Photos by Yvonne Bambrick

Interviews by Tammy Thorne

This Bike Spotting originally appeared in our Spring 2011 issue of dandyhorse.

Jesse Demb: I buy all kinds of stuff shopping by bicycle. I carry it on my back as my frame does not take racks. I bought these moustache handlebars by bicycle.

Raffa Weyman: In a car, you need to drive and park in front of every store. When you’re on your bike, you can hop on and hop off easily.

Lorraine Johnson: My bike is my primary mode of transportation. I buy food every day biking along Bloor.

Eds Note: Lorraine is featured in the current issue of THIS magazine talking about her backyard chickens.

CLare Moore: Yes, maybe twice a week. I prefer to travel by bike because I really don’t like to be in such close quarters on the bus and the subway.

Shannen Lees: I get all my groceries on my bike and carry them in my basket. It is just a lot better for the environment and for my health.

Cassio Batista and Raphae Labezerra: Yes, I use my backpack and I buy many things. Also, we go to the movies. Today we are just riding for fun.

Photos by Yvonne Bambrick

This Bike Spotting originally appeared in dandyhorse volume 4, issue 1, get it here.

What: An illustration of just one of the many things a Victorian woman cyclist should neither say or do.
Where: magnificentoctopus.tumblr.com
Who: Andy Arthur

Craig Barnes and daughter Kaleda Barnes-Chan: I’m hauling a vintage chair from Mrs. Huizenga on Roncesvalles Ave. I haul children and gear in the trailer and lots of groceries and sports gear on this custom Bilenky cargo bike, equipped with a Bionx electric-assist system. I live in a hilly party of town. (Ed’s note: Craig is a founding member of the Toronto Cyclists Union and started the popular Bike Valet parking program.)

Mary Devries Castel and Evan Castel with co-pilots Camille and Louis: Today we are carrying our work gear, our kids and their school stuff and a week’s worth of fresh veggies. And, yes, I think there might be a six-pack of Amsterdam Natural Blonde in there too!

Megan Ingman at her shop Lettuce Knit in Kensington Market: My dog Daisy and my son Elwood are riding in our De Fietsfabriek brand bike from Amsterdam. We brought it home on the plane. Oh, and the name Lettuce Knit is just a fitting pun since we’re surrounded by fruits and veggies here in the market!

Luisa Milan and her trike Matilda: I’m not hauling much today, which is very rare. I live on Ward’s Island so I always carry lots of stuff. I usually have two big bags in the front and a full back basket. When my son was little I used to carry him in the back! It’s my third trike and she’s four years old. I got the flowers at Loblaws instead of the dollar store because they last longer.

Leida Englar: I’m the box office manager for Summerworks on Toronto Islands. I’m hauling the box office for Shadowland’s theatre production of Hensel and Gretel here on Ward’s Island. This cargo bike is a converted 1984 Jiffy Ice Cream bike.

Zbig Chwieszczenik and Fred De Les Foro: We kite surf here at Hanlan’s Point whenever it’s windy, as much as we can. It’s too far from the ferry to carry all this equipment so the bike trailers do the truck nicely. We just like to hop on the bikes and go.

Laurel Atkinson: My trailer is designed specifically with dogs in mind. I found it while doing the research for “K9 Commute” for dandyhorse in the summer of 2009. I usually haul fruit for Not Far From the Tree.

Avery Peters: I volunteer as a fruit picker for the organization Not Far From the Tree, where the fruit from urban trees is shared three ways between the pickers, the property owners and local food banks. I’m using one of our cargo bikes here.

Laurie Featherstone: I deliver food by bike for a living! I deliver for Forbes Wild Foods and FoodShare one or two times a week for their lunch catering… and much, much more! twowheelsgreendelivery.com

Mike Cluer: I’ve used my trike to move potted trees, computers, furniture and picnic stuff in a cooler plus a couple of folding chairs when my lady friend and I go to the Toronto Islands. Getting the trike is one of the smartest thing I ever did. It was my girlfriend’s idea.

Robert Pahmer: What don’t I carry on my bike? I carry my bike repair stuff, my tennis stuff and all the dog accoutrements, such as treats and toys. I’m riding a Kona Ute with extra-large courier bags used as panniers. Little Taz, the Jack Russell, is in the pannier, my largest pup is Colt and the black pooch is Hogan.

Yvonne Bambrick: It’s amazing how much I can haul with a basket, rack and panniers! I’m carrying the No Parking signs for Pedestrian Sunday in Kensington Market (last Sunday of the month May to October) along with magazines, duct tape, bungee cords, rain poncho, handbag and my camera. Photo by Tammy Thorne

Cargo bike Bike Spotting photos by Yvonne Bambrick

Jonah Zalken, Joanna Brill,  Rodolfo Novak (L-R)

Jonah: I bought this jacket for the Tweed ride but I like it so much I’ve already worn it a few times. It’s nice to dress up and meet new people.

