Ontario By Bike E-News:

October 2022

Thanks for reading along. As the October edition is our last e-newsletter for 2022, we invite you to stay engaged via our social media pages (see below) and look out for our next edition in Feb/March 2023.

Ontario By Bike Network Expansion:

Guelph & Wellington County

Covered Bridge on the Eramosa River Trail, Guelph 

The Ontario By Bike Network is growing! We are excited to share with you the news that Guelph and Wellington County are now part of the network. Check out our newly created Great Places to Cycle webpage for the region (OntarioByBike.ca/GuelphWellington) to find information on all the road routes and trails, mountain biking, as well as published maps and resources. If you are looking for bicycle friendly places to eat visit and sleep, have a look at our business listings map (which will grow over time) to plan your next cycling trip to Guelph and Wellington County. 

In Wellington County, you will find quiet rural roads, both paved and gravel, old-world inspired towns such as Fergus, Elora and Eden Mills, and scenic trail towns of Erin and Belwood, and Arthur. The rail trails in this region are top-notch, full of opportunities for cross-regional tours on the Elora Cataract Trailway, part of the Trans Canada Trail, and the Kissing Bridge Trailway, part of the Goderich to Guelph (G2G) Trailway, extending from the outskirts of Guelph all the way to the Huron County coastline. The culinary and agricultural delights are plentiful, whether you’re into a fine-dining bistro meal or enjoying the bounty from farm stands. Each community has plenty to offer in terms of amenities and businesses that cater to cyclists.

Why not start your exploration in Guelph, offering scenic riverside trails, accessible mountain biking at Guelph Lake and Arkell, plus top-notch restaurants, cafes, and craft breweries. With weekday GO Train service in both directions throughout the day, take your bike on an off-peak train and explore all that the region has to offer on two wheels. For additional inspiration consider our Waterloo Guelph Explorer overnight looped itinerary, or pick a ride from the Guelph Cycling Clubs' extensive road and gravel route library.

Want your photo featured in the 2023 Cycling in Ontario Guide?

Submit your best cycling photos to us before November 18th, 2022!

Visit OntarioByBike.ca/PhotoContest for more information on how to participate and check out some of the fantastic winning shots from previous years as well as lots of great honourable mentions. 

2021 Photo Contest Honourary Mention: Nina Silver, Sunset on the Elora Cataract Trailway

It's that time of the year again, when we have to sadly say goodbye and see you next year, on our last Ontario By Bike Ride of the season. But we were so happy to ride again on a route that we last did in 2015, our first year offering Ontario By Bike Rides, having had to cancel in 2020, the Hamilton Brantford Paris Port Dover Trail Ride.

The leaves had barely started to change September 24/25, as we rolled through the lush Dundas Valley forests, barely noticing we had topped the escarpment west of Ancaster. We enjoyed a warm welcome at trailside Heart's Content Organic Farm for a tasty lunch and home brewed sumac tea in our hosts, Richard and Ella's garden. Fueled up for the afternoon, we cruised into Brantford following the incredible trail system and parks along the Grand River with some riders adding on extra kms going the distance to Paris (Ontario!) and back.

Always a hearty bunch, we set off on day 2 with a few rain drops falling, enjoying the 15km of paved trail south of Brantford and seamlessly connecting to the Heritage Trail in Waterford. Crossing the Black Bridge with far-reaching vistas above the wetlands and conservation area was followed by lunch opposite the huge indoor antique market and bicycle friendly Wishbone Brewery, adding to the support truck a variety of purchases! Still on the rail trail, we finished the afternoon in sunshine with well deserved ice creams at the Port Dover beach and an easy bus ride back to the start. 

Find All Our Ride Itineraries Online

All of our Ontario By Bike Ride itineraries including the Hamilton Brantford Paris Port Dover Trail Tour can be found on our website HERE. You can download detailed PDF ride notes, get RidewithGPS links, and see suggested stops and accommodations so you can follow the route on your own time.

Ride With Us in 2023

If you would like to join on one of our small group tours next year, keep an eye out for the announcement of next year’s Ontario By Bike Rides in our March 2023 e-newsletter

Looking Ahead: Annual Cycling in Ontario Guide

Thank you to all who picked up a copy (online or print) of our 2022 annual guide. It sure was popular, so much so that we had already distributed a large portion of the 40,000 print copies by May of this year, barely 2 months after delivery. OntarioByBike.ca/2022

From our recently issued reader survey we were delighted to learn:

• 83% found the guide ‘useful’ or ‘very useful’ when planning a cycling trip in 2022
• 54% of readers visited destinations featured in 2022 guide
• 61% of readers did 1 or more overnight cycling trips in 2022
• 83% were regular readers
• 81% visited websites and used resources referenced in guide

Here's some additional feedback we heard: 

• 'I love to check out all the routes and get some ideas for upcoming trips.'
• 'It helped me be open to the idea of including cycling as one of my activities when I plan a trip.'
• 'Now that Canada is more easily accessible to Americans, I look forward to riding my bike in Ontario again!'
• 'The variety of experiences makes me want to plan more in Ontario next year.'

