While Toronto faces its fair share of challenges when it comes to cycling infrastructure and safety, it remains a wonderful city to explore by bike. With our extensive ravine system and the Martin Goodman Waterfront Trail, recreational cyclists should find it easy enough to get off the road and onto the comfort of a dedicated path. Given the sprawling size of the city, however, it can be difficult to plan good on-road routes without engaging in some trial and error. A new eBook aims to address this issue by charting out 28 key routes around the city aimed at recreational cyclists looking to soak up some culture along the way.

Compiled by Dino Desfiges and aptly titled Toronto Cycling Routes, the book guides riders through neighbourhoods and cultural attractions. The latter rides feel somewhat touristy, but would be a useful resource to those who are new to the city and looking to familiarize themselves by bike. Most of the rides hover around 10km, so this will not be of interest to the spandex-clad crowd (a point the author happily concedes).

By virtue of its publication as an eBook, Toronto Cycling routes comes with GPS data files for each if its routes, which can be downloaded to one's mobile device for use during a ride. The purchase price of $12.99 (currently on sale) also entitles one to free updates, should the guide be expanded in the future. There are lots of cyclists who will know the city well enough to pass on a book like this, but those in need of a primer could benefit from much of the information on offer here.