Guelph Tweed Ride, This Sunday, October 1st

Submitted by portdalhousie on Fri, 09/29/2017 - 09:20

Hi,  This is short notice, but there will be a Tweed Ride in Guelph this Sunday, starting at 1 pm at the Guelph Arboretum, on the university campus.  7 km ride, free admission, and prizes for best bike and spiffy clothing!  Weather looks promising. 

There is more information on the Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation website, or on their facebook page. 

hppt://gcat.ca  

 

--David Webb

3 Comments

Submitted by portdalhousie on Fri, 09/29/2017 - 09:21.

Hi,  Here is the correct link to the GCAT website for info on the Guelph Tweed Ride:  http://gcat.ca

--David

Submitted by Brian R. on Mon, 10/02/2017 - 09:43.

How did it go yesterday? Can you post a photo or photos? I'm interested but couldn't make it this year. I will try to make it next year if it's an annual event. I see that Toronto used to have a ride running but it seems to have died, as I could find no Google hits after 2011. I'm happy to travel to Guelph though.

Submitted by portdalhousie on Sun, 10/29/2017 - 05:05.

Hi Brian,  I went to the ride in Windsor, and also the one in Guelph.  Windsor was quite large, 170 people or so, and extremely well organized.  Windsor is essentially a grid city, and very flat, with low traffic volume streets that are parallel to busy ones.  That meant that the ride had to cross busy intersections, but not ride along them.  We had police and traffic control at all intersections too.  People in cars seemed delighted to see us.  Not many old bikes though--two of us with CCMs.  Mostly about fashion, but a really enjoyable event.   A stop mid way, and the event ended at a patiio pub, with music.  It was fun to ride along and talk with different people along the way.

Guelph was smaller, over 40 people or so, with a few big hills.  The route that was set up was outstanding.  We parked the car at the end however, and so the hard part was riding up hill to the start point.  The ride was mostly light work with a lot of coasting downhill.  Single speed bikes would have been fine for the ride.  Again, a mid point stop and a brew pub at the end.  No traffic control needed, and I think we crossed one busy interesction.  Good bike lanes.  The oldest bikes were a balloon tire bike, a WW2 paratrooper bike and a 1970's Raleigh 3 speed. 

Both events had prizes and really nice rides along bike paths in park areas. 

At both events, you needed to have decent brakes at a few points--when you get going downhill a little too fast, and also when the mass stops and starts, or slows down at tight trail corners. 

A mechanical check first would be a good idea--at Guelph, one guy came off his bike when the chain came off his derailleur and his rear wheel jammed.  He was lucky--just a tumble on the grass.  However the chain and working parts were badly rusted, and obviously were not lubricated at all.  At Windsor, there were two flat tires, one was over inflated and blew in the heat. 

 

Both cities have Tweed Rides, but also other bike events as well.  These were really fun, relaxing events and I would like to see more of them taking place, and more vintage bikes out there. 

Toronto and London had Tweed rides, but these ended a few years ago. 

 

David Webb