Canadians, tell me where to move

[ceolwulf]

Tired of Manitoba (have been for most of my life, really), and looking for a change of scenery. Very few ties here so can go pretty much anywhere.

What's the best area in Canada for a road cyclist?

Proximity to significant amounts of water is also a necessity as I also canoe and am intending to SUP as well. (I have one small reservoir within a few minutes of me. Apart from that it's an hour or more drive for decent paddling. Fail)

Here there are very few paved roads, they are all dead flat and arrow straight, the wind never stops, and half the year it's frozen solid. All of these things I do not like.

Maybe I should add a poll :help:

[Louis]

No employment requirements? Culture?

http://images2.fanpop.com/image/quiz/397000/397039_1270830436357_456_261.jpg

[grawk]

white horse

[dancinkozmo]

if you dont mind the rain or the higher cost of living , vancouver or victoria....im in toronto now, but im thinking of moving back... best road riding and mtb'ing in canada imho

[Anarchist]

South Central BC, lots of lakes, rivers, mountains. Road riding and mountain biking without equal anywhere in the world.

I miss it.

Places like Kamloops, Penticton, Revelstoke, etc. dream time stuff.

[1X10]

Go west I think hits the nail on the head...Lived in Ont-errible my whole life and it has great merits but if I had the choice it would be somewhere in BC where ocean meets mountains...

I know the grass isn't always greener, but if there are options...

[zzy]

BC, no question. Best MTB and road riding in Canada. QC has some good riding, but questionable roads. Hamilton, ON is good road riding, too. East coast can be quite nice too.

[giverdada]

i'm in toronto as well, and it's a horrible place to be a cyclist. the mayor hates us as do most drivers who aren't riders. the infrastructure is abysmal. and it was just winter for about 8 months. i guess you could SUP in the lake…

if i could make it work, i'd be in vancouver. even better would be victoria. salt spring island? not sure about the riding on the islands, but vancouver's got some kick ass riding on road and mountain.

calgary was a cool town when i passed through it a couple years ago. i know nothing about it, but it seems to have a pretty cool mayor and a young rich population and it's got plenty of roads with elevation.

[nighthawk]

Kenora, Ontario.

[Black Dog]

I have lived all over the country and ridden in most Provinces. I would say Victoria will offer you what you are looking for. However you will need to trade your canoe for a kayak. I live an hour northwest of Toronto (Guelph) and the riding here is really great and there is a lot of good paddling near by. When I am not on my bike I am in my canoe. I love winter and like it here. However I moved from the Ottawa Area a few years ago and the riding is good there and the paddling is great. If you are ever out this way I would be happy to show you around the region.

[rain dogs]

Victoria or on the island (I live in Vancouver). Best riding is around the Kootneys though. But Victoria for what you want.

It rains much less - 883mm annual vs 1189mm
It gets more sun - 2108hrs vs 1937hrs

Not only is the weather better for riding, but the riding on the island is better.

It's cheaper (although not much)

The water around the south of the island is more dynamic. You can actually surf... whereas you cannot in Vancouver. Maybe SUP is fun on the flat water, but I bet it's more fun with both flat water and waves.

The island is better for what you're specifically asking about.

Population, jobs, culture... those are other matters, but you didn't ask.

[ceolwulf]

Thanks everyone that's posted so far.

I went to the West Coast a couple of years ago, kind of fell in love with Victoria and surrounding area to be honest. I wasn't as impressed with Vancouver but spent very little time there so that's likely why. Either place has a velodrome in handy distance which would be a very nice benefit.

Never been to the East Coast yet, should remedy that at some point.

Re: employment, culture, etc. - I did leave the question very open intentionally. At present I do CAD so as long as there's a bit of manufacturing or some other demand I can make a go. Culture I'm very adaptable. The main bit of culture I'd need would be a good cycling club :bike:

I live an hour northwest of Toronto (Guelph) and the riding here is really great and there is a lot of good paddling near by. When I am not on my bike I am in my canoe. I love winter and like it here.

This is an interesting thought as well. I've been through there, was in Peterborough area on holiday for a bit and thought too that that should be good cycling country, and Peterborough of course has a canoe named after it so that part is covered!

