In the summer, the bicycle becomes ubiquitous in Toronto. It is a relatively cheap means of transportation, eco-friendly and fun!
How cheap are they? You can get them for free from friends who want to upgrade, or from Craig's List. My first bike came from a friend of a friend who had used it during a transit strike and didn't have the energy or inclination to bring it back home from her workplace. She gave us the key to the lock and we brought it to a bike shop for a tune up. It was an 18-speed Raleigh, probably from a department store, but it brought me to places I would never have seen if I didn't have it.
Once you get serious, or get tired of being passed by people on serious bikes, there are several shops that sell everything from alloy to carbon fiber bikes. Be prepared to spend anywhere between five hundred to several thousand dollars.
I've been on the Don Valley trail, the Martin Goodman trail, Elizabeth Seton Park, Edward Gardens, the Leslie Spit and Cherry Beach. On these trails, you will encounter a variety of bike enthusiasts: families on department store bikes, commuters with back packs or panniers, serious cyclists in full racing regalia and lollygaggers like myself.
Bicycle culture is very egalitarian: the haves and the have nots all share the same experience. Just because a person is on a bike doesn't mean he or she can't afford more expensive transportation. It's simply a great way to see the city or go to work and get some exercise on the way.
One of my favorite sights when going home, sometimes late at night, is the sight of bicyclists with their firefly headlights rolling single file on the bike lanes. I don't know why the sight of them makes me feel good. Maybe it's just the thought that one doesn't need four wheels and gasoline to get around this city. And that's a wonderful thing!
How cheap are they? You can get them for free from friends who want to upgrade, or from Craig's List. My first bike came from a friend of a friend who had used it during a transit strike and didn't have the energy or inclination to bring it back home from her workplace. She gave us the key to the lock and we brought it to a bike shop for a tune up. It was an 18-speed Raleigh, probably from a department store, but it brought me to places I would never have seen if I didn't have it.
Once you get serious, or get tired of being passed by people on serious bikes, there are several shops that sell everything from alloy to carbon fiber bikes. Be prepared to spend anywhere between five hundred to several thousand dollars.
I've been on the Don Valley trail, the Martin Goodman trail, Elizabeth Seton Park, Edward Gardens, the Leslie Spit and Cherry Beach. On these trails, you will encounter a variety of bike enthusiasts: families on department store bikes, commuters with back packs or panniers, serious cyclists in full racing regalia and lollygaggers like myself.
Bicycle culture is very egalitarian: the haves and the have nots all share the same experience. Just because a person is on a bike doesn't mean he or she can't afford more expensive transportation. It's simply a great way to see the city or go to work and get some exercise on the way.
One of my favorite sights when going home, sometimes late at night, is the sight of bicyclists with their firefly headlights rolling single file on the bike lanes. I don't know why the sight of them makes me feel good. Maybe it's just the thought that one doesn't need four wheels and gasoline to get around this city. And that's a wonderful thing!
