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.

Perilous Pedals

I am for the most part happy with my current bike. The only complaint I have is that it is too heavy. While that is not a major issue; occasionally, when I am lugging my bike up a staircase, I find myself wishing it were lighter. I guess the upside is that it is good exercise when I have to carry my bike.

A component of my bike I did change not too long after getting it, however, was its pedals. The reason I changed them was that they were far too slippery. My feet would sometimes slip right off the pedals’ smooth plastic surfaces, particularly when I was starting to pedal. And this problem was made worse when it was wet out.

For the most part, having a foot slip off a pedal is just an annoyance; it’s a bit of a surprise when you attempt to move forward when a light turns green but instead have your foot come off the pedal and smack to the road. But slippery pedals can be dangerous, too. Think of all the scenarios where failing to move your bike suddenly could be a problem.

Another issue I had with these pedals was that I would sometimes have a foot slip off while I was going up a steep hill. While this too can be dangerous, the main problem is that it is a drag to have to start biking again midhill from a complete stop.

So, I was lucky to have a friend who had a spare pair of pedals, which he offered to give to me to replace my original set. I much prefer these pedals. They are metal and toothed and so grip the soles of my shoes well. It’s possible to slip off these pedals, too, but it happens only very rarely. This is the type of pedal I recommend.

What's the Rush?

I’m cycling down a busy city street; the light ahead has turned yellow; I see an opportunity to make the light if I quickly go to the left of the car ahead of me, which is waiting to turn right; and no sooner has this thought entered my head then I dart past the car and through the intersection. I have a lot of experience biking in the city, and this manoeuvre is safe. Usually safe, anyway…

What can make it unsafe is if I do it so suddenly that I haven’t had time to adequately assess the situation around me. I’m living very dangerously by cycling so unpredictably and impulsively. Drivers should not be surprised by what I do. This is not fair to anyone on the road.

Remember, it is always difficult to predict what drivers will do. A driver may have a similar mindset as me and may also suddenly move in an effort to get across that intersection as the lights are changing from yellow to red. Two vehicle operators, of car and bike, making the same sudden decision to cross an intersection at the last moment (must … make … light!) might well collide. And we know what the likely result of any car-bike collision is.

I often have to remind myself to not make these sudden moves. Just because I think it will be safe doesn’t mean it will be. I have to resist the urge to treat cars as obstacles to be avoided as though I were playing a video game. The weird thing is that I am often tempted to bike impulsively even when I am not in a rush. It seems to be my default mode. I need to change my setting.

I’m reminded of the joke in the Seinfeld episode where Jerry talks of riding in a cab whose driver is driving like a maniac. But Jerry doesn’t feel as though he is in danger. He has the irrational belief that riding in a cab is safe no matter what the driver is doing. As a cyclist, I often have a similar irrational belief in my own safety, and I have to constantly remind myself that cycling around cars is a dangerous endeavour.

Take the Safer Route

Should cyclists bike wherever they like? Surely not on highways in and around the city. I think we all can agree on that. Well, maybe not all … I was amazed to see someone biking on the Don Valley Parkway the other day. Clearly not a bright idea. But beyond making the obvious decision to not bike on the DVP, where else shouldn’t we bike?

I regularly ride along Danforth Avenue (a busy road in Toronto) to get downtown. Some may balk at taking this route, but although there are no bike lanes, and the road is usually busy, I don’t feel particularly unsafe on this street. It is reasonably wide, and there is usually adequate room for bikes. For the most part, I can keep far enough from parked cars to avoid the perils of the opening door. Cyclists regularly use this road, and there are usually at least a few others on it, even in winter. So, provided you ride defensively and sanely, a busy road like the Danforth is usually a safe bet.

The danger to cyclists increases when they get on stretches of road where bikes are a rare sight. For example, I sometimes take O’Connor Drive when I am making my way to the DVP in my car (going west from Woodbine Avenue to Don Mills Road), and cyclists are almost never on this section of road. Because drivers aren’t used to seeing cyclists there, they likely won’t be watching for them. I actually think cyclists are risking their lives biking there. Also, the lanes on O’Connor are narrower than those on the Danforth, which also increases the chances of a cyclist being hit. Plains Road, a side street, parallels O’Connor just to the south, and I can’t imagine why any cyclist would favour O’Connor over it.

Another issue to consider is the time of day and the resultant likely mindset of drivers. The stretch of O’Connor I mentioned is heavily used by drivers who are on their way to and from work. So, in the mornings and late afternoons, it is packed with cranky, sleepy drivers battling heavy traffic. They may be impatient with cyclists and less inclined to share the road with them. Especially, by the way, with yahoo cyclists who flout the rules of the road and cycle dangerously.

Just because cyclists are legally allowed to be on a given road doesn’t mean they are wise to be there.

Read or Ride?

I often face a dilemma. And it is a pleasant dilemma to face. Should I ride my bike or take the subway to where I am going?

I actually don’t mind using the subway. I’ve lived all my life in Toronto and am well used to being in crowds. So a crowded subway doesn’t bother me. Ironically, riding the subway is actually a good way for me to get some alone time.  And what I most enjoy doing with this time is reading. Reading on the subway is something I really look forward to. If I forget my book on a subway trip (a very rare occurrence) I am very annoyed.

However, the downside to taking the subway is that there isn’t very much exercise involved; aside from walking to and from the subway, I’m just standing or sitting. So I often have quite a debate in my head before going to a location that I could as easily ride my bike to. I ask myself which I want to do more: read or exercise. Usually the bike riding wins out because I often think that I am not getting enough exercise. Also, I save the cost of two fares—$5.20 in Toronto nowadays. 

What does happen each trip is that is that if I’m riding, I wish I was on the subway reading, and if I’m on the subway, I wish I was riding my bike...

Duct Tape Saddle Repair

My bike’s saddle looks as though I found it in a junk heap somewhere. This is because it is almost entirely covered in duct tape.

The saddle originally came with a soft, porous fabric covering. I don’t recommend saddles with this kind of covering for two reasons: Reason one is the fabric quickly wears through. I remember one time leaning my bike up outside a store and having the store owner laugh at my saddle because a big wad of stuffing was sticking out through a hole. And my saddle wasn’t all that old when this happened. Reason two is seats with soft fabric coverings are great at soaking up rain. Leave your bike outside and return to it after a rain, and you’ll have a wet seat when you ride off. (Of course you can cover your saddle with a plastic bag if you think it might rain, but you might not always remember to do this.) So I think that a hard plastic cover is definitely the way to go.

Rather than replace my seat once the stuffing was coming out, I decided to use the time-honoured technique of using duct tape for repair. After my initial application of duct tape, I got in the habit of occasionally checking my saddle to see if any other places were wearing through. As this has often been the case, my seat is now almost entirely covered in duct tape.

I guess this doesn’t help my bike in the looks department, but I don’t care. Using duct tape saved me the money a new saddle would have cost, and my duct tape–covered seat will make my bike seem less desirable to any bicycle thieves who might be considering taking it.

In fact, I think the worse your bike looks, the better off you are. I like having a lousy-looking bike that rides well and is in good repair.