TBN has a new mailing address

Toronto Bicycling Network Inc.

3230 Yonge Street, #1703

Toronto, ON

M4N 3P6

Outdoor Adventure Show: Check out the TBN booth

TBN will have a booth at this year's Outdoor Adventure show, Feb. 24-26 at the International Centre on Airport Rd. This year's event, which caters to outdoors enthusiasts of all stripes, has a quite-substantial Bike Fest zone. Billed as "Canada's largest show of outdoor gear and adventure travel experiences," it is the only game in town this spring, since the normally annual spring Toronto Bicycle Show has been postponed until 2024, basically due to a shortage of bikes and accessories.

If you are able to attend, please do so and be sure to visit the TBN booth at #220. Use Promo code GETOUTDOORS23 when ordering your ticket online to get $2 off the admission to the show. Parking is free!

TBN runs Can-Bike Level 4 course

TBN is offering a CAN-BIKE Level 4 course, March 24-26. It will be run by TBN member Joey Schwartz, who is a certified CAN-BIKE instructor. The entire course will be offered over three days: Friday evening will be the theory class, open to all TBN members; then Saturday and Sunday in-person, on-the-bike training; followed by certification testing. The entire three-day course, with testing, will be limited to 12 attendees, and will be open only to ride leaders and program coordinators. We are asking the program coordinators to nominate attendees. If there is sufficient demand, we may schedule additional training. This is the first time since 2015 that TBN has offered this free training to its members.

For more details, and to register, visit the TBN calendar page.

TBN offers two options for winter hiking

TBN has launched a new no-drop program for winter hikers who might find the current Sunday morning hikes too long and/or too fast. 

The next no-drop Sunday hike is set for February 19 from Christie Lake Conservation Area in Dundas, with a total distance of 6 km. Hikes in each group are limited to 12 participants so be sure to watch the TBN calendar for new dates, and plan to sign up as soon as registration opens (typical a week prior to the hike). 

Long hike, Feb. 12, with leader Danny Harvey, front right

Niagara Bike & Hike on for May 19-22  

To get your 2023 cycling season off to a great start, join one of TBN’s most popular rides along the quiet roads and off-road paved trails of the Niagara region, over four days, May 19-22. This year we once again have 40 spots available. The cost to join us on this weekend is $295. Note that this trip sold out quickly in previous years. Registration opens on Saturday March 11. Watch for details on the TBN calendar.

Program X sparking new ideas

One of TBN’s newest and most wide-ranging programs, titled Program X, will continue in 2023, offering ride leaders an opportunity to try out new ideas. Over the past several years this program, overseen by longtime member Dave Mader, has served as a spark to broaden the club’s horizons, resulting in Alice Chan’s schedule of no-drop rides, Paul Min’s training rides for long-distance adventures and gravel bike tours, Vicky Laurens’ special theme rides, and Jimmy and Carol Yeung and Terry Walsh’s GO Train rides into the Niagara peninsula. 

In 2022, 24 Program X events took place, drawing an average attendance of 11 riders and a total of 14 non-members for the year. This season will no doubt inspire other offshoots. Give it a try if you see a Program X event that appeals to you.

This month's trivia question

Where can this monkey on a bike be found?

Please email your guesses to touring@tbn.com asap. TBN is giving out five pairs of tickets to the Outdoor Adventure Show, February 24-26 at the International Centre, Airport Road in Mississauga.

Please send us your best photos

Communications Director Alice Chan is working on a project to update our photos files, in order to build a broader range of photos from various TBN events. Please contact Alice and attach to your email one photo (one only, please), in jpeg format, that you feel best represents TBN members enjoying themselves during an event, including cycling, hikes, city walks, skating and skiing. Be sure to use the following naming convention for your photo before attaching it: event category_yyyymm_location.

Overnight trips: volunteers and ideas wanted

Are you interested in leading an overnight trip this year? TBN reimburses trip leaders for their expenses up to a maximum amount. Please reach out to Lora Flanagan, Overnight Trips Director, weekendtrips@tbn.ca for more information.

Would you like to help make this year's Toronto Niagara Toronto Overnight (TNTO) trip in June a success? Please consider volunteering. We need route researchers, event day volunteers and a driver. Contact Lora Flanagan, Overnight Trips Director, weekendtrips@tbn.ca.

If any members have ideas for new areas to cycle but do not know how to put a trip together, feel free to contact Touring Director Dennis Szilvasy. Dennis has 50 years of cycling experience around southern Ontario, western New York, Pennsylvania and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, and he will be pleased to offer his assistance with accommodation, cycling routes and tourist attractions in an area. 

Need to cancel a registration for an event?

We have tried to clear up the process for cancelling your event registrations. We have updated the How to Cancel my Event Registration page on the website. The links in each event now show

for registered users. See the web page for more details.

--Martin Lansche, Technical Director