Bike Pirates

Art Spin Bike Ride Thursday June 30th

2011-06-21T23:20:00.002-04:00

Art Spin is a multi-disciplinary art crawl style bicycle tour of galleries (commercial, artist run & public), art performances and visits to artist’s studios throughout various downtown Toronto neighbourhoods. Each Art Spin tour will feature a new itinerary featuring some of the city's most exciting artists. Much of the programing includes interactive events that directly involve our audiences, calling upon their creative participation. Art Spin works closely with different community partners to help capture and share the pulse of this city’s vibrant art scene.

This year's Art Spin will take place on the last Thursday of the month from June until August 2011.The meeting point is the gate to Trinity Bellwoods Park at Queen St. & Strachan, between 6:30 – 7 pm and ending around 9 pm. Art Spin is a free event, and anyone regardless of age or cycling ability is welcome.

Dates for 2011 season include...
June 30th
July 28th
August 25th

Busy Season Continues!!

2011-06-20T00:24:00.004-04:00

We are up to our eyeballs in bikes and bike-riders! If you are coming in to use the space we will probably be full, and you will most likely have to put your name on our waiting list. Patience is key! We want to help each and every one of you, and we want your bicycle to be awesome and safe.

Here are a few tips for accessing the space during this very busy season:
please be prepared to wait. Be patient, and courteous.

Bring your bike lock! we cannot store or be responsible for you bicycle!!

Bring a book - or read one of ours - you could get a better idea of how to accomplish the repair you are waiting to do.

Be mindful of time. We cannot predict how long it will take anyone to learn and fix their own bike, but what helps is if you come in with one repair you need to accomplish today, not a full overhaul. After 2-3 hours on a stand, it might be time to finish up and allow someone else to access the space.

Hang out, have fun, ask questions, but try not to be in the way. We need our main thoroughfare - the wooden part of our floor - to be as clear as possible. There are people and bikes and frantic mechanics moving up and down - and in and out of - the space all day. Please keep things clear and don't block the entranceway.

Be respectful of the volunteers who are running the space. They are here to help you, and are in a position to dictate how the space will or will not run. We have basic rules of conduct - i.e. you cannot work on your bike unless you have a repair stand - which are in place for your safety and the functioning of Bike Pirates.

Please do not take our tools outside, unless you have been given specific permission.

Be sure to make a donation for the use of the space, as well as paying for your parts. The donation you make should reflect how much time you spent at Pirates and how much you accomplished. This donation literally pays our rent. You want us to still be here next year, right?

Don't forget to go for a test ride (especially if you have been working on your brakes!)

Always let us know when you are done, and fill out a receipt at the front desk.

Happy Riding!
Bike Pirates.

New Things

2011-05-23T19:56:00.002-04:00

Hey, Did you know that we now carry bike locks? Bike Pirates carries "Trelock" locks from Germany. We have received 3 different styles, in a mid-price and mid-security levels (Between $40 and $80). Check them out online here.

And stop by the shop to check them out!

In other news we will have brand-spanking new Bike Pirate stickers in the shop this coming week. Designed by our very talented pal Frank, these have been a long-time coming. Look for them on all of our Pirate-built refurbished bicycles from now on. You can pick one up in the shop too, to help support and promote your Pirate friends.

Also coming soon - lots of Bike Month events! Stay tuned here and lots of other places to hear about events througout bike month, starting May 30th. We hope to see you out in the streets for bike rides, socials, bicycle breakfasts, and of course, our annual Back Alley Bike Wash.

MAYDAY! MAYDAY! @Bike Pirates

2011-04-24T14:13:00.000-04:00

The Toronto Bike Messenger Association is holding the 2nd annual BMEF fundraiser on May 7th! Saturday:

Fundraiser Party 9pm@ Bike Pirates 1292 Bloor St W (Lansdowne/Bloor) $20
pre register here for Sunday Polo Tournament

Donate to Bike Pirates

2011-03-24T18:26:00.002-04:00

Bike Pirates will happily accept donations of bicycles, parts and tires year-round during regular Bike Pirate hours.

You can also make cash or cheque donations to Bike Pirates Bicycle Club. We are a non-profit society that partially relies on generous donations from the community to continue offering our services and advocating on behalf of all cyclists in Toronto. Donations can be delivered in-person to Bike Pirates.

Donating used bikes and parts to Bike Pirates is a great way to support our work and to clear out your garage or basement at the same time.

Bikes that are in good working order will be checked by Bike Pirate volunteers and adjusted as needed before being re-sold at affordable prices as part of our low-cost bicycle program.

Parts and tires that are in good condition will be added to our substantial stock of second-hand parts that are available at pay what you can prices.

If you’re not sure if the bikes or parts you have are reusable, feel free to drop them off anyway. Bike Pirate volunteers will check them out and make use of anything that we can. Any bikes, parts or tires that cannot be reused will be recycled on site rather than entering the waste stream.

Bike Drive and Events in March

2011-03-03T15:49:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow marks the return of our Monthly Bike Build Nights at the shop. This is an opportunity for volunteers to contribute by helping us build up a pile of bicycles for sale in ONE NIGHT. We usually work from around 7pm until 2am building as many bikes as we can, as there is little time to work on sale bikes during open hours. Having safe, affordable bikes for sale is part of how we fulfill our mandate at Bike Pirates, and makes cycling accessible to a few more people :) Building bikes is also fun, and the night is usually a good exercise in team-work, fun, frantic, and sometimes silly. All volunteers are welcome to contribute, keeping in mind that this is geared toward completing as many bikes as possible!

...But our bike build nights are not possible without bikes donated to the shop. During the winter months donations tend to drop off, and we find ourselves staring down a pile of sad mountain bikes...

So Bike Pirates is planning a large-scale callout for a Bike Drive this Spring. This will involve flyering bicycles and residences all around our community (and yours!), so we'll need lots of volunteers to go out on foot and bike to spread the word. The Drive will take place on a Wednesday evening later in the month, so that folks can drop off their bike when the shop is not busy with normal operations. Please let us know if you would like to help with the flyering, and stay tuned for more details!

We are also planning our Third Friday event for March which will be a Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. Last season we held this in December, but this year we thought it might be a nice way to *begin* the season instead. All volunteers should join us at the shop for a pot-luck style community meal, as an opportunity to socialize, ask questions, and get to meet other Pirates who you may not know.
Again, more details will be coming up soon. Let us know if you would like to help plan for this event.

News for This Week!

2011-02-21T12:13:00.005-05:00

Yes we are open tonight! We've told you before and we'll tell you again - Pirates don't celebrate holidays, religious or secular (or completely made up) unless it involves eating lots of delicious food or something. So - YES, we will be open tonight, regular hours. Bundle yourself up and come on by.

Also this week we have TWO EVENTS planned.

Friday night February 25th we will have the relaunch of our Annual Critical Hot Chocolate event. We did this three years before and it was a super fun time. For those who brave the streets for February Critical Mass the evening will end with a hot chocolate social at Bike Pirates. There will be vegan hot chocolate, lots of fresh made baked goods, and live music.

Critical Mass meets at the SE corner of Bloor and Spadina at 6pm and the ride begins at 6:30. Join us at Bike Pirates starting at 8pm for the event!

Saturday night February 26th we will be hosting a presentation and workshop from the amazing folks at the Beehive Collective. The discussion will be based on their most recent campaign The True Cost of Coal. Join us at 7:30pm at Bike Pirates for this exciting presentation.

Both of these events are free to attend, but we will gladly accept donations to help with the costs.

Hope to see you there!

Big Thank You to ICYCLE Race 2011

2011-02-14T16:13:00.003-05:00

For the past few years the races have been held on the rink at Dufferin Grove Park, and that's where about one hundred spectators gathered this past Saturday, cramming into the players bench and lining the outside fence to catch the action. The event is run by Derek Chadbourne, owner of the Bike Joint on Harbord Street. Bike Pirates, a non-profit, do-it-yourself workspace for cyclists, helps out, and has hosted the afterparty for the last three years.

To be able to race, the cyclists have to stud their tires, a process that involves drilling screws though (or "studding") the tires, then lining the tire with duct tape (or, in some cases, with another tire). Apparently, once the process is complete the actual tire doesn’t even touch the ice. And just like other sporting events, someone is always tweaking the technology to get an edge: by using hundreds of small, thin screws and setting them in a specific pattern, some of the fastest riders this year were able to give themselves an extra push. "They’re that thin," Bercarich says, pinching his fingers together—and there are up to eight hundred in a tire.

