Need someone(s) to ride with / show me around BC

[Eleazar]

Hello... I live in Texas and I'm just gettin tired of boring Dallas, Texas (too flat) and am taking a trip to BC, where I hear there is the best riding in N. America. I'd like to spend half the trip or so at the "North Shore". I've seen pics, videos and I really really really want to go to BC for 2-3 weeks. The problem is, I don't have any friends that are willing/can afford to take off that much time from work or are tied down with school. I'll take a sem. off from college to save up for the trip if I have to, but I'm thinking camping in a tent would save a huge chunk of the cost of the trip. I plan on flying there this summer or next, depending on funds.

So, here's the question: Can I hook up with you guys at each stop... have someone thats going to be riding anyway show me the cool places to ride? Where would you hit if you had 3 weeks to ride? Basically, how can I best experience BC and all riding it has to offer without spending a load of cash. I'v never ridden anywhere besides where I live (which would consist of some so-so urban, good XC and dirt jumps) I'd REALLY like to get into DH racing, but Texas isn't know for its vast mountain ranges. Skill-wise, I can do a 5 ft. drop to flat on my Kona Roast, ride wall ledges pretty good and have some dirt jumping abilities (no tricks yet). I'm not afraid to try something crazy if I SEE IT DONE on another 26" wheeled bike.

So there you go... who's willing to take a little time and show me whats cool to ride in BC? When's the best time to ride... middle summer? I don't like it below 50-60 degrees (Fahrenheit)... I don't got much insulation :) Anyway, I appreciate it.
-Ben

[builttoride]

you have come to the right place dude!
If I lived in BC I would show you around.
Oh btw, prepare for your skills to go through the roof.
I spent my summer there, and am a way better rider for it.

[Eleazar]

OH man.. if I knew someone there or had relatives (however distant :) living in BC or around there, I would consider asking them if I could live there for the summer. Unfortunately I don't, so... living there for a summer would cost too much $$$ at this point in my life. Heck, the Kona was a big investement for me and that was only $650(USD) used.

What's the job market like there? Like say.. if I wanted to work there for the summer. Would I be able to easily find a job within a couple weeks? Ski/bike lift operator? :)

-Ben

[Virago]

Your best off trying the http://www.nsmb.com/links section and scrolling down to the bottom to lift acess resorts. It has a list and links. Out of the few of 'em Whistler is the most like a big city. Fun place though and great trails. ;)

[Brad Dawg]

its not gonna be cheap to travel to the best spots in the province, and its gonna be a whole lot different than any 5ft drop to flat... but im sure you'll be fine. The "shore" isnt really that hard, but the if you pick the right trails, you can get your self into some trouble. Whistler wont be cheap, going to nelson/kamloops/williams lake ect wont be either. You'll have a blast up here, but i bet you'll spend a tonne of money. BC isnt a cheap place to come, although, you are american. The tent situation maybe interesting since the weather isnt always that good and in certain areas...

If you have the right bike, you shouldnt go through to many parts.
Its very easy to go 100's of dollars in parts/repairs in one ride.

GET UP HERE

[Eleazar]

Well thanks Brad Dawg for putting a damper on my fun :cool: just kiddin... I think I'v been riding pretty hard for a year and haven't broken much. Thats why I got the Roast. It seems strong and only prob I'v had is blown seals on the Marz Z.4 I'm thinkin a 2000 Z1 would be more suited for that type of riding.. am I correct? I hear this fork is pretty stiff and I found someone selling it for around $200 USD. But, about the tent thing.. thats only if I get broke. I just think it would be nice to camp on the mountainside. I'm actually thinking of staying in those places backpackers stay.. ya know, like a dorm room type thing with bunk beds and you stay with other people. I hear its dirt cheap and there are a lot around.

Whistler would be around $50 (found it on website.. USD or CN $?) for 2 days, right? Thats about all the pounding I think I'd take on my hardtail. I'll probly buy a Sun Rhyno Lite / Deore LX wheelset before I go cause that seems like the thing that'd probly break.

So, how do I get to the "shore", with all the log rides, raised platforms, and drops?

