Cycling Thread

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by cral12

Friend recommended a Smith Forefront helmet - cool design.

Any other opinions, options?

As I mentioned below, I saw this helmet for the first time ever at fernie and they were selling them for $300......they are a unique and cool looking bucket, but for the price, your options are limitless as a fox flux is about $130 and a Troy lee a1 is almost $200.

I am sure I read on mtbr that one poster commented on how this helmet is hot, which was a very surprising comment given the design.

[cracher]

Originally Posted by bossy22

I'm currently at the Nordegg Fat Tire Festival out at Frontier Lodge. Awesome little event. Lots to do all around biking. Downhill rides, guided cross country for all levels, slope style course and race, pump track, dirt jump course, north shore style trails too. Fun events like obsticle courses, lake jumps, bike toss, and a high jump. Extremely family friendly. Camping isn't great at the lodge but down the road a couple km is fish lake campground. The lodge does have bunk houses for rent and they provide a meal program too. It is a dry lodge so beverages must be discrete. A camper made a comment on how much coffee I drink.

I had to google Nordegg and hit zoom-out 8 times before I figured out it was east of Ded Reer. Do you know the rough price-point of guided tour up there? And would you ride up there again? Me and 3 buddies were looking at guided AM riding in Flagstaff/Sedona in the fall, but the USD is making it less accessible to us (also 2 in our group were recently laid-off unfortunately). Even Canadian options such as Pemberton and Whistler are no-gos. This just might be what saves the trip...

[Northendzone]

^ would fernie be an option?

[bossy22]

Originally Posted by cracher

I had to google Nordegg and hit zoom-out 8 times before I figured out it was east of Ded Reer. Do you know the rough price-point of guided tour up there? And would you ride up there again? Me and 3 buddies were looking at guided AM riding in Flagstaff/Sedona in the fall, but the USD is making it less accessible to us (also 2 in our group were recently laid-off unfortunately). Even Canadian options such as Pemberton and Whistler are no-gos. This just might be what saves the trip...

The guided tours are during the fatbike festival. It was $35 for a day of activities. The trails are awesome for families. Lots of kids riding there. I had fun but wouldn't go with buddies.
If you are looking for an awesome weekend, go to Helena. Stay downtown at the holiday inn. Right around the corner is a free bike shuttle called the trailrider. 1/2 block away is the Blackfoot brewery. The locals are awesome. The trails even better. It's my favorite long weekend trip. I could probably hook you up with somebody to show you around.

[cracher]

Thanks for the sugguestions!

The difficulty in the situation are the personalities involved. The 2 unemployed guys are in their late 30s but have 60 year old O&G mentality: work 12 hour days, tell the kid a bedtime story about compressor stations, and have so much unbending pride that nobody is allowed to help. I've already offered to take care of flights with aeroplan, and the other guy has volunteered his mariott points for hotel. No go.

Re: Fernie: Have not considered it because it has always been the opposite of cheap. I know what my bills have been after a couple nights and a 1/2 day spa at the lizard creek. But late fall is shoulder-season so I'll definitely check pricing. Love riding crowsnest...

Re: Helena. Have started looking at this. Looks like some pretty extensive trail networks over there. And beer? This may be an awesome option. No flight and not paying metropolitan tourist prices on everything. Sweet.

[bossy22]

If you want more info on Helena let me know. We go down every year, and have ridden most of the trails. The people are amazing down there. Super friendly. One year we were passing through with a trailer I just bought so I stopped at the bike shop to ask where I can camp. I explained I'm here to bike not camp, so I'd like something convenient. The owner told me to just park it on his driveway. He lived right next to one of the trail heads.
First time we took the trailrider, the locals just started chatting with us. They thought it was awesome that we came down to bike. Then they had us follow them on an awesome route back to town, and we met them at the brew pub.
We met the guys who started Bike Helena and now are always inviting us down to ride or at minimum get together at the blackfoot for a beer. I had some female friends looking to go for a girls weekend, so I emailed the guys, and they were going to have their wives arrange some riding with them to show them around.
It's the most unpretentious weekend you'll experience. Just a lot of down to earth people. Kind of the opposite of here. It's pretty refreshing.

[Hack&Lube]

Has anybody ever cycled from Okotoks to Calgary? I'm doing the Ride to Conquer Cancer this weekend and debating just coming back home via bike to sleep over night and heading back out in the morning.

Any tips or safer routes?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Has anybody ever cycled from Okotoks to Calgary? I'm doing the Ride to Conquer Cancer this weekend and debating just coming back home via bike to sleep over night and heading back out in the morning.

Any tips or safer routes?

I'm doing the RTCC as well, and I'll be doing what I always do, have my wife pick me up and take me home! Not a fan of the tents. Did it once and it rained. Waking up cold and wet to ride 120km is not fun.

Anyway, I can't advice you on routes, but are you sure you want to add another 20km(minimum, you didn't say to where) to both days? Going to mean a really early start Sunday. Anyway, I'd Google Street view some of the country roads and see what looks best. Don't forget to have lights for the morning ride back.

