An Auckland cyclist in Toronto

I lived in Toronto last year. Right now I am just back for a quick visit but it’s interesting to think of cycling culture in Toronto and compare it to my home in Auckland. Torontonians don’t really believe that they live in a bicycle friendly city. They bemoan their lack of bicycle paths/lanes and cite Melbourne and Copenhagen as examples they aspire to. Yet, as an Aucklander, being in Toronto is like being in bicycle heaven. Seriously. You never have to pull up at a traffic light alone like we do in Auckland. The above photo was taken at a random intersection in the middle of the day. Notice the cyclists in their regular clothes and even gloves. It’s meant to be spring, but it’s chilly! That doesn’t seem to bother Toronto cyclists.

Last year while cycling home with my wife she remarked that it was like riding in a gang – as 50 or so cyclists drifted in a kind of cloud from intersection to intersection. It was like nothing she’d ever experienced before. Sure, there are the lycra-clad warriors who aspire to overtake….but 99% of cycle commuters in Toronto are just casually pedaling themselves across the city.

That leads me to the bikes. Oh the bikes how they warm my heart. There is barely a carbon fibre fork or clipless pedal in sight. People ride rusty mountain bikes and the more privileged folks ride cruisers and dutch style machines. Baskets are standard fare. Your u-lock pretty much always costs more than the bike (you need it) Bells are actually the law and bicycles are commonly decorated with flowers.

Just a few quick observations by an Aucklander in Toronto accompanied by some iPhone pictures. The Torontonians I talk to often imagine Auckland to be far more bicycle friendly than Toronto because of our ‘rugged outdoor NZ adventure lifestyles’. But in reality, Toronto, by its sheer number of bicycles on the street and the fact that it is considered entirely normal to cycle from A to B presents the kind of bicycle culture I think is worthy of our humble attention.