Tag: cycling
I’m always for making your commute into a way to keep active whenever possible. So I was super into helping to launch Bike Month with Bike to Work Day last Monday in partnership with CLIF Bar.
Bike Month, if you’re not familiar with it, is an annual event to promote cycling in Toronto and Hamilton running from May 28th until June 30th. It’s the 29th anniversary of this event, which brings together cyclists at events, races, tours and more through the month of June. In fact, have you heard that every Wednesday during the month of June Bike Share in Toronto is free!
I rode Bike Share for the first time this Monday for the launch event during which we rode from Yonge and Charles down to City Hall with Mayor John Tory. The police shut down traffic so we could do the ride there and it was a fun leisurely ride that, hello, ended with a CLIF-powered pancake breakfast, some speakers and photo opps (check out the cute CLIF Bar bike below, couldn’t resist getting a fun shot with Hawley Dunbar of Sidewalk Hustle and Gracie Carroll of Edit Seven).
I don’t ride my bike to commute that often but I’ve been slowly trying to do more. Last summer, I rode my bike to a few dance classes and to get to an event or two (and then got a flat but I just got my tired fixed so I’m back on the road!). I will admit that I am a little afraid of riding my bike on the busy city streets but with careful planning using the Toronto cycling map, I can usually find a route with a bike lane or a quieter street i can take where I can confidently ride to get where I need to.
As for CLIF Bar, did you know the company was born on a bike? Founder Gary Erickson was exhausted and craving a good tasting and nutritious energy bar dying a 175-mile bike ride in 1990. Talk about the perfect match, Bike Month and CLIF Bar. Their bars are what I pack in my bag when going on a hike or for a bike ride (or eat before I head out for one) so I can be sure I’ve got the energy I need for my adventures of the day. And whether you bike as a means to commute to work or just a fun ride on the trails or in the Leslie Spit (where I’ve ridden to view some epic sunsets) there’s a CLIF Bar variety that’ll tempt your palate. And by the way, if you need something new to tempt your tastebuds, just launched in Canada are two new CLIF Nut-Butter Filled energy bar varieties: Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter and Caramel Chocolate Peanut Butter. My fave of the two is the sweet and savoury Caramel Chocolate Peanut Butter.
Plus, a little hat tip to Canada: those oats in the Nut-Butter Filled energy bars? None other than organic Canadian oats and the Nut-Butter Filled Bars are made in Canada!
With a both a Bike Share membership and my bike, and a new helmet, I’m excited to bike more often during Bike Month and beyond! I’d love to see where your bike takes you, be sure to share with the hashtag #feedyouradventure and #bikemonthTO!
If you’d like to learn about more Bike Month events, be sure to check out the site!
(sponsored)
June 4, 2018
I’m such a novice when it comes to bikes. I had one as a kid (but never got super comfortable riding it) and have the occasional chance to ride one about once a year when I travel, but that’s about it. And I have a confession: I don’t really get the concept of switching gears (even though it’s been explained to me a few times) but I manage…more or less.
So a quick tutorial I got recently at Canadian Tire was helpful. I finally understand the different types of bikes. Not clear on it yourself? Here are some brief pointers on what sets apart the four types:
Mountain bikes have big tires and this is for you if you plan on biking on muddy trails. They have dual suspension. Although there is a Schwinn that’s exclusive to Canadian Tire that features single suspension and a 27.5-inch tire (which allows you to roll easily over rocks and sticks on the trails). Mountain bikes also feature disk breaks (which don’t get gunked up with mud and other debris).
Hybrid bikes feature a dual sport frame. The tires are thinner than a mountain bike but still feature knobby treads. They’re designed to be used equally for trails and in the city, offering the benefits of speed and agility.
City bikes are designed for comfort, so the seat will be wider and more comfy and the frame allows you to sit more upright. The city bike they carry at Canadian Tire now has 7 speeds added and a light aluminum frame.
Road bikes are for you if your goal is performance speed endurance. At Canadian Tire, they offer a road bike with the flat handlebar so you can sit more upright (it’s not typical for a road bike to have this type of handlebar) if you’re just new to road biking and learning the sport.
This, of course, is just brief rundown. When you shop for a bike at Canadian Tire, the staff will be able to help you find what you need.
Also, don’t forget a bike helmet when buying your bike (you’ll also want to make sure you have a bell and if plan to ride at night a light, too; both are required by law here)! And yes, I realize I’m not wearing a helmet here in these photos, but I do wear one when I ride my bike (Melissa, my friend from Best Health magazine, and I just didn’t wear them for these pictures). By the way, did you know you should replace your helmet every three years? That’s because the foam in the helmet starts to deteriorate. As for how to find a helmet that fits, there should be two finger widths of space from your brow bone to the helmet, and as for the strap under your chin, it doesn’t have to be flush to your chin; you should be able to tuck one finger between the strap and your chin and the V on each side should fall around each ear.
Ready to ride a bike this summer? With my new hybrid bike (yes, it was a gift from Canadian Tire), I’m keen for some
leisurely rides on paths. Although I’d love to use it to get around the city, I’m too scared to use it on downtown Toronto streets. I plan on using it to go to the Toronto Flower Market, farmers markets, Leslie Spit and on the Martin Goodman Trail. I’ve already used it to bike to High Park to see all of the trees in bloom and am really enjoying my new wheels.
May 19, 2015
Maybe you feel like you’re in a bit of a fitness rut. Or you’re just keen to add something new to your workout routine to make it a little more exciting (there’s only so many times you can run the 5k around your neighbourhood, and at some point, even the hottie instructor in Spin class isn’t enough to keep you interested and motivated during class). Then Tryfit may be just what you need to discover a new workout or studio.
This new fitness pass in Toronto gives you access to 20 specialty fitness studios around the city — with Tryfit you get to try one class at each of them over a period of six months. All for $49. When a single trial class can cost about $20 at some studios, that makes it a pretty good deal — that’s if you’re up for trekking to different spots around the T-Dot to get your sweat on.
Studios include Flirty Girl Fitness, Moksha Yoga Downtown,Think Fitness Studios and Totum LifeScience (Roxborough) to name just a few.
I’ve got mine and hope to hit up a few of the studios over the next six months. How ’bout you?
July 21, 2014
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