We'll also be incorporating your suggestions for articles as we move ahead with plans for our 2023 edition.

Stay tuned for our next e-newsletter in 2023, and the announcement of our 2023 guide.

In the meantime, view all past editions at: OntarioByBike.ca/Ten

Through out the year and in each e-newsletter we've featured each award recipient. Hope you've been able to stopping in at one of these locations on your cycling adventures in their regions as they have all taken the extra steps offering services and amenities to welcome cyclists. 

The Fix powered by Velofix

Milton, ON

Becoming the prime ride destination in 2022 for all road cyclists in the Halton area, this café inside the Mattamy National Cycling Centre (Milton Velodrome) has great coffee and food to keep you fueled for the ride ahead. With ample free parking, the café and Cycling Centre are the perfect meeting point for track rides inside on the velodrome, or group rides through the surrounding countryside, enjoying glorious views of the Niagara Escarpment. They offer in-store full bike service plus mobile service year-round, plus track bike rentals for use in the velodrome. Get certified to ride on the track and try it out with intro courses available through the NCIM.

Check out vibrant fall colours on the 50km Velodrome Vista ride, starting at the Cycling Centre and taking you on a mix of urban and rural roads, bringing you close to an impressive rock face along the Escarpment on Walkers Line, plus panoramic views of Kelso Conservation Area on Sixth Line. TheFixVelodrome.ca

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 2022, special mention and an award goes out to the following in Hamilton Halton Brant:

A1 Cycle - Conveniently located near the Brantford trail system on the south bank of the Grand River, A1 Cycle provides quick and easy turnaround times for locals and out-of-town visitors alike. For the last 10 years they have provided flat tire service and will even pick up stranded cyclists, get their bikes repaired and have them back on the trail again. They are community-minded, love their customers, and take joy in sharing all that Brantford’s cycling scene and trails have to offer.

Ride Destination:

North Hastings, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Counties

K&P Trail, photo by Martin Lortz/Destination Ontario

From the relatively flat road cycling and limestone outcroppings of the southern Lake Ontario Basin, to the rugged Canadian shield of Ontario’s highlands and glacial lakes, to the scenic and interconnected rail trails, plus emerging bikepacking adventures, there is something for every type of cyclist in this diverse region, encompassing the northern portions of Hastings, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Counties.

Road cyclists can choose from the Frontenac County Cycling Routes, with some incorporating portions of the 180km K&P Trail into the loop. Many of these routes start in Kingston and heading north into the hills, lakes, and rocks of Frontenac County. In neighbouring Lennox & Addington County, cyclists can enjoy 12 signed, looped road routes, ideal for road cyclists of varying experience levels. Billed as ‘Ontario’s toughest century ride’, the Hastings Highlands Hilly Hundred in Hastings County is a road and gravel cycling event which explores some of the best landscapes of Ontario’s highlands near Bancroft. Explore the routes on their website and sign up for the event in 2023.

An emerging and well rated bikepacking route is the 380km trail loop using the K&P, Cataraqui and Ottawa Valley Recreational Trails – passing through Sharbot Lake, Smiths Falls, Calaboogie and Arnprior. Riders will find a mix of well-kept and wild rail trails, wide-open countryside, quirky cafes and museums, and historic lock-side towns. These rail trails are equally suited to recreational cycling day trips, easily accessible from Kingston, Ottawa and other major centres with sights including the Rideau Canal, rivers and lakes, beautiful countryside and limestone bluffs.

To start making plans, check out the Ontario By Bike North Hastings, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington - Great Places to Cycle page to find maps, road and trail routes, and also bicycle friendly businesses to eat, visit and sleep. 

Cycling Events Next Year

As more events returned to an in person format this year, we hope that you were able to get out and participate, support a good cause, ride with friends and family and explore new areas. Cycling events are a great way to do all that, plus have fun with other cycling enthusiasts. With so many different types of events around Ontario, be sure to make plans to join in next year. As dates are announced for 2023, expect to see our Cycling Events Calendar fill out for the next spring and summer seasons.

Watch this space: OntarioByBike.ca/Events

Sault Ste. Marie is putting itself on the map with trails suitable for city, cross country and mountain biking. Here are 2 videos that will take you along on a tour.

Find out more about cycling in Sault Ste. Marie HERE and make plans to visit in 2023.

Ride with Ontario's own Charlotte Batty, ex MTB pro racer, coach and business owner, as she explores trails including Crystal Creek and Red Pines. Check out the Hub Trail through the city and other city attractions.

Pinkbike recently had one of their pro's visit the Sault to experience the trails in the Hiawartha Highlands and witness the challenges of the Canadian Shield first hand. From the handlebar camera, and comfort of your own home, ride along. 

Keep rolling,

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: [email protected]

Want to read more: Link to our e-Newsletter archive HERE

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