Cycling Thread 2

[btimbit]

So if I'm reading that correctly, he figured it was a closure and didn't realize it's a temporary bike lane? Don't just tweet Enmax, their view is going to be "We paid for the closure, we're gonna use it." Call CPA next time, that's a big no no. If he's moving in the bike lane, CPS likes to dish out careless driving tickets for that. Don't be afraid to call them, I did that last week on a Uber driver that drove around my truck and proceeded down the bikelane on 12th instead

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Stereotypical union guy response: “Shrug. Not my job”.

Well.... yeah. He works for Enmax, that looks like a TFO setup, if he starts screwing with it there's big fines involved

[Fuzz]

I honestly think he was just to dumb to comprehend anything. The look on his face was utter confusion, like how could someone be questioning what is happening.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I honestly think he was just to dumb to comprehend anything. The look on his face was utter confusion, like how could someone be questioning what is happening.

tbf I've been there more times than I can count (Albeit slightly different, obviously I'm always in the right). His thought process was definitely more "What can I say to end this conversation the quickest, don't bug me"

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Obviously the answer is to carry a small receptacle full of flammable liquid and some waterproof matches and light his truck on fire.

[marsplasticeraser]

Originally Posted by M*A*S*H 4077

I was thinking about this thread a bit during the day and the idea of “if you build it they will come”. Cycling infrastructure is badly needed in Canada/Alberta. People will come. The guys at the bike shop knew all about riding in BC and Alberta, let’s give them a real reason to come spend their money up here

I've talked to both Provincial and Federal tourism ministers about the huge opportunity for bike tourism in Alberta and Canada.

They just don't understand it. Like they don't even know that multi-day bike touring is a thing.

Once they did start to understand it, they immediately said it couldn't be done because they need buy-in from municipalities, Transportation minister, infrastructure minister, etc.

What is infuriating is that it's not that hard, just designate some underutilized roads as bike friendly and reduce the speed limit to 50 km/hr.

We could have some world class multi-day gravel (we kind of already do with the 40S + Smith dorrien) and road bike routes that would get people into alberta and away from main population centres.

I could see some easy wins for road bike routes such as:
1. Waterton to Canmore (get people staying in small towns all the way to Calgary

2. Calgary to Lake Louise (can continue south to Waterton or North to Jasper)
3. Edmonton to Jasper (can continue south to Lake Louise, and then Calgary
4. Edmonton to Calgary (basically allows a bigger circuit, ideally go near mountains.
5. Calgary to Drumheller circuit incl back via crowsnest and foothills (part of itinerary 1)

I'm sure there are some good rides in the middle and north of alberta as well.

If we did this right it would bring tourism dollars to towns that need the money, and make it easier for Albertans to be healthy.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

Great shots. Saw a grizz doing the Highwood yesterday, got a pic but not as nice as yours.

What kind of bike was he on?

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by marsplasticeraser

I could see some easy wins for road bike routes such as:
1. Waterton to Canmore (get people staying in small towns all the way to Calgary

2. Calgary to Lake Louise (can continue south to Waterton or North to Jasper)
3. Edmonton to Jasper (can continue south to Lake Louise, and then Calgary
4. Edmonton to Calgary (basically allows a bigger circuit, ideally go near mountains.
5. Calgary to Drumheller circuit incl back via crowsnest and foothills (part of itinerary 1)

I'm sure there are some good rides in the middle and north of alberta as well.

If we did this right it would bring tourism dollars to towns that need the money, and make it easier for Albertans to be healthy.

I'd add the following to the list. Less for multi-day bikepacking and more for a collection of single-day destination trips.

