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Flying in to Vancouver on the 24th with my MTB - anyone want to show me around the North Shore?

Posted: 11 Apr 2016 15:55
by DADZSUN
I've got some work in Vancouver the week of the 25th so I figured I'll fly in a day early and bring my mountain bike with me. I'm hoping to ride the 'Shore'.

I'm bring my 'new' MTB which has seen limited dirt due to a winter which refuses to let go of Eastern Ontario (5cm of snow in Ottawa today... :evil: ). I'm looking forward to getting a few hours of riding in.

Anyone want to show me around Sunday afternoon on the 24th? Keith?
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Re: Flying in to Vancouver on the 24th with my MTB - anyone want to show me around the North Shore?

Posted: 11 Apr 2016 20:10
by McShagger510
Don't take that bike to the Shore. You need rear suspension and way MOAR travel in the front. Easy to rent a bike from the Cove Bike Shop in North Van for $50 a day (that was a while ago....) and beat on it without killing yours.
Hit up Cam if he's available and he'll take you into some gnarly stuff. :twisted:

James

Re: Flying in to Vancouver on the 24th with my MTB - anyone want to show me around the North Shore?

Posted: 11 Apr 2016 23:58
by KiKiIchiBan
Jealous, can I come over? Is that a 27.5+ you have?

Re: Flying in to Vancouver on the 24th with my MTB - anyone want to show me around the North Shore?

Posted: 12 Apr 2016 06:41
by bertvorgon
Hey Fritz,

As James said, that bike will not work on any "SHORE" type riding, it will just beat you up to boot. I have not been really on my bike for awhile, so my legs are in slow mode. Not sure if my wife has any plans for the 24th yet either. Will keep you posted.

Re: Flying in to Vancouver on the 24th with my MTB - anyone want to show me around the North Shore?

Posted: 12 Apr 2016 07:02
by DADZSUN
KiKiIchiBan wrote:Jealous, can I come over? Is that a 27.5+ you have?
It is indeed a 27.5+ rig, good eye! 2016 Norco Torrent with lots of aftermarket goodies. Somewhat ironic, based on the other posts, this frame is actually designed by Norco for shore-like riding.

45mm rims with 3" Nobby Nic tubeless tires at a mere 9psi, along with 120mm fork at a 67 degree headtube angle (!), a wicked short 422mm chainstay length and 125mm dropper post means this bikes gobbles up steep.

Bearing that in mind, I'm not a hucker or insane skinny kind of guy. I love steep and gnar, but also like my tires to stay on terra firma. :wink:

The plan was to try the blue/medium runs which look quite doable on Trailfork videos and then work my way from there.

Re: Flying in to Vancouver on the 24th with my MTB - anyone want to show me around the North Shore?

Posted: 12 Apr 2016 13:50
by KiKiIchiBan
A few of my riding buddies are heading back over, Whistler, Squarmish, 'shore and a few other areas, sadly I can't go. Managed to crack my Devinci Wilson on the chain stays and also on the top tube/seat tube weld. 2 seasons riding DH in the Alps killed it. Not enough time to earn enough money to replace it. Too much else going on.
Enjoy your trip.

Recap of Froome and Seymour rides

Posted: 27 Apr 2016 08:14
by DADZSUN
A quick update as FYI for potential future visitors to the North Shore.

On Sunday I rode Seymour which frankly was a disappointment. Many of the trails were extremely eroded with numerous wide sections and piles of exposed rocks & roots. I wasn't that surprised given the amount of rain and traffic that area likely sees, I was just surprised at the apparent lack of trail armouring/maintenance. Good Sir Martin climbing trail was VERY good with well designed switchbacks and natural bridges. Forever After (blue) was also decent.
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A couple of days later I rode Froome with a local I met at the Seymour parking lot. Wow, what a different ride! So, so good! A tonne of trail work kept things fast & do'able while still being difficult. We rode Leppard (blue), Crinkum Crankum (black), and Kirkford (black). We rode back up the access road to hit Expresso (blue, despite the intimidating 'Big Smooth' rollout attached) and Dempsey. That was an awesome ride and one I could easily do daily.
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Re: Flying in to Vancouver on the 24th with my MTB - anyone want to show me around the North Shore?

Posted: 27 Apr 2016 11:34
by two_68_510s
Glad the story had a happy ending!

How did your frame work out up there?

Re: Flying in to Vancouver on the 24th with my MTB - anyone want to show me around the North Shore?

Posted: 27 Apr 2016 11:35
by KiKiIchiBan
Stay safe out there! Looks like a great trip so far.
I plan to ride my Nomad on the Olympic XC course this weekend, but of ab overkill bike for the ride, but it's all I've got and as the XCO course is a 15 minute cycle from my house and I've never ridden it, it would be rude not too. Keep me off the road bike and out of the Lycra lol

Re: Flying in to Vancouver on the 24th with my MTB - anyone want to show me around the North Shore?

Posted: 27 Apr 2016 12:11
by DADZSUN
The frame was perfect for the blues and better-maintained blacks. I thought it was good in my technical trials-like East coast terrain but it's even better on the Shore stuff.

You may notice another identical (different colored) Torrent frame in the roll-out pic. That's how I met the local, he had the same bike and loves it on the Shore trails.

The plan is to check out Squamish later in August

Kiki, I hear ya,you've got to ride what you've got when the opportunity arises. My son rides his CX bike on some pretty damn technical terrain. It's all just perspective after all. ;-)

Re: Flying in to Vancouver on the 24th with my MTB - anyone want to show me around the North Shore?

Posted: 08 May 2016 14:17
by HuD_91gt
I completely missed this but if your back in the area i'd certainly offer a guide. I just got back into riding after 10 years out of the sport and now sporting my first dual suspension. A nice slack head tube on a hardtail and 5" in the front is all you "Need". It's how we use to do it, and the trails are probably in better shape now then they ever use to be.

Interesting to hear your comments on the Seymour trails. I find them in decent shape, but there is certainly a lot of "Shore" terrain. Meaning rocks and roots.