Features

In Search Of Perfection
In Search Of Perfection
By Dan Bereskin. Winning Magazine  The following article was published in Winning Magazine in the early ‘80’s. It is a conversation on bicycles, art and design between Mike Brown, Mike... Read more...
How to Prepare for Gravel Events
How to Prepare for Gravel Events
Gravel racing has quickly become one of the most exciting and demanding disciplines in cycling. Not only do gravel routes have less traffic but they also include an extra technical... Read more...
Snow Ride
Snow Ride
My math homework half completed and Bob Dylan on the turntable, I looked out the window as snow began to fall. First a few scattered flakes spotted the sky but,... Read more...
Riding Forward: The Evolution of the Women’s Tour de France and the Rise of Women’s Cycling
Riding Forward: The Evolution of the Women’s Tour de France and the Rise of Women’s Cycling
In this inspiring reflection, Olympian and former pro cyclist Dede Barry traces the incredible evolution of the Women’s Tour de France—from its overlooked beginnings to its modern-day revival as a... Read more...
Gravel Season: How to Prepare for Events
Gravel Season: How to Prepare for Events
With the spring thaw comes a new Canadian gravel season. In southern Ontario, Paris to Ancaster, Hell of the North and Substance Project gravel events are just around the corner.... Read more...
An ex-pro asks: What’s the future of gravel racing?
An ex-pro asks: What’s the future of gravel racing?
By Michael Barry We can talk about ''the spirit' but what actually lies ahead When gravel racing began to grow in popularity across North America a decade ago, and as... Read more...
Fast Talk Femmes Podcast: Paris Brest Paris Brevet—How to Plan, Prep & Execute with Lisa Charlebois
Fast Talk Femmes Podcast: Paris Brest Paris Brevet—How to Plan, Prep & Execute with Lisa Charlebois
Lisa Charlebois shares how she planned, prepared and executed the 1200 KM Paris-Brest Paris Brevet in three and a half days. In this episode, we talk with Lisa Charlebois, a... Read more...
A Resurgence of Track Racing in North America
A Resurgence of Track Racing in North America
Track racing in North America is experiencing a slow resurgence with velodromes being built across the continent. Some of the tracks are short and steep and fit into a small... Read more...
Next Generation Track Meet. Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
Next Generation Track Meet. Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
The surge in talented youth coming through the junior ranks and into the World Tour is unprecedented. North Americans have shown over the last few years, they have the talent... Read more...
Race Days: The Compounding Benefits of Race Experience
Race Days: The Compounding Benefits of Race Experience
The best bike racers aren’t always the strongest or the fittest cyclists on the start line but are often those who have a deep understanding of how to race and... Read more...
Hell Of The North 2022 Fall Edition
Hell Of The North 2022 Fall Edition
The road and gravel season came to end last weekend with the autumn edition of the Hell of the North, a long running gravel event northeast of Toronto. A huge... Read more...
Roaring Crowds & Whirling Cyclists in Six Days of Track Racing
Roaring Crowds & Whirling Cyclists in Six Days of Track Racing
By Michael Barry In Ghent, Belgium, the low thunder of the cyclists racing into the wooden banking of the velodrome is unheard over the festivities in the track center. A... Read more...
Team Ontario Wins the Road Race at Canada Games 
Team Ontario Wins the Road Race at Canada Games 
Congratulations to Mariposa riders, Hudson Lubbers and Jack Ciotlos for representing Ontario at the Canada Games in Niagara last week. The team rode well as they supported their teammate, David... Read more...
Via Italia Criterium
Via Italia Criterium
Mariposa Team racers Ashlin Barry and Hudson Lubbers finished 3rd and 8th in the Pro 1/2 Via Italia Criterium in Windsor ON. Watch the post race interview with the podium... Read more...
2022 Midweek Criterium Series Finale
2022 Midweek Criterium Series Finale
Criterium season is winding down and we'll soon be on our cyclocross bikes racing through the woods and scurrying up mud slick hills. Midweek Cycling Club hosted their series final... Read more...
Hot Summer Crit Racing
Hot Summer Crit Racing
For many reasons Criterium racing is one of the best development pathways for North American bike racing. Short circuits make for easier road closures, spectators can watch the peloton repeatedly... Read more...
Inspiring The Next Generation
Inspiring The Next Generation
(Photo of Ashlin Barry and current Australian Road Champion and Ineos Pro Luke Plapp) Sporting idols and the events that bring them into town are essential to the growth of... Read more...
