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If you're hitting the trails around here, a hybrid would seem fitting. The trails will inevitably be interspersed with gravel, which won't play well with a road bike, but just a bit of tread from a hybrid tire should let you handle most situations, so long as you're not on an intense ascent, loaded with full panniers, and pumping wheels so much that they spin. I've used a hybrid style to commute to work on occasion, from UpTown to Conestoga Mall, and it's done the trick for even the sections that were gravel between University and Lexington, now paved.
Hybrids are often a good choice for your average cyclist, though straight handlebars don't really offer any advantages over road-style bars. You can also consider looking into gravel grinders or cyclocross bikes. They use a road bike geometry, but are able to handle wider tires and often have disc brakes for better performance in wet or muddy/dirty conditions. The fit might be more aggressive than you are accustomed to, though, while a hybrid would likely allow a more upright position. That said, depending on which bike you go with, there is a range of fits possible. The handlebars aren't really a factor in how aggressive your position on the bike is; road bars, however, do offer three different positions for your hands. For longer bike rides, this can really help reduce fatigue offer straight bars.

One consideration is that regardless of the bike you go with, you should at least get a basic bike fit done. A lot of people don't, and they aren't doing themselves any favours. It's possibly the best money you can invest in a bike.
What is a bike fit? Like measuring your body and then picking a bike based on that? You have to pay for that?
It's the process of adjusting the various parts of the bike (seat height, seat position, handlebar height, etc) to your particular needs. Depending on where you buy it, they may do a very basic fit as part of a purchase, and that may be all you need. Other places might not even bother, or will charge a nominal fee for it, especially if you don't ask about it. There are normally a number of options available roughly along the lines of: more time - more precise fit - more money.
I bought a hybrid from Black Arrow a few weeks ago. I am far from a serious cyclist, and haven't ridden in a while. I don't want to sound like an advertisement, but it was a great experience, and Jesse did give what seemed to me like a pretty thorough fitting. I test rode a few to see what frame best suited me, and wound up after another test ride having a longer stem installed to give a bit of extra length. He adjusted the seat and handlebar height, and showed me how to do it myself if down the round I found I was more comfortable some other way.

All this to say, it was a good experience for someone who knows very little about bikes. Who am I to say if it had any utility, but a fit was done and there was no extra charge for the time I took requiring explanations...for everything. I would recommend Black Arrow, as an answer to your original question, Canard, specifically for the fitting that seemed to be done.
I'll throw out a recommendation for King Street Cycles. I've had some work done there and they did a great job. They are also an active supporter of the Hydrocut (http://www.hydrocut.ca), so big props to them for that as well.
I've had several bad experience with Ziggy's. In my opinion Ziggy's wife was never as committed to the business as her husband, and service suffered since. In one case I got to see the staff selling a lemon to a kid who had saved his own money to purchase the bicycle.
I've had great service from Ziggy's, for what it's worth. I have a pretty clear idea of what I want, though, and have also spent loads of money there, so that might be a factor.
I think Ziggy's definitely caters to the serious cyclists, I mean they have bikes that sell for over 10 grand in stock.
(05-10-2016, 06:40 PM)clasher Wrote: [ -> ]I think Ziggy's definitely caters to the serious cyclists, I mean they have bikes that sell for over 10 grand in stock.

So does Ciclo works on erb st.
(05-10-2016, 12:09 PM)Section ThirtyOne Wrote: [ -> ]the Hydrocut (http://www.hydrocut.ca)

I'd never heard of these trails before! Cool.
(05-10-2016, 08:31 PM)KevinL Wrote: [ -> ]
(05-10-2016, 12:09 PM)Section ThirtyOne Wrote: [ -> ]the Hydrocut (http://www.hydrocut.ca)

I'd never heard of these trails before! Cool.

Some of the best singletrack trails in Ontario. Not joking! We are fortunate to have such a system right here in our backyard.
I went and test rode some hybrids this evening, and fell in love with the Trek Verve 3! So comfortable, loved the thumb-shifters and adjustable handlebar arrangement. I didn't know a bike could feel so right! They didn't quite have the right one (I rode a Verve 2 in the right size frame, but didn't like the twist-grip shifters), so I'm going to have them order it for me. I'm so excited!

[Image: 1324600_2016_A_1_Verve_3?wid=3000&hei=24...47,247,247]

...might make a cyclist out of me yet. Wink I'm already plotting out how I can take the iXpress to Cambridge and bike to my office from there.
(05-11-2016, 06:17 PM)Canard Wrote: [ -> ]...might make a cyclist out of me yet. Wink I'm already plotting out how I can take the iXpress to Cambridge and bike to my office from there.

Back in the fall on one of the free Fridays a friend and I biked to FairviewPark Mall, rode the bus to the Ainslie terminal, then biked along the trail to the Brown Dog Coffee Shoppe in Paris. I highly recommend it. A great ride, and the break in Paris was enough to keep me from getting worn out (I'm fine with going 20-30km, but after around 40 my legs lose all strength).
As part of the widening of Fischer-Hallman between Ottawa and Bleams, multi-use trails are being added and a roundabout is being installed at Bleams and Fischer-Hallman. There will be no on-street bike lanes. I’m generally in favour of the MUT design in areas where pedestrian/cyclist volume is low. Based on the implementation on Block Line between Strasburg and Homer Watson, I think cyclists are expected to use the right side MUT, so it works somewhat like a separated bike lane.

[attachment=1301]

The design where the MUT meets the roundabout is pretty poor for cyclists, though. In this case, there is no provision for cyclists to move from the MUT to the road to use the roundabout. Cyclists are intended to use the crosswalk. I asked city staff a couple of questions of city staff to understand how this is supposed to work:

Q: With respect to crosswalks - do crosswalks that connect MUTs have provision for cyclists (i.e. a crossride), or are cyclists expected to dismount?
A: The Region is exploring crossrides at intersections through monitoring of compliance and collision history. The safety and compliance experience of other municipalities around the province has been mixed. With the legislation removing the prohibition of riding alongside a crosswalk at a signalized intersection, the cyclists can ride beside a crosswalk if they choose not to dismount.

Q: Do cyclists riding beside a crosswalk at a roundabout have priority over vehicles exiting the roundabout (like pedestrians)?
A: Cyclists would not have right-of-way.  Cyclists technically would only receive priority if they dismount and cross as a pedestrian.  The law removing the prohibition about riding alongside a crosswalk only applied to signalized intersections and not at crossovers.  When we install crossovers at roundabouts soon, the law is clear that motorists must yield to pedestrians at crossovers, not both pedestrians and cyclists. The City of Ottawa is trying to change this as they would like to put crossrides in at Level 2 Crossovers at roundabouts.

This seems like it will be confusing for drivers (edited to add: and pedestrians and cyclists). Also, if you have to stop and wait for a gap, you may as well dismount and walk through with right of way.