In classic format, the bikers race in heats, with the winners from the men’s and women’s divisions moving on to the finals; finalists race an intense twenty-five laps around two connected ice rinks. This year's winners were the intrepid Kevin Black and Briana Illingworth (know on the circuit as the Ice Queen). Every year, proceeds raised at the afterparty are donated to a worthy cause: this time, to Peter McKenzie, a cyclist who was hit on the Bloor Viaduct in December.

One of the final events of the night, the Rubber Race, allows any spectator with a bike and a helmet to participate. The only catch: no studded tires. Immediately after it begins, over-eager cyclists—many of whom have started too fast—fall onto the ice. The Rubber Race is a slow one, and after a couple laps most cyclists have lost their balance and dropped off their bikes at least once. The only rider who could stay on her seat consistently was at a huge disadvantage—she was on just one wheel. "I’ve been riding a unicycle for about seven years, maybe. But only seriously in the last three," Celeste Koon told us. As she rounded the turn of her final lap, the crowd went crazy, clapping and hitting the boards. She gracefully dismounted her unicycle and stepped between fallen cyclists on her way off the rink.

Photos by Nana Arbova.

dandyhorse magazine's editorial assistant Colleen Kirley and dandy photo editor Nana Arbova send bike love to Torontoist readers with this feature. You'll be able able to see more of their work in dandyhorse this spring.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@torontoist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

ICYCLE RACE 2011 Feb 12th 6pm

2011-02-06T12:14:00.000-05:00

Its that time of year again! ICE RACE TIME!!

This year, to help offset the costs to the organizers there will be a small charge of $5 to sit in the players boxes rinkside. Totally worth it for the best seats in the house!
As always please remember this is a family event (as in bring brown bags for your beverages, be discrete and PLEASE put your rubbish in the bins and take your empty drink containers with you! This ensures that we will be able to hold the ice race again next year!

Everyone welcome so invite all your friends!
Dufferin Grove Ice Rink, Feb 12, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Facebook Event Page

If you have not already started you better get going on studding out a set of tires! Bike Pirates will be hosting a tire studding workshop very soon. Stay tuned for details. Or if you don't have studded tires you can race in the "Rubber Class" category for the last race of the evening. Always a guaranteed laugh!

Fundraiser Party ($5 P.W.Y.C.) to be held at Bike Pirates between 9pm-1am

Cant wait to see you all there!

Feb 2: Ice Bike Tire Building Seminar

2011-01-29T13:16:00.003-05:00

Always curious about ice bike racing but the thought of building your own tires was to daunting? Well now you too can build ice bike racing tires. Come out to Bike Pirates on Wednesday February 2nd, 6-9pm to learn how its all done, taught by the Ice Emperor. The instruction is free, but you need to bring the materials yourself.

Here is what you are going to need to bring:

For a starter a frame with tire clearance for stud protrusion.

Next determine length of screw needed for 2 to 3 mm to stick out , #4 pan head Robertson scews are my prefered ones and #6 second choice. For best results I pre-drill holes for screws so a smaller bit than screw diameter, a hand drill, bit driver and of course hundreds of those shiny things. 300 per are fun, 500 per are better and well my latest tires have 850 + per. Cost of screws are about $4-5 per hundred at Jacob's Hardware but they should be ordered ahead of time.

Come on out, it will be fun. For further info contact the Bike Joint @ 416-532-6392.

Please be aware that space is limited! We'll try to fit everyone in, but no promises.

Hello Everyone and Happy New Year!

2011-01-09T11:20:00.001-05:00

Just a note to let you know that the overhaul at Bike Pirates will be completed today and the space will officially be opened for the New Year tomorrow!

Please let folks know that fantastic changes are in place (and some digital ones are still in the works) and they should come by and check us out! We are excited to get back to work helping people and building bikes, taking in donations, planning events and cooking yummy food. As usual we will be running all of our regular scheduled shifts throughout the winter, so now is the best time to come in and check us out and work on your bike, before it gets crazy in the spring.

2011 begins with our first shift tomorrow - 5-9pm Monday January 10th

A Better Bike Is Possible!
Ainsley and Bike Pirates.

Bike Pirate Tune Up...Help Needed

2010-12-05T13:10:00.003-05:00

Please note that we will be CLOSED on December 25th and 26th due to a penchant for sitting on our couch all day watching terrible Christmas movies - that opportunity only comes round but once a year!

And From January 1st through the 9th we will be CLOSED for an overhaul. We'll be doing a lot of cleaning and reorganizing, small reno work, upkeep, re-visioning and implementing some new organizational plans (think: inventory! usage log! bike sales tracking! Pirates are dreaming big this year).

If you would like to help with this tune-up - which may include creative thinking and heavy lifting - please let us know! Contact us at info (at) bikepirates (dot)com and we'll let you know what hours we plan to be in the shop.

Pirates will be open again for all regular scheduled hours on Monday January 10th. Any further closures over the winter due to weather or volunteer availability will be posted HERE.

We also have a Christmas Wish List, with some items that would make this tune-up even more successful. If you are able to donate any of these items or know where we might get them please let us know:
vinyl/rubber/laminate flooring (approx. 8' x 45')
new electric range
small display case
folding chairs (10-20)
Books and magazines related to cycling and bicycle repair (current or old, new or used)
sturdy extension cords (long or short)
screws and nails!
a gallon of paint - green or blue or purple maybe

many thanks for your help and support all year round!

RADICAL MOVIE NIGHT G20 Legal Fundraiser

2010-11-29T16:32:00.002-05:00

RADICAL MOVIE NIGHT
G20 Legal Fundraiser

On Friday December 3rd we will be hosting a radical movie night to raise funds for our friends and allies facing G20 related legal charges.

Come join us for an amazing night of movies, drinks, board games, snacks, hanging out, and all around rockin good times.

All welcome!

7pm – 9pm: Land and Freedom (Tierra y Libertad)

Directed by Ken Loach, this 1995 film narrates the story of David Carr, an unemployed worker of the Communist Party of Great Britain, who decides to fight for the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War. A heart wrenching portrayal of the attempt by ordinary people to build an anarchist society, and its subsequent betrayal. The movie won the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival.

10:30-midnight: What to do in Case of Fire (Was tun, wenn’s brennt?)

Directed by Gregor Schnitzler, this 2002 film tells the humorous and touching story of six anarchist friends living as squatters in Berlin in the 80s, when they leave a handcrafted bomb in a mansion. Only thirteen years later the bomb explodes, wounding two people, forcing the group to reunite and, ultimately, come to grips with the reason they separated years ago.

Free popcorn!

Pay what you can (suggested $5-10). Come for one or both movies.
All proceeds go to the G20 Legal Defence Fund.

Winter Riding Workshop - This Sunday

2010-11-25T12:44:00.004-05:00

This Sunday evening Bike Pirates will be hosting a workshop on Winter Cycling.

Topics will cover Winterizing your bicycle and yourself, as well as riding and safety tips, including suggestions on doing this DIY as well as tips on reliable clothing and equipment you can purchase.

Presented in cooperation with No Apathy the event is $5/pay-what-you-can, open to the public and will also include a meal from Food Not Bombs.

The Bike Pirates workspace and all No Apathy events strive to provide a safe and respectful environment open to everyone. Any oppressive behaviour or actions (racism, sexism, violence, etc.) will not be tolerated.

Bike Pirates also asks that folks respect our Women & Trans Hours on Sunday (running 12-6pm), by waiting until after 6:30 to queue for this workshop.

Winter Riding Workshop
Sunday November 28th
7pm-9pm $5/pwyc
Bike Pirates - 1292 Bloor St. West

More details available on the Facebook Event page.

Memeorial Ride in Solidarity with Fallen Cyclist

2010-11-20T14:30:00.001-05:00

About a dozen of us rode to install a ghost bike and observe a amonement
of silence for Vicente 'Vince' Sering, 61 assistant pharmacist at St.
Mike's Hospital, father and husband of 33 years and very close to
retirement.
What a shitty place to die.

Star Obit:
"SERING, Vicente A. - Suddenly on Friday, November 19, 2010 at the age of
60 years. Beloved best friend and husband for 33 years of Laurene. Loving
father of Joey. Dear son of Victoriana and brother of Nena, Panoy and
Bobote. Predeceased by his father Eusequio. Also will be sadly missed by
all his nieces, nephews, sisters and brothers-in-law, friends and
co-workers. Vicente was a dedicated employee at St. Michael's Hospital for
over thirty years. Friends may call at the Turner & Porter 'Peel' Chapel,
2180 Hurontario St., Mississauga (Hwy 10, N. of QEW) from 7-9 p.m. on
Wednesday and from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. on Thursday. Prayers Thursday at 7:30
p.m. Funeral Mass will be held at Holy Angels Church, 61 Jutland Rd.,
Toronto on Friday, December 3, 2010 at 11 a.m. Interment Park Lawn
Cemetery. For those who wish, memorial donations may be made to the
Children's Make A Wish Foundation."

