Spring Cycle

As a late (late) biking bloomer, I canvassed my girlfriends for tips on city cycling. Here, their best advice for seeing Toronto on two wheels.

accessorize wise: Additions like a cheery red or lemon yellow Basil Bottle Basket ($35) make cycling life much easier, but safety is truly the hottest bike accessory. Be beautiful AND brainy in this matte turquoise Bern Lenox helmet (pictured, $59.99)—be sure everyone can see and hear your safe sense of style with MEC lights and a retro bell by Widek of Holland ($13). Oh, you’ll want a tough-as-nails lock, too.

bike local: Bateman’s Bike Company and Curbside Cycle have offered top support during my year riding in Toronto. It’s well worth getting to know the gang at your local, too. Lean in.

know how: Though it’s a step skipped by many cyclists, learning the basics of bike maintenance is a must (one friend described the bicycle as “a very simple analog machine” that can be simple to fix). MEC offers a free bike-maintenance 101 clinic and your local bike shop may have similar sessions, too.

explore with apps: The Google map app on your smartphone is packed with bike-friendly routes and is a helpful tool for skipping the streetcar tracks and discovering stress-free cycle tracks like Sherbourne Street.

free wheelin’: Taking my new-found love of biking to Portland (a.k.a. Bike City, U.S.A.) last fall has been a highlight of my cycling career so far. With help from city-specific sites like NYC’s Velojoy, you too can tackle exciting destinations around the world on two wheels. Many city tourism websites also offer special cycling details; check out Paris, Barcelona and Canada’s own cycling capital, Victoria).

Thanks to Carly, Jessie and Kristen: the best biking buds a girl could have! —Julie Whelan