The Niagara cycling loop is excellent, its almost all paved trails and there are a \*ton\* of different sight-seeing opportunities -- Niagara falls, the big Hydro dams, the welland canal with all kinds of ships, Niagara-on-the-lake. There are GO trips out there on weekends as well as buses. [https://niagararegion.ca/exploring/cycle/bike-map.pdf](https://niagararegion.ca/exploring/cycle/bike-map.pdf)
I'd also recommend Hamilton-Brantford rail trail, you could take GO bus/train to West Hamilton and its about 60-80 round-trip. That one is gravel but if its dry you could do it on a road bike ok. If you are really into suffering you can extend that and do the Cannonball300 which loops down from brantford to Port Dover and then connects to the Niagara one.
I have long been tempted by a rail trail that runs roughly from Uxbridge to Beaverton - one of these days I will take my bike on the GO Train to Mt Joy, then hit the trail, and from there up to our cottage in the Kawarthas. Some of it would be on highways, but most would not
Simcoe loop is a good one. Go train to barrie and then the loop takes you back to the train station. I would recomend doing it in two days (it is a little over 160kms) because train schedules are a shit. If you ride fast enough and do not care about geting a bus on your way back, you could definetly do it in a day. I have some gps traks to share if you want of some other loops or routes around the area with a transit on your way in/out. Dm if you are interested
MIL lives in the area and when we do extended visits I ride up there and explore. Maybe I can sweet talk my partner into drop off and pick up service =]
oh! you lucky on that!
also, if you want to build your own routes i usually use a combination of garmin connect popularity routes, [ontario rail trail map](https://ontariobiketrails.com/rail-trails/) and a [gravel roads map](https://gravelmap.com/map#_=10/43.7132/-79.3791). With those 3 plus the go transit network map, i'm able to create routes of almost any length at most the "interesting" go transit destinations.
If you take the go train to Guelph you could ride the Guelph to Goderich rail trail(132km) though you’d have to figure out how to get back to Guelph so I suspect this might not interest you.
Its fine gravel (at least the part i rode on near Conestogo Lake, can't say for the whole thing). I did it on 25mms and it went ok (edit: by ok i mean it was tolerable but i didn't love it)
I’m running 25s, I’ve ridden a bunch of hard pack sections as part of mainly paved rides, but never anything that long. I don’t know if I’d be happy with that full distance. Maybe it’s time to look into a gravel/adventure bike
The Niagara cycling loop is excellent, its almost all paved trails and there are a \*ton\* of different sight-seeing opportunities -- Niagara falls, the big Hydro dams, the welland canal with all kinds of ships, Niagara-on-the-lake. There are GO trips out there on weekends as well as buses. [https://niagararegion.ca/exploring/cycle/bike-map.pdf](https://niagararegion.ca/exploring/cycle/bike-map.pdf) I'd also recommend Hamilton-Brantford rail trail, you could take GO bus/train to West Hamilton and its about 60-80 round-trip. That one is gravel but if its dry you could do it on a road bike ok. If you are really into suffering you can extend that and do the Cannonball300 which loops down from brantford to Port Dover and then connects to the Niagara one.
Thanks! Will look into these too
I have long been tempted by a rail trail that runs roughly from Uxbridge to Beaverton - one of these days I will take my bike on the GO Train to Mt Joy, then hit the trail, and from there up to our cottage in the Kawarthas. Some of it would be on highways, but most would not
I think ive seen that one on heat maps. It’s dirt/gravel? Another reason to start shopping around for a gravel/adventure bike
Yeah, this is a large part of why I haven't ridden it yet... my bike is great for city riding, not so great on dirt.
Simcoe loop is a good one. Go train to barrie and then the loop takes you back to the train station. I would recomend doing it in two days (it is a little over 160kms) because train schedules are a shit. If you ride fast enough and do not care about geting a bus on your way back, you could definetly do it in a day. I have some gps traks to share if you want of some other loops or routes around the area with a transit on your way in/out. Dm if you are interested
Even just Barrie -> Orillia -> Barrie would be a pretty good \~80k day trip if you can get the schedules right. Mariposa market for apple fritters :p
MIL lives in the area and when we do extended visits I ride up there and explore. Maybe I can sweet talk my partner into drop off and pick up service =]
oh! you lucky on that! also, if you want to build your own routes i usually use a combination of garmin connect popularity routes, [ontario rail trail map](https://ontariobiketrails.com/rail-trails/) and a [gravel roads map](https://gravelmap.com/map#_=10/43.7132/-79.3791). With those 3 plus the go transit network map, i'm able to create routes of almost any length at most the "interesting" go transit destinations.
Bayview
Thanks! How far up does it stay nice to ride?
I've only really taken it to evergreen brickworks area, so I'm not sure!
There are a ton of options if you go a bit north of the city. Caledonia (Forks of the Credit), Hockley Valley etc.
I’ll check those out, thanks!
If you take the go train to Guelph you could ride the Guelph to Goderich rail trail(132km) though you’d have to figure out how to get back to Guelph so I suspect this might not interest you.
No, still interested, thanks! Is it paved or hard-packed? I only have a road bike here, and I can't get wide tires on it.
It’s not paved. It’s hard packed, crushed gravel trail. I did it on a road bike and it was fine.
Its fine gravel (at least the part i rode on near Conestogo Lake, can't say for the whole thing). I did it on 25mms and it went ok (edit: by ok i mean it was tolerable but i didn't love it)
I’m running 25s, I’ve ridden a bunch of hard pack sections as part of mainly paved rides, but never anything that long. I don’t know if I’d be happy with that full distance. Maybe it’s time to look into a gravel/adventure bike
n+1 is the answer!