General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)

[UserNameToronto]

Looks good - I like those!

I was also in the market for a new bike earlier this autumn. After sampling some used Batavus and Gazelles, I decided to use tune up my old no-name dutch bike. New saddle, serviced chain, and zipties to quell the squeaks and rattles. It works well now, but is not as gorgeous as that Simcoe!

The only issue I would have with the Simcoe is the chain guard, which is only partly enclosed (I prefer the fully enclosed type, which ensures zero maintenance for years).

 

[pipolchap]

I think I've found it! Tested it today.

http://www.bikesfortherestofus.com/2015/07/simcoe-bicycles.html
http://simcoebicycles.com/bike/roadster-signature#.WDYjdqIrK9Y

Have you looked at this? Hoping this will be my no-maintenance winter rider.
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/30326728/

 

[Admiral Beez]

I had no idea Ikea sold bikes!

 

[steveintoronto]

It's going to be a harsh ride, it's an aluminum frame, and as desirable as toothed belts are, they're 'lossy' (lose energy).

See: http://www.core77.com/posts/51805/Ikea-to-Begin-Selling-a-Chain-less-Bicycle (be sure to read excellent, informed comments)

From the UK Telegraph:

Like IKEA's furniture, the 'Sladda' will be flat-pack Credit: IKEA

• Jonathan Wells

14 April 2016 • 5:27pm
This August, Scandinavian flat-pack giants IKEA promise to put the cycling market in a spin when they launch their first ever bicycle.

The 'Sladda' – which means 'to skid sideways' in Swedish – is the company's first foray into the transport sector and, fear not, like the furniture sold by the Scandinavian institution, it comes in flat-pack form.

Made in partnership with Veryday, a design studio whose clients range from Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg to Scandi-stroller firm BabyBjörn, the new unisex bicycle will be available in one colour, two sizes, and have a host of customisable add-ons and extras.

A bicycle trailer can be hitched up to the Sladda Credit: IKEA
"Sladda is like a tablet with apps," says Oskar Juhlin, Director of Industrial Design at Veryday, "in the sense that you can customise it with several different accessories adapted to make everyday life easier for the user.

"Sladda enables the user to replace the car and by doing so contributing to a more eco-friendly environment.”

Retailing at £450 for both the 26-inch and 28-inch frame versions (£349 if you are an IKEA Family Card holder) it may be a little bold to claim the 'Sladda' could completely replace your car – but, with the optional £130 bicycle trailer, you certainly won't be short of luggage space.

The bicycle uses a belt drive rather than a regular chain to avoid rust (it's guaranteed for 15,000 km) and has 'back-pedalling' breaks to eliminate the need for cables. IKEA have also given the Sladda an automatic gear-change system using technology first invented by pioneering bike innovators Bioshift last year.

The new bike will retail at £450 and goes on sale this August Credit: Ikea
"At IKEA, we're not just making things," says Marcus Engman, Head of Design at the Swedish company, "we're using design to make things better. We work with what we call Democratic Design, where we make sure our products have great function, are beautifully designed and made to stand everyday life while being sustainable - all made accessible through low prices.

"We can see all of these qualities in the 'Sladda'."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/recr...h-their-first-bicycle--and-yes-its-flat-pack/

It appears to be a two speed automatic with a coaster brake (back pedal). It leaves a lot to be desired for even the most sensible bikes for experienced riders, even the up-right type:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/02/ikea-sladda-bicycle-review-helen-pidd

Interesting, but no banana seat...

On drive efficiency:
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/chain-or-belt-drive-which-is-faster-36074/

And the Sladda belt is a poor copy of the one tested in this article.

 

[pipolchap]

And the Sladda belt is a poor copy of the one tested in this article.

Is the Gates brand that much better? The Ikea one has a Continental belt and cog. The article even states the difference is negligible to recreational and enthusiast riders, just top level track racers.

I'm just tired of the amount of work put into maintaining my winter beater. No matter how much I try, rust seems to find a way! I just thought that it's not a bad bike considering what you pay.

 

[steveintoronto]

Is the Gates brand that much better? The Ikea one has a Continental belt and cog. The article even states the difference is negligible to recreational and enthusiast riders, just top level track racers.

I'm just tired of the amount of work put into maintaining my winter beater. No matter how much I try, rust seems to find a way! I just thought that it's not a bad bike considering what you pay.

The Sladda looks interesting for those who can't or won't maintain their machine, albeit a bit pricey. You can get better deals shopping around for second-hand multi-gear bikes. To put my views in perspective, I see a lot of 'trendies' riding 'fixies'....which I really don't get. A lot of the trendies would actually be better off with second-hand three speeds. The 'sensible' riding position has been known for a century, and the Sturmey-Archer epicyclic internal hub goes back to the Thirties. Other than the short-lived four spd variant (I had one years back) the next real step was the five speed internal, and once that got established, the Sachs and Shimano 7 spd and more took it to a new level.

I'd thought of getting a 'sensible' bike for the cold weather, but after riding a superlative double butted 531 for years (it's a rebuilt by Argos Racing Brit Classic, possibly Falcon or Holdsworth built originally, with Italian and French components, many of which I've now had to rebuild twice since the factory rebuild, I do a *lot* of miles) to ride a 'sensible' bike would actually get me into an accident. Sounds odd, but a good machine becomes an extension of your body, and you know intuitively how to 'English' your mass. Reprogramming confidence on a different machine is best done in fair weather, not foul. So I just walk or take transit.

You're right about this:

No matter how much I try, rust seems to find a way!

