Best Bike Store 2009!
Wow! Thanks NOW Magazine once again for once again giving us the ‘critics pick’ for Toronto’s best bike store. Curbside is proof that in the case of Toronto bike culture, the citizens are ahead of the government. In the last five years we have romanced some of Toronto’s most unlikely cyclists onto bikes that make them feel safe and fashionable. But fashion is one thing, safety another. The bikes we sell are safer than most, but more than ever, we need to get this city moving with its cycling infrastructure projects.
This year we are throwing all of our weight behind the Toronto Cyclists Union, and to start, we are throwing a Thank You party for all NOW readers. Featuring Juno award winning songster Andrew Rodriguez, male-burlesque performer Corey Swelling (who strips in an amazing ‘bike mechanic’ routine not to be missed!), and many more acts, we want to get all Curbside customers under one roof for a good night of fun. Cover charge is $5 and goes straight into the pocket of the Cyclists Union. So c’mon out!
Cyclists Union Cocktail & Masquerade
On October 28th, you will almost be sure to be heading to the Toronto Cyclist Unions Cocktail and Masquerade. Bikes, fashion, and fantastic food all meet at this event at the Steamwhistle Roundhouse. At 6pm there will be a open bar, oyster shucking, and a silent auction. And, at 9pm the cash bar opens up the dancing begins! Top artists, Molly Johnson and Coco Love Alcorn hit the stage between 9pm and 1am. There will be an expo of Toronto’s best bike shops (we’re included, of course), and a raffle for an Old Dutch bike, compliments of Curbside Cycle! Costumes are encouraged…just wait till you see ours!
The Toronto Cyclist Union is an initiative we put our full support behind. Appealing to the widest demographic of cyclists, it aims to represent all Toronto cyclists through a strategic ward-specific approach while operating as something of a liason and think-tank for Toronto cyclists. The union operates on the principle of volume, so the more people who join, the more cyclists are represented. If you haven’t joined yet, you better! How else are we going to get our bike lanes and respect? You can join (and buy your tickets!) right here
Bike Sale!
Back to school means bike to school, and as you know, we sell the best darn bikes in Toronto. Starting August 21st, all Marin & Devinci bikes are 20% off and all accessories are 15% off with bicycle purchase. Zam, what a deal! For those after one of our stylish, indestructible, mega-low-maintenance, European city bikes…well, they never go on sale, but we will give you a free NY Lock ($140 value) with your purchase (except for the 1speed Old Dutch, which we did put on sale, for only $600!!!). Holy Guacamole! If you love a good deal, here’s your chance! Remember, all bikes under $1000 are PST exempt (until Dalton harmonizes the %$&# sales tax). Sorry, no online sales – in store only! Illustration by our very talented Gillian Goerz
Saving it for a rainy day…
Toronto has seen a positive deluge of rain this year. While bike cultures are rapidly advancing in cities like NYC, Chicago, Toronto and Montreal, the overall spirit has been dampened – literally. While places like Amsterdam and Copenhagen see continuous cycle usage despite the weather, the streets of Toronto seem hauntingly empty of cyclists the minute the sky looks angry. We decided to contact our good straight-shooting friend Henry at Henry Work Cycle in Amsterdam and our Danish fashionista Sussi Poulson, export manager of Biomega in Copenhagen to discover the key ingredients of an all-weather bike culture. The answer? Just deal with it. Try to stay dry. And ride the right bike, for heavens sake! The interesting fact? The bicycle is always the preferred option. It takes a lot to get a Dane or Dutchie off the bike and into a car. Well, we’re giving it all away. Read on!
Curbside: Sussi, how many people stop riding in Copenhagen when the weather turns nasty?
Sussi: I would say 2 out of 10 will use the public transport etc. if the weather gets nasty (rain, storm, snow). All my friends ride their bike all year round, so I would feel strange leaving my bike at home, just because it rains. In general people always rely on their bikes and still find it easier and more practical to ride around Copenhagen, even though it rains a lot. After all – it´s just rain. You´ll dry in a second.
Curbside: Henry, you wrote a post entitled “Dutch ride in the rain. Germans are made of sugar” which indicated a statistic that nearly 41% of Germans leave the bike at home once it starts raining. I think NYC, Toronto and Chicago are even worse. This begs the question, what do Germans and North Americans have in common?
Henry: I’m guessing it’s not so much what Germans, Canadians and Americans have in common as what’s different about their situations from that of the Dutch. In Germany and North America pretty much everybody has their own car and driving is the normal mode of transportation. Thus it’s not that they STOP cycling when it rains… they ONLY cycle when the conditions are deemed ideal. Of course there are some who defy this description but, as a whole, it fits. For the Dutch it’s the opposite. The typical Amsterdammer, for example, doesn’t own a car and finds public transport (no matter how good) a drag. Thus she rides her bike for transportation unless there’s a very compelling reason not to.
Curbside: Sussi, why don’t you Copenhagers just drive? Is it some sort of Viking spirit thing? Maybe the Danes like riding in bad weather?
Sussi: I don´t think we like riding in bad weather, but we don´t care either [Vikings!]. It´s still the easiest way to get around Copenhagen, and living in the city makes it difficult for you to have a car due to extremely expensive parking facilities etc. Also, compared to our public transport bike riding is both time and money saving. Another thing is the idea of getting fresh air, exercising and habits. After a long day in the office it´s always refreshing to get on the bike and breathe a little – it makes you move – and if you are used to biking it’s a pain in the ass being forced to rely on the time table of a bus or a train.
