Ontario By Bike E-News: July 2025 | | |
Scenic Cycling in Waterloo Region:
A Journey Through Fields & Flavours
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One of the most memorable bike rides I’ve had this season was a visit to Waterloo Region, cycling from Kitchener’s bustling urban core to the pastoral backroads of Woolwich Township surrounding the village of St. Jacobs.
Waterloo Region is such a unique cycling destination as it combines big-city amenities – like bike infrastructure, transit, and a rich food scene – with the charm and bounty of surrounding farmland. It’s all easily accessible in a day or weekend.
I was excited to ride some of the Region’s new signature cycling routes, including the Woolwich Countryside Tour, which overlaps with many stops on the Fields & Flavours Trail, a new tourism route curated by Explore Waterloo Region. I connected that loop with the ride from downtown Kitchener to St. Jacobs for a total of 75km. Along the Trail, I visited the St. Jacobs Market, The Mennonite Story centre, Eby Manor Ltd., and Kitchen Kuttings. You can follow the same route on the Ontario By Bike - Ride with GPS Tourism Account (allows for full navigation using free account), shown in blog.
| | 2025 Cycling in Ontario Guide | | |
Still looking for some summer or fall cycling getaway ideas?
Get inspired to ride and explore Ontario by bike. Find inside more than 50 day trips and multi-day ride ideas and itineraries for all different ride types.
For information on how to receive a free print copy or to view online visit: OntarioByBike.ca/2025
Available in English & French
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Ontario By Bike Ride Recap
-Lanark Trail Tour-
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In June we completed 3 incredible days of trail and road riding in Lanark County, just 50km west of Ottawa, based from the historic riverside town of Carleton Place. Each day, our Ontario By Bike Riders explored trails and road loops taking them in a different direction from town. On day 1 we rode the Carleton Trailway, east to Stittsville, for a delightful patio and refreshment break at a cafe in town, before looping back on roads and trail to the quaint English style pub in Ashton Station.
On Day 2 we received a warm welcome from Carleton Place’s mayor and had a tour of the unique Canadian Wool Growers facility and Real Wool Shop, before heading north on the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail to the picturesque riverside towns of Almonte and then Pakenham for a lunch break. We enjoyed an afternoon stop at the Mill of Kintail, a scenic conservation area with a tranquil riverside and a museum housed in the old mill dedicated to the founder of basketball, a local to the area. We capped off the day with a group social at bicycle friendly brewery award winner Stalwart Brewing Company.
On Day 3 we headed south on the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail with a brief on-road connection to Smiths Falls, and an enjoyable picnic lunch in the pretty canal-side parks on the Rideau Canal. Returning back to Carleton Place, we wrapped a fantastic long weekend cycling tour in beautiful eastern Ontario!
All our past itineraries are available online making it easier for you to make a plan and ride our routes at anytime, including this Ontario By Bike Ride.
OntarioByBike.ca/Itineraries
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2025 Award Winners
Ontario's Best Bicycle Friendly Businesses
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We are pleased to announce the 2025 Bicycle Friendly Business Award Winners. This is the 7th year of our awards, where we select one Ontario By Bike certified bicycle friendly business from each of the 13 tourism regions in Ontario.
See the full list of 2025 winners at: OntarioByBike.ca/2025AwardWinners
Throughout the year and in each e-newsletter we will feature award recipients. Consider stopping in at one of these locations on your next cycling adventure in their region as they have all gone above and beyond to offer services and amenities to welcome cyclists.
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Tyrone Mills
Tyrone/Bowmanville
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Tyrone Mills is major cyclist hub in Durham Region, a country store and water-operated mill located in a beautiful setting, full of charm and character. The mill is a unique destination, offering a variety of food, beverage, and locally made artisanal products, including renowned fresh apple cider doughnuts. Visitors are often surprised to learn they can purchase flour produced at the mill. It’s also an ideal place to stop on the weekends in the warmer months when they have their wood-fired pizza oven going. In addition to delicious offerings and friendly staff, there are plenty of bicycle friendly amenities including a bike rack out front and a bike pump and repair tool stand.