Rob Harris: These goggles are a bit of Steampunk. Steampunks are also known as gear heads and coggies (from “cog”.) It’s a branch of science fiction that posits that there were computers in the Victorian age and where steam replaced nuclear energy. These are my regular clothes, yes. Cheers!

Sara Torrie and Sonja den Elzen

Sonja: I’m wearing this herringbone cape thing I made. My friend Dana made these cuffs. I made this dress. I have a store called Thieves boutique on Queen. I am a lover of tweed. It’s perfect for cycling.

Sara and her tall bike: Alison of Who The Cap Fit made my felt hat. She’s from Montreal.
These tails, this jacket is not an every day thing for me, but the rest of these clothes are. I built this bike myself. The bottom part is my old bike that died this summer. The propeller doesn’t really help me to go faster but it looks fun.

Tweed co-organizer and the man behind BikingToronto.com, Joe Travers is always dandy!

Sarah B. Hood: This is an 1890s bloomer suit. I cut and designed the entire thing myself.

(EDs note: Sarah is multi-talented! She’s also an exceptional writer and produced the feature story: The Bikes that Feed the World in our new Food issue.)

Marianne Helgers, Cathryn Groening and Duncan Hurd (dandyhorse’s web editor): The majority of what we’re wearing is from our closets. Tweed is really timeless.

Marianne: This tweed “Sherlock Holmes” cap is borrowed from dandyhorse editor, Tammy Thorne!

All photos by dandy editor and publisher Tammy Thorne who wore a beautiful vintage mohair pile capelet made in Lochcarron, Scotland.

Tammy: I’ve never had the opportunity to wear the capelet to an event before – so I’d like to say: Thank you Tweed Ride Toronto! Everything else is part of my regular wardrobe. This is my favourite tweed blazer that I got on sale in Yorkville and my beloved brown bowler from Frock on Roncesvalles. I’m riding my 3-speed Hercules bicycle. This was one of the last ones built in the U.K. before Raleigh purchased the company.

dandyhorse senior editor Dana Lacey caught up with Tweed Ride Toronto for high tea: Bowlers, bow ties and bikes.

Ainsley Head: I am surprised I’m not wearing plaid today and I need to cycle tweed into my wardrobe a bit more for sure this season. I usually wear a wool scarf on a cooler day.

I’m wearing some cool shoes that I got in NY. This awesome bag is great for cycling because of the shoulder strap but it is also fashion-y — got it at a consignment shop in Kingston. And I’m wearing some awesome pearls.

Martin Reis aka Tino: Well, I find that wool and tweed are perfect materials for riding in windy conditions. When it gets a bit wet it gets a bit warmer. And it’s just comfortable and lets everyone know you are a respectable cyclist.

Today, I am wearing a nice little Italian vest…and some blue jeans and soccer shoes. And of course I have my classic felt hat.

I will definitely be at the Tweed ride.

(EDs Note: Tino is a long-time dandyhorse contributor. His work includes the original Bike Spotting series! His photographs appear in the Food Issue, “Tribute to Jack Layton” and “Bikes & Beans”)

Maeve Cox: Wool is awesome for biking in the fall and winter, for layering, because you go from hot to cold a lot.

I am wearing plain high-waisted black pants and a cross-over button up blazer/sweater thing.

Clemence Berg: Wool totally works for me. It fits with the style of my Linus bike.

I’m wearing a sweater vest and a pink shirt. Jeans and Rockports. A Linus is a sweater vest kind of bike.

Alexx Ikon: This wool jacket is from a charity sale across the street from my home, by St. Christopher House…so that is how I like to work wool in. I thought the mint green was very springy for the fall.

I love my bicycle super highway here on Harbord and when I turn south on McCaul… I feel fancy-free!

Rudy Lee: Tweed blazers are perfect for biking in the fall because they’re less cumbersome than coats. I actually traded my TV for this jacket.

Ryan Smith: There’s nothing that really compares to wool – it’s super warm and dressy too.

Today, I am wearing a nice set of slacks with a pinstripe shirt, some suspenders and a page boy hat. I’m new to the city and I got this used bike at a local shop for $200 bucks and it’s been great.

I will definitely be at Tweed Ride Toronto. Looking most forward to the after party with Big Wheel beer and dance lessons.

******

Tweed Ride Toronto takes place Saturday, October 15, 2011. Riders will meet at the Trinity Bellwoods gates, Queen Street West at Strachan. Registration is from 12:00 to 2:30 pm and the ride starts at 3:00 pm followed by a swing dancing after party. Be sure to stop by the dandyhorse table at the after party for a special dandy deal.