EDIT: One year the ride came from Spruce Meadows down RR 14 to 32nd st to Okotoks, I remember that road being OK.

[macker]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Has anybody ever cycled from Okotoks to Calgary? I'm doing the Ride to Conquer Cancer this weekend and debating just coming back home via bike to sleep over night and heading back out in the morning.

Any tips or safer routes?

A quiet way I take is to take Elizabeth Street West out of town and that turns into hwy 549 take that north and it turns into 32 Street north to Dunbow Road which you take west to RR14 (Spruce Meadows Way) take that back to James Mckevitt. Typically a very quiet route that is about 27kms each way and takes an hour with some rolling hills. The entire out and back is about 479M of gain so that is also something to consider but there is no way I would go on the busy highway so for me this is the only way to go.

[Coys1882]

Ventured out into West Bragg Creek for the first time on holiday Monday and had a great time. I took it easy for first real time out on my own and did the Northern Flow Loop which consists of Bragging Rights -> Reconnect -> Long Distance south back to the carpark. What a great morning!! Everyone was so friendly and courteous.

[Northendzone]

Taking a week off the bike after spending the last couple of days in fernie....rode at fernie alpine resort (good, but silver star in Vernon is better), rode the lazy lizard trail twice (I thought the trail was awesome, steady but manageable climbing going in, super flowy on the way out - really buff hardpack)...will reload my brake pads, clean and lube my rig in anticipation of spending Wednesday to Saturday in whitefish......plan to ride whitefish trail and the resort

[bossy22]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

Taking a week off the bike after spending the last couple of days in fernie....rode at fernie alpine resort (good, but silver star in Vernon is better), rode the lazy lizard trail twice (I thought the trail was awesome, steady but manageable climbing going in, super flowy on the way out - really buff hardpack)...will reload my brake pads, clean and lube my rig in anticipation of spending Wednesday to Saturday in whitefish......plan to ride whitefish trail and the resort

Best part of the whitefish trail is the beaver lakes road loop. Also recommend the pig farm for smaller kids. No climbing, just ripping around on singletrack. A good one that's a little more advanced is the Reid Divide trail. So much fun. Also, I believe they finished the work on Spencer Mountain. Lots of fun to be had there. Fire road up, super easy and takes about 10 mins, but lots of singletrack down.
I've ridden the ski hill, and aside from a couple ok runs, there is more fun to be had elsewhere.

[TSXCman]

Mounted a slightly used Brooks B17 saddle on my hybrid last week... HOLY CRAP!!! This thing is amazing! My last seat was a huge improvement over my stock and the brooks seat is ridiculously comfortable. The leather even has a slight give that acts as a shock absorber to the road. Big fan here.

Next up, I am going to get some smoother road tires for my 700 wheels. I have some dirt treads on there, but I am only riding to work and back on roads.

[Minnie]

A friend just sent me this - yes, it's a kickstarter thing, but that bike rack is great.

Link to KS campaign video

[Fuzz]

Interesting, but seams expensive for what it is. Modifiable wheel baskets would be better than needing fixed sizes.

Reminds me though of a rack I built.


Only cost about $50 in material. I put it in the back of my S-10 pickup and can take 4 bikes under a truck cap, so they aren't hanging off the back. My dad built one and put it in his trailer. Plus you can pull it out easily and stand bikes up if you go camping or something. Very handy.

[bossy22]

Originally Posted by Minnie

A friend just sent me this - yes, it's a kickstarter thing, but that bike rack is great.

Link to KS campaign video

It's an off shoot of the north shore racks and rat racks (built here in Calgary). North Shore can't carry road or fatbikes, and the rat racks can't carry road bikes. Richard is a huge fat biker, so he adjusted his rack to fit fatbike tires as well. Both North Shore and Rat Racks can carry up to 6 full size bikes. You have to buy that size of course.

[Northendzone]

Seems like a very practical idea - I hope that he can bring his cost down because at $900 he is getting close to Kurt territory.

When I looked at North shore racks they were $600 ish plus shipping

[macker]

https://www.seasucker.com/shop/1187/

Chain Reactions has started "carrying" these
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/c...A&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Minnie]

Haven't got a truck for our bikes so we're stuck with ye Olde bike rack on the back of the car. Need a bike rack for the shed though - father in law is visiting in a couple weeks and always wants a project. I'll show him what you've built, Fuzz - he can make me one.

[bossy22]

Originally Posted by macker

https://www.seasucker.com/shop/1187/

Chain Reactions has started "carrying" these
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/c...A&gclsrc=aw.ds

I saw a Porsche carrying a couple of road bikes with these. He was out at the Deadgoat Gravel Grinder race.

I'm debating on the Kuat NV or the 1up USA rack. Need to carry 4 bikes. Road and Mountain and Fat. I have an old swagman xtc 2 with the 2 bike addon. Hate it.