May 13, 2022

No


Gord's message: Summer is here!





A sincere thank you to the nearly 150 members and guests who signed up for the TBN Spring Kickoff on May 7. Although it was a cool morning to start, the sun was shining and we all got to enjoy our favourite riding pace with tours around the city, through ravines and parks and, in the case of the Tourist group, a taste of Mississauga.


For the first time, we waived the non-member fee for registration, and we were so pleased to see an excellent turnout from guests, several of whom have already joined TBN. Welcome them aboard if you meet them on a ride. After two years of no Kickoff, it was great to feel alive again. A small selection of photos appears just below, with thanks to photographer Hong Pham. More of his pics, and many by Member Experience director Alice Chan, can be found on the TBN Facebook group.


This is a very full Chain of Events, with details on upcoming overnight trips, reminders about wait lists (alas, some trips are already full), and news on the opening of the TBN online jersey store. Beautiful, sunny, warm weather is finally upon us so let's get out there and ride. 


Gord Irish, President







A Welcome to new Members, and some Safety Advice


To all our new members, welcome! To help make your TBN experience a happy and joyful one, we have some basic maintenance and safety advice for you to follow, before you show up for a TBN ride.

  • - Make friends with existing and experienced members, who will be pleased to "show you the ropes".
  • - Remember that riding solo is different from riding in a small (or large) group, and that you, the rider, must take responsibility for the mechanical integrity of your bike. Our ride leaders are superheroes, and they are pleased to help, but they can do only so much.
  • - Ride leaders have the right to deny people from riding with the group if they feel that the rider's bike is not mechanically fit. For example, brakes that do not function can cause big accidents in group situations. 
  • - Please ride at all times with safety in mind, not only yours but the safety of all riders in the group and any pedestrians you might encounter. Communication is key. Hand signals and spoken alerts are absolutely essential. Ride leaders can also request you leave a ride if your bike handling is unsafe.
  • - If you have new bike, consider having a professional bike fitting at your local shop. Make sure you are comfortable with your bike, and have done several rides on it before joining our group rides, especially if you are new to clipless pedals.
  • - Remember the rules of the road even if you see another rider doing something careless.
  • - Most of our riders bring their cellphones on rides in case of problems and have the downloaded route for the ride. It is a good idea to set up an emergency contact number in your phone setup, or taped inside your phone in case an emergency happens.
  • - Many of our new members are already very experienced riders who have relocated from another part of Canada or another country. If that is you, consider taking a leadership role by volunteering to become a ride leader. 

Let's have fun this year. Safe riding everyone.


Dennis Szilvasy, Touring Director, TBN





Jersey Orders Opening Soon 


Here's your chance to order a stylish TBN jersey. We are currently finalizing our jersey offer from Garneau for 2022. If things are not finalized by the time you read this or arrive on the website check back. We'll have it finalized very soon at the "Instructions for ordering Jerseys" page available on the TBN Jerseys menu.


The window for orders will be open until June 15, with delivery at the end of July. We have arranged with Garneau to have a fit kit of available jerseys to try on at select rides up until then. If you want to figure out what jersey size is right for you, come half an hour early for one of these rides. 


The fit kit will be available at select ride starts. See "Instructions for ordering Jerseys" page for details. If none of these rides work for you, email publicity@tbn.ca to make other arrangements. 


Please note: Garneau has made changes to its jersey styles so your orders from previous years may not match with the jerseys available this year.  


TBN at Bike for Brain Health


TBN has been invited to assist with Bike for Brain Health, a new event set for June 5. The charity ride is taking place on the Don Valley Parkway and the Gardiner Expressway, both of which will be closed to traffic.


We are looking for 30 marshals and 30 ambassadors for the event. Head over to the TBN calendar to register. Email Todd at Publicity@tbn.ca if you have any questions.




Education Session: riding up hills


TBN has planned an in-person event where we will ride up hills together. Sound like fun? We will go over the basics of climbing efficiently, including cadence and changing gears, and then practice a few times, or until your legs start to burn. Then we'll go home! The event will take place at the RC Harris water plant, at the east end of The Beach (2701 Queen St E. ) in Toronto. The road has a hill and no traffic. It will be held on May 25 from 7 to 8 pm. Members can register using the event link on the TBN calendar. Join us.


Wednesday Wheelies in Collingwood


The Wednesday Wheelies group is returning to the Collingwood area this year for three days of safe riding and socializing, June 14-16. The Collingwood area is known for its quiet roads, challenging climbs, great scenery, quaint coffee shops and numerous eateries, all just a two-hour drive from the GTA.


This event is open to all TBN members and guests. Registration is now open via the calendar at tbn.ca.


Registrants are expected to find and pay directly for their own accommodation, Registrants are responsible for any cancellation penalties defined by the hotel/motel.




Weekend Trip to Simcoe, Ont.


Dennis and Chris Szilvasy are organizing a weekend cycling trip to Simcoe, Ont., for the weekend of July 16 and 17, with guests staying at the Comfort Inn in town on the Saturday night. Dennis (TBN's Touring Director) and Chris Szilvasy have cycled through the area many times.


The group will ride Saturday along the coast of Lake Erie from Port Dover to Port Rowan. The area is very historic and there are lots of places to stop off and explore. Sunday's ride heads northeast of Simcoe, exploring some rail trails.


Cost of the trip will be approximately $90 per person. This fee is for a one-night stay in a room with two double beds, continental breakfast at the hotel and researched maps.


Online registration will open May 15 via the TBN calendar. The final day of registration will be June 19. This is a small tour and there only 20 spots available.  


RideWithGPS issues 


small number of TBN members have reported issues downloading some TBN RideWithGPS routes to some phones. This has been reported to RideWithGPS support, it is a known problem, and they are trying to diagnose it. We can help them with this diagnosis.


If you are having similar issues, please send an email to technical@tbn.ca with the following details: your name, the route you are trying to download, whether you are downloading from the phone, or sending to phone from your computer, the type of phone that you have (e.g. Android, or iPhone), RideWithGPS version level (More->Settings, scroll down to Version), and operating system level.


Reminders

Event Registration: 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 will only offer you the Guest Rider registration choice. Also, when you are logged into the TBN website, a lot of members-only content appears.


The Niagara Bike and Hike on Victoria Day weekend is coming up. Although this trip has sold out, please consider joining the waitlist if you are interested, as spots may open.


There are still spots available for TNTO (Toronto Niagara Toronto Overnight), June 18-19. Register by June 1.


This year's Cyclon trip to London sold out in record time, but register for the waitlist if you are interested.




Remember to visit the TBN calendar of events to find out more about what's coming up. The little TTC logo below will help alert you to any subway closures.

© 2022 Toronto Bicycle Network
All rights reserved.

Contents Copyright © The Toronto Bicycling Network Inc.

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software