Madison Racing!
Madison Racing!
Madison racing is perhaps the most thrilling track cycling event, as two person teams take turns arm-slinging each other into the race. Mariposa riders, Hudson Lubbers and Ashlin Barry teamed... Read more...
Tuning Up For A New Season
Tuning Up For A New Season
As the winter lifts over Europe and the professional peloton begin their racing season, they will be testing equipment and feeling faster as they transition from their training bikes to... Read more...
Hell of the North
Hell of the North
The gravel racing season wrapped up last weekend with one of Canada's original gravel races, The Hell of the North. It was founded by Mike Barry Sr. in 1986 and... Read more...
Track Racing
Track Racing
The NCIM launched a new 12 race track series October 16 and the Canadian Junior National Track Championships will take place this weekend at the Mattamy Velodrome in Milton, Ontario.... Read more...
Growling Beaver Brevet 2021
Growling Beaver Brevet 2021
What a weekend for the Growling Beaver Brevet....Sunshine, friends, family, bikes, laughter and we raised over $380K (totalling over $2.5 M in 7 years) for Parkinson's Canada. Thank you to... Read more...
The Thrill of a Criterium
The Thrill of a Criterium
By Dede Barry Photography by Alan Moore Passing the barriers neatly placed on each corner, I walked with my Father and dog on a humid summer evening to the Lixx... Read more...
The 2021 ENVE Builder Round Up & Grodeo
The 2021 ENVE Builder Round Up & Grodeo
The ENVE Builder Round-Up and Grodeo event is this weekend in Ogden, Utah, which celebrates artisan bike builders, their bespoke creations, and a gravel adventure in ENVE's backyard known as... Read more...
In The News
In The News
A collection of stories, news and information that we thought you might find interesting and relevant. Success of temporary cycling routes during pandemic has led many cities to plan vastly... Read more...
In The News
In The News
A collection of stories, news and information that we thought you might find interesting and relevant. ActiveTO is (mostly) finished, so how will Toronto get residents outdoors this winter?Mayor John... Read more...
In the News
In the News
A collection of stories, news and information that we thought you might find interesting and relevant. Throughout the year, we have been riding in the Don Valley with our Mariposa... Read more...
Growling Beaver Brevet 2020
Growling Beaver Brevet 2020
Thank you to everyone who made the 2020 Growling Beaver Brevet so special. COVID-19 forced us to ride in the event in a different format, but it did not stop... Read more...
Adventures that have a lifelong impact
Adventures that have a lifelong impact
By Michael Barry During the Growling Beaver each year, there are countless thoughts and emotions that swirl through my mind in the lead up to the event, during ride day,... Read more...
Cycling: it doesn’t get any easier, you just go … slower.
Cycling: it doesn’t get any easier, you just go … slower.
By Evan Siddall, Ottawa, September 2020 Cycling: It doesn't get any easier, you just go....slower. That’s not Greg LeMond’s famous quote — about going faster, but it might be even... Read more...
Mariposa Feature: Creemore Turas Mor Gravel Bicycle
Mariposa Feature: Creemore Turas Mor Gravel Bicycle
Designed for the rolling hills, gravel roads and beautiful countryside of Clearview Township. Sign up for the 2020 Creemore Brewery Turas Mor Gravel Cycling event and enter a chance to... Read more...
Stagiaire.
Stagiaire.
An excerpt from the book Mountains: Epic Cycling Climbs by Michael Blann. This chapter was written by Michael Barry, about his experience on the Cormet de Roselend, in the French... Read more...
In The News
In The News
A collection of stories, news and information that we thought you might find interesting and relevant. If you are cycling indoors and looking for entertainment that inspires, here's a compilation... Read more...
DesignTO Exhibition Jan. 17 - 26: F40 / M50
DesignTO Exhibition Jan. 17 - 26: F40 / M50
The ‘F40/M50’ project is the result of a collaboration between Mariposa Bicycles, as we celebrate 50 years of building frames using traditional lugged steel construction, and Fig40, an award winning... Read more...
Growling Beaver Brevet 2019
Growling Beaver Brevet 2019
The 5th Annual Growling Beaver Brevet, a tough gravel event that supports people with Parkinson’s by raising money for Brain Canada and The Davis Phinney Foundation was September 28th. As... Read more...
