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Ontario By Bike E-News:
September 2023
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Cycling in Stratford:
An Intersection of Culture and Nature
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Nestled in the heart of Perth County and best known as the home of the Stratford Festival, Stratford is quickly becoming a destination for cycling, boasting routes from easy in-town loops to back-country gravel adventures.
With a growing number of bicycle friendly businesses, the city offers a variety of unique accommodations, restaurants ranging from fine dining to quick eats, and services to support every cyclist’s needs.
What better way to explore Stratford than pairing your theatre experience with a ride around town?
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Easy Rider - Relaxed Cycling in
Ontario's Highlands
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Not every bike ride needs to involve grueling hours spent on the road or trail. Sometimes the best rides are the ones where you take it easy, slow it down and see new communities, and maybe even stop for a bite to eat.
If you’re not into wearing padded bike shorts and setting a challenging pace, plan your next ride in Ontario’s Highlands where your cycling adventure can match your mood, abilities, and bike.
Read on for easy riding inspiration that will get you on two wheels without having to worry about saddle sores.
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Ontario By Bike Ride Recap
-North Bay & Lakes Tour-
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Don’t take it from just us, but the August North Bay and Lakes Tour was a big hit! With riders giving this ride a top score, 9.4 out of 10 for most enjoyable, we also received comments that included:
Awesome route. Amazing to have the opportunity to ride up North! Excellent destination!
With a group size that was one of our largest and sold out early, 46 riders enjoyed pedalling in this new destination for us, on a 3 day, 2 night Ontario By Bike Ride. To make travel easy, on day 1 we did a most delightful half day, 38km loop from South River and around Eagle Lake, starting/ending and parking at the welcoming and award winning bicycle friendly South Lakes Brewing Company. Their patio and variety of beverages made for a great gathering post ride and before we drove to nearby North Bay and our base for the next 2 days.
The next day we set off on a 68km ride south and east through pretty and peaceful Callander, nestled on the shores of Lake Nipissing. We had a rest stop, and some even swam, at Big Moose Beach on Nosbonsing Lake, before enjoying a picnic lunch in Bonfield alongside the true north scenery, rocks and waterfalls at Kaibuskong Park. Part of our road route followed the Voyageur Cycling Route, a developing 645km linear route that traverses the area, with now an array of shorter cycling experiences and itineraries online.
For our final day, we rode a version of one such route, ‘Spirit of the Bay,’ to explore west from Callander along a variety of roads, some with wide paved shoulders, others quiet cottage roads that hugged the shores of Lake Nipissing, with a gravel or road return option. Saturday night our ride coincided with the North Bay Block Party and many riders found their way downtown to enjoy a free concert by Bahamas, street party festivities and restaurants nearby.
It’s great to explore new parts of Ontario through these trips, I love that feature!
The whole experience was great!
Find the North Bay and Lakes Tour itinerary online, so you too can enjoy this same ride self-supported any time. You'll also find all our past itineraries online here too. OntarioByBike.ca/Itineraries
Note: If you are interested in riding with us next year, look out for the ride announcement in March 2024 e-news, and be sure to book early as Ontario By Bike Rides sell out early.
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2023 Cycling in Ontario Guide | |
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Last chance to get a copy, now through September.
For information on how to receive a print copy or to view online visit: OntarioByBike.ca/2023
The 2023 edition of the Cycling in Ontario / Le vélo en Ontario guide is in both print and digital formats.
This is the 11th annual edition of our extremely popular free publication.
Available in both English and French.
We'll soon be working on the 2024 edition.
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Travelers' Tales - Share Your Ontario Ride Story | |
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Do you have a great Ontario ride or tour story you would like to share with us? We will be collecting stories from the road and trail, for possible inclusion in the 2024 Cycling in Ontario Guide, in a new section that we’re calling “Travelers’ Tales”. Now’s your chance to inspire others to explore more of Ontario by bike!
Please submit no more than 250 words describing the ride. Also include 1 to 3 high quality photos, and route maps if possible. Email [email protected] with the subject line “Travelers’ Tales” before November 1. We'll connect back with you if story is selected and for any additional info.
We suggest you submit the writeup in the style of how you would share the story with a friend – focusing on the highlights, the challenges, and what made the journey, scenery, and destinations unforgettable. We would also love to hear about the interesting and unique stops you found along the way.
Also see more info about our 2023 photo contest HERE.
Photo credit: Kawarthas Northumberland
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2023 Award Winners
Ontario's Best Bicycle Friendly Businesses
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We are pleased to announce the 2023 Bicycle Friendly Business Award Winners. This is the 5th year of our awards, where we select one Ontario By Bike certified bicycle friendly business from each of the 13 tourism regions in Ontario.
Find a full list of all 2023 winners at: OntarioByBike.ca/2023AwardWinners
Throughout the year and in each e-newsletter we will feature award recipients - note that this is the last business award winner feature of the year! Consider stopping in at one of these locations on your next cycling adventure in their region as they have all taken the extra steps offering services and amenities to welcome cyclists.