Group Bike Ride

2010-10-21T20:57:00.000-04:00

Friday, October 15 - "Bike to the Future" Mobile Dance Party

2010-10-07T09:32:00.003-04:00

Ghost Bike Placed at the Bottom of Colborne Lodge and Lakeshore

2010-10-03T23:45:00.006-04:00

A cyclist was killed Sunday night after being struck by two cars.

Police say the male cyclist in his 40s was traveling south on Colborne Lodge Dr. and was trying to cross Lake Shore Blvd. W. when he was hit.

He was struck by a car travelling east, and the force of the impact threw him into another lane, where he was hit by a second car.

Nigel Ghough was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Bike was placed today and will be in the island where he was lost. His friends and fellow cyclists will remember.

Please visit his Memorial page
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=157499424275176

Or Flicker
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martinreis/sets/72157624996068617/

2010-09-29T11:21:00.000-04:00

Hello Everyone!
It is with great enthusiasm that we invite you the season finale of Art Spin on Thursday, September 30th which promises to be our best one yet. As usual we will be meeting in Trinity Bellwoods Park at the Queen St. gate between 6:30 - 7 pm. Geoff from the Bike Pirates will once again be on hand conducting complementary bike tune ups and we'll be Arting-up our bikes before we set off to visit a whole new selection of galleries and site specific performances, as well as a very special light based interactive group installation. There will be many surprises along the way and the whole tour ends at a 10,000 square foot historic warehouse for a group exhibition featuring the work of over 20 artists in all fields and disciplines followed by a racus after party with live musical performances by Michael Louis Johnson & The Red Rhythm, MooCow, Ludy Dobri & The Organic Streetscape Project and Rambunctious. Catered appetizers and drinks will be served.

Whether or not you've been on Art Spin before this tour is poised to be one of the most engaging and exciting art events of the season and something not to be missed.

See atached evite for more details, or visit our website, www.artspin.ca, for a more complete list of all participating artists.

If you are interested in only attending the exhibition portion of this event the warehouse space is located at 1655 Dupont St in the Planet Building. It runs between 9pm - 1am, and feel free to invite your friends.

On behalf of the Art Spin team thanks for making the 2010 installment of Art Spin so successful and so much fun. We hope to see you all on the 30th!

Cheers,

The Art Spin Team
info@artspin.ca
www.artspin.ca

Celebrate a Car Free Day

2010-09-12T14:04:00.002-04:00

Car Free Day Event on Concord Avenue (Sun. Sept. 12th) Toronto, ON

This has become an annual event for this neighborhoods with a street party, road closures for several blocks south of Bloor Ave. Contact Ron Nash (ron.nash@sympatico.ca).

Car Free Day Event on Delaware Avenue (Sat. Sept. 18th) Toronto, ON

Delaware Ave. between Shanly and Hallam Streets in the Dovercourt neighborhood will be closed for a petrol-free party for residents from noon to 11 pm. Contact Heidi Westfield at heidiwestfield@yahoo.ca.

Main Car Free Day Event at Queen’s Park North (Wed. Sept. 22nd)Toronto, ON

Our biggest Car Free Day has moved from Yonge & Dundas Square this year to Queen’s Park North. We are planning activities with U of T for their Environment Week. City of Toronto Council supported this event in a 31 to 3 vote on August 27. Activities will include cycling education and bike repair, an Art Battle, community tabling, yoga classes and more! Contact Emma Cane (emmac@sierraclub.ca).

Car Free Day in Mississauga, (Sat. Sept. 25th) Mississauga, ON

Mississauga's Car Free celebration will take place at Streetsville Memorial Park from 9 am to noon.

Co-sponsored by TD Friends of the Environment, City of Mississauga and Ontario government along with the busy Peel Group of the Sierra Club. You can expect face painting, community groups, speakers and displays on environmental and transit issues, musical entertainment, BBQ and much more. Contact Rosemary Keenan (rosemarykeenan@rogers.com) or Peter Orphanos (porphanos@rogers.com).

Car Free Day in Leslieville, (Sat. Sept. 25th) Toronto, ON

Another annual road closure and party organized by the residents, this one includes a pot luck dinner & activities. Contact Jennifer Story (jstory@rogers.com).

Car Free Day at 10/3 Lake Promenade in Etobicoke (Sun. Oct. 3rd) Etobicoke, ON

LakePromenadefrom 39th to 42nd Streets will be closed for a street party. You can bike or skate in from the Waterfront Trail near Marie Curtis Park. Join the folks for street hockey, a bike clinic and kid activities. Contact Mike Olivier (rapidtransitman@yahoo.com).

2010-08-22T19:32:00.001-04:00

Let me tell you, lots of Canadians came out to party and celebrate bicycles. Few workshops were cancelled and fewer had no facilitation. Each workshop had about fifty people attending. Four workshops where held at a time. Food was organic, vegan and glutton free.

The mobile shop workshop was my favorite cause i learned about not having a shop and be committed to helping people ride a safe bike. I think about forty people came in from Montreal, Canada. They will be committing a regional bike bike named velo velo in the end of September. The next bike bike 2011 will be held in San Marcos, Texas.

Bike Bike delegates from the states where surprised to see how many cyclists ride our narrow urban streets.

First night we had dinner picinic style in the park. Next night we had a scavenger hunt matched with outdoor movie night in park followed by a midnight swim on the shores of Lake Ontario. After the workshops on Saturday, we took some delegates out on a tour of all the DIY bike spaces in Toronto, five in all. Then after the tour we put on a party that stretched the night away with hot steamy dance dance fun.

On sunday we had a group discussion about the4 next bike bike. We asked Fargo to hold a winter bike bike. Some talk of New York hosting a regional bike bike. I think LA wanted a bike bike in 2012 but that is up for the talk in Texas. New Orleans group Plan B wishes to host the tenth anniversary of bike bike 2013.

On a personal note. Bike Bike would have been nothing without the help of a pack of dedicated volunteers that operated the kitchen and supplied people with breakfest, lunch and dinner for four days.

Hopes and dreams to the flying cyclists of America and beyond.
Geoffrey B
Bike Pirates

Video of one Party

Stolen Bike?

2010-08-21T21:29:00.002-04:00

We had a bicycle donated to the shop on Thursday that, upon closer inspection, appears likely to be stolen. It is a very large single-speed. If you or anyone you know has lost such bike recently, please write me at needleandthread (at) gmail (dot) com with a detailed description.

We are enraged by the continued climate of bike hate - both in theft and vandalism - in this city, and we want to ensure that this bike finds its way home.

Bike!Bike! Wrapup

2010-08-21T21:25:00.002-04:00

Thanks to everyone from the shop and in the community for helping to make Bike!Bike! 2010 a great success!

We hosted over 150 people from all over North America - learning and sharing, riding and eating and dancing our asses off. It was an awesome weekend with awesome folks. We met new shops and made new friends.

Thanks to all of our outstanding volunteers who put in lots of hours (especially those up at 5:30am to cook every day!), and everyone who helped make it happen.

Bike!Bike! is awesome because you are awesome.

Much love. See you in Texas for B!B! 2011!

xo BP

Closures this week for Bike!Bike! Conference

2010-08-07T23:21:00.002-04:00

Hello all Pirates and swabbies,

Please note that Bike Pirates will be CLOSED for DIY repairs for the duration of the Bike!Bike! 2010 Conference. Hours this week will be as follows:

Open Mon Aug 9 and Tues Aug 10 regular hours
Open Thursday Aug 12 12-4pm (Closed Thursday 4pm onward!)
Closed Saturday Aug 14
Closed Sunday Aug 15

The space will be used for workshops throughout the weekend, so please respect that that space is CLOSED for repair time.

We will be having more bike building and art making - last minute prep of screen printing, cutting, folding and stapling handbooks, making spokecards, etc!! - on wednesday. Starting at 4pm, going up 10pm or until everything is finished! We will also need help logging and tagging all of the loaner bikes which we will have collected.

Thanks to everyone who came out last night. We got a lot accomplished and have a good (and safe!) pile of bikes for loaning! All your help is appreciated.

This is going to be an awesome week and we thank everyone who has donated, helped, volunteered, organized and given us support.

