Cycling Thread

[The Big Chill]

I'm sure this has been asked and answered, but what would be a good trail for a few inexperienced riders to start on? We are all athletic, but new to mountain biking. I was looking at probably starting on one of the Bragg Creek trails.

Also, are any of these trails appropriate for hybrid bikes? My wife bought a hybrid, and I'm wondering if there are any trails that are easy enough for her to enjoy as well.

[Mass_nerder]

3 PRs and two tied PRs on the ride home!
Don't know if it was because I shaved my long-ish beard, because I raised my saddle a few clicks....oooooor because the wind was at my back.

Almost definitely the beard.

[darockwilder]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Was it this thread I read about the Cochrane guy that pulled a PIMking? Well, he got charged...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...raud-1.4216322

I had to laugh when I saw him on the new defending himself at his front door. He still had his wristband on from the hospital, and I'm sure it was over a week earlier he had been in there.

Just living the gimmick.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Which is why I wear a helmet when I'm riding at speed in traffic, and don't wear a helmet when I'm riding around the neighbourhood or on the bike paths.



If they're no hassle at all, why don't people wear them when they're walking around? More than twice as many children every year suffer head injuries while walking than when cycling, and seven times more pedestrians than cyclists are killed by cars.

Deaths per 100 million trips:

Walking - 15
Cycling - 14
Driving - 10

There's no question hundreds of lives and serious injuries would be saved if pedestrians all walked around wearing helmets. We don't because it's uncomfortable and a hassle for everyday activities. We're not willing to sacrifice that much convenience and comfort for safety. The Dutch don't wear helmets cycling for the same reason. The difference is Canadians don't really regard cycling as a normal, everyday activity and the Dutch do.

Doesn't the above numbers suggest that cycling without a helmet is more dangerous than walking without a helmet. Since helmet use amoung cyclists is sizeable it is likely that helmets contribute to reducing the rate of fatalities to the same rate as walking.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

I'm sure this has been asked and answered, but what would be a good trail for a few inexperienced riders to start on? We are all athletic, but new to mountain biking. I was looking at probably starting on one of the Bragg Creek trails.

Also, are any of these trails appropriate for hybrid bikes? My wife bought a hybrid, and I'm wondering if there are any trails that are easy enough for her to enjoy as well.

you could try bragg creek, but everything there involves climbing and dealing with roots to some extent, and a hybrid bike - could likely do it, but would present a challenge

Here are a couple of thoguhts:

- canmore nordic ctr - a little more wide open fire road/double track. there are a few painful climbs (EKG, Georgetown are two that I can think of off the top of my head), and you can stop in town for a bite to eat after - just make sure your bikes are secure or within eyesight

- the trails in the town of canmore - relatively flat, easy grades

- Banff tunnel mtn - fair buff single track, nothing in the way of a sustained climb, and it is easy to access as you don't need to go thru town

- there are some decent trails along the river in lake louise - you can then take the old tram line up to the lake. it starts with a decent climb, but then the climb becomes a more manageable grade, but it is steady. have a snack at the chateau and then ride out. once again, more fun on the way out as it si easy pedealling and you can open it up a bit as the sightlines are decent in several places

- the next progression would be goat creek or spray river. this trail runs from canmore (above the nordic ctr) to the Banff springs hotel - it believe it is around 20k in total. starting at goat creek and riding to Banff gives you more down hill. goat creek is mostly double track, moderately bumpy, spray river is a wide open fire road. if you ride this trail, you need to consider how you are going to mange the ride - because if you park at goat creek you need to get back to your vehicle. if you start at spray river, you can ride until you get tired, turn around and head back to your vehicle. to access the trail from Banff, drive up tot eh Banff springs hotel, then go right past the front doors, you will see the parking lot there. you can also do a nice little loop by taking spray river trail, until you come to a big clearing, there is a bridge that crosses the river and you can ride the other side, which is a little rougher but should be manageable for someone who can handle a bike - as I recall this is about a 10k ride. go for lunch in Banff (secure your bikes)

- the next progression would likely be something like high rockies trail (which I have yet to ride), but I know it is not technical, but will present challenges as there is a higher chance of bears - so be prepared

- red earth creek is a steady climb on the way in, but fun on the way out - which to me is the way you want it, but it will put off those that are new to the sport

ensure you have basic tools, tube, water and something to eat as I have found the ladies get a little grumpy and lose energy when they are riding and get hungry

use the trailforks app to get more ride data

[Fuzz]

High Rockies is far to challenging for a hybrid. It's not "technical" in that there aren't drops, but it is a grunt with lots of loose terrain. I won't bring my wife on it because I value my marriage.

