Cyclon registration is now open

Hello TBN members, 30-Day trial members and non-members. Yes, It's that time of year again. Cyclon, set for Aug. 1-4 at Trent University in picturesque Peterborough, Ont, is now open for registration. To register go to The Toronto Bicycling Network Inc. - Cyclon 2025 then click on the Cyclon 2025 link (found under "Register for Cyclon 2025" and check out the FAQ link for all the information you'll need (including pricing) for an awesome weekend of cycling and socializing.

TBN Jerseys are now for sale at the TBN Store

The TBN Store is now open to offer the 2025 jerseys and shorts. Click here for a shortcut. The big news this year is black shorts with only a TBN logo on them. Bib shorts will also be available. There is a slight change to the jersey to make "TBN" more visible but it is not a new design. Sizing is the same as last year so if you know your size, you can order now.

TBN members get discounts at Bike Depot!

Great news! Bike Depot is offering TBN members 10% off most accessories (some brands like Garmin aren't included) and 20% off services. Just show your TBN membership card from your profile (https://tbn.ca/Sys/Profile) to get the deal. Head to the Bike Depot site through the link on the bottom of each page in the TBN website to check it out!

Members gather for Spring Kickoff

Despite some cool temperatures in the early morning, we had a beautiful sunny day for the 2025 Spring Kickoff. Many thanks to the volunteers who were there in advance to set up all the food, and a special thanks to Jean Dell’Agnese who shopped for and prepared a lot of the food. We had quite a spread with the highlight being the danishes and croissants that Dennis Szilvasy brought. The best part, of course, was seeing old friends after a long winter and meeting new people, especially the new members and guests. The three rides after the breakfast were very well attended. It was a great way to kickoff the 2025 cycling season.

Backroad Rambles makes debut

Backroad Rambles has been hatched! This new program has been developing under Program-X for the last few years. Often these rides have been scheduled on Saturdays, but flexibility is key to the program. The line-up of the next 20 Program-X rides includes Backroad Rambles. Not all Saturdays have one of these rides. Please contact Program-X at program-x@tbn.ca to suggest one of TBN's existing ride routes or a ride of your design.

Be assured that Program-X is also the place for pop-up rides. Is beautiful weather coming up and there are no scheduled TBN rides? Like to have some company on a ride of your choice? Again, write to Program-X. 

CAN-BIKE courses set for June and July

Martin Lansche, Bertha Hughes, Nik Efimov, Andrew Paterson and Fred Yagi will be teaching CAN-BIKE Level 3 (Core Cycling Skills) and Level 4 (Advanced Cycling Skills) classes for TBN members. Do you want to boost your cycling skill level? Be a safer and more defensive rider on the road? Whether you are a novice or a long-time rider, there is always something to learn. For the certificate, the entire weekend program on June 14 and 15, which will take place near Woodbine Park in the East End, or July 5 and 6, which will take place at High Park, must be completed. Level 3 involves just the first day of the practical course, Level 4 entails both days.

Visit the TBN calendar and consult those dates for details. Any questions, please contact Andrew Paterson at education@tbn.ca

TBN SOCIAL/EDUCATION EVENTS

Please remember that very popular events fill up and may have waiting lists. If you register for one of these events, and you do not cancel if you can’t attend, you are denying someone on the waiting list the opportunity to attend.

Monthly Dining Out, May 22. The ethnic restaurants where we meet up for this monthly social event are in different parts of the GTA, so everyone should have a chance to attend in an area convenient to them. This month’s dinner at Cumin Kitchen has sold out, but please check the link below on or after May 23 for registration for June’s dinner. Information about the event, the restaurants and registration are available here.

TBN Pub Quiz, May 27. The TBN Pub Quiz series takes place on the last (or second last) Tuesday of each month at Prenup Pub, one of the best and most interesting venues in the GTA, which is quieter on Tuesdays. Registration for the May quiz is now open via the calendar. More details about the new participant-centred quiz format and about the Prenup Pub are available here.

Dancing on the Danforth, May 30. This will be a very special evening as it will feature the band that played the TBN AGM last November. The Tim Bovaconti Band play a mix of covers, mostly from the 1960s, '70s and '80s. Come to Noonan’s Irish Pub and dance to or just listen to this great band. There is no cover. More information, music videos, and registration can be found here.

Cindy's Australian/New Zealand tour, June 16. TBN member Cindy Rogers will tell you about pedalling along the southeastern Australian coast from Adelaide to Sydney with a lap around Tasmania and onward through New Zealand from Auckland to Queenstown, experiencing pleasant wine regions, limestone coasts of the Great Ocean Road, wild Tasmania, a few exciting cities and finally New Zealand’s rainforests, spectacular peaks and rushing rivers. The event is free and open to all TBN members and their guests. It will be held in the main floor meeting room at the Northern District Library near Eglinton subway on the Yonge line, 7 to 8 p.m. More information and registration available here.

Overnight Trips 2025 

As of May 14 the events below with highlighted links have been posted, and the others are in the planning stage. For the latest Overnight Trip information please visit our overnight trips page. 

Any questions or suggestions please contact the event leader/organizer or Greg Andre-Barrett, the Overnight Trips Director, at OvernightTrips@tbn.ca.

Committee volunteers needed

Volunteer of the Year and Awards Review Committee. There was significant feedback regarding the volunteer of the year citation at the AGM. The program needs a review and some improvements. The board has decided to create a committee of three to five members to conduct the review and recommend changes to the program. Typical tasks for the committee would be to review the current feedback, conduct research and then compile the results and recommend changes. The term of the committee would run until the changes are accepted by the board. We need some input on this, so please do consider volunteering, especially if you have wondered in the past how these decisions have been reached. Fresh ideas are most welcome and the time commitment is minor.