Kenora, Ontario.

Tell me more?

I go to Kenora every now and then (as in, every two or three years perhaps) by way of a day trip or extending a Falcon Lake/West Hawk outing. I quite like the place and had briefly considered it. There doesn't seem to be a great many options for routes though, unless I missed most of them, not unlikely.

[gianni]

I'm a southern brother but would suggest kelowna or Vancouver for sure. There are great roads south of the city and obviously east with good club organization and better mindset.

I wish seattle would learn from both our sister cities (Portland and Vancouver) with respect to separate bike lanes for commuters.

My $0.02

[Onno]

Ottawa/Gatineau area has a lot of what you are looking for. You can get out of the city and into some very good cycling in and around Gatineau Park very quickly and easily, and of course you have some of the best xc skiing in the world there in the winter!

[veggieburger]

BC is great, I agree.

Consider Fonthill, Ontario. Close to amazing cycling. Water. The USA. Not far from Toronto. You also have the Welland canal cycling path (travel from Lake Ontario to Erie on a lovely, wide paved path!). You also have the St. Catharines cycling club - those guys will make your legs ache every weekend. Nothing bad to say about that area.

Manitoba...not sure I could swing that. I have heard your winters are legendary.

[distanc3]

Come visit Vancouver and do the Whistler Grand Fondo this year!

[ericssonboi]

Ottawa / Gatineau has tons of bike trails with some hills to back it up. It has a urban city feel to it with enough shops and restaurants.

Alternatively, if your looking for something smaller, consider Collingwood area (an hour or two north of Toronto). Blue Mountain / Horseshoe Valley provides great hill riding with a bit of smaller city feel to it.

[SpokeValley]

The Okanagan (Kelowna, Penticton, BC) really lifts my skirt. Great road and mountain riding and an active community.

[d_douglas]

I live in the most commonly named city in this thread. I am enjoying yet another sunny, warm day with glimmering oceans and snow-capped mountains in the distance. While it rains less than in Vancouver, be prepared to hit the wall when the winter hits, as some find it pretty dismal.

It is a great place to live for many reasons and the cycling is very good, but I would not say 'great' or 'amazing'. There is little to climb right in Victoria, save for a few steep hill climb courses and the Malahat Highway that runs from South Island to the North (which is an actual small mountain). You still have to drive to most good MTBing.

HOWEVER, SUPing is very popular here (the shores are littered with paddlers) and there is a THRIVING high-tech economy here, so you would likely have a decent time finding work here if you chose to move. I cannot comment on Canoeing, but I would assume that there is quite good opportunities within a few hours of travels.

It is expensive, but idyllic (read: a bit sleepy). We are raising two little kids here and we think it is a pretty nice place to be. Let me know if you come - I will show you the town ;)


PS I grew up close to you in Regina, and know the feeling - I escaped there at 21 for Vancouver, had tons of fun, then moved here for university. Also great fun. I hated the extreme temperature fluctuation and culturally, it was just a bit too dull for me.

[kohlboto]

The Okanagan (Kelowna, Penticton, BC) really lifts my skirt. Great road and mountain riding and an active community.

As a resident of the Okanagan (Vernon...just north of Kelowna) for the past 17 years, I have to agree. The road riding is spectacular...heaps of country roads/back roads/logging roads...fruit stands galore in the summer.

Mountain biking in my area goes from Ellison park, Silver Star mountain or Kal Lake park...all within a 20 minute drive.

Many lakes for SUP workouts...including Okanagan Lake and Kal lake.

Skiing in the winter at Silver Star, Sovereign Lake or Big White is pretty unbeatable as well

As well there is a local initiative to turn former, mostly lakeside, RR lines into trails...linking Kelowna and Vernon...

Kettle Valley Rail Trails offer some amazing riding as well.

Finally, you're in some of the best wine country in North America...if that's your thing.

To me, it's a no-brainer...

