Cycling Thread 2

[Northendzone]

it is difficult there days finding bike stuff or shops with a decent selection.
it can also be hard buying a helmet online as the fits vary so much between manufactuers.

What kind of biking do you want the helmet for mountain or road/pathway cruising?

My suggestion would be to checkout the followng places after you have looked at your nearby bike shops - sport chek, MEC (online or in store), primeau velo (online from Quebec) or jenson usa which has fast shipping and a lot of selection - but you need to spend over $150 to get free shipping

Originally Posted by Pizza

I'm in the market to buy a new helmet

Can anyone recommend me one? Budget of $100 or less

Someone suggested the Exclusky BGO, but it looks pretty clunky

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

How do your girls like riding on the back of the cargo bike, Kermitology? Mine is a couple years away from riding along with me, but I'm already looking at options.

They love it. I've taken them on some cruise rides down to the inner harbour a couple of times and it's nice that they can talk to me. The one downside is that they can't see past me very well, so they lean around, which causes some issues with balance.

They had a great time on the ride yesterday. I'm borrowing this one from a friend I met on Twitter who reached out after I moved to Victoria. These are so much better than using a standard Thule seat on the back of the bike IMO. They're pricey, but they have so much capability.

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by Coys1882

Thanks for posting this KTrain - couple questions:
Is the highway closed on Wednesdays for cyclists or some other reason I should know about?

Second - is the path you take beginning where the Red Rock parkway begins
just off Hwy 5 I think it is? Then you just ride to the end where the parking lot is and then head back?

It is closed Wednesday mornings just for cyclists (and pedestrians if they want to walk it). It opens again to cars at noon.

Here's my Strava route that includes the path. The path runs from Waterton to the toll booth at the start of the park. It's a road from the middle of the path up to Red Rock Canyon.

You can also check out Google Streetview to see the road and the path along Hwy 5. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Re...4d-114.0256083

[Kybosh]

Is the Memorial/lower deck of Centre St. bridge closure over now? I was surprised riding in to work this morning that the bridge deck was open to traffic again.

[Ahuch]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

Is the Memorial/lower deck of Centre St. bridge closure over now? I was surprised riding in to work this morning that the bridge deck was open to traffic again.

My guess is because of the 5 ave flyover problems they needed the route back, but no clue.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

Is the Memorial/lower deck of Centre St. bridge closure over now? I was surprised riding in to work this morning that the bridge deck was open to traffic again.

Yes it's over for weekdays, apparently the Memorial lane closures will continue on weekends until "snow clearing" season starts.

[troutman]

It’s troubling how many places along the river pathways smell like poo. And the air is full of bugs tonight.

Otherwise a lovely ride!

[Pizza]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

it is difficult there days finding bike stuff or shops with a decent selection.
it can also be hard buying a helmet online as the fits vary so much between manufactuers.

What kind of biking do you want the helmet for mountain or road/pathway cruising?

My suggestion would be to checkout the followng places after you have looked at your nearby bike shops - sport chek, MEC (online or in store), primeau velo (online from Quebec) or jenson usa which has fast shipping and a lot of selection - but you need to spend over $150 to get free shipping

Looking to mostly do pathway biking, but I'm wanting to have some kind of skeletal structure on the helmet. Not sure if the norm is the styrofoam helmets i've seen so commonly in the $50-$60 range helmets. Would those even save you from a fall onto concrete?

Sounds like a good idea to try on those helmets at those places. Though it's really tempting to find a good deal on Amazon

[Fuzz]

Foam helmets have been the norm for decades. There are newer designs now, but not for under $100. MEC usually has decent budget helmets, I'd look there first. I wouldn't trust Amazon unless you really know your brands.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

it is difficult there days finding bike stuff or shops with a decent selection.
it can also be hard buying a helmet online as the fits vary so much between manufactuers.

What kind of biking do you want the helmet for mountain or road/pathway cruising?

