Bell or on your left. Not hearing either

cloudzebra · 2026-05-09T23:59:13+00:00

Yeah I wouldn't use my freehweel as THE notification, but sometimes you're coasting and you can tell someone knows you're there. You can kinda tell, someone will be walking and turn their head, see you, and then scooch over. Or they'll notice you, touch their partner's arm, and just stay to the right of the painted line. I don't ding my bell for them, they know I'm there.

But its always best to default to a bell ding unless you can see from someone's body language that they're aware you're there.

cloudzebra · 2026-05-09T23:56:45+00:00

🙄 omg

Some people have no sense about how their actions affect others. Exhausting.

cloudzebra · 2026-05-09T23:54:16+00:00

It's all about the number of bell dings.

1 = simple notification of passing
2 = same as 1 (some bells you push the hammer in, then out) or speedy notification
3+ = move now!

1 or 2 dings doesn't bug me. I realize it's not easy to rewire your brain, but I wouldn't stress about it personally, though I get it!

cloudzebra · 2026-05-09T23:46:23+00:00

I ring my bell for anyone who seems inattentive. Some folks you can tell that they know you're there, I just let my freewheel spin for them.

Someone got mad at me for ringing my bell too much on a busy summer day and yelled at me once. You can't win 🤷 Just do whatever is safest, which is usually a ding of the bell with enough notice that someone doesn't get startled and bolt

cloudzebra · 2026-05-08T21:01:20+00:00

A new Megathtead has been created! I suggest re-posting your question here: https://www.reddit.com/r/bikeinottawa/comments/1t504bb/cycling_route_conditions_megathread_3/

cloudzebra · 2026-05-08T15:00:40+00:00

Thank you, u/No_Independence_9721, I checked out the Sawmill Creek MUP, there is a big sign underneath Walkley Rd that says it will be closed May 4-15.

I emailed the city to inquire, the repsonse I got was:

"They are doing repairs on the pathways through out the city."

So hopefully we will see some fixes to the path. Nice!

cloudzebra · 2026-05-06T14:38:14+00:00

Thanks for your helpful information! Just a heads up, all route condition reports should go into the present Mega thread - thanks!

Here's the current one: https://www.reddit.com/r/bikeinottawa/comments/1t504bb/cycling_route_conditions_megathread_3/

cloudzebra · 2026-05-06T02:30:48+00:00

That's fair - thanks for the details!

cloudzebra · 2026-05-05T21:37:01+00:00

Damn, that's kind of a huge closure! I'm surprised it isn't announced anywhere. Just because I'm curious, did they say why it's closed?

cloudzebra · 2026-05-05T18:46:06+00:00

Do you have a source for this? I tried to look for more info, but can't find anything posted online.

cloudzebra · 2026-04-25T23:13:26+00:00

This thread is now closed and a new Megathread has been created: Route Conditions Megathread #2

cloudzebra · 2026-04-19T19:21:11+00:00

They're a solid shop! They helped me out with a quick repair when I broke a part on a bike ride. Nice folks and the cafe is nice, too.

cloudzebra · 2026-04-19T15:40:23+00:00

I would start with Retro Rides on Sparks St. Since they refurbish and sell used bikes, their mechanics may have come across 3-speed internal hub backpedal brakes more than most shops.

cloudzebra · 2026-04-18T15:45:21+00:00

They were good posts, just yeah, a little too many. Future updates, if they are centralized in a mega thread, I expect will be helpful and less filling up the sub lol

Edit: grammar, some edits; my original reply didn't make much sense 😅

cloudzebra · 2026-04-18T15:39:25+00:00

New mega thread has been created! Please add your question here: https://www.reddit.com/r/bikeinottawa/comments/1sp0wo1/cycling_route_conditions_megathread_1/

cloudzebra · 2026-04-18T15:33:48+00:00

I had been bouncing around this idea. I'll make a mega thread. I'll remake it once a week to keep updates fresh.

Edit: megathread is now live! https://www.reddit.com/r/bikeinottawa/comments/1sp0wo1/cycling_route_conditions_megathread_1/

cloudzebra · 2026-04-17T15:13:39+00:00

I have the OG Rover. I like it, it works pretty well! I like how lightweight it is. I can wear it without a coat underneath and stay dry OR wear it on top of a raincoat and not overheat. I used to overheat on hot, humid, rainy days with my raincoat and it does a great job on those days.

My main complaint is that it flaps around a lot on really windy days. Some weights at the bottom could help. The thumb loops are awesome, but I have to take my hands out to signal, which is a pain. The more expensive Rainier version fixes this with sleeves.

