 1spd for going to the grocery store.
I pedal and motor, living where I am my only dream for co-operation is just because you can pedal three wide , up a hill playing "tour" doesn't mean its helpful for anybody but you. Longterm probably not for you either....

Nice! Have you considered getting a track bike for your fancy new Velodrome over there? Been meaning to go out there for some courses, but I sold off my track bikes a while back for space and practicality reasons. It looks like a blast!

Three up on an open road isn't cool agreed. Most groups I've ridden with downtown will usually move over on one lane roads to let cars pass safely, or if its a multi-lane, we'd often just take the right lane and let cars pass on the left. Keeping in mind those groups were usually 30+ people so that's really the best and safest option for them.
 
I've been seriously wondering why motorcyclists and cyclists don't get along or intermingle as much

could be because the majority of motorcyclists ride within HTA directions
and in our own self-interest practice defensive driving techniques always

whereas the converse is true for the majority of cyclists

and then there's the money thing
 
could be because the majority of motorcyclists ride within HTA directions
and in our own self-interest practice defensive driving techniques always

whereas the converse is true for the majority of cyclists

and then there's the money thing

HTA? Highway Traffic Act?

Some cyclists definitely don't abide by road rules (pretty damaging to the overall perception of them, and hard to enforce since they don't have to be government certified to ride), though most official riding groups are pretty strict about that I find, and riding with them requires insurance which helps weed out random people who are just there to f around.

I always thought that cyclists had as much an interest in defensive driving as MC's, especially given the insane fatality rate of downtown cyclists in the last year (record high in 2018 if I am not mistaken). Often same scenarios where a car or large truck is turning without seeing them, or speeding through an intersection and uh... well... we all know how that ends... I can't count the amount of times I've had to do emergency maneuvers due to not being seen by a car. I am also usually capable of moving faster than traffic downtown on my bike, which seems to be a similar tactic in Motorcycling, in an effort to avoid lingering in peoples blind spots.

Having a separate bike lane helps in some regards, but also doesn't in many others. Many just treat them as parking spots, or passengers don't look before opening doors (this is a huge problem I've noticed on the new Bloor St. bike lanes. Way more dangerous than the road in my experience because passengers are FAR less likely to check their mirrors than drivers before opening).
 
I find it doesn't matter how you respond to the negativity @MaksTO, there have been a noteable amount of sweeping generalization bike hater posts from a number of members and calling it out before never changed a thing. I move on. I also remember posting about potential synergies between cyclists and motorcyclists a few times here over the years and it didn't even get a single reply or acknowledgement (fwiw). I enjoy bicycles and ride a high end MB (probably ~$8k to replace) and get good miles out of it. I try to get to the Rockies year to year to bike and hike. I'll ride the same bike on local trails and on road in bike-friendly areas.
 
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It doesn't matter @MaksTO, there's a noteable amount of sweeping generalization bike hater posts here from a number of members and calling it out before never changed a thing. I ride a high end MB (probably ~$8k to replace) andj get good miles out of it. I try to get to the Rockies year to year to bike and hike. I'll ride the same bike on local trails and on road in bike-friendly areas.

Didn't realize
I find it doesn't matter how you respond to the negativity @MaksTO, there's a noteable amount of sweeping generalization bike hater posts here from a number of members and calling it out before never changed a thing. I ride a high end MB (probably ~$8k to replace) andj get good miles out of it. I try to get to the Rockies year to year to bike and hike. I'll ride the same bike on local trails and on road in bike-friendly areas. I remember posting about potential synergies between cyclist and motorcyclists a few time here over the years and it didn't even get a single reply or acknowledgement.

Noted. Unfortunate but noted. I get that everyone has their own interests to protect.

Always wanted to get into MTB. But other than the Don there’s not much near downtown to ride in. Gonna see if I can get my friend who works in the industry to lend me a full squish for a weekend as a demo one day maybe ;)
 
I ride an older GT skinny tired road bike and a one speed beater.
I stay as much as I can to the bike trails, lanes and paths.
Too many stupid cagers out there still staring at their phones and driving like morons.
Having said that, there are a lot of cyclists that don't do themselves any favours too.
 
@MaksTO, the DVP is 4 km from downtown Toronto and there are some fun MB trails even there. I have friends who road bike. There's a big road bike community in the GTA, you'll probably see a few respond here. Enjoy. I've been out riding when the weather's good and am surprisingly in great spring cardio shape already. I'm definitely going to the Rockies this year with the MB. For the last number of years I ride my MB waaay more than my motorcycle. I also have a quality second classic hardtail MB that I've now owned for 25 years (and I still ride it from time to time); it was the first MB that showed me buying quality matters.
 
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Haven’t had a road bike for over a decade. Frankly, too dangerous to coexist with cages. Even with dedicated lanes.

Saying that, I’ve been on two wheels for as long as I can remember. BMX, road, mtb. Even pre-bmx with the likes of banana seat CCM with red line tires, ape hangers and grip tassels made perfect for Evil Knievel jumps using home made ramps of plywood and cinder blocks. Brave kids laying on the sidewalk ala buses at Caesar’s Palace. Made chalk marks to measure the distances of the jumps before deciding we could use each other.

The family is all mtb and we do some trails from Niagara/Hamilton area. And around town too.

