Bicycle Blogs

Gearingup.ca is your one stop shop for information related to the RONA MS Bike Tours and we also try to cover topics relevant to the cycling community in Ontario. There are numerous other bike blogs out there, each with their own niche in the biking community. We would know, we’re always reading them! Here are a few that deserve a mention:

• Bicycle Design. This is the perfect blog for those interested in the newest and coolest trends in bicycles. All types of bicycles are written about on this blog, from high-end road bikes, to mountain bikes, and even unique and just plain weird designs. http://bicycledesign.net/

• Commute By Bike. If you commute to and from work on a bike, then this site is for you. The writers are very convincing, encouraging those who don’t commute to really think about it. You’ll find all the tips, news, reviews, and safety advice a bike commuter would ever need. Their bike and product review is one of the most extensive we have ever seen! http://www.commutebybike.com/

• Biking Toronto. If you live in Toronto, or are visiting, and want information about cycling in the city, then this is the site for you. It is the city’s largest and most popular bike blog, and focuses not only on biking being a competitive or recreational activity, but also a mode of transportation. http://bikingtoronto.com/

• Take the Lane. Bill Bean is a biking advocate who writes about what he knows, “…if the gas-burning dinosaurs start to crowd you, it’s your road and you paid for it. Take the lane for yourself!” Bike related news and personal stories from all over Ontario can be found on this blog. http://therecord.blogs.com/take_the_lane/

 Enjoy and don’t forget to check back here for the latest on the upcoming RONA MS Bike Tours!

Grand Bend to London a Huge Success!

This past weekend was the kick-off to our RONA MS Bike Tour season. There were over 1,850 cyclists who rode from Grand Bend to London, setting a new participant record for the event and raised a staggering $1.125 million dollars! Through the humidity and heat, the cyclists rode their hearts out and made us all extremely proud of them. We would like to thank all the participants, volunteers, whom we couldn’t have done it without, and the staff on a successful weekend!

Gear up for our next event, the RONA MS Bike Tour - Acton to Waterloo on August 13-14. We hope to see the same amount of enthusiasm and heart as we saw in Grand Bend to London in our fight to end MS. 

Predict The Weather!

Weather; it can make your day or ruin it. You can talk about it with people you’ve never met before or with someone you’ve known for years. What would we do if we didn’t have the weather to talk about? One of the most important aspects of having a successful and fun RONA MS Bike Tour is knowing how to equip yourself for the weather on the day of the ride. Why would you want to leave something so important up to the people on TV who seem to be wrong more than they’re right?  That’s why we want to give you a leg up on Mother Nature and share with you some ways of predicting the weather, methods that have been used for thousands of years!

• Wind (do not attempt while riding your bike). Easterly winds can indicate an approaching storm, westerly winds the opposite. Strong winds indicate high pressure changes which can also be a sign of an incoming storm.

•  ‘Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky in the morning, sailor’s warning'. Red sky at night means dry air is heading towards you, red sky in the morning indicates there is a low pressure system carrying moisture on its way.

• Trees. Pine cones remain closed if the humidity is high, which tends to precede heavy rain. If the pine cones are closed, that indicates dry air. Oak and maple tree leaves curl in high humidity.

• The grass. Before you head to the starting line check the grass. If it’s dry, that can indicate that clouds or strong breezes are on the way, which can mean rain is also on the way. If the grass has dew on it, chances are it won’t rain that day.   source (http://bit.ly/bENEjO)

Remember to check the weather before you take part in the RONA MS Bike Tour so you know how to prepare yourself for the ride. Use some of the tips above as an added feature to the weather reports you find online or on the news channel. As the great Bob Dylan always said “you don’t need a weather man to know which way the wind blows.”

On the Road: An Info Night

Do you think it’s possible to change a bike tube in 30 seconds? Come out to On the Road: An Info Night on July 20, to find out. Paul, the owner of Van de Velo bike shop, will explain everything you need to know to keep you and your bike on the road during the RONA MS Bike Tour. This fun and informative session will start at 6:30pm at Van de Velo (2828 Kingsway Drive, Oakville).

Bring your team as well as family and friends to learn about correct bike repair, proper nutrition, and see a fantastic demonstration on how to change your bike tube like a pro! Cyclists who are signed up for the RONA MS Bike Tour, with proof of registration, will receive 10% off all purchases at the shop this night!

Haven't signed up to ride yet? Register today for one of five RONA MS Bike Tours in Ontario!

Take Off That Hat!

This is the year that the RONA MS Bike Tour from Grand Bend to London could be the largest in all of Canada! And if it is, Lori Anne McNulty can finally take off the cowboy hat that she’s been wearing at every bike tour since 2006. But wait! You haven’t heard the story of Lori Anne and her Western headwear? Let me tell you!

The RONA MS Bike Tour from Leduc to Camrose had 1,906 riders on June 11 and 12 and the Grand Bend to London tour is nearing 1,800 and growing. Register your friends! Register your neighbors! Grow your team so Lori Anne will take off that hat!

The RONA MS Bike Tour from Leduc to Camrose in Alberta, the largest bike tour in Canada, used to double and triple the number of participants that the Grand Bend to London tour registered. That is until 2005 when our tour gave the Albertan tour a run for their money. These two mega-tours have been competing ever since!

It was around this time that the hat made its first appearance.

In 2006, Lori Anne McNulty, the Senior Manager and National Advisor at the MS Society, put on a cowboy hat, a symbolic reference to the Albertan cowboys that were beating our tour (which also conveniently shaded her eyes). The promise? The year that the Grand Bend to London tour surpassed the Leduc to Camrose tour, she would take off that hat!

The Grand Bend to London tour has continued to trail the Leduc to Camrose tour, but each year it gets closer and closer and in 2009, it was only 75 participants away from surpassing the Albertan tour!

Could this be the year?

Let’s KNOCKOUT MS!

Knockout MS is a boxing fundraiser where all proceeds, ticket sales and sponsorships, will be donated to the MS Society of Canada. Funds raised at the event will be put towards the fundraising efforts of the Waterloo Regional Police’s 10-member bike team, who will be participating in the RONA MS Bike Tour in Niagara on August 21. All participating boxers are officers from the Peel Region, Greater Toronto Area, and Waterloo, and are registered with Boxing Ontario. The event takes place on Friday, July 22 at the Waterloo Regional Police Association and Recreation Centre at 1128 Rife Road in Cambridge. Come watch some exciting boxing matches, support a great cause, and together we can KNOCKOUT MS!

For more information about purchasing tickets, event details, and for profiles of the boxers, head over to the KnockoutMS official website; http://www.knockoutms.ca/

Reel and Deal!

The fourth annual Reel and Deal event to benefit the MS Society takes place this Thursday, July 7, in Port Perry. Pro fisherman, generous sponsors, and guests get together to raise money to end MS. It will be an action packed day of fun for the whole family! There will be fishing, great food, poker, and all for a great cause! Last year’s event raised $65,000 to support MS Research and Client Services in the Markham/Stouffvile, York North, and York South Chapters.

Date: Thursday, July 7, 2011

Location: Lake Scugog, Goreski’s Landing

225 Platten Boulevard, Port Perry

Registration: 7:00 am to 8:00 am

Start & End Times: 8:00 am to 6:30 pm

You can get in the spirit by watching highlights from the previous Reel and Deal events through the MS Society of Canada YouTube Channel.

To take part in this year's event, please contact Freya Potter, Senior Coordinator, Fundraising and Volunteer Management at 1-800-268-7582 ext. 3157 or freya.potter@mssociety.ca.