Rough at the Edges

One of the things I least enjoy about biking in the city is having to be on the sides of roads. The conditions of the surfaces at the sides of roads can be extremely poor and are usually much worse than conditions in the middles of roads.

For example, the other day I was riding eastward on Lawrence Avenue and then southward on Bayview Avenue, two Toronto roads much in need of repair in the area of that intersection. The surfaces at the margins of these two roads, particularly Lawrence, are terrible. They have been patched so many times that the pavement is like a bumpy asphalt quilt. There is even the occasional pothole. Gutter is definitely an appropriate word to use!

Riding on surfaces like these is a bone-jarring experience, especially if you are travelling at all quickly. And not just bone jarring but also bike jarring. I’m reasonably sure that riding on these roads caused my crankset to be loosened. I’m going to have to take my bike in to the shop because of this.

Not only are the surfaces at the sides of roads a problem; so too is all the debris that ends up there. The sides of roads end up being covered in pebbles, broken glass, nails, etc., and sometimes even larger bits of trash such as the piece of metal that gauged one of my tires the other day. And let’s not forgot sewer grates that are often sunk many centimetres below the level of the surrounding asphalt.

Anyone who rides on roads like these had better invest in good-quality, flat-resistant tires, preferably ones with a layer of Kevlar. But even these will not be a guarantee against flats, as I found out the other day when a nail caused a flat on my front tire, the first I had had in a long time.

I am often tempted to swerve around potholes or sharp-looking debris, but if there is much car traffic where I am cycling, that isn’t a safe option. Unless I want to risk getting struck by a car, the only choice I have is to slow down and bike carefully through the problem area.

One of the many reasons I enjoy riding in the bike lanes that exist here and there in Toronto is that while there may still be a certain amount of debris on these lanes (though rarely as much as on the sides of roads without bike lanes) the pavement is usually in better shape.

A Bike in Winter

I had a debate with myself the other day before going out on an errand. This was a debate I often have: should I take the subway or ride my bike? This time my indecision came not from trying to decide if I would rather read or exercise. I was undecided because although I felt like getting some exercise on my bike, I wasn’t looking forward to how filthy my bike would get if I took it out that day.

You see, we’ve had some snow in Toronto this winter. Snow has in recent years become somewhat of a novelty in this city. I don’t think we had even one snowfall worth the name all last winter. But this winter has proven different, with two decent snowfalls already. In fact, it is snowing as I type!

For cyclists, one of several problems that come with snow is that on city streets snow rapidly changes from a beautiful white blanket to a filthy, slushy, salty mess. And this slush tends to stick to the gears, sprockets, and so forth on the underside of your bike, causing them to rust. For example, if I’m riding in wet, slushy conditions, my chain will rust to the point of unusability after only two or three trips.

Of course you can bring a chain back to working order by applying oil, and spraying WD-40 on the other moving parts will help keep them clean and functional. And if temperatures get milder, and you have the time and energy, giving your bike a wash with warm, soapy water will always help. But the constant application of salt and grime in a snowy winter will definitely shorten the life of these components of your bike.

Many cyclists use a designated junker during the winter. This is a good idea if you don’t want to subject your expensive bike to winter conditions. But whichever bike you use, the winter will be hard on it and will eventually cause you to have to pay a visit to your bike repair shop.