Love,
Bike Pirates

Help House Bike BIke 2010 on Aug 12th to 15th

2010-08-06T12:52:00.003-04:00

Bike! Bike! is an international annual conference organized by and for not-for-profit bike projects. It takes place in a different city each year. This year it will be hosted by Bike Pirates in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

There will be an assortment conference workshops geared towards helping bike projects better serve their local communities. There will also be social events to foster networking and fun. Some things which may (or may not) take place include (but are not by any means limited to): Anti-oppression, Consensus Decision Making, and Working with Kids workshops, as well as a dance party, a scavenger hunt, a ride-in movie screening, and other bike rides.

If you have services, housing, or supplies you would like to contribute, or would like to help out in any other way, please fill out our volunteer form and/or send us an e-mail at: bikebike2010 -at- gmail.com

Bappy Birthday!

2010-07-05T08:59:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday Bike Pirates.

Our birthday past this weekend without us even noticing. This summer has been hectic, and we hope to have time to celebrate very soon. In the meantime, we won't mind if you stop in to give us a hug and tell us you love the Bike Pirates.

Happy 4th Anniversary. Here's to many more.

xx

HOLIDAY CLOSURE

2010-07-01T11:39:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the late notice. Pirates will not be open for regular hours today, July 1st. This is moreso because of a need to recover from recent personal stresses than because we want to BBQ for Canada Day - Pirates don't believe in Holidays or in Nationalism.

We will be open again and able to focus on Saturday, 12-7pm.

Thank you for your understanding.

Bike Pirates.

Community Garden Ride and Dance Friday May 18th

2010-05-30T02:33:00.003-04:00

Community Garden Ride 7pm...meet at bike pirates,

aferwards 9pm

Bike!Bike! Fundraiser DANCE PARTY 9pm.

Bike Pirates Needs Your Help

2010-05-30T02:30:00.002-04:00

CYC Program
We are in the process of starting the Bicycle Program at the Cabbagetown Youth Center. This is a collective undertaking between Pirates and other organizations in the Toronto cycling community. We are sorting bikes this week, and having meetings the next two weeks, with hopes of the program beginning the first week of July. Volunteers will be needed to help run the program, including organizing and hands-on teaching. Please contact me if you would like to be involved: needleandthread@gmail.com

Bike!Bike!
As of yet we do not have enough volunteers to help us fulfill the organizational tasks of Bike!Bike! The conference is coming up in less than 3 months! We needs folks to help wtih coordinating AND we also need members of the community to get involved by donating resources or money, as well as billeting and bike-lending for the folks attending the conference.

If you want to help out with organizing please write to: bikebike2010@gmail.com
for more info or how to donate/billet/lend please visit the website: www.bikebike.org

Bike Building
Our once-a-month bike-building nights have been going really well! I want to suggest the date for June's bike build for Friday May 4th. If this doens't work for most people we can reschedule. We've been able to build up about 12 bikes on these nights (and get some others half-way done), so it's a good way to get some recycled, affordable bikes out to the community. Also, we love building bikes!
The build will go from 7pm until 4am or until we are toast.
If you would like to participate - keeping in mind that this is a fast-paced, results-driven evening - please contact me: needleandthread@gmail.com
there will be pizza and beer!

Bike Month
See the full calendar of events for Toronto's Bike Month here: http://wx.toronto.ca/festevents.nsf/Cycling?openform

We have a few events that we will need people to help out with and people to have fun attending (your call!). Check it out and speak to a volunteer or contact me, I guess, since I answer the emails :)

- Donate a bike to Bike Pirates (fake event) May 6th
- Bike Wash (like your high school fundraiser, but with bikes and no football players, I hope) May 12. Fundraiser for Bike!Bike! fun times cleaning and checking bikes in the back alley. 4 or 5 volunteers needed
- Third Friday Event! May 18th
communtiy garden ride 7pm, Bike!Bike! Fundraiser DANCE PARTY 9pm. This will be awesome. both things. we will mostly need help with setting up and tearing down the space for the party. and come out and drink beer and dance too.

Third Friday Pirate Comedy Night

2010-05-11T11:39:00.005-04:00

Bike Pirates Presents: Bike Jokes
3rd Friday Event for May

Friday May 21st @ Bike Pirates

Join us for a night of Stand-up comedy featuring young comics from Toronto's stand-up scene (not a bunch of Pirates making bad jokes!).

Featuring:
Dylan Gott
Kathleen Phillips
Rebecca Kohler
Tim Gilbert
Adam Christie

Show starts at 9pm / Doors at 8:30
$5-$10 sliding scale donation
Proceeds of our monthly events are going to fund Bike!Bike! an annual conference for community bicycle projects which we will be hosting this August. For more info and how to get involved please visit www.bikebike.org

facebook link

Pirate AGM - April 21

2010-04-20T00:12:00.003-04:00

Wednesday April 21st will be the first Bike Pirates annual general meeting.

This meeting will be centered around discussion of current policies and proposed changes to meeting and decision making processes at the shop. We will also give people an update on the work that we have been doing, what community partnerships we have forged, and what our future plans look like.

We will be starting the meeting at 6:30 pm at The Toronto Free Gallery (the hardware store across the street from Pirates) There will be an intermission in the meeting for a Pirate cooked dinner. Feel free to bring anything to turn it into a pot luck!

If you are interested in participating in this important discussion please attend this meeting.

Bike Bike Film Night: Quick Silver

2010-04-19T18:21:00.004-04:00

Friday April 23rd @8:30pm
1292 Bloor Street W

Join us for a fun filled night of drama and popcorn staring Kevin Bacon and his road bike.

Film starts at 8:30pm @Bike Pirates 1292 Bloor St. W

The film night is being put on to start awareness of a grand conference on non-profit bike-isms called BikeBIke. We will give informations and ask for support for our international conference held in August 12-15

www.bikebike.orgW

Friday, April 16 - Third Friday - Alley Ride!

2010-04-10T19:19:00.003-04:00

Bike Pirates invites you to join us for a ride through the laneways and alleys of Downtown Toronto! We had lots of fun last year - and no flat tires - so we are excited to go out again, and to explore new spaces we may not have seen before.

Lead us to your favourite hidden spot, down your favourite short-cut, and through your backyard. We will come with ideas and make the route as we go.

Meet in the Alley behind Bike Pirates at 6:30pm. Ride will leave at 7pm, and last for about 2 hours. Beers afterwards at a location TBA.

This event is FREE!

As with any of our events donations will gladly be accepted to help fund Bike Pirates - a registered non-profit - and the projects that we run. Right now we are fund-raising for Bike!Bike! an annual international conference for community bicycle projects that we will be hosting in August!!!

Can't make it? Don't worry! The following Friday (April 23rd) we're hosting a another event: a fund-raiser movie night. Details soon.

Anarchist Talk at Bike Pirates

2010-04-03T00:54:00.002-04:00

FRIDAY APRIL 9, 7 to 9 p.m.

Bike Pirates (1292 Bloor Street West)(wheelchair accessible)

Panel Discussion: "Anarchism in the 21st Century"

Cindy Milstein is a well-known anarchist and educator. She has been involved with the Institute for Social Ecology in Vermont with Murray Bookchin, as well as the Institute for Anarchist Studies in Montreal. (not confirmed)

Lesley Wood is a longtime anarchist grassroots organizer in Toronto. She is an active member of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, the Toronto Community Mobilization Network against the G8/20, and a Professor at York University.

Karen Emily is an activist and organizer with the Anarchist Black Cross Federation - Toronto, working in support of political prisoners and prisoners of war.

Bike Pirates Restructuring

2010-04-01T17:32:00.006-04:00

At our February meeting, a committee was formed to try to create an
organizational structure for Bike Pirates. That group presented a
proposed structure at the March meeting. We definitely didn't
have the kind of time needed for a thorough discussion, and we want to
make sure that everyone in the Bike Pirates community has a chance to
give us feedback before we give the group our final proposal.

There will be a second meeting on Wednesday, April 14th at 7 pm at
Bike Pirates to discuss the proposed structure in more detail.
Everyone is welcome. A copy of the presentation will be available in
the shop at the beginning of our Saturday hours. The presentation is also available here:

If you want to ask questions or give us feedback, you can email margaret.jean [at] gmail.com or tjsands66 [at] gmail.com

With all of your feedback in hand, we will revise the proposal and bring it to the Bike Pirates AGM, on Wednesday, April 21st at 7pm, where we hope it will be adopted. The AGM is a general meeting open to all members of the Bike Pirates community. More info and an agenda is forthcoming, but we know for sure that there will be a food element.

Closing Early TONIGHT!

