Hey folks,

As I'm still working my way around the area on the bike, I'm wondering if anyone knows of any publicly-available locations to charge up briefly while on the road?

I live in Scarborough, so I'm looking for places in my area as well as downtown TO. I'd love to take the bike down to the Bluffs, or the harbourfront for example, but am worried I'd drain the battery before I could make it back home afterwards. (For that matter, I'd wonder if someone might steal my charger while I'm away from the bike!)

Really need to find some sort of solar charging method ;)

Well generally private Coffee Shops will allow you plug in as long as you buy a coffee an hour. To keep your charger from being stolen plug the charger into the plug on your E-Bike then open your seat top and run the charger's cable across the seat's front by the hinge between the seat top and the lower seat bucket then close and lock the seat top. That way the only way to steal the charger is buy cutting the chargers cable rendering it useless.

Ken Finch

Great tip. But who'd risk cutting a cable? Sounds like trouble. You'd sooner have your seat lock meddled with to get at the cable.

I went to a play at the YCPA in the Distillery District (where Segway is located) and plugged in my eBike whilst at a play for about two hours or so, enabling me to ride home with a topped-up battery. The outlet was right outside the front doors of the theatre and the eBike was covered if it rained. Not sure if you'd want to do this if you're not there enjoying a play. YMMV.

Maybe those of us on this group who live downtown wouldn't mind opening up their driveways to allow fellow eBike owners to plug in when nearby for a top-up as well?

— Roger (up in North York, but likes to ride downtown often)

AgentX... yer kidding, right???? This town is *lousy* with EV "charging facilities"! Just about every coffee shop and restaurant and bar patio has electric outlets. Many seawalls along the lakeshore too. Most buildings in the Parks have exterior outlets. A lot of *trees* have electrical outlets... where they are situated alongside roadways and set up for seasonal (Xmas/summer) strings of lights. Many outdoor commercial signs that are lit incorporate outlets at their base (don't know why.)

Sometimes outdoor plugs are switched, and "dead" when you try them out, but over 90% you will find are "live"... even if you can't figure out why the heck it's there in the first place!

In addition to all of the above I have plugged in inside Union Station, on the Island ferryboats... well, it's a long list. Electricity is everywhere!

Sad to note that many newer Toronto buildings do not seem to have outlets outside, while most older buildings do. Other jurisdictions have passed by-laws in recent years actually requiring outside outlets specifically with EV charging in mind.

Tks
Lock

I agree. If you keep your eyes open, plugs are everywhere. Groundskeepers in parks, and maintainance guys need to plug lawn mowers and trimmers in for upkeep. In BC all new dwellings are being fitted with exterior plugs exactly for this reason.

Cool, thanks very much guys. Now that I think of it, I do recall seeing some outlets down by the harbourfront, and in other random places. I intend to take full advantage of these, so I will finally be daring enough to take the bike down that way :P

Now, to find somewhere I can sit for a few hours and catch some rays... (but still keep an eye on my bike!) :P

BTW: Excellent suggestion re: locking the power cable under the seat! I never noticed the little gap there, that is perfect. Thanks!

Now, to find somewhere I can sit for a few hours and catch some rays... (but still keep an eye on my bike!)

Seriously? Best place in Toronto? My vote, Toronto Islands... Specifically, Hanlons Point. Not the gay/"clothing optional" beach but the lagoon side. A seawall "littered" with outlets and picnic tables... The summer-job kids come by collecting fees from the yachties (boats) tied up alongside but are only confused by an ebike plugged in...

The kids will leave you alone and the yachties will embrace you... Trust me on this... (grin)
tks
lok

I would love to take the bike to the Island, actually. Man, I wish I lived closer to downtown, but all it means is a more scenic ride on the way! :)

If the weather wasn't looking so bad this week, I think I'd be making the trip over the next few days. Figures we'd have rain/storms every day I'm off. :S Lol.

I have charged my bike in alot of different areas of the GTA. Home, Work, underground parking lots, Malls, Side of Plazas, outside softdrink machines, outside the Rogers Centre, outside plugs used for city of Toronto park maintance. You just have to make observe and note all the places you might need to charge up while on your routes.

On my wish list is someone to make a rapid charger for my bike. waiting 6-8hrs to fully charge is way too long!

Totally with you there! I wonder if it's a limitation of the battery technology, or what, that caused them to make that decision?

I would assume the LiFePO4/other type batteries could be charged faster, but I really don't know much about the tech behind these. It would also be nice to have smaller chargers, though I'm personally planning on just keeping one at home, and one at work, on days where I know I'm not going too far.