Tyrone Mills is located on the Greenbelt Route, a signed 475km cycling route through Ontario's Greenbelt, protected farmlands and natural areas, stretching from Niagara to Northumberland County. The mill is also the start and end point of the Durham Tourism Apple Capital Loop, a 28km on-road cycling loop that showcases the beautiful orchards and apple products of this scenic part of Durham Region, just north of Bowmanville. www.TyroneMill.net
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Grenville Park is a popular campground for cyclists, located in Johnstown, just east of the town of Prescott in south eastern Ontario. They offer $10 per person, camping options for self-supported cyclists, in an open tent area by the beach, with beautiful St. Lawrence views and free electricity for charging in their recreational hall. They see hundreds of cyclists each year, and have hosted riders on the Friends for Life Bike Rally, an annual ride supporting people living with HIV/AIDS in Toronto, Kingston and Montreal.
Located along the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, a signed cross-provincial cycle touring route following Ontario’s Great Lakes on a mix of roads and trails. Hundreds if not thousands of cyclists follow this route on various cycling adventures, from multi-day tours between Toronto and Montreal, riders completing binational cycling adventures around Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, or day trippers looking for scenic cycling routes. The Waterfront Trail has many self-guided tours and featured trips to discover scenic rides on this incredible route. www.GoCampGrenvillePark.com
| | In addition to the award winning bicycle friendly places to eat, visit and sleep there are a number of bike businesses that provide services and/or tours located in each region. To recognize all they offer in 2025, special mention and an award goes out to the following in York, Durham & Headwaters (Tourism Region 6) & South Eastern Ontario (Tourism Region 9) | | | | Different Spokes Caledon & Brampton Bike Hub is a cooperative bike hub open to people of all ages and backgrounds, with volunteers and staff who are passionate about safe cycling in Ontario. Located in Brampton, but with pop up locations in Caledon along the Caledon Trailway, the bike hub offers maps, sightseeing and tour suggestions, seminars and workshops, bike parking, bike repair assistance, free air, and encourages cyclists of all types to get riding. The Town of Caledon supports the hub’s ‘BikeWrx’ pop-ups at various times from spring till fall as part of its commitment to being a bicycle friendly community. | | |
Ideal Bike Wellington is one of two Ideal Bike locations, with the Wellington shop focusing on bike rentals, making it easy to get out and ride the nearby Millennium Trail and explore beautiful Prince Edward County, by bike. They have a great range of traditional comfort bikes, pedal assist e-bikes, gravel and adventure bikes, tandems, and even trailers so the whole family can get riding. At the store, pick up a copy of their map showing cycling routes across the county for all ability levels. Rentals can be booked in advance and run from daily to weekly rates. You can also visit their full-service location and shop in Belleville.
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Ontario By Bike Rides
Sarnia Lambton Loop – August 23-24, 2025 Limited Spaces Available!
If you’d like to ride with us this summer, we have a couple of spaces left on the Sarnia Lambton Loop tour.
All details and bookings at: OntarioByBike.ca/AugustRide2025
| | Ride Destination: Brantford & Brant County | | |
A true trail hub, with paved city cycling paths that follow the Grand River and extended rail trail options to take your further afield, biking along the 70km of trails in the Brantford area and into Brant County is an experience not to be missed.
North from the Brantford city centre, pedal the 14km SC Johnson Trail to Paris (Ontario), and onwards to Cambridge. Or south on the LE & N Trail or the TH & B Trail, 6km, 20km or all the way to the shores of Lake Erie. You can also ride eastwards on the Brantford to Hamilton Rail Trail, 32km or as far as the adventure takes you.
On the SC Johnson Trail stop in Paris for refreshments on any number of patios overhanging the Grand River for truly grand views. Heading south from the city, the trail makes a number of scenic river bridge crossings. The Gordon Glaves Grand River Loop, connects all trails for a 15km ride. If you choose to ride the trail east towards Hamilton, be sure to stop trailside at Heart’s Content Organic Farm, or ride roads north of the trail to stop at Steel Wheel Brewery or Brentwood Farms on Powerline Road, all certified bicycle friendly businesses, before circling back into Brantford. Other road routes can take you to the Six Nations communities to learn more at the heritage sites in Chiefswood Park, another bicycle friendly stop to explore.