My suggestion would be to checkout the followng places after you have looked at your nearby bike shops - sport chek, MEC (online or in store), primeau velo (online from Quebec) or jenson usa which has fast shipping and a lot of selection - but you need to spend over $150 to get free shipping

You dont get free shipping from jeson to canada unless its over $300.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

It'd be great if Park and Diamond could actually follow through with what they promised... or if someone else could do effectively the same thing with similar technology.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

You dont get free shipping from jeson to canada unless its over $300.

the free shipping threshold is $150 USD - so what about $200 $CAN

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Pizza

Though it's really tempting to find a good deal on Amazon

i get wanting to save money; however, at the end of the day we are talking about protection for your head. while i am not suggesting buying a $250 helmet, I would suggest spending more money to just buy one that you like (fit is the most important criteria of course).

i'd try and focus on helmets that offer MIPS protection. I am sure that at one point I bought a MIPS helmet for around $130 at the bike shop (however, thier current selection is low).

I bought this helment from jenson recently: https://www.jensonusa.com/Kali-Thera..._q=kali+helmet. MEC has this helemt for $140. MEC shos some nice looking helemts in the $140 range

the Kali helmet is really comfy for my big pumpkin. i would say I got lucky as well as it fit nicely.

[bossy22]

as others have said, fit is the most important. I can't wear Giro helmets. They hurt the top of my head. I like specialized road helmets, and smith mountain helmets. Those are what fit me the best. Specialized has the ANGI system which can notify someone if you crash, which could be a good idea if you ride alone alot. You do need to have cell service for it to work because it syncs up to an app on your phone.

[Ryan Coke]

Has anyone biked up to Moraine Lake? Just wondering about what times are good, where to park, that sort of thing.

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

Has anyone biked up to Moraine Lake? Just wondering about what times are good, where to park, that sort of thing.

I've been up once but it was a Friday and early days of the Covid shutdown so travellers were light. I also rode from Canmore where I parked. It makes for a long day but worth it if you have the time and legs for it.

I saw lots of people parking in Lake Louise and heading up on bike.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

Has anyone biked up to Moraine Lake? Just wondering about what times are good, where to park, that sort of thing.

Traffic will be pretty light if you go after about 8:30 or so. The moraine lake lot fills up before sunrise with photographers and then again with hikers as the sunrise photographers leave. Outside of these rushes cars are only allowed up as people leave so if you show up about an hour after sunrise you will only have a few cars to deal with.

Some of the parking in lake Louise village doesn’t have time limits so you could start from there but those spots fill up early, you could also park at lake Louise itself but those spots also fill up early, you can park at the great divide trail head just past the moraine lake turn off but again those spots fill up early.

Worst case is you’d have to park at the Ski hill across the highway at the Skoki trailhead.

It’s a good time to do it as not having shuttles means minimal crowds at the lake and surrounding hikes. If you still have the legs after you get to Moraine lake adding Larch Valley as a relatively short hike is definitely worth it. You won’t ever find it emptier.

[Ryan Coke]

So are you saying most of the spots fill up early?

That’s great info, appreciate it. I’m leaning towards parking at Castle Junction and going it from there actually, but I’ve decided to do it in the next week or 2 instead of tomorrow. It’s the first day of school for one of my girls, so I think I’ll do something that won’t take up as much of the day.

But it sounds like a nice ride.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

So are you saying most of the spots fill up early?

That’s great info, appreciate it. I’m leaning towards parking at Castle Junction and going it from there actually, but I’ve decided to do it in the next week or 2 instead of tomorrow. It’s the first day of school for one of my girls, so I think I’ll do something that won’t take up as much of the day.

But it sounds like a nice ride.

On a weekend all parking on the lake Louise side of the highway will be full by 9:00. Castle will be full around 10-10:30 from my experience this summer with people biking with families To Johnson Canyon

I don’t think the lake Louise ski hill parking fills up. There are also some trailheads North of Castle you could park at too.

What’s weird is parking is terrible because the shuttles aren’t there but there are no crowds. So once you are past the parking problem it’s the best mountain experience in a lot of years.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

Has anyone biked up to Moraine Lake? Just wondering about what times are good, where to park, that sort of thing.

could could also park in town near the train station (although i am not sure how busy that lot gets as we did this a few eyars ago before LL got really popular again) and then ride your bike up the old tramway. this trail has one moderate climb and is railway type grade there after. As i recall it is crush gravel, so you may be able to tackle it with a road bike.

i have seen a few guys on strava this year ride from canmore to moriane. big ride, great scenery.