[ATN]

The shore is basically 3 mountains in North vancouver: fromme (aka Grouse) cypress and seymour. The trails are not part of the resorts/ski areas, they are jsut cut into the side of the mtn by trail builders. There are some roads/ xc trails going up the mountains, and you ride singletrack down.

To get here, you jsut gotta come and stay in Vancouver. You've found nsmb, finding the shore will be easy now.

[Brad Dawg]

Originally posted by Eleazar
Well thanks Brad Dawg for putting a damper on my fun :cool: just kiddin... I think I'v been riding pretty hard for a year and haven't broken much. Thats why I got the Roast. It seems strong and only prob I'v had is blown seals on the Marz Z.4 I'm thinkin a 2000 Z1 would be more suited for that type of riding.. am I correct? I hear this fork is pretty stiff and I found someone selling it for around $200 USD. But, about the tent thing.. thats only if I get broke. I just think it would be nice to camp on the mountainside. I'm actually thinking of staying in those places backpackers stay.. ya know, like a dorm room type thing with bunk beds and you stay with other people. I hear its dirt cheap and there are a lot around.

Whistler would be around $50 (found it on website.. USD or CN $?) for 2 days, right? Thats about all the pounding I think I'd take on my hardtail. I'll probly buy a Sun Rhyno Lite / Deore LX wheelset before I go cause that seems like the thing that'd probly break.
So, how do I get to the "shore", with all the log rides, raised platforms, and drops?

sounds good! about the wheel, im not sure if a rhyno lite will hold up... think about double wides or equivilent...

whistler would be the biggest expense, lift ticket is about 30 CDN and the hotel probably 50-100 cdn a night depending on where u wanna stay, but its cheap for u americans!

[LeeLau]

Your biggest expense will probably be the bike parts you break. Not kidding.

Your second biggest expense will be hospital insurance. Again, not kidding about that either.

You say you're flying in? No car? It's gonna be a huge pain in the ass for you to get around. I'd give you a ride at least one day and show you around but only if Im in town etc etc = you get the picture. There;s not a lot of cheap housing in the Shore and the closest hostels are downtown and in Jericho Beach - which are pretty far from the Shore trails.

Also, there's tons of riding locally which you'll want to hit - Woodlot, Eagle, Mission, Squamish (kinda local) and of course, Whistler and Pemby. You may or may not find rides out there but it'll be a heck of a lot easier if you have wheels.

If you're really fit and you don't mind riding in from downtown hostel to Shore every day then it'll be about one and a half hours each way to ride in every day.

If you can try to do what builttoride - Keith - did and try to hook up with a local and rent a room then you'll have the best chance.

Good luck, Keep trying over the winter, get more info and you'll prob get some more feedback.

[Eleazar]

LeeLau --

I know I'll most likely break something while I'm there. I'm thinking wheel fork or crank. I'll bring spares just in case. I have good medical insurance and I tend to crash well enough that I just get scrapes and bruises. I wear knee/shin gaurds, will probably bring a full face helmet and elbow/wrist gaurds with me. Rental car is the only way to go... so I'm thinkin little geo metro or some other econobox and my own trunk bike rack. No I'm not fit enough to ride 1.5 hours then have fun.. I don't do XC much or road, and I won't be by the time I get there. About the lodging, my mom (who travels a whole lot) says there are "back-packers lodging" that costs very little.

So, you say by local riding is good. By local do you mean within a 30 mile radius?

Thanks for everyone's help!
-Ben

[LeeLau]

Yup - within a 30 km radius. If you're staying at a youth hostel then the furthest will be Squamish and Whistler. Get yourself a map and start reading and drooling!

Sounds like a good plan

Originally posted by Eleazar
LeeLau --

I know I'll most likely break something while I'm there. I'm thinking wheel fork or crank. I'll bring spares just in case. I have good medical insurance and I tend to crash well enough that I just get scrapes and bruises. I wear knee/shin gaurds, will probably bring a full face helmet and elbow/wrist gaurds with me. Rental car is the only way to go... so I'm thinkin little geo metro or some other econobox and my own trunk bike rack. No I'm not fit enough to ride 1.5 hours then have fun.. I don't do XC much or road, and I won't be by the time I get there. About the lodging, my mom (who travels a whole lot) says there are "back-packers lodging" that costs very little.