Consider pairing paddling with pedalling and get out to experience a part of the 310km long Grand River and the largest watershed in southern Ontario. There are several rental and tour locations to choose from either with Six Nations or Grand Experiences.
To make a plan to ride the trails or roads in Brantford and Brant County, consult the Outdoor Adventure Map, available in print or online. Find all the info you need to get riding in Brantford and Brant County, plus bicycle friendly places to eat visit and sleep on the Great Places to Cycle page OntarioByBike.ca/BrantandBrantford
Photo credit: Discover Brantford
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Now Available:
Best Cycling Great Escapes
Get planning your next cycling getaway with the new 2025 edition of this unique annual travel adventure publication that features some of the best cycling getaways across Canada and elsewhere.
Included in this issue are articles on 4 top Ontario destinations: Sault Ste. Marie, Niagara, Sarnia Lambton and Hardwood Hills. Find out more and order a print copy by mail at the Ontario By Bike discounted rate of $6.95.
Place your order at: CyclingGreatEscapes.com/ontbybike
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Canada Strong Pass
If you haven’t already heard, valid until September 2, 2025, there is now a way to enjoy free or discounted admission to some of the country’s most iconic places.
The Canada Strong Pass is not a physical pass, all you need to do is visit any participating Parks Canada site, national museum, gallery or use VIA Rail to benefit from free admissions or discounts to receive:
- Parks Canada - Free admission to all national parks, historic sites and marine conservation areas, plus 25% off camping fees
- National museums, participating provincial and territorial museums and galleries – Free or discounted admission for children and young adults
- VIA Rail – Free travel for children, and discounted travel for young adults
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Find out more HERE
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July 18:
Free Entry - All Ontario Parks
While admission to Ontario Provincial Parks ranges by park for bicycles, from free to reduced fees, mark July 18 in your calendar, as there is free day use at all provincial parks.
Part of Ontario Parks summer programming - Healthy Parks, Healthy People - you can also participate in the 30x30 challenge for the month of August.
Find out more at: OntarioParks.ca/hphp
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Peterborough MusicFest -
Free Concerts & Bike Valet
Canada’s longest running free music series, stop for a bike friendly concert in Peterborough this summer. Listen to music besides the Trent Severn Waterway and close to the Trans Canada Trail, and take advantage of free bike valet parking courtesy of BIKE! Community Bike Shop. The concerts run every Wednesday and Saturday night from June 28 to August 16. Upcoming concerts include Steven Page, Sloan, Choir! Choir! Choir! And Kim Mitchell. While you’re there visit the newly built lakeside Canadian Canoe Museum, and plan a ride on the scenic trails and extensive network of quiet country roads in the Kawarthas. Find out more at PTBOmusicfest.ca
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2025 Cycling Events
Visit our 2025 Cycling Events Calendar. Events can be displayed in your choice of list or calendar view, search for events by categories and location, and find all the useful info you need to plan ahead and sign up to participate at events that suit your ride style in 2025.
View the full 2025 calendar here: OntarioByBike.ca/Events
Upcoming Events
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In the News: Bikes & Travel
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Get Inspired to Ride:
Algonquin Park's Old Railway Bike Trail
| | If you are heading north anywhere near Algonquin Provincial Park this summer or later in the season be sure to head out on the Old Railway Bike Trail, a 16km rail trail suitable for family and recreational cyclists. Get a trail preview in this video, find maps and more details HERE. | | |
Ontario By Bike Network
Project of Transportation Options
850 Coxwell Ave ~ Toronto, ON ~ M4C 5R1
Office: 416-827-2774
Toll-Free: 1-866-701-2774
Email: info@ontariobybike.ca
| | | Want to read more: Link to our e-Newsletter archive HERE | | Stay Connected with Ontario By Bike! | | |
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