Remember those “I survived Toronto” T-shirts from summer 2003? The checklist on them read: SARS, West Nile, Mad Cow, SARS again. The 2009 tee would be less lethal but more depressing: rain, recession, trash, tornadoes, more rain.
But Torontonians took it in stride. When it poured, we crammed into the slew of fantastic new cafés. When the sun finally shone, it wasn’t just kids spread-eagled on the grass in Trinity-Bellwoods. Dinner parties were an excuse to plow through stockpiled LCBO bottles, and with ferry service to the Island on pause, everyone suddenly remembered the Beach. The Rolling Stones didn’t need to bail the city out this time. We did it ourselves.
With a new DIY attitude came one crucial summer accessory: the bicycle. Cheaper than driving and more individual than a new pair of jeans, it seemed like everyone from Bay Street’s suits to bespectacled Queen Westers to new moms in Leslieville was sporting two wheels. Whatever the style, there was a bike to match. Here, a look at eight Toronto cyclists who did it with aplomb.
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- (All photos by Kate Allen)
This was a fun article. More of these, please.
September 24, 2009 at 4:20 pm | by GregI like the Sophie chick in heels. She’s hot. More of her, please.
September 24, 2009 at 9:38 pm | by Al… and not a single bike helmet on any of them. I guess since everyone here rides stylish bikes they’re immune to head injuries.
September 25, 2009 at 10:49 am | by Jeff W.Sexy! I would totally hit on any of these cyclists when visiting them in the hospital for treatment of head trauma! Hotcha! Yowza!
September 25, 2009 at 11:03 am | by Chip ZdarskyJeff, how do you know they didn’t remove their helmets for the picture and can you explain why helmets are almost unheard of in Europe?
September 25, 2009 at 12:37 pm | by donnarinoI commute daily and there’s no way in this car-ridden city that I’d go without my helmet. That said, I’m from the U.K. and have cycled many, many times in Europe and generally find drivers are far more cyclist-friendly and respectful even though they do generally drive much faster.
September 25, 2009 at 1:27 pm | by LizzieLizzie, I noticed that about Europe as well. People drive like maniacs there so I was expecting to see accidents at every turn but that wasn’t the case. Then again, in Europe most bike likes are physically separated from cars and pedestrians so that might be why fewer people opt to wear helmets there.
September 25, 2009 at 2:18 pm | by donnarinoI started commuting daily to work downtown from the east end this spring, and at first I opted to forgo the helmet but three near misses with car doors in the downtown core changed my mind so unless I’m on a dedicated bike route like the one along the lakeshore, I put on my helmet. Toronto has a long way to go toward becoming bike friendly. I don’t know that I would even commute if I had to ride further west than I do. Biking has made me a better car driver, that’s for sure.
And I’m probably more cautious than the impatient cyclist behind me would like but whatever, I want to arrive alive.
Toronto LIfe is irresponsibly putting a women in high heels without a helmet on a bike as the front photo of this article. Cycling downtown in high heels is dangerous. I’d like to see her in this get up when it rains.
September 30, 2009 at 7:46 am | by JPI’m all for being stylish, but come on people. no helmets!! You are just allowing those in and those who have read this article to think helmets aren’t needed to look cool. It won’t look so cool when your skull is on the pavement.
September 30, 2009 at 8:21 am | by RBi think we can all agree on the importance of helmets and not riding about in traffic in high heels, but these are just fashion photos of people posing with their (sometimes hideous) bikes.
September 30, 2009 at 9:12 am | by JF“super-sketchy uncle jacob’s”
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! yeah….
October 1, 2009 at 1:40 pm | by stephCheers to all those cyclist out there. Keep it up!
October 2, 2009 at 5:47 am | by Cycling