A where-to / how-to for my girlfriend would be much appreciated !

[kookboy]

I just sent this link and the mudbunnies yahooey to my girlfriend.

She's a beginner or intermediate depending on how you look at it.

She good on 10-15k XC and some mild DH (non-technical) riding a HT.

We normally ride on the UBC trails and she's just getting comfortable on the downhilly/wide single track part that leads down to the beach.

She's riding an Iron horse HT with a good 5" fork on the front but has been eyeing my 04 kona stinky for quite some time now.

I've been riding up at SFU only twice on my own and it was just after it had rained going down Nicole's (?) trail. I liked it, but it's definitely too technical with the roots/drops/boulders for her right now.

Is there a beginner's downhill section at SFU ?

Also, the ladies daily/weekly rides that you girls do, what/where/who/how does she get on them ?

Thanks !
Jesse :woot:

[Lady Gravity]

nicoles is pretty much the beginner dh trail on sfu. the more difficult ones are gearjammer and upper snake. have you done the lower trails (north road, dead moped)? sections of those are fairly flat with beginner technical sections. lower snake is good as well. i learned to ride on those trails and can highly recommend them. also, mel's starts from naheeno park at sfu and winds all the way around the mountain - it's classified as an xc trail, and would likely be good as well.

[kookboy]

Browsing the threads, I'm going to take her out tonight and explore the north road/dead moped trails.

Maybe I went off of Nicole's, but there was some nice little 2-3ft drops and little boulders,logs to get over while going down. I enjoyed it, but she would have freaked out just looking down some of those little lines.

We'll take the north road trails and go from there.

Are you ladies doing any group rides anytime soon ?

Thnx

[newgirl]

get her to join the mudbunnies - pm me and lets set something up....

[kookboy]

Thanks for both. I'll get her in here and fire off some PM's.

I'm really stoked about getting her into XC/DH this year. :)

[kookboy]

I read last year that Whistler had a beginner's flowing DH course at the Magic Chair.

Anyone know if that's still there this year and if there is something similar around the lower mainland ? :)

[jaylen]

The Magic chair park just opened this weekend, I havn't ridden it yet so I can't tell you anything else about it.

There is a WORCA womens clinic in whistler on in a couple weeks, check it out:
Saturday, July 15th, 2006 — WORCA Women's All-day Clinic - 2nd edition! — Coached by Daamiann Skelton, CMIC. The cost is $25 for WORCA members and registration is limited to just 24 riders. Register at any Loonie Race event on a first come, first served basis.
http://www.worca.com/itoolkit.asp?pg=calendar

[NinjaEyes]

Is there anyone here that is looking for people to ride whistler, north shore or woodlot with. Im a beginner/intermediate rider, and am looking for people to ride with.

[gotham]

I rode SFU for the first time the other night and it was great! Just rode Mel's from the Science building all the way down to the Trans-Canada Trail and then pick it up again at Moped and rode down to the skills park. I was with a guy who had never ridden any XC/DH before and he walked a few bits but for the most part was able to roll over everything. My confidence is at an all time high (after 3 rides) now that I can't wait to hit it again, and then get into Nicole's or any of the other DH runs out there. It definately wasn't as challenging/scary as Seymour was. I think my girl and I are heading up to SFU on Monday at some point.

PS..Highlight of the night was working up the courage to take a run at the first jump/drop on Nicoles and landing it..what a rush!

[NinjaEyes]

Would you and your gf or your gf be interested in riding with another girl on Monday. I was supposed to go to whistler with the bf but got bailed on and am wanting to ride SFU but have no one to ride it with. Last time I rode Seymour I got lost and ended up on a trail that was NOT for me lol

[NinjaEyes]

Im up for riding Whistler Monday. (still a 1% chance things could change) Im intermediate and have the same days, unfortuantely lol. Does anyone want to meet somewhere and car pool to whistler?

[Need2Ride]

Quick questions for the lady riders...I am in a similar boat as the first poster, I just recently got my fiance into riding and she has done the following: Dead Mope/North Rd Trails, Griffiths Trails and walked most of Pipeline...now here lies the problem. She hates riding up the mountain!!! Which takes at least 1h15min to pipeline on her rate. She has insisted on trying Whistler cause of the lift access and the groomed trails. Which is great, but how do you ladies do the SFU trails? Do you shuttle or ride up the powerline?? Especially if it's 2 or more (ie. group rides). Thanks!

[Curlzilla]

Hey Needs2ride, I typically ride up to SFU trails. It's not that bad really but does take about 30 minutes I think.

Hmmm...if she only wants to shuttle that leaves Seymour really and kind of limits the riding options for her. But it all depends what kind of riding she wants to do.

[Fluid]

It takes me one hour to ride to Pipeline (and another half hour to get up to 7th) from the yellow gates, and takes me 45 minutes to ride up to the top of SFU from Gagliardi.

I am by far the SLOWEST climber out of EVERYONE that I have EVER ridden with - hands down. Every new person I ride with seems to not believe me when I tell them I'm a slow climber but to date (6 years & counting) I have yet to ride with anyone that climbs slower than me.
And yet given all this I still won't limit my riding by choosing not to climb.
The only mountain I ever shuttle is Seymour. But I will even climb that mountain when I can.

