Toronto Gay Cycling News © 2007- Don Quixote, editor, Box 204 Station C Toronto ON M6J 3M9 416-551-1709
Gay West Bicycle Club | gaywest_toronto@yahoo.ca TGCN is division of Toronto Inside Story.

The GO-by-Bike Club

Saturday May 3, 2008 In just a 15k bike ride from the Ajax GO Station, see the spectacular Ajax (bluff), Pickering (bay) and Scarborough (beach) waterfronts close up. Bike the Trans Canada and Waterfront Trails to explore where Duffins Creek, Petticoat Creek and Rouge River watersheds meet Lake Ontario.

Only 15k and you - and your bike - are back on the train at Rouge Hill GO Station, and back home before you know it... what a day!... what a daytrip!

Go by bike another 15k - past the Rouge Hill GO and up the Highland Creek Bikeway - to finish just two blocks from the front door of the Guildwood GO Station... convenient!

RESERVATIONS: Only 30 bicycles fit per train: 2-4 per car. So please RSVP you're coming using the GO-by-Bike Club by-honour reservation system. Trains run on the Lakeshore line on Sundays, once an hour. Start out by car and bike rack, or TTC. Transfer subway to train between TTC Main Street subway and GO Danforth train - Main St. at Danforth Ave.

Visit GO-by-Bike.ca and Consult your City of Toronto Cycling Map and Durham Region trail maps. Always visit GOTransit.com for exact schedules and fares. Contact Info Email:donald@gobybike.ca Website: GO-by-Bike.ca Facebook group www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=26394690581

Toronto-Niagara Bike Train Initiative A Resounding Success!

Saturday November 24, 2007 Cyclomter (cyclometer@toronto.ca) The pilot year of the Bike Train Initiative was a resounding success! The service officially launched with 2 media events on June 5 and operated over 4 weekends during the summer, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from passengers, industry and the media. The Bike Train also recently won the "First Annual I Bike T.O. Award" and was acknowledged at "The Trail Ahead: Beyond Regeneration" conference in Toronto.

The Bike Train generated over 25 media hits with a reach of 3+ million including significant coverage in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, CTV News and Spacing Wire. The project website received over 20,000 unique visitors from around the world in just 6 months. In addition, 350 have signed up to the E-list, 70 Bike Train passengers and supporters have joined the "Take the Train - Bring Your Bike!" Facebook group, while others have posted their unique, often humorous travel stories on their weblogs.

In total, 286 passengers travelled on the Bike Train with a notable diversity of age, abilities and group affiliations. There was an average of 90% capacity on Saturday departures from Toronto; 2 out of 4 were at 100% capacity

Passenger evaluation survey results indicated: - 71% had never, or very rarely travelled (less than once a year) to the Niagara Region to cycle- 89% travelled with family and/or friends- 72% stayed overnight- 57% were between 30 and 50- 55% indicated an annual household income of over $75,000- 94% indicated they were very likely or definitely going to take the Bike Train in the future.

Bike Train is currently seeking letters of support and sponsorships from organizations and businesses to help secure vital funding for project development and operations. If you would like more information or a "letter template" please contact Justin Lafontaine, Project Lead and Founder, at 416-338-5090 or jlafont@toronto.ca. For updates and information stay tuned to www.biketrain.ca.

How to Eat for Endurance

By Fred Matheny RoadBikeRider.com

The key to riding long distances is food and drink.

Sure, training is important—but nutrition and hydration are even more vital. According to ultramarathon rider and coach John Hughes of Boulder, Colorado, “Nutrition, not necessarily training, is the limiting factor in endurance cycling.”

The reason? Even the best-trained riders pack only enough muscle fuel (glycogen) for a couple of hours of hard cycling. Fluid stores vanish even faster.

For everything from century rides to multi-day tours, remember these time-tested tips:

Enjoy the Last Supper. Eat aggressively the night before a long ride so your muscles are crammed with glycogen the next morning. Emphasize carbohydrates such as pasta, vegetables, bread, whole grains, and fruit. Don’t forget dessert!

Don’t Skip Breakfast. Cycling’s smooth pedaling motion means you can eat just before a long ride without risking stomach upset. You’ll need a full tank. Cycling consumes about 40 calories per mile, or 4,000 calories in a century ride.

Three hours before the start, eat about 60 grams of carbohydrate if you’re an average-sized woman, 80 to 100 if you’re a man. (Cereal, skim milk, a banana, and a bagel with jam equals about 90 grams of carb.) Many riders find that adding some protein and fat, like scrambled eggs or an omelet, keeps their stomach satisfied longer.

Prehydrate. Fluids are as important as food. Drink at least eight big glasses of water the day before the ride. If you don’t, your performance and comfort may plummet by mile 50. During the hour before the ride, sip 16 ounces of a sports drink.

Eat and Drink During the Ride. Drink before you feel thirsty. Your sensation of thirst lags behind your need for liquid, so grab your bottle every 15 minutes and take a couple of big swallow (about four ounces). About every 30 minutes, eat 20 grams of carbohydrate—the equivalent of half an energy bar, several fig bars or half a banana. Some riders prefer smaller portions more frequently.

On unsupported rides, use a backpack-style hydration system and carry food in your pockets. Stop at convenience stores along the way, if necessary. Most organized rides have aid stations every 20 miles or so, but always carry food and fluid just in case.

Hydrate After the Ride. No matter how much you drink on a long ride you’ll finish dehydrated. Weigh yourself before and after, then compare the figures. Lost weight means you’ve failed to replace the fluid you’ve sweated out. Drink 20 ounces of water or sports drink for each lost pound of bodyweight.

How do you know you’ve caught up? Your urine will be pale and plentiful, and your weight will be back to normal. Rehydrating is especially vital during multiday rides. If you get a little behind each day, by the end of the week you’ll be severely dehydrated, feeling lousy, and riding poorly.

Eat for Tomorrow. Muscles replace glycogen better if you consume carbohydrate immediately after riding. So within 15 minutes of getting off the bike, eat or drink 60 grams of carbohydrate (if you’re an average-sized woman) or 80 to 100 grams if you’re an average male.

The re-fueling process becomes progressively less efficient as time passes. Eat or drink a high-carb snack while chewing the fat with your riding buddies.

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