2010-03-31T23:55:00.004-04:00

Ok kids, there are 3 reasons why we will close the shop early -

unbelievably bad weather (i.e. 3 feet of snow)
very sick volunteers (i.e. no one is able to open the shop)
Dramatic restructuring and in-shop construction.

...okay okay there are 4 reasons.
an historic birthday party! Like tonight's bicycle-related 18 kegs birthday party.

Sorry folks. It looks like we will be closing at FIVE PM tonight, rather than seven. Let your friends know. take the opportunity to go for a beautiful evening ride!

March 19 - Bike Pirates Craft Night

2010-03-11T17:45:00.010-05:00

Break out your puff paint, bedazzlers, and DIY spirit! Bike Pirates' first craft night is happening Friday, March 19th at 7:30 pm.

BYO Craft supplies and Beverages.
Homemade snacks! Tea!
Mini-workshop on making jewelry out of bike parts!

Crafts do not have to be bike-related.

Bike Pirates is a fully accessible space.

Family Day?

2010-02-14T23:20:00.002-05:00

those who sail the sea have no family but those on their ship! We don't serve a government or religion, only the rocky waves, and the whispers the gales tell of buried gold. We do not lower the sails for a day because a queen wishes it so! But if a mate is ill with scurvy you bet we will have to put off our pillaging for another day.

.........

We are open tomorrow. yes. see you there.

Annual Ice Race - Early Closure

2010-02-12T20:12:00.002-05:00

Please note that as per tradition, Bike Pirates will be closing early the evening of the annual ice race! Tomorrow, Saturday February 13th, we will be closing the shop at hour early at 6pm SHARP in order to get set up for the party we are hosting.

Please come out to the races at Dufferin Grove rink 7-10pm, and to Pirates afterwards for an awesome dance-party fundraiser for Charlie's Freewheels. This is a fantastic, fun, hilarious, exhilarating tradition in the Toronto Cycling community!

See you there!

The Pirates.

Icycle 2010 & Bike Pirates Afterparty

2010-02-09T09:35:00.002-05:00

Icycle, Toronto's annual bicycles-on-ice race, takes place Saturday, February 13, 2010 from 7-10pm in Dufferin Grove Park. Free admission! The afterparty, a fundraiser for Charlie's Freewheels, is right here at Bike Pirates.

Speaking of Charlie's Freewheels, congrats to them for winning a 2009 Toronto Bike Award!

Charlie's Volunteer Callout!

2010-02-03T17:12:00.004-05:00

Charlie's Freewheels is seeking volunteers to act as Mechanic Mentors in the second session of our youth bicycle project. The sessions will run every Friday from 5-8pm. The First session will be Friday February the 5th and the program will run for 12 weeks.

Charlie’s Freewheels will enrol 6 youth participants from the Regent Park community to learn basic bicycle mechanics and safety through the process of assembling their own bike. Through a combination of hands-on practice, cooperative work, discussion and mentoring, the participants will focus primarily on the repair of one bicycle each that, upon the project’s completion, will belong to him or her.
The volunteer mechanics will be working with the youth from last session in assisting the new participants with the assembly of their bicycles. We are looking for mechanic volunteers who have previous experience working on bikes and who have had hand on experience in repairing and building up bicycles for the bottom up.

We are also looking for people who would be interested in being involved in other aspects of the program. Last session we had one volunteer work with one of the participants on putting together a manual for the session that turned out amazingly.
We are looking for people who are interested in or have skills to share including but not limited too:

Snack planning and food prep
Photography and web site making/ blogging knowledge
Grant writing
Party planning and fundraising

Volunteer Info Meeting
Tuesday February 9th at 6:30 pm
Location: U of T, International Student Centre, the building at 33 St George
In the the Baldwin Room (located on the ground floor)

If you need more info you can email Caitlin at:
mccarlisle (at) gmail.com

Pirates - Helping 3,000 a day!

2010-01-26T17:54:00.002-05:00

The quality of fact-finding and direct-quoting in the media Never Fails to Impress. Yesterday's papers had a fantastically blown-out-of-proportion quote about Bike Pirates usage during this mild-ish Winter! (see the portion marked winners)

Rest assured, we are seeing more people than you might expect in January, in Cananda, but not 140 people a day! That would blow our minds!

Business is steady over the winter months but a bit quieter, and less hectic than the spring/summer season. So if you are thinking about getting your bike ready for spring or you have decided that you want to be a Winter Cyclist too(!) come by the shop. We have lots of volunteers on hand to help you fix and learn.

As usual, you can't believe everything you read ;)

Third Friday Event - January

2010-01-10T21:51:00.002-05:00

This Friday, January 15th we will be screening "2 Secondes" a Canadian French film by Manon Briand which won 4 awards at the 1998 Montreal World Film Festival. The story following the trials and tribulations of a young women who goes from downhill racing to couriering and street-racing in the city.

As usual the event is family friendly, accessible, and will be held at the bike shop (1292 Bloor St West).
$5/pwyc. BYOB.

Hope to see you there.

New Year!

2010-01-01T19:47:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year bike folks.
Not to worry, despite the wind and snow our regular scheduled hours will continue all the way through the winter, so you can keep your winter ride in running order, or build a new bike for spring.

Any changes to our hours or unexpected closures will be announced here on the blog/website.
(Please don't email our info account to ask about hours. It is checked once a day off-site so it is NOT a reliable means of such information.)

Happy 2010, and safe riding.

Reverence For The Trees On Bloor

2009-12-15T12:49:00.004-05:00

Memorial for Allen Shappard was on the brink of being uprooted by city workers.

2009-12-12T10:16:00.004-05:00

Please note that we will most likely be closed all of the shifts the week of Christmas - Starting Monday December 21 to Saturday December 26. This is due to two of our prominent keyholders having to leave the city. We will post changes to our hours (due to illness, bad weather or apathy) right here on our blog whenever possible so please watch this space.

Ladyfest

2009-11-27T13:00:00.005-05:00

This Sunday, November 29th, some of our Trans & Women Sundays volunteers will be leading a workshop as part of Ladyfest. Check out ladyfesttoronto.com for more details.

3rd Friday: Bike Pirate Dance Party

2009-11-20T10:02:00.004-05:00

Bike Pirates is the place to be this Friday night! Come and dance the night away!
Or just drink quietly in the corner....... because some people just want to do that......

With live djs:
BRONSON LEE making you shake it
DJ SCRATCH & SNIFF spinning queer dance
DJ NAKED giving us Madonna remixes str8 from the bathhouse

Wear whatever you want (crazysexy club outfit, pirate costume, spandex, etc), and show off your sea legs matey! Let's boogie!!

PWYC at the door! Donations will help Bike Pirates to host and organize the Bike!Bike! conference next year.

Tonight! Friday, November 20th! 8pm til 2am
at Bike Pirates (1292 Bloor Street West)

New Blog, New Website!

2009-11-17T12:23:00.002-05:00

Hey all, we needed to convert our website into something more informative, user friendly and up to date!

So welcome to the new website. you will find pages with info on donating and volunteering, how we work/what we do, and photos streaming from our flickr group (bike pirates toronto).

We've added a FAQ section, as well as a new way to list our regular and irregular events, other than here on the blog.

As always any questions or concerns can be sent along to us at:
info (at) bikepirates.com

Thanks!

2009-10-08T22:03:00.000-04:00

Stop reading our blog and go over and read this one. Torontoist visited us recently and gave us a bit of cyber-print this week.

Toronto Film Documentaries Friday Oct 16th

2009-09-30T10:57:00.000-04:00

Join Bike Pirates for a special documentary film night on Friday Oct 16th at 8pm.

Showcasing small independent docs directed by Toronto cyclists riding the streets.

Calling out to all Toronto cyclists to bring in their homemade films about riding in Toronto, please submit?

Films will be showed at Bike Pirates, 1292 Bloor Street W. at 8pm

Memorial for Darcey Allen Sheppard

2009-09-11T01:57:00.000-04:00

Bike Pirates helped ARC install a memorial for a fallen cyclist.
May he rest in Peace.

Memorial for Lennon

2009-08-23T22:47:00.000-04:00

Follow this link to read details.

http://www.torontocranks.com/?p=1202#more-1202

How to Bike Pirate...YAR!

2009-07-31T14:01:00.001-04:00

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Help keep our doors open to the public. If you are interested in bicycle mechanics or are akin to a D.I.Y. mentality, please volunteer your time.

Bike Pirates even has time put aside for new volunteers able and willing to learn how to interact with bicycles and cyclists.

Spring Events!

2009-06-06T23:35:00.000-04:00

Pirates is alive and kicking this spring! Our winter hours have continued, as have our monthly events. Heck, sometimes we have 2, or 3 (or 4) in a month! check out the Events page to keep up with what we are hosting or attending around town.

