BC Monkeys - XC around Van?

[Jr_Bullit]

Not sure where the Canada monkeys hang out on this thing - PNW or here in Western Ca?

Anywho - just trying to determine the best local riding areas for XC - not free riding, I have no bike for that or skills. :) After work riding areas? Where do y'all head for some exercise?

Thanks!

Jen

[Roasted]

I have heard ubc is good. There is a scattering of trails. You best bet might be to check

http://www.gutsploder.com/

It has a lot of the main riding mountains and not all the trails are freeride oriented.

[Jr_Bullit]

I have heard ubc is good. There is a scattering of trails. You best bet might be to check

http://www.gutsploder.com/

It has a lot of the main riding mountains and not all the trails are freeride oriented.

Awesome!! Thanks for the tip. :D

Jen

[SilentJ]

My only time riding out there we did CBC - Corkscrew - Pingu - Pangor - Empress. I remember thinking that a 4-6" trail bike would kick ass...pretty free-ride ish, but I dont remember there being much that was hard to ride at all.

[Jr_Bullit]

I believe I found a better site - www.trailpeak.com. It gives the biking trails ratings and distances and some description, which will help me (I hope) in identifying XC/singletrack, versus freeride or DH stuff. I'm riding a bike that has 2" of travel, and I've been on all the trails you listed, but I wouldn't take my 1" skinny wheels on that muddy, slippery terrain ;).

Thanks though!

Jen

[budgetrider]

Stanley Park is really nice for light XC.

[Roasted]

I believe I found a better site - www.trailpeak.com. It gives the biking trails ratings and distances and some description, which will help me (I hope) in identifying XC/singletrack, versus freeride or DH stuff. I'm riding a bike that has 2" of travel, and I've been on all the trails you listed, but I wouldn't take my 1" skinny wheels on that muddy, slippery terrain ;).

Thanks though!

Jen

Good site.

If you ever have more than an hour or two, have you ridden squamish, far more xc oriented and some really nice trails. :)

[flow]

Give SFU a try out on Burnaby Mtn. It's pretty mellow but definately more challenging then UBC. I think it's a great place to take newbies in the lower mainland.

[flow]

http://www.trailpeak.com/index.jsp?cat=bike-mt&con=trail&val=48

[Jr_Bullit]

I haven't given squamish area a try yet...I'll hit up the SFU trails though...I've been around Buntzen lake area quite a bit, but I kind of get creeped out there...no civilization around you for many many miles seems like a calling card for run ins with bears and such, and as yet I haven't found a riding group of buddies...

[xy9ine]

have you checked out the john henry group rides? lots of group rides of various formats (girls only & co-ed) and abilities (from xc to hardcore). great way to meet like-minded riders. squamish does indeed have some decent xc stuff (some info here: http://www.squamishmountainbike.com/smtbmaps.html there are some xc-able loops to be found on fromme & seymour as well (i've done xc races on both mountains in the past).

[Jr_Bullit]

Where do I find more about the John Henry rides? I love riding in groups - hate riding alone...:)

[xy9ine]

Where do I find more about the John Henry rides? I love riding in groups - hate riding alone...:)
the jh site is a good place to start: http://www.johnhenrybikes.com/pedals.asp

[eknomf]

UBC is definitely not good unless you want to ride gravel paths. All the trails are 8 feet wide and ridable on a roadbike. SFU has some decent trails, and I think if you go further east of Vancouver there are some good trails too, but I've never been there.

[muddyfox]

Here's a classic XC loop in NV - Fisherman's Trail - Bridle Path - Old Buck - Ned's Atomic Dustbin - back to Fisherman's Trail. The only tough one is Dustbin, watch out for DH riders flying down, but you should be able to ride the whole thing!