July 18, 2025
President's message
Mid-summer means that Cyclon is just around the corner. For Cyclon 2025, Aug. 1-4, we are back for our second consecutive year at Trent University in Peterborough. I had a great time at last year's event there. Some issues noted last year have been addressed by the Cyclon committee so we're looking forward to an even better event this year.
For members who ordered kit items from the TBN store, please note that we expect delivery in the next couple of weeks. As noted in the previous Chain of Events, this was a very successful year: 26 short-sleeve jerseys, 18 long-sleeve jerseys and 10 shorts were ordered. I look forward to seeing these new jerseys and shorts on rides, including at Cyclon. The bib shorts did not meet the 10-item minimum, with only four orders, so those orders have been refunded.
On another matter, we are still actively looking for volunteers for the Presidential Nominating committee. This is a very important volunteer role to find the next President. Please see the item about the committee in this issue.
--Gord Irish
Cyclon notice re e-bikes
Cyclon is just two and a half weeks away and the very long-range forecast, for what that's worth, is looking really promising.
For anyone bringing an e-bike this year Trent University has a new policy of no e-bikes in the guest rooms. That said, they are providing a lecture hall in the basement where your bikes can be secured and locked away at 10 pm, and put on charge. We can have the hall locked earlier if required. The hall will be opened at 7 am. It will hold 12-15 bikes. However, we are still awaiting details on how many bikes can be put on charge at one time; this depends on the number of circuits the outlets are on and amperage of the circuits.
So far seven people have emailed cyclon@tbn.ca indicating they are bringing e-bikes. If you intend to bring an e-bike please send your name and phone number to cyclon@tbn.ca. Your names and numbers will be held at the residence reception desk to limit access to the room to the e-bikers only.
Looking forward to another wonderful weekend of cycling and socializing. And don't forget your swimsuits!
Volunteers needed!
The TBN President is stepping down at the end of this program year at the AGM in November. 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 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.
TBN board proposes bylaws change
As previously reported in Chain of Events, our current board President will be retiring from the board at the end of this year. As part of the process of finding a new candidate for President, the board decided to propose bylaws changes to create a Vice-President role that would share leadership responsibility and make future leadership changes smoother. At the upcoming Annual General Meeting in the fall, members will be asked to vote on the following bylaws amendments:
- Create the role of Vice-President to share duties with and be a backup for the President;
- Remove the temporary role of “Past President” as it has not served its intended purpose and the current President does not wish to assume that role after retiring;
- Clarify that board roles can be shared by only two people (previously the upper limit was not defined) except for the the President and Vice-President roles (limited to one person per role as they are expected to share their responsibilities as a team of two).
We invite member comments on these proposals. The current draft can be viewed online at TBN Constitution - Proposed Revisions. Comments and suggestions are welcome, either by adding them as comments in the Google Doc, or by emailing them to dal2@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, July 24. This social event, where we eat at different interesting ethnic restaurants each month, has become very popular. The restaurants will be 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 Keyfi Istanbul Turkish Cuisine has sold out, but please check the link below on or after July 25 for registration for August’s dinner. Information about the event, the restaurants and registration is available here.
TBN Pub Quiz, July 29. The June TBN Pub Quiz was almost as good as the one in May as we had a great turnout again. The Prenup Pub, which is one of the best and most interesting in the GTA, also has a great patio. Registration for the July quiz is now open via the calendar. More details about the new participant-centred quiz format and about the Prenup Pub are available here.
TBN Picnic Lunch, Aug. 10. Registration is now open for our annual picnic at Milliken Park. This year, when registering, you must choose one of four gourmet sandwiches. Do not register for a ride without choosing a sandwich. Note that the deadline to sign up is Aug. 5. More information and registration can be found here. We still need a number of volunteers to set up the food and clean up afterward. If you are interested in volunteering, email social@tbn.ca
Trip presentation: Epic bike and boat adventure through Croatia, Sept. 29. Come relive the magic of a once-in-a-lifetime adventure through southern Croatia, where every turn of the pedal brought breathtaking views and gastronomic delights. Presented by wheel wanderers Nilavanh, Dan, David, Caroline, Renu, Meena, Natalia and Kim. The event is free and open to all TBN members and their guests. Main floor meeting room, Northern District Library near Yonge and Eglinton, September 29, 7 to 8 p.m.
