How to Ride Your Bike to Work

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• Is that a keytar? Some friends and I were at Taste of the Danforth and saw a Greek band. One of the musicians had a Hall-and-Oates mullet and a keytar. We couldn't get over how awesome it was.

  Also, my bike just broke and I'm in the market for a new one. One of these would be great.

• @John Bowman: Yup, that's a keytar -- a Yamaha SHS-200. It makes sounds on its own, but it's really best used as a MIDI controller.

  I got the bike in the photo from Sweet Pete's, who have a decent collection of cruisers.

• I used to ride to work downtown from Scarberia ('bout 18.25km) when I worked in a building with a gym and showers. Would like to do the same to my present office but the lack of showers is a deal-killer. I like to go fast...

  I will say that riding in the actual downtown core is a piece of cake, though -- as long as you follow the rules of the road. Just don't try to be a bike courier hero and weave in and out amongst the cars, or try to squish yourself into the curb-side space to gain a couple of car-lengths. If you behave like a vehicle (i.e. occupy center of the lane, signal, and haul ass off the lights) then nobody hassles you. Using the center of the lane only works in the core, though, because traffic rarely moves faster than you can pedal.

  Out in the burbs and away from the core, though, being out in the lane will get you flattened by a car going 80 in a 60 zone.

• There's only one important rule to remember -- stay the hell away from major streets!

  If you have to use them, use them only to cross over to another backstreet that has little or no traffic.

  I've been scared out of my socks too many times by vigilante drivers who play the "let's see how close I can get without actually hitting him" game.

  Besides, those backstreets are pretty, peaceful, and make bikeriding a joy.

• Biking around the city rules - but not in the winter!