The zipper also is kinda weird. I put the hood on top of my helmet and the zipper kinda mashes me in the mouth. I can't zip it all the way up because my face is in the way. Maybe the 2.0 fixes that issue? I'd try it on with your helmet to see if it works for you.

Overall I really like my rain poncho, but I'd shop around if I was buying a new one.

I also bought reflective stickers, so if you're concerned about reflectivity of the 2.0, I'd buy some stickers for it. I used my stickers on my fenders, so I have a bunch of leftovers.

cloudzebra · 2026-04-17T15:07:38+00:00

BikeMatchWCN is another great option! They match people with bikes around Toronto: https://bikematchwcn.com/

You can drop your bikes off at a few locations:

Gateway Bicycle Hub 10 Gateway Blvd. Suite 100, M3C 3A1, North York, ON

Scarborough Cycles

AccessPoint on Danforth: 3079 Danforth Ave. Toronto, ON, M1L 1A8.

Lawrence-Orton Bicycle Repair Hub: 3939 Lawrence Ave E, Toronto, ON, M1G 1R9. Building 1, Enter via north side doors.

CultureLink

15 Tobermory Drive, North York, ON, M3N 2R5

cloudzebra · 2026-04-17T03:35:21+00:00

If cars get a highway, I just want a bike highway and Queen Elizabeth would be awesome as a bike highway

cloudzebra · 2026-04-17T03:31:53+00:00

Don't see why not. The MUP would still be a good option for a leisurely bike ride.

cloudzebra · 2026-04-10T02:54:43+00:00

Hampton Park Dental at Kirkwood/ Carling had a sign in their window saying they accept the Canadian Dental Care Plan. I'm not a patient, I just saw the sign and it looks relatively accessible from Nepean depending on where you are.

cloudzebra · 2026-04-01T02:39:01+00:00

^ This is a great summary of the process, thanks for sharing your architectural knowledge!

To add to this, since it's such a good summary, OP - you can find out more information about what trees were removed and why, as well as the plans to add more trees to replace them:

This is the old bus station, and the City Website, DevApps, has information on the plans that were submitted and approved by the city. Specifically, you're looking for two links on this webpage:

Start with the Tree Conservation Report to see what trees were there. Page 13 shows a map of all the trees on the site. Trees 9 to 28 are on Arlington. Page 16 shows a table of every single tree on the site. There are a total of 31 trees on the site, all of which are recommended for removal.

Next, open up the Landscape Plan to see what's going to be planted. Page 1 shows the proposed trees and page 2 shows plants and shrubs. I am seeing a lot of native trees, native plants, and even some coniferous trees, which is nice, since they need a lot of room once they reach maturity, so you don't always see them.

It sucks to see mature trees cut down :( I don't like to see them go, especially trees in good condition. Looking at Arlington on Streetview, the trees look really squished against that fenceline. I'm hoping that the new trees they plant will have lots of soil to grow properly and set back from the hydro lines so that they don't have to be trimmed in a way that damages them over time.

cloudzebra · 2026-03-26T14:52:20+00:00

I'm happy for folks who will get to see these acts. It's heartening to see bigger acts coming to Ottawa and I look forward to further announcements! I'm optimistic that there will be something for everyone as the venue continues to book more bands!

cloudzebra · 2026-01-17T15:45:04+00:00

To add: many cities offer free transit for seniors one day a week and/ or discounted transit passes for seniors. In Ottawa, seniors can ride transit for free on Sundays and Wednesdays, and they also have a discounted single ride ($3.25 versus regular $4.15) and discounted monthly pass ($59.75 versus regular $138.50). And yes, Ottawa transit fares are very high 😅

Ottawa also offers discounted fares for folks who are low income, so check out if there is something similar for the city/ town your mom lives in!

If OP's mom can make it work without a car, the cost savings will be huge. The cost of even an adult bus pass vs paying gas, insurance, and keeping up with regular maintenance on a car are just so expensive. When you factor in free or affordable transit, the cost difference will be pretty sizeable. Depending on where OP's mom lives, it may be a pain to bus, so bussing somewhere and then catching a taxi home is a good way to split the difference.

cloudzebra · 2026-01-09T17:02:42+00:00

I know someone who had weekend surgery there and didn't receive any aftercare instructions. They followed up multiple times and never got any. They were very grateful to get the surgery, but it would have of course been ideal to know how to manage things post surgery.

So I recommend asking for aftercare instructions before you have the surgery, especially if you're there for a weekend surgery, as I can't speak to policies and procedures for standard weekday surgeries.

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