Canadian cycling people: how do I find rides/clubs/etc?

Hey all,

I am headed to Canada for a bit this summer thanks to some dissertation funding. I'm going to be in Canada from mid-June to mid-July and will be training for a Century while there. My bike is ready to go and I'm ready to get back up there (I took the bike to Ottawa and TO last year on an academic scouting mission) but I have a few questions:

1. How do I find cycling clubs to ride with? I'm not a world beater by any stretch. I want to join a rec club in the Ottawa area to train with if I can.

2. How do I find rides to do? Here in the States we have a lot of summer charity rides but I am having a hard time finding anything in ON or QC during this period to do.

3. Anything special I need to know. I have been on and off the road in Ottawa and have seen most of the cycling infrastructure in TO. I'm going to be spending most of my time in Ottawa and will have a couple short excursions to TO and Montreal, where I'm doing academic interviews. This is part of my dissertation research.

Thanks in advance!

I am certain Helene in Montreal area can respond more comprehensively than I. But there is the massive Tour d'Isle and Tour de Nuit rides in June. I believe. And you know about the Route Verte bike network in Quebec. I've gone on 2 trips, my partner has done more.

My partner has a personal contact from Ottawa who know the cycling scene there (he promotes cycling heavily in that area. Before he was living in the Netherlands.). There are some charity rides but I believe there are 1-2 active bike clubs.

In Ottawa, check with The Cyclery. I have some great friends who are customers, and one (Steve P) who is a mechanic there. They can definitely point you in the right direction!

SheFly

I will look into these things. Thanks, gals, you are awesome :)

Wish I was more help, but sorry...nope much into clubs. Those I know, you have to register and pay upfront for memberships. Some will require interviews, others will want to know you a bit in order to get you in the right category, etc.

For Quebec province, you can look up here to find out activities that may go on during your stay.
http://www.velo.qc.ca/en/Home

June 14th in Quebec city there is the biggest event I know. 5000 cyclists - some doing 1000km (over a few days) and others, like me, a 135km loop (one day). It's called the Defi Pierre Lavoie. Money raised is going to youth's physical activities. The only drawbacks are that everytime you want to participate into an activity here it is getting expensing. This one is $300 (for the loop). Others (we're doing a 90km on May 10th) are less, like $40 each cyclists.

Montreal area (you have to mostly get out of the Montreal area) has nice roads to cycle. It depends how long of a ride you want, hills (challenge) or not, etc.

On the south shore (someone asked last week on a french bike board) someone posted those links.


Voici 3 premières propositions (nos classiques du printemps!)

1.) www.openrunner.com/index.php?id=3418055 Petites Carolines (Rougemont) de la Montagne (Mont St-Hilaire); 60 km, 300 meters altitude (I have seen those and will attempt them this year. They are a challenge! It's like 3 hills - 1st one easy, 2nd one not as much and 3rd one challenging...but you have to do it all again to come back. :)

2.) www.openrunner.com/index.php?id=3418101 : 3 Montérégiennes: (St-Bruno via Sommet Trinité; St-Grégoire via chemin de la Montagne; St-Hilaire via chemin de la Montagne et rue du Moulin); 124 km, 670 meter altitude. Hubby did that a few times with his club. I would not attempt the Trinite Summit. No way. haha

3.) www.openrunner.com/index.php?id=3418133 : Rivière Richelieu, tour des Rives (via St-Charles, St-Denis, Contrecoeur, St-Marc, Beloeil, Chambly, Richelieu et St-Mathias); 96 km, 560 meter altitude. This is my area and it is nice. Pavement is not always perfect. Will be doing part of it for my 90km ride.

Once you are sure where you'll be, I can inquire with the French board and see what they recommend for you for the Montreal area. Depending how far you want to drive to get there, etc.

Wow, awesome, thanks. I know part of it will be getting on the ground. I've found a group that does group rides for women (sponsored by a local cycle shop). I will probably be joining them once a week. Clubs here are a little different, I think. Our clubs are numerous and have different "levels". Here in town we have 3 such "levels" I'd say from older people moseying happily and begginers to intermediate riders who want a bit of a challenge to those competitive cyclists. It seems like up there group rides cover the first two (not really so organized or dedicated but close) and the third is covered by "club" activity. I don't want that pressure haha. I am only bringing one bike, so my road bike is going to be my commuter with a rack on it again, too. I'm here to finish the 100 miles not be a world-beater haha.

I will check out the link for Quebec City. I'd love to do that one. The problem is that I will likely be arriving on the 12th and that means I would have to drive up there after just getting in and I'm not sure I will be "up" to it after a 18 hour drive from Missouri in two days haha. Probably not. I will look for something in Montreal. I have a friend I can stay with there, too. I plan on getting to Montreal quite a bit on my stay both for research purposes and for fun since it is close and I have friends nearby. Most of the faculty I work with have family up there and a lot of them commute to Ottawa during the week and then go home.

For the Quebec challenge on June 14th, you do have to register, and not sure if last minute you'll have some spot left. And you also have to pick up your stuff on the 13th (Friday). Nothing can be picked up on THE day.

For the rest, I think you'll be just fine riding by yourself (or if you find a buddy). My husband is into club twice a week, but I'm not. I like to do it at my own speed and no pressure. hihi So many roads and bike paths (although weekends are a bit nuts with kids, dogs, strollers, etc) are available at under an hour away from downtown Montreal. And quite a few big hills if you're up for it (Camillien-Houde, Mount-Royal) right in Montreal - almost downtown. Never (and will not) did those but heard they were tough.

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Originally Posted by Helene2013

For the Quebec challenge on June 14th, you do have to register, and not sure if last minute you'll have some spot left. And you also have to pick up your stuff on the 13th (Friday). Nothing can be picked up on THE day.

For the rest, I think you'll be just fine riding by yourself (or if you find a buddy). My husband is into club twice a week, but I'm not. I like to do it at my own speed and no pressure. hihi So many roads and bike paths (although weekends are a bit nuts with kids, dogs, strollers, etc) are available at under an hour away from downtown Montreal. And quite a few big hills if you're up for it (Camillien-Houde, Mount-Royal) right in Montreal - almost downtown. Never (and will not) did those but heard they were tough.

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Great to know. Yeah, I hope to find a buddy or a group of people that pace okay. I usually do okay going to a group ride anymore and finding someone that has a similar schedule to exchange numbers with. That's one benefit of being super extroverted. I will be on the trails in Ottawa all of the time and will hopefully make it up to Montreal a bit, too.

Yeah, I don't think I could do the QC thing then. That's okay. There is a wounded warrior ride, too, at the end of June which I think I will attempt if it works out schedule-wise that I found. There is a one-day option that I could do and afford to do, I think. And it's very close to Ottawa. I'm not prepared to do the two-day in a foreign country haha. Even though I know the area pretty well by now, that worries me.

If you make it to Toronto give me a shout. I ride mostly at weekends, including with a "recreational" club, but trying to get out most days during the week as well. And while I'm not training for a century, I'm trying to bulk up the miles ahead of a big trip in late July/August. I might even have a bike you can borrow if it helps.

Boudica,

That's awesome. I've got my bike. She is named "Casser" for the first time I got on her (in clips) and battered myself up well and good. She will be in touring gear by the time I make it up. I have friends in Toronto and will spend at least one weekend over there, so I might hit you up :) I would love to get out and ride around. I've got my car, so I plan to drive if I travel over that way.