Toronto has always been a favourable city for cycling. But during the pandemic, cycling for exercise, for pleasure or for simply getting from A to B has become even more popular.

I’ve written a number of posts celebrating cycling in Toronto; it’s one of my favourite ways to commute (Hello, Cyclemania!). This post on Cycling In The City: Then And Now  talks about the evolution of the pastime in Toronto.  And these posts will help you plan your next ride: Cycling The West Toronto Railpath , Cycling And Toronto’s Beltline Trail and  Superior Cycling In Toronto? There’s An App For That!

Are you cycle-curious? Planning a unique outing? Perhaps something different to do on a Saturday? A great place to start is in the High Park area. If you don’t have your own bicycle, no sweat! Just visit the BikeShare station north of High Park itself and, with the swipe of a credit or debit card, you’re ready to start your adventure!

With 161 hectares of wide open space, High Park is an absolute urban oasis. There are many kilometres of paved trails within the park perimeter, making this a great cycling destination for the whole family. While most of the trails are meandering and scenic, be aware that the terrain in some places is a bit on the hilly side, which can be more challenging.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, it’s a hop, skip and a jump from High Park’s cycling trails to Sunnyside Park and the vast Martin Goodman Trail. This lovely, wide and relatively flat trail spans over 20 kms east to west along Toronto’s waterfront.

The trails along the Humber River are close to you as well.

Or perhaps you’re in the mood to bike to a specific destination? What about pedalling over to Bloor West Village and lunching while engaging in some retail therapy? You could even duck into a nearby spa for a post-ride relax.

Biking to run errands is a great way to get exercise and cross items off of your to-do list at the same time.

After trying out your ride from Bike Share, chances are you’ll be hooked, so it’s time to consider buying a bike of your own. Some great shops in the area include Pop-a-Wheelie, where you can get fitted for a wide range of bikes and accessories. Or swing by Racer Sportif, which has everything under the sun bike-wise and is a great place to get your bike tuned up.

One quick note on using Bike Score as a way to gauge how desirable an area might be. The bike score is generated based on these four criteria: bike lanes, hills, destinations/road connectivity and bike commuting mode share.

While this is good general criteria, it doesn’t necessarily reflect the full cycling potential of a given area. For example, certain neighbourhoods score in the 90s (out of 100) simply because they have a street with bike lanes within their boundaries. But there may not be anywhere worthwhile to bike to, or to really enjoy. Weird, right?

So, yes, sometimes you ned to verify the rideability of your route before you take off, as the algorithms don’t get it right 100% of the time. That said, overall, Bike Score really can be a very helpful tool.

Back to cycling! There may be a bit of a learning curve, but after a few rides, you’ll start to get to know the best bike routes within the GTA – and even the secret shortcuts! When in doubt, check out a map; sometimes, it’s that bird’s eye view that can help you see possibilities for pedalling that may have been overlooked by the Bike Score or by Google Maps.

Better yet, hit the road yourself and explore to see what’s out there!! 

Isn’t that what cycling is all about? Isn’t that what makes it FUN? Some say it’s the exercise, some say it’s the thrill of propelling yourself with your own kinetic power, but I say it’s the adventure and the exploration. You never know when a wrong turn, rarely used laneway or secret trail are going to lead you somewhere unexpected and amazing!

How convenient and fulfilling would your life be if you could hop on your bike and hit these trails and destinations within minutes? This was a reality for our listing, A Stately Edwardian Duplex With Lower Level Suite, Steps To High Park!

Thinking of testing your mettle on a pedal? Check out our other cycling blogs!!

Cycling In The City: Then And Now

Cycling The West Toronto Railpath 

Cycling And Toronto’s Beltline Trail

Superior Cycling In Toronto? There’s An App For That!

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