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BC Monkeys - XC around Van?

Jr_Bullit

I'm sooo teenie weenie!!!
Sep 8, 2001
2,028
0
North of Oz
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
 

SilentJ

trail builder
Jun 17, 2002
1,312
0
Calgary AB
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'm sooo teenie weenie!!!
Sep 8, 2001
2,028
0
North of Oz
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
 

Roasted

Turbo Monkey
Jul 4, 2002
1,488
0
Whistler, BC
Jr_Bullit said:
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

Chimp
May 6, 2003
61
0
Vancouver
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.
 

Jr_Bullit

I'm sooo teenie weenie!!!
Sep 8, 2001
2,028
0
North of Oz
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

Turbo Monkey
Mar 22, 2004
2,940
353
vancouver eastside
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).
 

eknomf

Monkey
Apr 23, 2004
211
0
Nanaimo, BC
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

Monkey
Feb 13, 2002
167
0
North Vancouver, B.C.
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!