Bring back Open Streets to Toronto
Does anyone remember the OpenStreetsTO and ActiveTO programs that temporarily closed down streets like Bloor, Yonge and Lakeshore Drive West so that people could walk and bicycle on them without being menaced by automobile traffic? Well, some people do remember it and they would like to bring it back next summer (2026)! Check out the online petition to Mayor Chow and the City Council for details.
The TBN board has endorsed this effort and we hope you will too!
Important notice about using RideWithGPS
Many of our TBN events offer multiple RideWithGPS route choices. These collections of routes are contained in what RideWithGPS calls Events. Unfortunately, a TBN Event (stored in our "Wild Apricot" system) is not the same thing as a RideWithGPS Event. Joining a RideWithGPS Event does not register you for the ride in Wild Apricot.
So for clarity, this is how you register for a TBN Event. You start by clicking on the Register button for the event in www.tbn.ca calendar:
Note that clicking (RSVP, and subsequently saying you will attend the event) in RideWithGPS does not register you for a TBN Event (the screenshot below is from a RideWithGPS Event):
Nor does clicking the +Join Event button as seen on your phone (from the RideWithGPS app):
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!
Overnight Trips 2025
As of July 20 the events below have been posted. 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
Date / Event / (Spaces Left/Registered) see website for latest information.July 26-27: Niagara Winery Tour (0/16)Aug. 1-4: CYCLON 2025 (1/99)
Aug. 8-10: Simcoe County Loop XL bikepacking (5/3)
Aug. 12-14: 3 Days in Orillia (0/30)
Sept. 6-7: Flesherton Hills Tour (30/0)
Emergency First Aid and adult CPR course for TBN 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 offered 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!
We are all club ambassadors
Every member should be a TBN Club Ambassador and share the love of riding with someone new! It’s fun, it’s easy and you’ll make someone feel at home with us!
Be a TBN Club Ambassador on a ride, or at any event, welcoming and supporting new club members so they can enjoy TBN as much as you do. Help new members with information about our different rides and paces, finding events (rides, social, etc.) and registering, understanding club policies and rules. Talk up our events and simply get to know new members. Make sure they don’t ride alone. Kindness is contagious and the new members will appreciate it.
When you encounter new members who have recently joined the club:
- Welcome them
- Offer to tell them more about the club and the rides, and answer any questions they have
- Advise them about what rides might be good for them to go on, given their current riding experience
- Make sure they know about resources like the TBN website and Facebook page
- Invite them to attend any new-member events
- On rides …
- Be alert for new members and introduce them to at least three other people
- If you stop for coffee breaks or après-ride make sure they are not alone and ask them to join you or your group
- Make sure they don’t ride alone. Check in on them occasionally or ride nearby so they feel a part of the group
- Let them know about other rides and club events they might enjoy
Any questions or suggestions please contact experience@tbn.ca.
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.
Please share your favourite gravel routes
TBN is planning some upcoming gravel rides and we would love to gather your route ideas and suggestions! If you have any favourite gravel routes close to the Greater Toronto Area, please share them with Communications Director Italo Bravo at publicity@tbn.ca. We're especially interested in routes with a mix of scenic paths, safe road crossings, and some great gravel stretches.
Feel free to include details like distance, elevation, gpx files and any must-see spots along the way, such as stops for coffee or lunch. Looking forward to hearing your ideas!
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 www.tbn.ca, click on your name, then click Edit Profile. When you are done, press Save to commit your changes.
Event registration reminder
Please remember to login to the TBN website prior to registering for our Events. If you are not logged in, the system does not know who you are, and may only offer you the Guest Rider registration choice. Also, when you are logged into the TBN website, a lot of members-only content appears.
Chain of Events editor is Rick MacMillan. Email coe@tbn.ca.