1. Marketing the Bow Valley Parkway & Highwood closures.
2. Pincher Creek / Beaver Mines / Lundbreck falls area -- the road up to Castle Mountain was recently paved and they didn't put in bike lanes, talk about a fail.
3. Calgary to surrounding municipalities (good for regional tourism, get people from Calgary out and spending money in Bragg Creek, Cochrane, Okotoks, Airdrie and redo the pathway to Chestermere).
4. Edmonton to surrounding municipalities (I'm sure there are options I just don't know the Edmonton region as well)

As someone who works in the tourism space, there's absolutely a compelling pitch here and some of the small operators are crying out for support. There's even already a plan drafted for a route that would use the utility right of way to get to Bragg Creek, and we occasionally hear about Airdrie/Okotoks/Cochrane -- it just gets lost in the inter-regional shuffle with no provincial leadership or project champions to step above the fray.

They just don't understand it. Like they don't even know that multi-day bike touring is a thing.

The political class being a bunch of corporate "never-leave-the-city-limits" folk definitely does not help here. Honestly I think it would take a grassroots movement or special interest group to lobby for it. It sounds like you have some connections, so DM me if you're interested in making a push for this. I've been seriously considering it for awhile now...

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by marsplasticeraser

I've talked to both Provincial and Federal tourism ministers about the huge opportunity for bike tourism in Alberta and Canada.

They just don't understand it. Like they don't even know that multi-day bike touring is a thing.

Once they did start to understand it, they immediately said it couldn't be done because they need buy-in from municipalities, Transportation minister, infrastructure minister, etc.

What is infuriating is that it's not that hard, just designate some underutilized roads as bike friendly and reduce the speed limit to 50 km/hr.

We could have some world class multi-day gravel (we kind of already do with the 40S + Smith dorrien) and road bike routes that would get people into alberta and away from main population centres.

I could see some easy wins for road bike routes such as:
1. Waterton to Canmore (get people staying in small towns all the way to Calgary

2. Calgary to Lake Louise (can continue south to Waterton or North to Jasper)
3. Edmonton to Jasper (can continue south to Lake Louise, and then Calgary
4. Edmonton to Calgary (basically allows a bigger circuit, ideally go near mountains.
5. Calgary to Drumheller circuit incl back via crowsnest and foothills (part of itinerary 1)

I'm sure there are some good rides in the middle and north of alberta as well.

If we did this right it would bring tourism dollars to towns that need the money, and make it easier for Albertans to be healthy.

I was in the Cuyana region of Northern Minnesota on the weekend for mountain biking. The entire region has full speed embraced mountain biking to the point that's a tourist destination and is reviving the region. Hotels, restaurants, shops, all of it is due to mountain biking there. Americans aren't afraid to go all in. Canadians can't ever envision big ideas.

[surferguy]

In this same vein - how come Nakiska isn’t a major mountain bike destination? I mean they have everything there to make it work.

[habernac]

Better trails closer to Calgary? Lift based stuff would definitely make sense there.

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by surferguy

In this same vein - how come Nakiska isn’t a major mountain bike destination? I mean they have everything there to make it work.

Probably because Murray Edwards is cheap.

Maybe AB Parks will give him another couple million or so and a bunch of land rights to develop something.

[Hack&Lube]

Whistler bike park is known as one of the top mountain biking destinations in the world. I've wondered why all those ski hills that sit empty in the summer haven't looked at that example and tried to replicate it.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Whistler bike park is known as one of the top mountain biking destinations in the world. I've wondered why all those ski hills that sit empty in the summer haven't looked at that example and tried to replicate it.

For sunshine and Louise it’s prime Grizzly habitat in a protected park but the ones outside the national parks like nakiska could bake sense.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by marsplasticeraser

I've talked to both Provincial and Federal tourism ministers about the huge opportunity for bike tourism in Alberta and Canada.

They just don't understand it. Like they don't even know that multi-day bike touring is a thing.

Once they did start to understand it, they immediately said it couldn't be done because they need buy-in from municipalities, Transportation minister, infrastructure minister, etc.

What is infuriating is that it's not that hard, just designate some underutilized roads as bike friendly and reduce the speed limit to 50 km/hr.

We could have some world class multi-day gravel (we kind of already do with the 40S + Smith dorrien) and road bike routes that would get people into alberta and away from main population centres.