So, you say by local riding is good. By local do you mean within a 30 mile radius?

Thanks for everyone's help!
-Ben

[Rat]

There is a hostel at the bottem of Lonsdale (globetrotter?) 20 buck a night and your on the shore.

Make sure your credit card has auto insurance or they will hose you here.

Low Cost Rental on Marine is usually the cheapest cars $27 per day unlimited milage for a honda civic. just pick up a cheapo bike rack at MEC for $50

Best weather in BC is August / Sept but June July are OK as well.

Post here right before you come and it will be no problem hooking up for rides. Pretty easy to tag along with groups if you just show up at the trailheads as well

The Must Hit list in my mind is the shore of course, squamish whistler and the woodlot. lots of other great rides beyond that though.

[parksvilleguy]

yea d00d you can hook up with anyone, and i mean if you come to the island(vancouver island), i can show you around a fair bit, and connect you up with groups that are going riding...i mean most riders including myself may just let you tent it in their back yard or sleep on their couch for a night. surely u wanna spend a week or so in vancouver and area, the island would be good for a few days of riding, or u could stretch it to a week, theres plnty of urban stuff in vanouver and in practically any town or city u pass through, and of course getting smal econo car would be so much of a help, although coming to the island i would almost say park your car on the mainland take the ferry over 9 bucks for a walk on, its like another 33 bucks for your car and thats each way you pay, so i mean ur choice...like leelau said some ppl will be around if you do need a ride and there taking you out to show you some of the local riding spots

[Squampton]

Bike shops are usually friendly and will help u out alot with riding parteners. If u are a out going, freindly preson u will have know problem. oh, and come to squamish

[barry]

Originally posted by Squampton
oh, and come to squamish
the mans right....squamish is one town you wont regret riding:D

[ride24/7]

My advice is when you get some definate dates set up for your trip post up then. You will have no problem getting people to take you out riding. The people on this board are very friendly ( with the exception of the odd idiot ) and we are all die hard bikers. Also keep coming to the board on a regular basis, you will make friends and get a feel for the people and riding in south western B.C. As for where to go, staying in the north vancouver area will give you access to more great riding within an hours drive than you could possibly hit in a few weeks and there is so much within two hours drive that it would take months to hit all the great trails. This area is not known as a biking mecca for nothing. Realize that B.C. is the same size as California Oregon and Washington combined with a population less than some U.S. cities ( about 3.5 million I think )
Be prepared to have your limits and your definition of ridable pushed beyond your wildest dreams.

Some things to think about:

1 Even in summer we can get quite a bit of rain so bring a couple changes of riding clothes or expect to do a lot of laundry. July - sept is usually the best riding with temps aroud 70 -90 F and mostly dry but we do still get cooler rainier days even then.

2 the average skill level among B.C. riders is very high compared to most places and what we may call an easy or intermediate trail may be very dificult for you.

3 It's easy to get hurt here, so make sure you have good medical coverage that is valid in Canada.

4 a lot of the best riding requires climbing, some places like Mt Fromme expect 40 to 60 minutes of moderate fire road climbing other places like the Woodlot or Burke mt are more difficult to get up, so get yourself into reasonably good shape. ( yes there are places where you can shuttle up or take a chairlift but if thats all you do you will miss out on a lot of great trails )

5 Renting a little car of some sort will make life a lot easier.

6 When getting your bike ready think STRONG. DH rims 2.3 -3.0 tires, DH or Freeride style bars and cranks and bottom brackets, bash ring in place of a third chain ring etc. This is some of the bike killingest terraine in the world.

7 Remember it will be the riding experience of a lifetime. :D

[Sharon]

Squamish riding is unreal. Beautiful trails

Originally posted by Squampton
Bike shops are usually friendly and will help u out alot with riding parteners. If u are a out going, freindly preson u will have know problem. oh, and come to squamish