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Katarina's Coffee Shop
Prescott, ON
Katarina’s is a family owned and operated cafe located in the historic town of Prescott and features breakfast, light lunch, fresh pastries, desserts and ice cream. With quality food and service and a wonderful setting near the beach and beautiful waterfront park, Katarina’s has welcomed many cyclists over the years, including large cycling groups and clubs to their patio.
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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 2023, special mention and an award goes out to the following in South Eastern Ontario: | |
On the Trail is a full service, grassroots, family-run bike shop in Prescott, offering repairs, sales, route planning support and local group rides. As a regular stop for cross-country cyclists, seeing over 200 cycle tourists each year, they are proud to be cycling ambassadors for the town and region. | |
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Ride Destination: Kawartha Lakes | |
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Make the most of the fall cycling season on a visit to Kawartha Lakes. With a wide range of easy to get to road and trail routes and a backdrop of fall colours (soon coming) it’ll be a worthy trip to cap off the outdoor riding season.
We’ve recently updated our Kawartha Lakes Great Places to Cycle webpage, so it is now easier to find info on: the 7 stackable road routes, 35km to 71km in length; the 2 excellent rail trails – Victoria Rail Trail and the cross regional Kawarthas Trans Canada Trail; plus double and single track trails. Now attached to the page are all recent blogs that feature extra ride ideas across Kawarthas Northumberland. Also online are the listings for bicycle friendly businesses in the area, taking you through the countryside, to charming villages and larger communities, scattered about this delightful central Ontario area.
Additional info and links to more maps for these routes can be found on the Kawartha Lakes cycling page. No excuses now – with the all the info you need there’s time to advance plan a special fall colours day ride or longer getaway.
Photo credit: Fred Thornhill Photiography/Kawartha Lakes
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New - 2023 - Ontario By Bike Cycling Jerseys! | |
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We are pleased to share with you our limited run of new Ontario By Bike cycling jerseys! Previously only available to Ontario By Bike Riders, we are now opening up sales to everyone so you too can start repping cycling in Ontario on your next ride. They're also a great gift idea for your favourite Ontario cycling friends or family.
Jerseys come in men’s and women’s style fits and a variety of sizes, plus feature an eye-catching high quality custom print from Primal Wear. Jerseys have a casual fit, Henley cut and rear pocket(s).
For more information, pricing, and to view sizing charts, visit: OntarioByBike.ca/2023jerseys
When you’re ready to order, email [email protected] with
‘2023 Jerseys’ in subject line, and include size and quantity, name and mailing address.
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2023 Cycling Events
Visit our 2023 Cycling Events Calendar. Events can be displayed in your choice of list or calendar view, search for events by categories, and find all the useful info you need to plan ahead and sign up to participate at events that suit your ride style in 2023.
View the full 2023 calendar here: OntarioByBike.ca/Events
(And note, events are now being updated for 2024!)
Upcoming Events
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Bicycle Fall Blowout Sale
Date/time: Saturday, Sept 23, 2023, 10am-5pm
Location: Enercare Centre - Exhibition Place, 33 Manitoba Dr., Toronto
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The Toronto Bicycle Show and E-bike Expo is BACK after a couple year's hiatus. While the full weekend show is scheduled for March 8-10, 2024 (mark your calendars now), don't miss their special once-a-year, 7-hour sales blitz to find some great deals.
Admission is $10, cash only (ATM located at door). Children 12 and under are free.
Info at: BicycleShowToronto.com
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Get Inspired to Ride: The Greenbelt Route | |
"This countryside is so close to where I live, it's just easy to get out and enjoy the sounds and feelings of nature"
Meet Jo Sharland, an experienced cyclist and tour director of the Great Waterfront Trail Adventures at the Waterfront Regeneration Trust. Jo reminds us how vital natural spaces like the Greenbelt are for our mental well-being.
Find out how you too can explore the Greenbelt: Greenbelt.ca/Explore
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Ontario Cycling & Ontario By Bike | |
Ontario By Bike is pleased to announce an exciting new partnership with Ontario Cycling to advance a shared goal of promoting cycling across Ontario.
Ontario Cycling is the recognized authority by Cycling Canada on all aspects of the sport of cycling in Ontario, including Mountain Bike, Para-Cycling, Road, Track, and BMX.
The collaboration between our two organizations is a connection which will strengthen the promotion of cycling through sport, tourism, recreation, and transportation. As we celebrate the diverse cycling opportunities and vast networks of trails and roads in Ontario, this partnership will further build on the value that both organizations bring to cycling enthusiasts throughout the Province.
Find a link to Ontario Cycling on our Resources & Guides page.
Visit Ontario Cycling's new Lifestyle page at: OntarioCycling.org/Lifestyle
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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]
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Want to read more: Link to our e-Newsletter archive HERE | |
Stay Connected with Ontario By Bike! | |
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Share using the hashtag #OntarioByBike & #BikeON!
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