Mont-Tremblant -> Saint-Faustin-Lac-Carré It rained overnight, but by the time we left late the next morning, the sun was peaking through the clouds – we didn’t need our rain capes just yet!  We had arrived in Mont-Tremblant Resort Village via the trail La Villageoise C, so we decided to leave via La Villageoise B for a slightly longer scenic ride. These trails are beautifully paved and well signed, warning cyclists of every steep descent and curve.  Signs!Bridge over Rivière du Diable A huge wooden bridge crosses the Rivière du Diable and leads to a ton of mountain bike trails ..read more

For our first vacation since the pandemic began, we went to Montreal to get the blissfully safe feeling of cycling in Europe => separated bike lanes + motorists who aren’t trying to run us over! (Yes, I know not all motorists in Toronto are actively trying to hit us, but the numerous close calls with inattentive drivers are just as scary.) It’s nice to go somewhere we don’t regularly face near-death experiences and can be a bit more chill on our rides. As a bonus, we chose to go during the Go Bike Montreal Festival! Best decision ever! Parc La Fontaine – 1 of 3 starting points for the Tour ..read more

The last trip we did before Covid-19 shut down the world was Hawaii. You can read all about the trip (including photos and MAPS of our routes) in the posts below: Bikes on a Bus! Kona -> Waikoloa -> Hilo Hilo’s Waterfalls & Caves Loop Hilo’s Beaches Cycling the Lava-Ravaged Red Road to Puna Bike & Hike in Volcanoes National Park Cycling the Old Mamalahoa Highway to Akaka Falls Biking from Kona to the End of the World We didn’t get around to making videos right after our trip to Hawaii, but 2+ years into this pandemic, international travel is still not advised and we’ve got time ..read more

Due to the pandemic, we haven’t been able to do a big trip abroad for the last two years, so instead we’ve been going through video footage from our old bike tours, starting with Mexico! Here’s the result: a video of our 300km ride from Mérida to Tulum on the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. Cycling in Mexico Blog Posts: Sights & Lights in Merida, Mexico Cycling from Merida to the Dzibilchaltun Ruins Biciruta Merida – Car-Free Sunday in Mexico The Adventurous Cycling Route From Merida to Izamal Izamal to Chichen Itzá – Cycling the Scenic Route Mexico’s Maya Ruins: Chichen Itza Cyclin ..read more

Last year a small group of us did the Santa For Safe Streets ride. This year with everyone vaccinated and restrictions on group gatherings outside lifted, we went big — #CyclingGoodCheer was on! (Epic video at the end of this post.) We donned our reindeer antlers and met Santa, Rudolph and Elf Jun at Dupont TTC station and took the subway up to Finch West station. From there we cycled the Finch West Hydro Corridor… And assembled ALL the elves and reindeer at Yonge Street for the ride south. There were tons of fabulous costumes and decorated bikes.  Alas, I didn’t get pics of a ..read more

Since the pandemic is still not over, we stayed close to home this summer once again. We’ve done many short bike rides around Toronto, including a fun one on the Beltline and Don Valley trails for the Brompton World Challenge 2021, but no big rides. So when our friend Janet Joy asked if we wanted to bike to Paradise Beach in Ajax, we said YES! We also posted in the Toronto Brompton Owners Facebook page to see if anyone else wanted to join. Four fellow Bromptoneers replied in the affirmative, and just like that, we had a Bounty of Bromptons ready to ride to Ajax on Canadian Thanksgiving!  ..read more

Pier + Triobike Cargo We are obviously big fans of folding bikes, and though our Bromptons can haul quite a bit of stuff, sometimes one needs a cargo bike. We have a Triobike Cargo and it can carry a LOT size-wise and weight-wise, but since we’re child-free and no longer run a delivery business, we don’t use it very often anymore. As a result, we’re considering trading in the Trio for a smaller cargo bike, like a Muli Compact Cargo or a Petit Porteur, something that rides more like a regular bike but can still carry a load when needed. But short of staring longingly at these bikes online ..read more

The pandemic shuttered group Brompton rides, but now that we are vaccinated, we’re back! Our local Toronto Brompton group was keen to do a ride for the Brompton World Challenge, so we came up with a route and took to the trails… Toronto BWC 2021 Route Finding a route for 20+ cyclists is harder now than before the pandemic. Just three years ago in 2018 (which feels like at least six years ago), we did a Brompton Social Ride along the Martin Goodman Trail from downtown Toronto to Port Credit. Due to Covid, Torontonians now spend more time outdoors in parks and on trails, which is great for menta ..read more

The Zizzo Via This year Heather’s mom got a folding bike! Fun! Mom didn’t want to spend more than a few hundred dollars on a new bike, so that put Brompton out of the running. She also wanted a folding bike with bigger than 16” wheels. So Heather steered her toward a Zizzo, mainly based on i bike unfolded’s review of the Zizzo Liberte. Zizzo is an American bike company that makes affordable folding bikes with aluminum frames and 20” wheels. It’s exactly what Mom wanted and she’s happy with it. But how does a $400 Zizzo compare to a $2000 Brompton? Is the Brompton worth the extra money?  W ..read more

We had plans to do some overnight bike trips this summer, but with the rise of the delta variant, we postponed. However, since Pier and I are now fully vaccinated, we can finally visit my (also vaccinated) parents. They live in a small town a three hour drive from downtown Toronto. We usually make a pit stop in the city of Orangeville at the Tim Hortons right off Highway 10. Pier had noticed that there is a lake and trails on the other side of the highway and suggested we check it out. After all, since we cycle to pick up the rental car, we always have the Bromptons in the trunk!  So we ..read more