If your answer is “too big” and you’ve got a bike with fairly wide tires, then two cousins ​​have something to add to your summer bucket list: the Scarborough South Loop. Jimmy Judgey and Gurinder Sandhu spent years putting together the 27.3km course which is almost 90% off-road and takes you through 11 different parks, including the southern section of the Rouge National Urban Park. Accessible by transit or car, it’s a gem in a city that can be a hostile place for cycling. And here’s the thing they want you to know: It’s not for cyclists. It’s for everyone. “We live in such a diverse city and we want people to feel like they have a place – a place in the cycling world, a place in outdoor adventures,” Judgey told CBC Toronto. The Scarborough South Loop takes riders along the top of the bluffs and later onto the beach. (Patrick Morrell/CBC) This story could be about road safety, it could be about protecting the environment in a growing city, or it could be about the niche but growing culture of gravel biking. But for Judgey and Sandhu, it always comes back to inclusion and their mission to get more people on bikes. Judgey grew up penniless in Scarborough, combining bikes with parts others had discarded as scrap. These are the bikes he wants to see on the loop. That dusty Supercycle would be fine, adds Sandhu, and it doesn’t even need Lycra kit. WATCH: Jimmy and Dwight ride the eastern section of the loop — and yes, we brought the drone:

Grab a bike and go for an adventure on the Scarborough South Loop

DriveSide’s Jimmy Judgey, who designed the mostly off-road loop with his cousin, takes CBC Toronto’s Dwight Drummond on a summer shoot and explains how he hopes this route will get more people from all different backgrounds to explore with two wheels. Cousins ​​also wants to see more people of color — who may not feel welcome when it comes to biking or other outdoor activities — on two wheels.
“We believe bikes are for everyone and cycling adventures are for everyone,” Judgey said. Sandhu points to the success other local groups, notably the Mandem Cycling Club, have had in boosting diversity in Toronto’s cycling community in recent years by organizing big, fun group rides. “They have the biggest smiles,” she said. There have been similar initiatives for everything from hiking to birding, and Sandhu says visibility really matters. “It’s infectious. It really is.” “I think bike adventures provide such an avenue for people to have an escape. To have fun. To practice mental health. Just to take a little break sometimes. We especially like to show people the magic of Scarborough,” Judgey told CBC Toronto during a walk last week. (John Rietti/CBC) Riding the eastern section of the loop on a beautiful summer day, Jimmy was similarly smiling as he grazed this reporter and CBC’s Dwight Drummond part way. He is one of those people who is pure encouragement. DriveSide, the site the duo started as a pandemic project, is an extension of that. The site instructions are there to be a helping hand. Here’s the route you can download to your phone, here’s a simple first aid kit, oh and if you want, here’s a guide to making coffee while you’re out there. The personal touch is there from the jump. Scarborough cyclists may know parts of the route—especially the Pan Am Path and Waterfront Trail sections—but DriveSide’s loop connects short sections of dirt (passing a grassy field next to a city warehouse at one point, traveling under massive overruns a little later ) to keep you in nature. Cousins ​​have been lost too many times to figure it out. The view of East Point Park, which is also a bird sanctuary, will make you wonder: Am I really in Toronto right now? (John Rietti/CBC) You’ll ride past bird sanctuaries, maybe spot a monarch butterfly or two, and find yourself wondering “Am I really in Toronto right now?” If you’re kind, you might grab some trash and cycle it to the next trash can. Many Scarborough residents will also be familiar with these parks. They are laid-back places for some, the site of countless family parties for others. In this way, the walk is like a spin through a thousand green yards. “We especially love showing people the magic of Scarborough,” Judgey said. “You find people are in such a positive space when they’re in the parks.” Three years in the making, the Scarborough South Loop “gives you diversity all the way” in terms of scenery, Judgey said. (John Rieti/CBC) The willows alone are worth the walk. There’s a river to follow, bridges to cross, views of Lake Ontario that are perfect for daydreaming (or, you know, Instagramming), and some secluded beaches to cool off on. This is a less than half way description. A group of cyclists ride through Morningside Park, an easily accessible place to start the Scarborough South Loop if arriving by car. (John Rietti/CBC) The real joy of this ride is what isn’t there: mostly high-stress moments when you have to drive close to traffic. Yes, there are hills, including some that Sandhu admits can look like “scary monsters” to inexperienced riders, but the founders have a solution to that, too: admitting there’s no shame in a little bike hike. Drive the route one way or the other. Move to “party rhythms” and have fun. Don’t worry about the risk of a flat tire because you’re never far from support. There are no wrong answers. “It’s all about bridging that moment of hesitation,” Sandhu said. Once they break down those barriers, the couple says, it’s as simple as their motto: “Be good, cycle, repeat.” There are some bulkier gravel sections on the course, which means most riders will want tires wider than 32mm, says Judgey. Then again, there’s nothing wrong with a little bike hiking. (John Rietti/CBC)