[planB]

Outside of BC, it has to be Ottawa. Especially if you enjoy winter at all. The city is big enough but also very clean, easy going, safe and you're always minutes away from bike adventures of all kinds. There are loads of clubs and local training/racing opportunities. XC skiing is also fantastic. I don't know a lot about water sports but the city is really defined by rivers. I see people surfing on a permanent wave about 6 feet high down the street from our house. Cool.

[RAS72]

how can you go wrong with Banff, Alberta?

[Anarchist]

how can you go wrong with Banff, Alberta?

It is VERY expensive, there are limited employment opportunities, Limited road riding variety without driving to a start point, limited choices of lakes for SUp or paddling, etc............

I love Banff, and go for a few days every year. Would I even think of trying to live in that Valley? nope.

[Zoodles]

I never would have believed it when I moved here a couple years ago but Ottawa is nirvana for endurance/aerobic sports.

Great road and mtb riding in the hilly and near traffic free Gatineau park, 220 km of separated paths for riding with family or commuting, a terrific close knit racing scene and so on...plus there's paddling to no end as you are surrounded by beautiful lakes and the rideau rivier is an urban gem.

I'm reluctantly leaving but am pretty sure I'll be back again someday.

[paredown]

Downside to Vancouver--it is expensive--housing especially, and the road system has not really kept up with the growth in population. Every time I am back it seems more annoying. And I grew up there.... (Re housing, there was a recent piece in the New Yorker about local housing markets that were crazy overpriced relative to income, and Vancouver (along with New York, London and few other cities) made the list--money from Hong Kong and other politically unstable countries is the explanation. Link here: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2014/05/26/140526ta_talk_surowiecki)

That said, it is the best place to find work outside Toronto (and possibly Calgary) if you are mid-career or have experience, and a terrible place to start (you are always competing with the experienced folks moving in.)

Victoria--nice but you do have to take a ferry anytime you head for the mainland, and that gets old pretty fast. And not cheap. That said, the extra sun/lower rainfall make it pretty great for bike riding (I used to be a "Victoria Wheeler" BITD!) although the number of roads for serious climbing are limited as has been said.

Nanaimo--if you can stand it--has less cachet, cheaper housing (also fewer jobs) and is right beside the alternate ferry to the mainland (and a shorter drive to Whistler once you get off the ferry.) I've got a handshake deal with friends that they will move there if we do--we'll see.

I have never lived in Calgary, but it has become a much more cosmopolitan city, and the oil boom as made it a good place to find work. Still winter country, though. Ottawa--I have friends who are living there and they love it--but it does get real freaking winter just like Windypeg, so I can't see much improvement there...

[Onno]

Ottawa wins! I worked there for about 8 years, and miss it terribly. Pretty sure I will retire there. It really does have it all, if winter sports matter to you nearly as much as summer sports.

[fiamme red]

Toronto does not sound like a nice place to ride a bike.

http://eprider.blogspot.com/2014/07/crossing-boundaries-lap-of-lake-ontario.html

Toronto almost ruined the entire trip. Toronto all but drained the joy from the ride. Now I can understand how their mayor got elected. The course routes around most of Toronto and then through the western side. However,the route around still goes through the suburbs of Toronto.

The timing of the ride meant that we arrived at Toronto mid-afternoon and would spend most of that afternoon and early evening dealing with Toronto. Here's why that was a problem: At the risk of overgeneralizing, the people in Canada were some of the friendliest and politest I have ever encountered anywhere - so long as I met them in person. However, the drivers in Toronto were like the evil twin to that personality. I have lived in and ridden bicycles in numerous cities and small towns and Toronto has more dangerous, aggressive and just plain reckless drivers of any place I have had the displeasure of visiting. They tailgate each other, the pass on blind curves, they menace cyclists by driving a lethal speeds within inches of riders.

And to make matters worse, we were there during full daytime traffic after not having slept much for over 24 hours. Riding through Toronto was stressful, dangerous and, in all candor, not worth the risk. For the first time ever, I have to say that I would not do this ride again unless the ride was to re-routed to avoid Toronto or timed to start so that it goes through Toronto very late at night when, hopefully, all those raging idiots are off the road.

I took no pictures in Toronto and for that I have no regrets.