I've ruined a number of excellent machines thinking I could winterize them. You can't. The salt migrates into every crevice and bearing, sealed or not. And *inside* the frame.

I see people riding good machines through the winter, and ask them about not worrying. "Oh I clean it regularly and oil and grease it"...it may slow down the process, it won't prevent it.

I'm actually buying a 'sensible' machine later this week, a friend visiting from Holland for three months bought one here new before I'd met her (OMG, I could have shown much better deals) and so I'm going to buy it from her second-hand half-price, still under warranty. I had manic ideas of riding it later into the season, until realizing that the ride geometry could never be matched as on my classic touring adapted racer. That seat to BB length and seat setback and angle are *absolutely crucial* to keeping your knees and other joints undamaged while torquing at a good pace. I'll sell it for what I pay for it, just want to make sure she gets something back on her purchase.

I'll attach a pic of my classic, taken in the UK where I got it for a song! I triplized the cranks (TA Specialties) and now have touring wheels built up with slightly larger section tires and have worn out the derailleurs and replaced them since this pic. Headset was peened, God only knows what the original owner had done, but forks not damaged. Replaced with Stronglight roller bearing alloy model. The brake cables now black and proper length, and just replaced the Brooks Swift saddle with a Taiwanese Swallow clone while I rebuild the Swift, the most comfortable saddle I've ever had (including Brooks B-17s, 15s, Pros, Wrights, Middlemore, French, Italian leather, etc). SJS cycles in the UK sell the genuine Brooks replacement parts. Saddle comfort, even it there's a weight penalty, is absolutely essential for distance.

lol...I'm breaking in a pair of hiking shoes right now in lieu of riding. That said, I was out in shorts doing miles last Friday. Merciful...

 

[salsa]

It's good to finally see some progress toward completing the Gatineau trail.

Construction for the first phase between Victoria Park Avenue to Eglinton Avenue East is exptected to start in Spring 2017 and to be completed in Fall 2017.

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=d66206eb9e3d0510VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

 

[W. K. Lis]

Hope there will be winter maintenance. Also that the bike path will be wide and segregated along the Victoria Park Avenue section.

 

[steveintoronto]

Two-wheel takeover Bikes outnumber cars for the first time in Copenhagen

 

[smuncky]

Does anyone have any updates on the Lakeshore cycle track between Norris and First? Last time I cycled along that stretch was back in early September and nothing was done yet, even though the city's website says completion should have been by the end of summer.

Bit of an update:

"Project Update

The construction of the Lake Shore Boulevard West Cycle Track has been deferred to 2017. The City originally planned to construct the Cycle Track following the 2015-2016 Toronto Water Lake Shore Sanitary Trunk Sewer Rehabilitation, however this project was not completed until the end of October.

Deferring the Cycle Track construction to 2017 was necessary in order to allow Toronto Water more time to complete its work. A deferral will also allow for coordination with the planned 2017 TTC track work along Lake Shore Boulevard West, avoiding the potential increased costs of building temporary streetcar platforms in 2016 and replacing them in 2017.

The City appreciates your ongoing support and involvement in the Lake Shore Boulevard West Cycle Track project, and we will continue to provide updates on construction timing when more details become available. "

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=644560560580f410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

 

[ADRM]

DMW just tweeted out his committee recommendations, and it's pretty much the worst possible outcome for vulnerable road users in Toronto. Look for every bike lane in the city to be systematically ripped out, no new ones implemented, and more pedestrians and cyclists to die or be maimed because of the composition of this committee:

I'm apoplectic.

Councillor Christin Carmichael Greb
Councillor Stephen Holyday
Councillor Chin Lee
Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti
Councillor Anthony Perruzza

 

[W. K. Lis]

Denzil Minnan-Wong is Rob Ford Version 3.0.

 

[salsa]

DMW just tweeted out his committee recommendations, and it's pretty much the worst possible outcome for vulnerable road users in Toronto. Look for every bike lane in the city to be systematically ripped out, no new ones implemented, and more pedestrians and cyclists to die or be maimed because of the composition of this committee:

I'm apoplectic.

How delightful to hear after learning that another pedestrian has been killed in my own neighborhood this morning.

 

[steveintoronto]

How delightful to hear after learning that another pedestrian has been killed in my own neighborhood this morning.

Today's Star:

Top Stories

9:22 AM
15 pedestrians hit in one day, Toronto police say
The collisions included one in North York that left a woman dead.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/12/07/15-pedestrians-hit-in-one-day-toronto-police-say.html
Was crossing eastbound, north side Bloor at Dundas last night on foot, myself and three other pedestrians and a dog on a leash, car comes flying south on Dundas and turns right onto Bloor on a red light, just brushing one of the pedestrians and almost hitting the dog, and suddenly I see flashing lights on westbound Bloor opposite, he comes through the intersection to nab the driver. Huge cheer goes up from pedestrians on all corners. We all start talking about how rampant this is. I walk over to the cops to offer my being witness if necessary, I almost got hit too. Cop says "many thanks, there's two of us though and the camera". Then we got talking. The figure in this story isn't 15. It must have been filed yesterday late afternoon. By evening, the cop stated there had been *19* incidents. Handshakes with the cops...it's good to see them taking the situation seriously. And they are. I suspect they were traffic cops, or on traffic detail, there's a push on to nab bad driving right now. The cops, or at least these two, are very concerned.

 

[salsa]

The figure in this story isn't 15. It must have been filed yesterday late afternoon. By evening, the cop stated there had been *19* incidents.

By midnight I heard that that number grew to 27 pedestrians, including 2 deaths and 3 cyclists.