This Saturday June 13 we will be hosting one of our THREE Bike Month events - the Bike Pirates' Bike Wash! Join us in the back alley for a high-school-movie style Car wash...for bikes! We will scrub your bike, clean it off, lube it, pump the tires and let you know about any mechanical problems that might need attention.
June 13, 2-6pm.
$5-$10 PWYC

This is a fundraiser for the Bike Pirates kitchen mission. Help us finish building our counters so we can restart our Saturday Lunch Program!

contact: info@bikepirates.com

Charlie's Freewheel's Fundraiser May 22nd

2009-05-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

1292 Bloor St. W

Come out to our fundraiser and help us raise money to hire a mechanic and get supplies to support 6 youth in building their very own bicycle in a pilot project running this summer in association with Bike Pirates. Doors open at 8:30 and bands start at 9:00. Come by and see Kay Pettigrew, Rival Boys and the Low Heroes. After the bands, Noloves will DJ a Cumbia-style Latin dance party and DJ Platform Shag will play some DISCO! Drinks will be available by donation! The music will go until 1:30 so pop by anytime you can and invite your friends too! PWYC

Ride of Silence May 20th

2009-05-17T11:26:00.000-04:00

I ask all to come out to the corner of Bloor and Spidina at 6:30-7pm on May 20th to honor the fallen cyclist, to raise awareness that cyclist are traffic and everyone needs to share the road.

WHY DOES THIS ORGANIZATION EXIST?

* To HONOR those who have been injured or killed
* To RAISE AWARENESS that we are here
* To ask that we all SHARE THE ROAD

THE RIDE OF SILENCE WILL NOT BE QUIET

On May 20, 2009, at 7:00 PM, the Ride of Silence will begin in North
America and roll across the globe. Cyclists will take to the roads in
a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured
while cycling on public roadways. Although cyclists have a legal right
to share the road with motorists, the motoring public often isn't
aware of these rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists
themselves.

In 2003, Chris Phelan organized the first Ride Of Silence in Dallas
after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was hit by the mirror of a
passing bus and was killed. (Read the full history here...)

The Ride Of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no
faster than 12 mph and remain silent during the ride. There is no
brochure, no sponsors and no registration fees. The ride, which is
held during Bike Safety month, aims to raise the awareness of
motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right
to the public roadways. The ride is also a chance to show respect for
those who have been killed or injured.

Totally RAD movie night/fundraiser at Bike Pirates

2009-04-29T11:13:00.000-04:00

Bike Pirates will be hosting an extra-special event this coming Friday, May 1!

Bike Pirates is a sponsor of the upcoming summer program Charlie's Freewheels, a "Bike building mentorship program for youth from the Regent Park community", and will be hosting two fund-raising and awareness-raising events on their behalf.

The first will be a screening of "Rad", a film about some totally awesome bmx riders from the eighties - how can you lose! There will be snacks and drinks by donation, and as usual the event will be $5/PWYC at the door. All proceeds will go toward the summer program.
Check out Rad here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091817/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgU3pXK2Ls0

Door at 7:30, film at 8pm

- In memory of Charles Princep, this collective is starting a pilot project to teach bike- mechanics, maintenance, riding skills, and love to young people from Charlie's community. To learn more about the project please visit www.charliep. -

Alley Ride TONIGHT

2009-04-17T00:54:00.000-04:00

Tonight is our Third Friday event for April. Join us to discover new routes and landscapes in our downtown neighbourhoods, as we traverse back alleys and laneways.

Come by the shop at 7pm. Meet in the back alley and join us for hot yummy drinks from Choco-Sol. The ride will start at 7:30.

Bring suggestions of favourite routes and spots to visit.
1292 Bloor st. West.

Extended Hours for Women and Trans Sundays

2009-04-07T02:29:00.000-04:00

Our hours have been extended on Sundays...join us in carrying our Women & Trans hours to new heights.

Sundays 12-6pm!

Ice Race 2009

2009-02-09T11:56:00.000-05:00

Icycle 09 Ice bike race is ready to roll again at Dufferin Ice Rink. Come for the action, stay for the rubber race. thrills, spills and definitely Chills. After party at the Bike Pirates @ 1292 Bloor West

9-11pm Feb 21st
Dufferin Ice Rink

11pm Bike Pirate fundraiser and awards ceremony!

Bicycle Friendly Business Award for Skills Development

2009-02-01T15:06:00.000-05:00

We Won!

Closed on Tuesday the 20th for the BFBA

2009-01-14T14:23:00.000-05:00

We will be closed on Tuesday Jan 20th so we can all go to the bicycle friendly business awards, you should come!

Tuesday January 20, 2009, 7 pm
The Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St. W.)
$10 or PWYC (a fundraiser for the Toronto Cyclists Union)

Bike pirates has a welder!

2009-01-07T14:03:00.000-05:00

We now have a humble mig welder available at bike pirates! want to play with it? write to info@bikepirates.com or come into the shop on a tuesday and we will book a workshop for you. Its really only useful to do it in groups of one or two so you get some time on the machine. lets make some dumb bikes!

2008-12-03T20:11:00.000-05:00

Friday Dec 19th
Promoting the idea of sharing bikes, this documentary film follows yellow bike sharing initiatives around the world.
Come join Bike Pirates with a night ride and film screening. Consultation after the film will talk of potential bike sharing opportunities for Toronto's cycling future.

Will be screened in the Bike Pirate work space.

Group Ride: 6:30pm sharp...
1292 Bloor St W

Film 7:30 pm sharp...

$5 or PWYC

Bike-In Film NIght

2008-11-14T11:55:00.000-05:00

Please come out in the midst of November for a ride and a vidding.

Friday November 21st

6pm
Local Ride

7-7:30pm
Local Short Docs and Feature Film

Local Cyclists document their journey in Toronto on bicycle. Critical Mass 2008 Toronto Shots. Reclaim the Streets doc. Much More!

Come and enjoy, hot chocolate will be provided with a hotplate! Ride is free and filming will be $5 or PWYC.

First Women/Trans Shop Day - Tea Party

2008-11-05T23:31:00.000-05:00

The Pirates are pleased to announce a new day of programming for the project - every Sunday afternoon will be Women/Trans/Femme shop time, running from noon to 4pm. We also hope to schedule WTF workshops to run some Sundays from 4-6pm.

To celebrate we invite all who are interested in accessing this program to our first day this Sunday, November 9th. There will be tea and snacks and an opportunity to discuss how to best facilitate Sunday' shop time and make it work for those who want to access it. We are also looking for input into a discussion of language, the official name of the project, flyers, p.r. and volunteer organization.

Then of course we will fix some bikes.

Please come join us! Or if you are an ally and want to give input or help the project *outside* the shop hours, please drop us a line at: lunch (at) bikepirates.com

Extended Hours!

2008-10-24T13:14:00.000-04:00

Monday 12-5

Tuesday 5-9

Thursday 12-7

Saturday 12-7

Sunday 1-4

Coming soon... Women and Trans only Sundays.

Party!

2008-09-03T14:01:00.000-04:00

Settling in

2008-08-26T02:25:00.000-04:00

We are settling in to the new space, After a week of furious construction, we now have:

less holes in the floor
a beautiful, wheelchair accessible washroom (its actually bicycle accessible until we find a door for it)
a fancy reception desk, propped up by very fancy stools
a functional, kickass DIY shop.

now what we need are more volunteers so we can extend our hours. Wanna be a volunteer? sign up here!

A new Home!

2008-08-18T10:25:00.000-04:00

We have successfully moved into our new home at Bloor and Lansdowne! 1292 Bloor st.
And what a move it was! Stalled cars, shattered trailer hitches, screaming crazies from the street corners. Our convoy of 6 bike trailers and two cars took over the streets with much satisfaction. We could not have made a grander entrance. Heartfelt and sweaty thanks to the folks who helped us move, those who volunteered their trailers and vehicles, and those who rode escort and managed traffic for us.

Now... To make this pile of boxes into a bike shop.
If you have experience with plumbing, carpentry, electrics, banging on nails, or cleaning scary basements. we need your help.
write to info@bikepirates.com

If you are good at scavenging construction supplies, here is a wish list of supplies, in order of necessity:
if you can give us any of these, write to donations@bikepirates.com

A working toilet.
laundry tub (for washing parts and hands)
washroom sink.
2x4's preferably 8 ft long
Drywall, 4x9 sheets.
Robertson head screws, all lengths.
1/2 inch copper pipe and fittings. no runs less than 4 ft please.
black plastic drain pipe, 4 inch and 2 inch.
counter top, (any size or colour.)
light fixtures

Final Days!