Creemore Springs Turas Mor 2019
Creemore Springs Turas Mor 2019
By Dede Barry Photography by Jody Wilson Rain, dirt, mud, gravel, sun, quiet country roads, spring flowers, good food and camaraderie will make for a good bike ride with memorable... Read more...
Team Mariposa News: May 13, 2019
Team Mariposa News: May 13, 2019
It's been great getting the mountain bike racing season going to the Woodnewton Ontario Cup race and the Chico Racing 8 Hour Epic. Team Mariposa won the 4 person team... Read more...
Book Launch June 11, 2019: Amsterdam Brewery
Book Launch June 11, 2019: Amsterdam Brewery
Please join us June 11, 2019 for a book launch party hosted by Ian Austen of the New York Times. Ian, Michael Barry Jr. and Walter Lai will discuss the... Read more...
Mike Barry 1938 - 2018
Mike Barry 1938 - 2018
Michael John Barry, father, grandfather, husband and a pillar of Canada’s cycling community, died on Dec. 29 at Mount Sinai Hospital. He was 80. Born in Wimbledon, England in 1938... Read more...
A handful of classic and new cycling films to watch through the winter.
Wonderful Losers: A Different World (2017) This film by Lithuanian director Arunos Matelis celebrates professional cycling's domestiques and features Canadian pro cyclist Svein Tuft. It provides an inside view of professional bike racing seen from the point of view of a team of doctors which follows the race in a small medical car. Cycling's domestiques carry water, block the wind and help set up their leaders for victory. Always working for others, they have little chance for a personal victory. These wonderful losers are true warriors of professional cycling. Watch... Read more...
Favourite Rides: Hell And Back
Favourite Rides: Hell And Back
by Michael Barry Photography by Walter Lai The route was marked up with a highlighter on a map spread over the dining room table. A few nights before the event... Read more...
Canadian Cyclocross Nationals 2018
Canadian Cyclocross Nationals 2018
The Canadian National Cyclocross Championships were held November 10, 2018 in Peterborough, Ontario on a well designed, fun course in Canadian conditions. The riders battled snow, mud and wind. It... Read more...
Film Feature: The Gift Of Light from The Growling Beaver Brevet
There are only 3 days to go until the fourth annual The Growling Beaver Brevet. As you may know, this is a tough gravel event that we help organize in Collingwood/Beaver Valley Ontario in support of the Davis Phinney Foundation and ParkinGo. This beautiful video by Chris Monette captures why we founded, sponsor and support the The Growling Beaver and the Davis Phinney Foundation ENJOY! This year, Mariposa Bicycles in collaboration with The Davis Phinney Foundation, The Pro's Closet, SRAM, Zipp, Compass Tires, Chris King, Whisky Parts Co. and ENVE... Read more...
Team Mariposa News: August 2018
Team Mariposa News: August 2018
Cyclocross season has started in Quebec. Team Mariposa's Scott Fitzgerald got off to a great start finishing second in the first race of the Quebec series last week. Photo by... Read more...
Bike City: How industry, advocacy & infrastructure shaped Toronto's cycling culture
Bike City: How industry, advocacy & infrastructure shaped Toronto's cycling culture
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... Read more...
La Ruta Tierra
La Ruta Tierra
By Michael Barry Away from the traffic and into the green mountains I can quickly find the serenity that is elusive within the city. We climbed for an hour or... Read more...
Mariposa at Rapha San Francisco June 7 - 9, 2018
Mariposa at Rapha San Francisco June 7 - 9, 2018
Dede Barry along with former U.S. National and professional cycling teammates Julie Young and Mike Sayers will be at the Rapha San Francisco Clubhouse June 7-9, 2018. Join them for... Read more...
Turas Mor 2018
Turas Mor 2018
By Dede Barry Last weekend’s Turas Mor gravel event / vintage cycling celebration was a great way to kick off summer in Ontario. The event was created by Creemore Springs... Read more...
Disc Brakes Or Not?
Disc Brakes Or Not?
By Michael Barry Paris Roubaix, the toughest of the one day professional bike races, is not only decided by skill, endurance, power and luck but also on equipment selection. Each... Read more...
Team Mariposa News April 20, 2018
Team Mariposa News April 20, 2018
The gravel racing season is underway and Team Mariposa riders have had a solid start with Sjaan Gerth finishing 2nd place in the Ossian Mudslinger Gravel Series Race in New... Read more...