Presidential Nominating Committee. The President is stepping down at the end of this program year at the AGM. The board is looking for a committee of three to five members to search for and nominate a new President to be elected at the next AGM. The club must have a President to function so this is a very important volunteer position.

If you are interested in volunteering for the nominating committee or have any questions about it, please contact the President at president@tbn.ca. If you are interested in running for President or nominating someone else directly, please also contact president@tbn.ca.

Emergency First Aid and adult CPR course for ride leaders

The TBN board has decided it will pay for a limited number of TBN ride leaders to attend an eight-hour emergency first aid and adult CPR course, run under the auspices of the Red Cross. The course includes emergency scene management, shock symptoms, adult CPR and choking relief techniques. Available dates are Saturdays starting at 9 a.m. and the courses will be located at 750 Spadina Ave, at the downtown Miles Nadal JJJ. There is an option for a blended course, where some of the theory is completed online prior to the in-person course. Members interested in attending should email TBN education director Andrew Paterson: education@tbn.ca with the title ‘First Aid course’.

We need your photos

We’d love to see all the amazing moments you’ve captured during our club rides and events. If you have any photos or videos from recent outings, please upload them to our shared Google album. It’s a great way to relive the memories, showcase our adventures, and help keep our club page lively and engaging. Whether it’s action shots, group selfies or scenic views, every photo counts. But pease be selective and upload only the photos you feel are your best. Let’s build a collection we can all enjoy and be proud of. Thanks for sharing your experiences—your contributions help tell the story of our awesome club!

NEW “30-DAY-TRIAL" MEMBERSHIP

We are changing how we offer non-members a chance to try out TBN. We have heard feedback that non-members do not like the $10 fee to try out a ride in a TBN ride program that may or may not have been at their level. Or perhaps that specific ride was cancelled due to weather. So starting in 2025, we are changing to a new "try-us-out approach" to include a new “30-Day-Trial" membership class. For $10, an individual can ride on as many rides, across all our ride programs, during a 30-day window from the day of purchase. We hope that after trying us out, these Trial members will upgrade to full membership. When upgrading to a full membership, the $10 trial fee will be refunded to the new members.

For current existing TBN members, this new Trial membership option will be mostly invisible. Our future TBN calendar events will begin to have both the old "Free for TBN Members" registration option, and a new "30-Day-Trial members" registration option. You will continue to use the "Free for TBN Members" registration option.

Exclusions:

• Note that some events, with limited availability, may not be available to 30-Day-Trial members. 
• The Wednesday Evening and Friday Night ride programs will return with the "Free for non-members" option. 
• The Hairshirt ride will continue to offer a simple $10 fee, but will also be open to Thirty-day Trial members. 

TNTO IS BACK FOR 2025

We are thrilled to announce that the Toronto Niagara Toronto Overnight (TNTO) ride is back for its 28th year, taking place June 14-15. TNTO is a two-day cycling challenge for experienced cyclists featuring rides from Toronto and Stoney Creek to Niagara Falls and back the next day. Visit TNTO page for more information.

Registration is open via the calendar. To ensure everything runs smoothly, we need your help. We are currently looking to recruit one or two enthusiastic volunteers to join our Sag Squad to drive the sag wagon. Specifically, we need a driver to assist with transporting luggage and snacks to the hotel in Niagara Falls. Accommodation is complimentary and a $100 per diem per day to cover food will be provided.

Alternatively, driving the sag wagon can be shared among two volunteers if members are interested on riding only one day and driving the sag wagon the other day.

Your involvement will be crucial in making TNTO 2025 a success. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering, please reach out to us at tnto@tbn.ca. As of this writing, this event is full but members are encouraged to join the wait list. 

New: TBN fees may now be paid via e-transfer 

Invoices for membership applications and renewals are now payable in two different ways. If you select "Pay Online" you will pay via PayPal. If you select "Invoice Me" you must pay via an e-transfer to treasurer@tbn.ca. Be sure to include the invoice number within the comment field of your e-transfer. Note that online payments are registered immediately, but e-transfer payments require a manual processing step to update our payments database. Please allow 48 hours for processing. 

Reminder to update your TBN profile

Please ensure to periodically update your TBN club profile. Perhaps upload a photo of yourself (so other members know who you are), confirm that your email address listed is correct (as this is the primary way for us to contact you), confirm your phone and emergency contacts are still valid, and update your current (or former) occupation and let us know if and how you would like to volunteer with TBN. We are always looking for helping hands, especially those with needed skills. How to do this: Login to the website, click on your name, then click Edit Profile. When you are done, press Save to commit your changes.

UPCOMING RIDES AND EVENTS

Next 20 rides/events

See all rides and events on the main calendar and also check back two hours in advance in case of last minute updates or cancellation due to weather. You can also find past rides on this calendar. 

HOW TO CANCEL A RESERVATION FOR AN EVENT

Due to an issue we have discovered on Apple devices, we have had to revert to the original wording for the link used to cancel your reservation for an event. If you need to cancel your reservation for an event, see the Cancel-my-registration page for details.

Most Recent Newsletter

Chain of Events is TBN's e-newsletter, featuring up to date info about upcoming rides and events. Click here for the most recent Chain of Events.

Share your blogs with TBN members

TBN member Jun Nogami has an informative blog on Facebook, which includes summaries and photos from club rides. Check it out here. If other members would like to request that we share similar cycling-focused blogs with members via tbn.ca, contact the Communications Director.