I guess you have to look at why she hates the climbs to figure out if she will be destined to be a shuttler and lift accessed rider. It would be a shame to limit herself so early on already.

I've been very fortunate in that I seem to have found people who don't seem to mind how slow I climb. And if time is ever an issue then I just show up half an hour earlier and start my climb up by myself and let them catch up to me (as I know they always will be able to).

To me, when I shuttle, I feel like I'm doing half a ride. Like I'm not properly warmed up to take on the trail just yet when I first drop in. The ride definitely feels a lot more well rounded if it includes a climb up to get to the trailhead.

[Need2Ride]

Well I guess the issue she complains about is being tired after climb and not being able to ride her way down. All I can say is the reward is on the way down, when you link part of the trails together and clear some of the obstables thrown your way, the adrenaline from that is enough to get you down (IMHO)...I might try to do a shuttle run on SFU to really see if there's a difference on her riding, or it could just end up being that I am more experienced and she needs someone else her own level to ride with. Just to see that other ladies are trying as well.

[stinky_rider7]

Well I guess the issue she complains about is being tired after climb and not being able to ride her way down.

That was happening to me when I started out... But I just sucked it up and it doesn't happen anymore since I'm in better shape now...

So here are my suggestions:
1. Introduce her slowly to riding up: pick rides with a limited amount of climbing (ie max 30 min) and increase progressively. Even with other types of riding, she should start to get in better shape and it will make the climbs easier. Being in good shape is key to climbs, and will also help in her downhill skills...
2. Take a good brake at the top before going down. Maybe surprise her with her favorite snack? (make sure that she has plenty of water & snacks)

[dbaker]

When I started riding downhill I only ever shuttle (yes, even at SFU). I hate climbing but am starting to do it more. My problem is that I was never active at anything before I started mountain biking so I was really out of shape. If I climbed I would be tired and hungry and the top, usually having a temper tantrum on the way down. I'm doing much better now since I picked up my commuter bike. It's an easy way to train and get in shape without thinking about it. I ride my bike everywhere and now I don't mind climbing nearly as much. The most important thing is that you don't give her a hard time. If she doesn't like to climb, drop her at the top with a book and meet her at the top for the ride down. If I am sick or having a bad day that's what my boyfriend does so that I can at least still get a ride in, just be happy that she wants to mountain bike, don't push her to do it your way - trust me!

[kookboy]

I'm just getting her on the bus on the way up and then riding on the way down.
She's in the same boat. Needs to get her stamina/cardio up there to handle the climb up and still have energy and enjoy riding down.

We're up in whistler until wed. so no SFU rides, but normally we'll be up there more than likely thurs/fri.

Fire me a PM and I'll try and set something up.

Jesse & Maryna

[newgirl]

take her on lower snake - its flowy smooth and fun!

[theboyzroom]

Nicoles was the first trail i ever rode. Cbc was my second. take her there!

:lol:

[Ashley]

Nicoles was my first trail too. It was hard and I was a bit scared but, for me, it was the best introduction to MTB. I was on Neds the next weekend and progressed from there.

[Marvel]

kookboy, I'll ride with your girlfriend also. I start my MTB course next week but should be good to go after a few times since I've MTB a bit in Toronto before moving out...have your gf PM me...

[boardchk]

You can shuttle SFU even without a truck...take the bus up. It picks you up at the bottom around Hastings (my friends do it when we don't have a crew with multiple vehicals). I also climb from North road and it takes about 35-45 min depending on how I feel that day and it's a really nice ride in the trees....nice and cool on a warm day. Or you can shuttle and park in B lot (costs a buck or 2).
You can hit up the trails that go past the restaurant al;ong the fence, they are good beginner and end up where you get the bus.
I rode Nicoles my first time and loved it, I still love SFU...it's a trail I was able to gauge my progression on and found it easy to hike and bike when I needed. I used to hike and bike parts, now I ride the whole thing and have progressed to the harder trails (after half riding/half sliding down Mount 7 in Golden a few weeks ago everything looks much more rideable here!!...that trail is STEEP....which is why the race was called Psychosis)
Tanya

[Luvz2Ridez]

What is SFU?

[pot8o]

What is SFU?

SFU is Simon Fraser University, located on top of Burnaby Mtn. Everyone calls the mountain "SFU" because its shorter than "Burnaby" Has good beginner and some intermediate trails.

[SkunkworkS]

It's also the place where many of us have taken our first revolutions on dirt.

:D

[Luvz2Ridez]

It's also the place where many of us have taken our first revolutions on dirt.

:D

Sounds like I should head out that way. I'm just getting into some bigger stuff and would love to check out some beginner/intermediate trails on the NS.
Thanks!

[nina]

I started riding last April when I started seeing a boy mountain biker. I borrowed his bike at first and we rode the North road trails at SFU. My second day on a mountain bike he took me down Nicole's and I haven't looked back. Sure, there was lots I couldn't do but riding with someone more experienced totally motivated me to try new stuff everytime. I can pretty much ride the whole thing now (except the jumps--still haven't been able to get air, not even off curbs, but that's another topic.) As far as the climb goes, I was totally intimidated at first and it never gets what I would call easy but improving cardio will only help with the ride down. We ALWAYS take a break at the top (Science building) and let our heart rates get back to normal, so the ride down is still good. anyway, my advice from a relative beginner is just to go for it!!