Nothing fancy but, do have middle of the road equipment from Cannondale and Specialized and Opus.

Don’t really ride too hard now but, once in a while I’ll try and impress the kids. While the wife gives the evil eye so, I dial things back.








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I've looked at our velodrome literally thousands of times, they tried to get an introductory track program going, no idea if it worked or not. I'd like to go someday, I went to the one in London years ago, but I was 20lbs smaller and a bit more fit.
A work aquaintance is into it, his english framed steed is worth more than my motorbike.
 
I ride both, but not much on the pedal beasts these days.

Both are vulnerable road users, but after that there isn't much in common. I don't think you'll see pedal and motor cyclists collaborating, they have different agendas and as you said there are massive ideological differences.

If I were leading a cycle advocacy group today, I'd be a little worried about where PCs might take things such as licencing, rules enforcement, liability, etc.
 
I cycle but for pleasure not transportation. I wouldn’t think of riding in the city for that I’m driving my 5800lb safety cage. But nothing better than a 35min motorcycle ride to the forest ride MTB for few hours then cruise back home.
My rides 2015 ktm 1190 adventure
2012 Niner Jet9RDO

 
I have a hybrid/commuter bike on like 36c tires and i have a more aggressive supersix evo for other rides and training

I commute whether on my motorcycle or on my bicycle on my 20-25km commute, takes a similar amount of time from door to door thx to our wonderful traffic (about 1h)

Being a cager + cyclist + motorcyclist, i get to see and understand traffic a lot more...but i'm also lucky as i commute along lakeshore and martin goodman trail so cagers on there are motorcycle AND bicycle friendly. I can see both groups working together for safer streets overall..but the cyclists need a completely separate infrastructure compared to motorcyclists so the end goals aren't exactly the same.
 
I find it doesn't matter how you respond to the negativity @MaksTO, there have been a noteable amount of sweeping generalization bike hater posts from a number of members and calling it out before never changed a thing. I move on. I also remember posting about potential synergies between cyclists and motorcyclists a few times here over the years and it didn't even get a single reply or acknowledgement (fwiw). I enjoy bicycles and ride a high end MB (probably ~$8k to replace) and get good miles out of it. I try to get to the Rockies year to year to bike and hike. I'll ride the same bike on local trails and on road in bike-friendly areas.

want to clarify my opinion as I value yours, KW

I was referring to general folks on bicycles that alternate all day long
between pedestrian and vehicle mode
sidewalk riding, ignoring stop signs, rolling red lights
then when it suits them, demand the respect due a vehicle

serious cyclists do not do this
they are professional in their riding and I have no problem sharing the road safely with them

in my small city there are many of the former and few of the latter
 
I've looked at our velodrome literally thousands of times, they tried to get an introductory track program going, no idea if it worked or not. I'd like to go someday, I went to the one in London years ago, but I was 20lbs smaller and a bit more fit.
A work aquaintance is into it, his english framed steed is worth more than my motorbike.
I had some friends take the intro course. Was a blast apparently. They provide you with ALU Argon 18 bikes, which are pretty damn good.

Velodrome builds can get laughably expensive. I think the Olympic BT Technology complete bikes push $30k or something? If not more?
 
I cycle but for pleasure not transportation. I wouldn’t think of riding in the city for that I’m driving my 5800lb safety cage. But nothing better than a 35min motorcycle ride to the forest ride MTB for few hours then cruise back home.
My rides 2015 ktm 1190 adventure
2012 Niner Jet9RDO

Very cool transporting rig. whoa...
 
I have a hybrid/commuter bike on like 36c tires and i have a more aggressive supersix evo for other rides and training

I commute whether on my motorcycle or on my bicycle on my 20-25km commute, takes a similar amount of time from door to door thx to our wonderful traffic (about 1h)

Being a cager + cyclist + motorcyclist, i get to see and understand traffic a lot more...but i'm also lucky as i commute along lakeshore and martin goodman trail so cagers on there are motorcycle AND bicycle friendly. I can see both groups working together for safer streets overall..but the cyclists need a completely separate infrastructure compared to motorcyclists so the end goals aren't exactly the same.
I actually found when I was peak fitness, cycling on the road was safer for me than the trail. At least in the evenings. People on the trail walking their kids or dogs or just moping about weave all over the place and just stressed me out to no end. On the road I can safely push 35-40kmh the whole way and seamlessly run with traffic. Would often just take cues from motorcyclist riding habits and try to blend in on my commutes from etobicoke to cherry beach.

That being said I probably can't ride that fast for that long anymore... few years out of practice ugh...


Definitely must be interesting to have multiple perspectives on road use with all three major modes under your belt.
 
I used to commute in Toronto by bicycle. It got too dangerous.
There's nothing like having some guy in full spandex plow into the back of, or clip, you at 30+ km/h at a stop sign.
I've also had another cyclist and a car bump me.

Much of the GTA infrastructure problems are caused by the city slamming a TTC right-of-way onto a route, using too much space,
and then trying to shoehorn everything else, into the space left.

Cyclists either don't know, or don't obey the traffic rules, and drive in an unsafe manner.

Motor vehicle drivers get lazy, don't look, take shortcuts, roll through, and don't signal etc.
 

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