Curbside: Sussi, I know from all the photos on my camera that Danish people are very stylish on their bikes. What do they wear when the weather gets lousy?
Sussi: It´s difficult to ride a bike when it rains wearing high heels, but people in Copenhagen still try to find stylish alternatives like rain coats, wellingtons and even umbrellas. Rain coats used to be quite dull and boring in their designs, but during the past 5 years they have become more trendy and colorful. This allows people to be fashion-victims and hip – even on rainy days.
Curbside: Henry, perhaps its all a question of equipment. The Dutch bike industry goes through great lengths to keep its consumers dry, but beyond this I have seen more diversity than consistency when it comes to keeping dry. What is the most practiced method of staying dry in a city like Amsterdam?
Henry: It’s funny to see the range of attitudes toward dressing for rain here. You’ll see soggy jeans jackets, umbrellas in one hand and complete PVC coated rain suits on the bike path at the same time. Ponchos are rare since they’re generally not suited for riding in an upright position. If it’s just drizzling hardly anybody even bothers with a rain jacket. In any case everybody just cycles in normal street clothes since they’re actually going somewhere rather than cycling for some higher ideal or image. That guy in the fancy North Face Gore-Tex jacket is probably either headed off for a climbing holiday, or a foreigner. I ride at least a few kilometers every day (about average nationwide) and only pull on rain paints maybe ten times per year. I do generally wear a waterproof jacket (waxed cotton) most of the year though so a raincoat is largely irrelevant.
Curbside: Sussi, what do you say to our North American readers who want to ride all year?
Sussi: We have a Danish saying: “It´s never bad weather – just wrong clothes”. Take a look at the weather forecast and dress accordingly. Get used to the benefits: more energy, independence, fresh air, fun, city spirit, save money, no bitching on the bus, no lines, healthy lifestyle etc. Today riding a bike is a lifestyle and you chose the design according to your personality and functional needs. For example, many customers choose a Biomega shaft drive bike because the pure design lines reflects your image and at the same time it is very low maintenance, especially when used all year round. No dust, no dirt and no greasy trouser. In general I just think it´s all about getting into the habit of riding your bike at all times – It becomes a natural part of your life.
Curbside: Henry, how about you. Final comments?
Henry: Yeah, just relax, ditch the righteousness and don’t try to be a road warrior. Cycling is fun, convenient, cheap and safe. Ride if it improves your own situation. Take the train or car if and when that’s more practical or fun for you. Unless it’s really pouring I still enjoy riding in the rain. That said the experience of riding along central Amsterdam’s softly lit and nearly car-free canal streets on a rainy night is very different from doing so amidst the the traffic din and road spray of a typical North American street in the rain. I guess that’s one of the reasons why I’m here instead of there. [Ouch!]
Well there you have it. Mix the straight-shooting Dutch practicality with some Danish fashion sense and you will continue enjoying your bike, even in the rain. While not even Copenhagen has the nice soft lit canal-lined streets of Amsterdam, I can bet your city has an equally aesthetic experience. Here in Toronto, we have a wealth of back streets that are the ‘bike lanes’ ever. They are generally free of car traffic and when it rains you can hear that lovely sound of rainwater on the tyres and watch as the world suddenly become greener. What do I wear? The North Face jacket of a foreigner (sorry Henry!) and if its really pouring, a pair of pull over rain pants. No spandex or hideous yellow jackets for me. Yick!
Eric Kamphof is the manager of Curbside Cycle and a former Vancouverite – where it rains perpetually.
City of Toronto goes Dutch with New Fleet Bike Program.
Today the City of Toronto has blessed the Dutch Bicycle as its official two-wheeled transportation vehicle. The City of Toronto Green Fleet allows city employees to run errands or move from office to office without paying hefty taxi or parking fees. Designed to reduce the cities overall carbon footprint, the bikes are a pilot program that functions as a prolegomena to the next big installation – a Velib style bike-share program.
Despite many offers from much bigger bike companies, Marco Iacampo, who runs the Smart Commute program, chose Batavus from experience. As a student at the Tilburg University in the Netherlands, he had first-hand experience with the durability, safety, and efficiency of a Dutch bike. The City of Toronto required a bike that could offer its employees a completely clean clothing experience, a safe and upright position, almost zero maintenance, and above all a rust free platform that could be stored outside year after year all winter. It’s a fundamentally approachable and friendly bike to any new cyclist who wants to start riding but feels a bit scared. Finding such a bike in North America is simply put, impossible. Finding such a bike in Holland is, well, as normal as finding a stand selling raw pickled herring.
The bikes feature a galvanized steel frame with a thick powdercoat paint, strong stainless steel rims, puncture resistant tires, a single speed transmission (the bikes will be used for trips no more than 3km long), a full chaincase, coatguard, rack, kickstand, lights and bell, and a quick release to quickly adjust the seat. It’s the bike that the Dutch have been riding since 1905 and is still centuries ahead of most North American bikes. And the quality is pure Dutch too, made in Holland and able to last decades, even in Toronto winters.
(Photos by our own whiz-kid Brian Telzerow)
