Frequently Asked Questions

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If you have membership related questions not covered below, send your question to experience@tbn.ca.

No, non-members can participate in most activities for a fee of $10. All non-members (and members) must register for an event on our calendar. This registration must be done in advance of the event. The $10 non-membership fee can be credited (one time only) towards membership if you decide to join within six months of that activity or event.

Sometimes, due to circumstances beyond our control, we have to cancel an event. If TBN cancels an event, and you have paid the Guest member registration fee for that event, you will be refunded your fee - via Paypal.

If you have paid the Guest member registration fee for an event and you cancel that registration for any reason prior to the start of the event, you will be refunded your fee.

If you have paid the Guest member registration fee for an event, find that you cannot attend the event, but do not cancel prior to the event, in general, your fee is not refundable (this is analogous to missing a concert for which you have paid tickets). If there were extraneous circumstances, email the details to membership@tbn.ca, and we will look at your request on a case by case basis.

Please be conscientious and cancel early to free up a position that someone else can fill. If you were placed on the Waitlist, and want to be removed from the Waitlist, please contact technical@tbn.ca as soon as possible. Note that in this case, you will not have yet entered a transaction via Paypal for the event, and no refund is due.

In addition, you can apply your Guest Rider fee towards becoming a member. See the next question in the FAQ.

Yes. If your ride leader did not provide you with a promo code, send an email to membership@tbn.ca. Upon confirmation that you meet the entitlement conditions (that is, you paid the Guest Rider fee), they will send you a promo code. Enter the promo code when you apply for membership, and your membership fee will be reduced by the cost of the Guest Rider fee. Effectively, your Guest Rider fee is refunded.

If you have already joined TBN, but did not apply the promo code, contact membership@tbn.ca and they will advise how to proceed.

TBN accepts online payment via PayPal, or we can invoice you. If you use the "Invoice" option, you can easily pay by Interac e-Transfer. The details on how to do that are included on your invoice emailed to you. We do accept cheques - see related FAQ item below - but because of the delays involved, we strongly encourage paying Online or by e-Transfer.

Online, by completing the membership profile form and making a secure online payment using PayPal. Within Paypal, you can use VISA or MasterCard.

You can make a secure online payment using PayPal. Within PayPal you can use VISA or MasterCard. You can also pay invoices by e-transfer or by cheque. If you prefer to pay by cheque, please make the cheque payable to "Toronto Bicycling Network Inc" and send it to: Toronto Bicycling Network Inc. 3230 Yonge St. Box 1703 Toronto, ON M4N 3P6. Also send an email to treasurer@tbn.ca informing them that you have sent a cheque, so that the treasurer can plan a trip to our mailbox.

Yes, there is a special student membership available, at a cost of $30, for full-time students at post-secondary institutions that are at least 18 years of age. If you qualify for the student membership, then complete the membership profile form and submit a copy of your student ID via email to membership@tbn.ca.

Your membership expires twelve months after date of joining. A membership renewal reminder is emailed to you three weeks before your membership expires and at regular intervals after that; if one does not renew within 90 days of expiry, then one has to re-join as a ‘new’ member. Renewal can be done online by logging into the TBN website.

A new individual membership costs $55 and renewal costs $40; a new family membership costs $85 and renewal costs $70. The cost of a new or renewal student membership is $30.

Review the ride classifications but if you are not sure where you fit in, TBN recommends you try an ‘Urban Roller’ class of ride that is offered on weekend mornings, as well as Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights; if ‘Urban Roller’ is too fast for you, then try a ‘Leisure Wheeler’ ride.

Your bicycle should be in good working order; bring a water bottle, spare inner tube, patch kit, pump and tire levers. If you are a TBN member, bring your membership card. The wearing of helmets is mandatory on all TBN rides irrespective of provincial law; it is recommended that CPSC, CSA, SNELL or ANSI approved helmets are worn. Lights are mandatory on all evening rides that finish after dusk, in accordance with the Highway Traffic Act. It's also good to bring a bit of cash, water with electrolytes, a credit card, and a phone. You should download or print the route map or the cuesheet for the ride. See How to to Join the RideWithGPS Club Account for instructions on getting access to our routes.