Goat Creek is the one my wife likes, there are a few sections she walks but it is mostly good. We drive up the spray, ride to Banff, and she takes the roam bus back(it has bike racks) and I ride the Legacy Trail. Usually I get my dad to drive me back to my truck in the Spray, but I've ridden the hill lots. I wouldn't do it with my wife, but she can have a coffee in town while you suffer back up to the top in the dust... I think the whole loop is about 50-60 km.

I'd start with a few rides around Nose Hill. Lots of different types of trails, so if it gets to hard for her, just switch it up. Everything from paved to gravel to dingle track dirt.

[flamesfan1297]

Anyone else have issues with Strava sometimes? My last ride it said my time was 12 minutes long, but it was more like an hour, which made me average speed be 78 MPH. The distance was correct though.

[annasuave]

A happy cycling tidbit to share. When I first started bike commuting this spring, I struggled to maintain an average riding speed of 15km/hr. These days, Strava says my average is 20.1.

[KTrain]

If anyone is interested in a mid-September Gran Fondo, the Baker Hughes Gran Fondo on Sunday, September 17th is a lot of fun. I did it last year and it's a great deal at $101 (before August 15 - $122 after).

It includes a jersey, swag bag (last year's had arm warmers in it), breakfast and post ride lunch/beer, stocked rest stops and fully supported ride. It starts and stops out of Bragg Creek.

It's seems to primarily be an oil and gas professional networking event but I'm not in the industry. The event is a lot of fun and well run. At almost 2 months away, it's also cool to have a goal if you're trying to improve your cycling/fitness.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2017-bh...3433?ref=elink

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by KTrain

At almost 2 months away, it's also cool to have a goal if you're trying to improve your cycling/fitness.

Haha I mountain/XC and have never road biked but I actually want to sign up for that now. Looks fun.

[KTrain]

There are 3 distances (Picollo - 35 km | Medio - 75 km | Gran - 112 km) and staggered starting times based on your average speed. It keeps similar riders together. It's a ride, not a race so it's really just about fun.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

I'm sure this has been asked and answered, but what would be a good trail for a few inexperienced riders to start on? We are all athletic, but new to mountain biking. I was looking at probably starting on one of the Bragg Creek trails.

Also, are any of these trails appropriate for hybrid bikes? My wife bought a hybrid, and I'm wondering if there are any trails that are easy enough for her to enjoy as well.

Jumpingpound Loop was always our go-to for taking new people (and when we were new ourselves). I haven't been this year, but it's not too grueling, not technical at all, still decently fun, and has a couple points you can bail out to the car if it doesn't go as planned.

https://www.trailforks.com/trails/jumpingpound-loop/

[macker]

If you have trailforks it may make it easier to find but if you park at the Fullerton loop parking lot and ride east on Elbow then follow it back to Sugar Daddy take that east (so to your right) and ride that to Snagmore then right onto Snagmore back around to where you started. Decent short loop that has some mildly technical sections. If you want flat wide and trouble free take the Elbow trail back as far as it goes and turn back for an out and back or you could do the same on Telephone loop. Powderface short loop is also an easy loop that is used for an easy fatbike route in the winter but also easy in the summer. Mountain road also an easy wide trail to explore on. If you feel like you want more take Mountain road to Telephone West and join up to Braggin Rights the easy way and then onto Merlin, this will cut out most of the crowd.

[worth]

doing a gran fondo is something i am interested in but will likely not have time the remainder of this season. will definitely put it on the books for next year now that i have a proper road bike.

[ToewsFan]

.................

[Bigtime]

I'm a mere 42.6km away from passing my cycling total from last year (2559.3km), 3000km and beyond in sight!

[worth]

Well done!

[Northendzone]

I gotta get in the habit of noting the mileage on my garmin and resetting it each year as I'd have to think that this is likely one of my higher mileage years given the great weather we have had.

I was thinking the other day, that it would be kind of cool to know my total mileage that I have ever ridden since I started riding a bike way back when.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by annasuave

A happy cycling tidbit to share. When I first started bike commuting this spring, I struggled to maintain an average riding speed of 15km/hr. These days, Strava says my average is 20.1.

It's all those days when you decided to ride even though the wind sucked. Well done!

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

I gotta get in the habit of noting the mileage on my garmin and resetting it each year as I'd have to think that this is likely one of my higher mileage years given the great weather we have had.

I was thinking the other day, that it would be kind of cool to know my total mileage that I have ever ridden since I started riding a bike way back when.

If you've been loading into Strava, it will tell you all that. Garmin Connect might also.