As the Tour de France ends, Mayor Miller wants the "Tour de Toronto" to begin. Next week, Bixi Toronto is hosting a party at the Gladstone Hotel to garner support for the Bixi bike sharing program in Toronto.

Back in May, City Council passed a motion to sign a deal with a Montreal company that will initially provide the city with 1,000 bikes and 80 docking stations. The Bixi program needs 1,000 subscribers by November or risks losing the public bikes program altogether. If it receives requsite support, Bixi Toronto should be ready to go by Spring 2011.

The $95 annual subscription is a great option for individuals without bike storage space or those of us scarred by a recent bike theft...ahem.

If everyone is as enthusiastic as David Miller, there won't be a problem with subscriptions. In a video praising the efforts of Michael Barry -- one of only two Canadians riding the Tour de France and a former Torontonian no less -- he shows off one of the new bikes and raves about the degree to which this city values cycling.

Let's hope the latter proves true.

The Bixi Bash starts at 7p.m. on July 28. Subscriptions can also be made online after the 28th at www.toronto.bixi.com.

Lead image is a still from Miller's congratulatory video to Michael Barry.