2008-08-12T23:03:00.000-04:00

Pirate's is officially closing it's doors at 457 Bathurst Street this week. Our last official day of business was Saturday August 9th, but we will have the doors open for last minute help and bike pick-ups this Thursday, August 14th from 12-5pm. Mostly we will be in the shop cleaning, packing and selling bikes, so come by and lend a hand.

Packing and cleaning will continue all day Saturday August 16th. If you want to help please come by any time during the day, but we will not be open for DIY business! The tools will be in a box somewhere!

Come by and cry a tear or buy us a farewell beer.

Theivery

2008-07-25T09:49:00.000-04:00

(Pictured: My pal Eldon's bike, stripped and miserable, being saved by the cops)

We are all reading the stories. We are all waiting for the final numbers. We are all shocked and disappointed. Not in the theives (shame on them) but on the city for letting it come to this. Taking action at this point, and trying to reunite 5,000 bicycles with their owners (after mashing them into trucks and loading bays, after taking them from crushed heaps in dilapidated garages) is absolutely ludicrous. Most likely the cops hope this makes them *look good*, finally taking down the bad guy, and making *all efforts* to get people their bikes back, but all in all it is too little too late. But their Bike Registry gets lots of press and they stand to make millions from the sales of abandoned bicycles on their ebay auction, so the cops will win in the end. Surprise surprise.

Bike Pirates Needs a New Home

2008-07-12T10:21:00.000-04:00

Dear friends and community members,

We are looking for a new home for the shop. After two fantastic
years in our space on Bathurst Street with an encouraging
landlord and supportive neighbourhood, we now find ourselves
in search of space to accommodate the work that we
do – DIY bike repair, workshops, parts storage, bike sales,
and a little bit of cooking. We need to find an adequate space
in an accessible neighbourhood which will also fit into the
budget of a volunteer-run non-profit group.

Potentially we are hoping to find two separate spaces – one
small storefront for selling recycled bikes and an infoshop,
and another workshop space where we can house our tools,
stands and collection of used parts, and where most of our
work would be done.

Our impending move has the potential to help us reach more
people in the community by expanding our hours of operation
(from two days a week to five) and by situating ourselves
within a new neighbourhood who may not have previously
made it into the shop.

We are asking for your helping in seeking out a new space!
Please let us know if you have information on a location that
might suit our needs!
Feel free to contact us at info@bikepirates.com or lunch@bikepirates.com

Steady as she goes,
Bike Pirates.

Bike Pirate Birthday Flame

2008-06-27T12:43:00.000-04:00

July 5th
457 Bathurst

7pm Bike Pirates
8pm Dufferin Grove Park

Group Ride to Dufferin Grove and bonfire

Free Treats and Eats plus prizes.

We are celebrating you so get in the spirit stocked and sparked!

Pedestrian Sundays

2008-06-09T23:36:00.000-04:00

....or Pirate Sundays! Throughout the summer Bike Pirates will be participating in the Pedestrian Sundays festivals in downtown Toronto. Two weeks ago was the start of the season, in Kensington, and yesterday was p.s. Mirvish Village, where we spent the day baking in the sun, handing out flyers, tuning some bikes and generally getting into the spirit of summer.

If you've ever wondered what it takes to soften the hard exterior of a pirate - the secret is ice cream.

Join us at p.s. kensington on June 29th.

Bells on the Gardiner

2008-05-31T01:31:00.000-04:00

Critical Mass took the Gardiner...

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/434482

Cyclist Death May 22nd at 1pm

2008-05-23T10:15:00.000-04:00

A 57-year-old Toronto cyclist died Thursday after he fell in front of a cube van.

Toronto police said the chain of events started just after 1 p.m.

The cyclist was eastbound on Eglinton Avenue West, just west of Avenue Road, when the occupant of a parked car opened the driver's side door.

The cyclist hit the door, lost control of his bike and fell on the road, where he was hit by the van.

The cyclist died four hours later in hospital.

I will be setting up a bike, the bike i used for my York thingy...please any help will be welcomed.

Theivery

2008-05-18T18:05:00.000-04:00

Should you treat your bike well? Yes.
Should you take every precaution when it comes to theft? Absolutely.
Should you treat it like a human child and invest in it a part of your soul?
Only if you’re the kind of person who falls in love with strippers.

Once the sun comes out and the ground thaws there are a few things we can count on happening:
- the city removes the rusty, abandoned bikes from posts and makes some cash or trash from them
- bike shops get overwhelmed with repairs
- the cops attempt to crack down on wild, erratic cyclist behaviour
- bikes get ripped off like sweaty t-shirts on a night of pool hopping

We tend to let our guard down over the winter when the city is in hibernation, including the bike theives, but we must have our wits about us if we are to keep our sweet rides safe and sound. Keep in mind that one good lock is better than 2 shitty locks, and two good locks are even better. Also keep in mind that *anything* will get stolen. If someone can get 5 bucks for it and get the score they need, it will get taken. So what can we recommend?

Learn to lock your bicycle securely.
Lock down any removable parts or take them with you (wheels, saddle, lights).
always lock next to a bike with a shittier lock!
lock up somewhere with a lot of traffic and that is well lit.
but most of all DON'T leave your bike outside unless absolutely necessary. Have a safe place for it to sleep in your house.

Over at the Bike Snob NYC blog they have some more, hard-hitting recommendations. Scroll part-way down past the bike-theft story.

While I understand his point regarding having a pretty bike (I often feel the heart-stopping stress of wondering if my bike is still safely where I left it), there is nothing like having a beautiful, well-crafted, and sexy bicycle. It makes the ride more enjoyable, it can be an expression of your personality, and it can make YOU feel sexy. But yes, it comes at a cost. Like anything beautiful, there is always the threat of someone else wanting it to be theirs.

To sum up: Trust no one. Happy Riding.

The first day of all spandex

2008-05-11T10:42:00.000-04:00

Despite the inclement spandex-weather, this saturday went well, with a big heap of donated bicycles that we could not possibly have processed without all the extra volunteers that showed up.

Some important new additions to the shop:

A vibration dampened workbench in the shop. It is for taking apart wheels, having tea parties, and being quiet.

Another big workbench outside in the back yard, for hammering, sawing, bashing and generally making alot of noise.

A missed connections board in the bathroom, this is for you good looking, but socially awkward bike people. Leave that cute pirate a note, telling them how adorable that grease mark on their nose is. Just wash your hands after.

Blitz Warning

2008-05-06T11:24:00.000-04:00

I just read a rumour that the cops were ticketing cyclists yesterday. Be careful as this is the season for the time-wasting and potentially costly bike blitz in Toronto.

You can get more details from our friends over at I Bike T.O..

Spring

2008-04-30T15:51:00.000-04:00

Spring has sprung and apparently hidden again, but while it was out we had a HUGE clean-up of the basement, with help from a number of volunteers. thanks to everyone who aided in this much needed subterranean overhaul. Pictures to come.

We are now trying to set up the workshop space to make it as efficient and comfortable as possible, and we may need some help to rearrange and clean up. If you've been thinking about volunteering now is the time!

We also got in a few loads of donated bikes this week, which is very exciting and we will need help fixing some of them up for sale, and stripping the rest for parts. It is a great way to learn about bike repair, and how all this stuff works.

Volunteer Orientation next Wednesday night. 7pm

FUN STUFF TO DO

2008-03-30T02:58:00.000-04:00

APRIL________________________________________________

20 - EARTH DAY RALLY- Sunday April 20, in cahoots with a coalition of enviro orgs, join us for the Young & Dundas rally, parade & John Street street party, then…
22 - EARTH DAY PETITION CAR DELVIERY- Tuesday April 22, help deliver the Petition Car to Queen’s Park, in classic Streets are for People! style. Details coming soon!

Sweet Fixed Tricks

2008-03-28T02:38:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiE1Qm7HSd8

Bike the Strike

2008-03-26T14:00:00.000-04:00

We likely are due for another TTC strike, you know what rhymes with strike?

bike!

hell, even the weather should cooperate. get your bike road worthy this saturday and you will have no surprises on monday morning.

also, check out this site

Bike Pr0n

2008-03-22T10:44:00.000-04:00

Someone has created a website with 3-D (as in, red and blue plastic lenses) images of derailleurs.

If you reallllllly love those magical shifting mechanisms, then this is the site for you.

(Via MeFi)

Pop Quiz

2008-03-04T09:24:00.000-05:00

How far can the average person bicycle on the energy contained in a gallon of gasoline?
a) around 50 miles
b) around 240 miles
c) around 630 miles

wait for it....