I could see some easy wins for road bike routes such as:
1. Waterton to Canmore (get people staying in small towns all the way to Calgary

2. Calgary to Lake Louise (can continue south to Waterton or North to Jasper)
3. Edmonton to Jasper (can continue south to Lake Louise, and then Calgary
4. Edmonton to Calgary (basically allows a bigger circuit, ideally go near mountains.
5. Calgary to Drumheller circuit incl back via crowsnest and foothills (part of itinerary 1)

I'm sure there are some good rides in the middle and north of alberta as well.

If we did this right it would bring tourism dollars to towns that need the money, and make it easier for Albertans to be healthy.

I think to make this happen you need to brand it and demonstrate the success and have a list of funding requirements and improvements required.

So you declare the route to exist and build your group of smal businesses supporting it. Build a website and create what you want it to be minus the insfrasture.

Then you create two routes. The current recommended route and any concern areas and the ultimate future route with all enhancements. This makes it much more real then asking someone to create something from scratch.

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by Icantwhisper

For the Ghost you'll still be around 27-30, the Rustler I think you'll be fine around 26 or so. You'll have just under 700 meters of elevation vs the long version is closer to 1600. A five hour time gets you top 20 in the Range at around 25km/hr. Both would be a blast if it rained

Got what I wished for, don’t think it was a blast though, might change my mind in a few days. Starting to come to terms with it being type 2 fun

[Hack&Lube]

What's everyone's favorite gravel bike du jour?

I tried a Specialized Diverge, Cervelo Aspero, and Trek Checkpoint so far. Looking for a relaxed geometry and fatter tires mainly for comfort and safety to stay around paths in town (no crazy adventures planned) as I'm still suffering from the injuries of an SUV squashing my old gravel bike with me on it.

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

What's everyone's favorite gravel bike du jour?

I tried a Specialized Diverge, Cervelo Aspero, and Trek Checkpoint so far. Looking for a relaxed geometry and fatter tires mainly for comfort and safety to stay around paths in town (no crazy adventures planned) as I'm still suffering from the injuries of an SUV squashing my old gravel bike with me on it.

I'd go with the Factor Ostro Gravel, pretty much a do everything bike.
Get a second set of wheels and it's a great road bike.

[Treycal]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

What's everyone's favorite gravel bike du jour?

I tried a Specialized Diverge, Cervelo Aspero, and Trek Checkpoint so far. Looking for a relaxed geometry and fatter tires mainly for comfort and safety to stay around paths in town (no crazy adventures planned) as I'm still suffering from the injuries of an SUV squashing my old gravel bike with me on it.

I've been super happy with my Giant Revolt Advanced. Lots of clearance for my 44mm tires and with second set of wheels it's been a good road bike. It's hard to beat the cost of Giant carbon frames.

[bossy22]

use this site

https://bikeinsights.com/

You can enter in some bikes you've tried and compare geometries. Note, the Diverge stack height on this thing is to the top of the headshock, not the top of the headtube so don't use a Diverge to compare with.

Something more relaxed is what I've been looking for as well. Just can't make up my mind.

[Ryan Coke]

I found the diverges (and specialized in general) to always be more money for the spec your getting. Bikes are fine, but above market price.

Everyone I know with an Aspero loves it, there were a few minor things that made me go away from it but it’s a bike I would consider if I was buying again right now.

Very happy with my checkpoint, just a little heavier than some others, and available at pretty much any pricepoint. Although if I was buying again I would still consider other options, but not unhappy with it at all.

The Ostro gravel has the reputation of a good race bike, harsher riding, and I thought generally a pretty expensive build. I’d consider it because I’d enjoy racing it, and it would be a good dual purpose road and gravel bike if that is what your after. Not a very relaxed geo though.

The giant revolts have a very good reputation as well, and are generally very good value for the spec. There were some issues with the D fuse seatpost squeaking in some bikes, not sure if that has been fully resolved. It would be another one that I would look hard at if I were buying again.

Out of those I’d probably look at the Aspero, Revolt, and Checkpoint as maybe best fits.