Today, the bicycle is a mainstream mode of transportation for almost a million cyclists in Toronto, yet sharing the road has been a challenge for city builders and city users for well over a century. Showcasing bicycles made in Toronto, archival photographs, bicycle art, early advertisements and artifacts from private and public collections, Bike City tells the story of the bicycle and its impact on Toronto, past, present and future.

When:  June 30- November 17, 2018

Where:  Market Gallery, 2nd Floor, St. Lawrence Market, 95 Front St. E. Toronto, Canada

Highlights

The first Mariposa, built in 1969 in the basement of a Toronto (Davisville) home is on display, alongside a Mariposa road bicycle built in 2016 and a 1932 Doc Morton tandem track bicycle built for the 1932 Canadian Olympic team.  This tandem is part of the Mike Barry vintage bicycle collection.

Canadian Cycle & Motor Co. Ltd. (C.C.M.) was established in the late 1800s when the operations of four major Canadian bicycle manufacturers amalgamated: H.A. Lozier, Massey-Harris, Goold, and Welland Vale Manufacturing.   Around 1899 many smaller bicycle makers in Canada went out of business, and C.C.M. soon became Canada’s industry leader, accounting for 85 percent of the Canadian bicycle production.  As perhaps the most prominent large scale bicycle manufacturer in Canadian  history, several C.C.M. bicycles are on display.

A timeline tracks the history of the bicycle industry in Toronto

Made in Toronto.

This T. Fane & Co. “Comet”, c1899-1890 was assembled in Toronto by one of Canada’s first bicycle manufacturers using Canadian and English components.  With the original headbadge (photographed below), leather saddle and pedal rubber, it is a rare example of a bicycle used by Toronto’s early cycling club members.  This bicycle is part of the Collection of Lorne Shields and was restored by Mike Barry Sr. in the Bicycle Specialties – Mariposa Bicycles workshop.

Although Cervelo  bicycles are currently manufactured in Asia and the company is owned by Pon Holdings, a Dutch conglomerate, it was started in Toronto by two McGill University Engineering grads, Phil White and Gerard Vroomen, whose innovation in aero bicycle design had a prominent impact on bicycle racing and triathlon.  This 2018 aero bicycle fitted with disc brakes.

 

The history of cycling advocacy and infrastructure in Toronto.


3 thoughts on “Bike City: How industry, advocacy & infrastructure shaped Toronto’s cycling culture

  1. Nice to see that the long history of cycling is on display and that the story is illustrated with some Mike’s work. This will be a must see.

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