Answer: C. A gallon of gasoline contains about 31,000 calories, and "Bicycles can travel at least 10 times farther on a given amount of energy than the most efficient car," according to Nicholas Goddard, a graduate of Duke University who decided to see just how far he could bike on 31,000 calories. He rode the 633 miles over eight days, eating a wide range of foods, including "two Gatorades, five ham-and-cheese sandwiches, a steak burrito from Cosmic Cantina, a glass of sangria, a quesadilla, chips and salsa, and a pint of beer."

SOURCE: TreeHugger

Leap year Bash

2008-02-29T23:47:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who weathered the storm and came out to the party tonight. It was good times, and we barely had any leftovers! Here are some pictures on the flickr Toronto Bike Pirate Pool.

If you or anyone you know has taken photos at Bike Pirates please add them to the pool, or send them along to us via email. We would love to see them all!

Bike Pirate Bike Social and FILM NIGHT

2008-02-26T14:45:00.000-05:00

Come one come all, bring an appetite and mind for talk. This week Bike Pirates, the collective of bicycle enthusiasts is putting on two social events and one film night...all are invited.

LEAP YEAR CRITICAL BASH AND FILM NIGHT: BEIJING BICYCLE
FEB 29 after Critical Mass, 7-8pm

Hot Chocolate and food for thought are rewarded to anyone that bikes in the heart of the urban jungle. And if you miss the bike ride, come in watch a film BEIJING BICYCLE

TUESDAY NIGHT DINNERS: Every Tuesday at Bike Pirates (457 Bathurst)

Come around seven or eight on any Tuesday nights and prepare to be feed. Bike Pirates wants to break bread with all cyclist in the city. We want to get to know you and you us. Food and talk over bike mechanics and community building.

Stolen: Home-made chopper

2008-02-26T12:14:00.000-05:00

A friend of Pirates has had their bike stolen this week. If you see this bike grab the asshole riding it!

Q&A What is Bike PIrates

2008-02-24T14:55:00.000-05:00

Q1. I read the Bike Pirates mission statement. Would you say that Bike Pirates is an anti-car culture movement? Would you say that car culture is the common "enemy" of Bike Pirates?

A: We make getting around town easier for people who cannot afford public transit or a private automobile. There are pirates that are not harsh critics of cars because they want to bring drivers over to the idea of biking.. In my view, less cars and more bikes creates a safer street. Car culture cannot be the enemy, it’s to bi and will win at every turn. We work for a compromise, a truce towards reasoning.

Q2. When was Bike Pirates established?
A: July 2006 was when the first Pirates set sail on to Toronto street.

Q3. Bike Pirates is volunteer-run and organized. Does the organization have a defined structure? Is it centralized and hierarchical or decentralized and egalitarian? Do members have defined roles?

A: The Bike Pirates is operated by consensus decision-making. You can call us a dis-organization. We can be considered an egalitarian system because we are trying to create a working system that functions outside the capital oriented sphere. We believe a better world is possible and that no one is alone.

Q4. From where does Bike Pirates receive funding?

A: By donations offered by people that come in and work on their bikes, by donated parts and labour , by fundraising events.

Around the World In 195 Days

2008-02-20T16:34:00.000-05:00

Scot smashes world cycle record

Mark Beaumont crossed the finish line at 1430 GMT

Trip highlights

A British man has smashed the record for cycling round the world.

Mark Beaumont, from Fife, completed the journey in 195 days - beating the previous record of 276 days.

The 25-year-old crossed the finish line at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris at 1430 GMT after an 18,000-mile journey which began on 5 August last year.

Mr Beaumont passed through 20 countries on his way, including Pakistan, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the US.

'Some sleep'

His solo journey has been dramatic at times.

He endured floods and road rage, and was knocked off his bike in the American state of Louisiana by an elderly motorist who drove through a red light.

Mr Beaumont, who is originally from Bridge of Cally in Perthshire but now lives in Newburgh, also had his wallet and camera stolen from a motel.

However, he is now celebrating.

He said: "I'm delighted, although I think it will take a while for it to sink in.

"It's great to see my friends and family and now I'm looking forward to getting some sleep.

Inspiring school pupils

Follow Mark on his journey

"The challenge was one of those things which was out there to be done.

"I love the idea of being the first and the fastest and I felt I was capable of beating the record."

Mr Beaumont was met at the finish line by his mother Una, father Kevin and sisters, Heather and Hannah.

His mother has been co-ordinating his trip - paving the way with embassies, arranging flights, dealing with the media, organising transport and making sure his bike was serviced.

Mrs Beaumont said: "I am very proud of him. With Mark, the passion is being the first and the fastest.

"It's about pushing himself to the limit."

He has received messages of congratulation from Prince William and Olympic cyclist Chris Hoy.

Guinness World Records spokeswoman Amarilis Espinoza said they were aware of Mr Beaumont's attempt.

"We will be reviewing documentation from him and our researchers will go through the paperwork, but it has been logged as an official attempt and it seems everything is in order."

Source: BBC - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7245381.stm?lsm

Bike Escalator in Norway?!

2008-02-18T17:39:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryCWIjdVF0g&eurl=http://bikelanediary.blogspot.com/

Ice Race

2008-02-17T13:15:00.000-05:00

Last night the annual Toronto Ice Races took place at Dufferin Grove Park. Bike Pirates was represented well in the stands but not in the rink (we hope to change that next year!). Here are a few pictures from the night's events:

Valentines Day

2008-02-14T12:39:00.000-05:00

Even Pirates have a soft spot.

Fixie Sites

2008-02-12T18:12:00.000-05:00

Hey - here are a few blogs/sites that I've come across related to fixies - please feel free to share any links/videos u have

http://www.trackosaurusrex.com/pblog/

http://www.cogmag.com/index.html

http://www.mashsf.com/

http://www.grappo.fi/bike1

Yarrrrrrrrr

2008-02-12T18:08:00.000-05:00

2008-02-10T00:55:00.000-05:00

After weeks of construction, the Big trailer made its first haul today, The majestic beast brought us back a big donation of parts from Bikes on Wheels. Even though the trailer had to be pulled by hand (the hitch was not finished) it performed its task with grace, appearing to effortlessly float above the slush and ice. Onlookers could only gape in awe as the very pinnacle of pirate technology was dragged past them.

Next up on the drawing board is heart shaped wheels. Just in time for valentines day.

2008-02-05T06:35:00.000-05:00

This week the world lost one of the greatest, kindest and most helpful minds in cycling.
Sheldon Brown has passed away. One of the (if not THE) most enthusiastic and informative people in the cycling universe, his knowledge helped innumerable cyclists get geared - or ungeared, to solve their unsolvable bike problems, and to feel that they *can* do it themselves.

I went to his site for more questions than I can recall, and when I wanted to build wheels, there he was to teach me how.

RIP.

Bicyclist Beware

2008-02-03T19:23:00.000-05:00

Bicyclist Question

I was wondering if I could pick your brains:
1. Are there specific streets I can't ride on?
2. I assume traffic rules are the same for bike riders as well, including the left turn and right turns?
3. Which lock would be a good one?
4. I have heard that it is compulsory to have a light and a bell on the bike as well as reflectors. Is there is a specific make one buys?
5. Are lights and bells and reflectors prone to theft also?
6. Are bikes not allowed on sidewalks?

Pirate Answer

1. There is a free cycling map given to anyone in the city, go get one at any bike shop including Pirates.
2. The city prefers all cyclist to obey the rules of the road...Its called vehiculer traffic, we obey their auto-motivated rules. I dont but who cares.... I stay alive.
3. Anything Kryptonite, anything above thirty...but there cheap u locks to buy at general stores on west side of Spidina and the bottom of Augusta.
4. Its the law for bell and light, and the auto-motivated police are able to fine you 170$??!! I dont wear lights but i haven't a drivers license so i dont pay the fine.??!
5. Bike lights get stolen all the time, its Toronto's second biggest act of theft, second to bike theft. Take your lights with you or hide them, your seat and wheels are the bike parts that will be jacked the most.
6. 80% bike on car accidnets in Toronto happen when cyclist cross from sidewalk corner to corner. Cars cannot respond...they don't see you, especially when their turning into you...take the lane from the car, they will not run you down. Feel the flow of traffic. Have faith in your cycling abilities and always lack faith in their ability to drive.
Practice Riding deep in Toronto's street by coming out to Crirtical Mass, mobile world-wide street party at the end of every month; Spidina and Bloor, last friday of the month at 6pm...ALWAYS! Not blocking traffic, we are it!