More at Tweed Ride Toronto

Photos by Colleen Kirley. Ryan Smith photo by Tammy Thorne.

Corrin and Jasmine: My bike gets me to rehersal and shows and everythig I do. I am a dancer. It’s also a form of physical training.

Shane Fester: I am going to be biking around to Nuit Blanche all night. I bike to work and I am a photographer and the bike is my mode of transportation to get anywhere. (EDs note: Shane was particularly thankful for getting the light as he had recently been charged by the police with only have one light on his bike.)

Meagan Desjardins: I am biking to a pre Nuit Blanche party now. I heard dandyhorse was giving out free MEC lights tonight. RIGHT ON!

The bicycle is a good vehichle to see more of the city; to see anything in the city… especially on a night like this!

Graham Haines: I was ditched for a bike light! (EDs note: Meagan took off on her ‘friend’ Graham to answer our questions and get the free MEC light. Thankfully, he was also happy to receive a free light too!)

I don’t deal with art that much in my life unfortunately. I work with an environmental non-profit. Yes, I really like bike lanes. But this one is too short.

Kirsten Johnson: I am biking THROUGH Nuit Blanche – not really TO Nuit Blanche.

I ride to my studio every day and I love to paint my bikes. kirstenjohnson.com

Mark Marczyk: My bike gets me to all my gigs. I am in the Lemon Bucket Orchestra. lemonbucketorkestra.wordpress.com

Douglas Berry: I don’t know if art and bikes intersect for me… I’m just going home. (EDs note: Douglas already had 8 or 9 lights on his bike but still gratefully accepted the blinkie compliments of MEC )

I don’t want to get killed by a car. People don’t respect bikers. This bike lane is fine but there aren’t many around. I live at Bathurst and Eglinton and it’s pretty bad. Sometimes I ride on the sidewalk.

Cheryl Masterson: I didn’t know that they did except for transportation – we’re biking to Nuit Blanche events tonight.

Eric Plaxton: I made this bicycle. It’s fine arts and machinery together in one. I am biking.

I’m also biking around Nuit Blanche tonight.

Photos by Manny Perez

FREE MEC turtle lights for the first 100 guests at the dandyhorse Food Issue launch party! October 3, 2011 at Parts & Labour. Your free light could light the way home on one of two Linus bikes!

Tom Polarbear: The Martin Goodman Trail, east and west, because it’s mostly an off-road paved multi-use trail and is car-free. Plus you get to see lots of interesting people using it!

David: Island of Martha’s Vineyard where my children and I live car-free.

Doug Vallery: Lawrence Park – because it is quiet, with treed neighbourhoods, good cross-street integration and controlled access across major arteries. Plus, there’s integration into the Don Valley bike path system in the Glendon and Sunnybrook areas.

Want to be featured in an upcoming Bike Spotting DIY? Go here to submit your photo and response.

What: A mural by the Cecil/Harbourfront Community Centre Graffiti Transformation Project.
Where: Robinson Street at Bathurst
Who: Photos by Tammy Thorne

Fixie Kitty!

Nadine Majaess: I think it is important that there is a visual lane distinction. We need boundaries. If they do make this a separated bike lane I guess it will look like they are investing in bikes.

Patty Lane: If they separate the lane with concrete barriers I think it would make things difficult for pedestrians and it would look ugly. I’m not sure separating this lane on Bloor will make a big difference safety-wise. But I wouldn’t be riding a bike here without a bike lane.

Byron Wolfman: Physical separation from cars is great but it’s not really a selling point for me. It’s other bikers I’m afraid of. If the separated lane is too small I won’t like it.

Maija Ellis: Won’t the barriers make passing more difficult? I think they’ve done a great job in Montreal with separated lanes where you get concrete curbs and wide lanes. Toronto is such a big city it really should be more bike-friendly.

Lisa Tait: As long as the separated lane is wide enough for cyclists to pass each other I’m OK with it. If it is too narrow then I can see it becoming a safety hazard. The lane here from Parliament has been erased with use and needs to be repainted, too.

Michael Booth: I’ll be glad when they separate this lane. I just moved here from Chicago where they are doing a lot to improve biking. I’m relearning the routes now in Toronto.

Photos by Frank Theriault

What: Bike Lanes Pleeezz! mural
Where: North side of Dupont Street east of Bathurst Street
When: Friday, August 5, 2011
Why: The existing bike lanes on Dupont Street end at Lansdowne Avenue approximately 3 km to the west of this intersection.
Who: Photo by Duncan Hurd