All members and non-members must register for all in-real-life events such as cycling events, and Fall/Winter Hikes. TBN also hosts virtual events where registration is not required. These virtual events include Zwift meetups, Virtual City Walks, Movie Nights, etc.

All TBN rides are led by a trained volunteer ride leader so seek this person out, introduce yourself. Let the ride leader know you are new to the club, and what your skill level is. You will be introduced to the other members at the ride. Be prepared to show the event registration email for the event (show a copy of the email on your phone, or a printout of the email).

TBN is mainly an outdoor recreational activity club but, over the years, we have found that the cohesiveness of the club, participation levels and enthusiasm of our membership is enhanced by a complementary schedule of social activities so you will notice various social events advertised throughout the year. Also, many of our cycling events have a designated after-ride meeting spot that is usually a local eatery for those who want to linger and chat.

To increase your knowledge of cycling that will also enhance your enjoyment of the activity. TBN organizes a series of seminars and workshops that cover topics such as buying a bike that fits you, defensive riding skills, basic maintenance, fixing flats, choosing equipment and more.

TBN has a large schedule of official rides and each event requires the participation of a volunteer ride leader to plan and lead. For every official ride on the schedule that isn't cancelled at least two hours prior to the scheduled start time, a volunteer is guaranteed to be at the start point rain or shine, with the exception of ‘Leisure Wheeler’ rides. During the early spring and late fall, when the weather is cold, wet and unpredictable, it is hard to ask a volunteer to give up a couple of hours travelling to and from the start point for a ride that obviously is not going to happen and, moreover, few volunteers are likely to commit to leading rides during these periods. A ride is deemed ‘unofficial’ when there is no guarantee of a ride leader or any organization whatsoever. A regularly scheduled ride may also be declared ‘unofficial’ if the ride leader decides conditions are unsuitable for a safe ride by the assembled participants. Note: Unofficial rides are not sanctioned by TBN.

In general, carpooling is organized by mutual agreement of individual participants, however, TBN does offer a forum on the website where members can advertise that they are offering, or looking for a carpool to a specific event. See Carpooling Forum for entries. Note that obsolete posts are pruned from the forum. Carpooling is a great way to make new friends and reduce the number of cars on the road, which in turn reduces air pollution. If you decide to carpool, passengers should expect to pay their fair share of travel expenses, as agreed upon in advance.

Visit the TBN website often to learn about the events on offer, ask questions and participate as much as you can; you will have a great time and meet a lot of friendly and supportive people along the way too.

All TBN members are expected to follow all laws and by-laws as applicable to TBN events, and to abide by the TBN Constitution and By-Laws and TBN Policies.

Riders 16 and older are allowed to join TBN rides without parental supervision. Riders under 16 are allowed if accompanied by an adult. In both cases, the TBN waiver must be signed by a parent/guardian. Parents of 16- and 17-year-olds may download the waiver from the website, sign it, and send it with their child if they are not going to physically present at the start of the ride.

This is a layman's summary of the TBN Insurance Policy coverage. It is not meant to replace the full policy document held by the TBN President. Please email any specific questions to president@tbn.ca.

TBN has 3rd party Liability Insurance Coverage with a $3,000,000 liability limit. Our insurer, Gameday Insurance, focuses on providing specialized insurance solutions for sports and recreation. Our coverage includes - Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, Personal and Advertising Injury Liability, Medical Payments, Tenants Legal Liability, Errors and Omissions Liability, and Directors Insurance

It is mandatory that certified protective head gear is worn while participating in all bicycling activities. The policy will be null and void if riders do not wear certified protective head gear.

The ride leaders and sweeps while carrying out the duties of TBN are included as named insureds in the policy and in the event of an insurable claim, they would be included in the defense by the insurance company.

Volunteers would be covered when using a vehicle for TBN business. If it’s a personal vehicle, your own insurance coverage should click in first. If it’s a rental vehicle, you will obtain an insurance coverage document from your co-ordinator and decline extra insurance from the car rental company as we have $3,000,000 in auto liability coverage. TBN would be covered in the event of a lawsuit as a result of the negligence of the Volunteer acting under the direction of TBN.

Members participating in sanctioned club events are covered, as are non-members who have registered for the event, and agreed to the TBN Waiver.

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