.... are there any other foolish people out there who have decided that Downhill mountain biking looks like fun and that they should take it up after arriving in BC.. I have bought a bike ("you spent how much on that push bike!!!" my wife keeps telling me) but have no clue what I'm doing, although I am starting to gain an impressive amount of scars.

If so, excellent. I ride (& fall) around Maple Ridge and sometimes North Van, so maybe we can share the cost of the emergency airlift one day.

You should head out to the Kamloops and Shuswap region before the weather turns, this area has some of the best biking in BC

So talk to me.

Downhiller and light freerider, Whistler/Sun Peaks/Silver Star shredder, sometime trail builder/maintainer, co-founder (est.2008) and Vice President of the local mountain bike club. Freeride renegade, dirtbag, stereotypical MTB baghead redneck, blah blah.

My bicycles cost more than most people's used cars.

R.

Your Kamloops dust shutes are epic.

Surf baby, surf.

R.

VP of the club eh.... sounds like you know what you're doing. I feel my hesitancy at the top of jumps/obstacles while I dig deep to find my bottle to go over them may slow you down somewhat. I've met some Canadian who I sometimes ride with, I say 'ride' as we start off together and then I find them waiting for me at the bottom with a kind of "what took you so long" look on their faces.

I need to stop visualizing myself as a crumpled heap of metal and blood every time I try and do something challenging. I had a few bone crunching falls when I first started so I need to stop thinking about the pain and just go for it. My worse crash to date was caused by going over a jump without enough gusto and my front wheel dropped and I was catapulted forwarded onto some unforgiving Canadian rocks.. If I had just gone at it with full speed and confidence then I would have been fine.

There are a few bike skills park near me, so this has been pretty useful to know I won't be impaled on a tree stump if I mess up.

Yeah don't get in over your head.

I don't do anything big. I'm too old and not enough years of riding experience. It's not full on North Shore here. Much harder, rockier, gnarly. We don't have the blanket of soft loam life in the rainforest. Here, a simple wipe out will break yer ribs like sticks. The trails/stunts are not built so well. It's rough.

In three seasons I had:

Broken ribs
Two concussions
Smashed up kness (three times)
Smashed up should (twice)
Smashed up foot.
Broken index finger (three times)
Smashed up fractured pinky finger.

I'm all about style and flow, not big hits or hucks. Just ride, have fun. And be sure to find riders in your own skill class, don't get pushed over your skill/speed level. A bit of pressure helps raise your game but not excessively, that's just bad news.

Do you ever go on Pinkbike or NSMB ? You can hook up with other riders that way. Or join a shop/group ride intermediate level. You have loads of entry/intermediate trails on the shore. Just gotta find 'em.

R.

Bandit and I went to Whistler a week ago to try biking down it but unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your viewpoint) all the rental bikes were already out for the day. would love to give it a go before the season ends though....

Honestly, Whistler's not the place to "try" downhilling. You were 'saved' by luck.

Try yer milder local trails first. There are milder trails on seymour. Some of the North Van bike shops do rentals.

Whistler will mash you to pieces. I have seen such stupidity and dumbness there and on other resort hills, you'd not believe it.

Some friends and I stumbled upon the downhill provincial championship or sumfink a good week or so ago, and had to stop and watch. Great fun - never seen downhill live before. We only had time to see the juniors, but there were all kinds - slow and careful, experienced and flying, riding on/running with flat tires and some getting a _really_ close look at the local fauna. Good entertainment!

Burnaby Mountain at SFU has some good intermediate trails, as does Alice lakes and area north of Squamish. Was at Silver star a couple of summers ago - very impressed with the range of terrain - the Mrs was happy with the beginner trails, and I managed to get down the intermediate without breaking anything. We steered clear of the crazy stuff though.

Oh, and the North shore is suicide

I've tried the bike park at Burnaby a couple of times, but not the trails yet, I'll have to give them a go.

Where do you park up and do you finish near the car at the end?
I only ask as I've rode on Burke Mountain and you end up about 4 miles away from the car, and I didn't have a clue where I was.

I was thinking of going to Whistler soon, but if I'm thinking it might just kill me. Maybe I should wait until next season when I have a little more experience. But I suppose who dares wins.

I've never hit the bike park at Whistler, but apparently it has plenty of easier terrain - just know your limits...... The cross country ski trails area around lost lake has some neat easier stuff, well maintained and it's free to ride.

As for Burnaby mountain - well it depends where you park
There's a pull out on North Rd that takes about 5 cars - thats probably the best spot

Hi Dieseltank! My boyfriend and I moved over from the UK 3 months ago..he's really into his mountain biking and I'm sure he'd be up for going out with you. In fact, i think he's heading over to the North Shore this weekend..i'll get him to message you.
As for Whistler, we just came back from a weekend up there mountain biking and I loved it. You don't have to be really skilled to ride up there..I'm not and was doing some of the blue runs..I loved it!

As Peahead just said, i'm up for some biking action. Pipeline has been the focus of my NS efforts so far, good start point, can always bail on the tricky stuff if you want.

I reckon Whistler has something for everyone, just take common-sense in addition to your bike and you'd be fine. Like anything else, go balls out with no idea what your doin and it'll be a trip to the infirmary. For me, I found Freighttrain was a perfect trail for my riding, good balance of fast and technical. If you easily ride the likes of Afan, Coed, Glentress back home you should have no problems on the like of Freighttrain. Not sure I would ride it on my hardtail, but the SX-trail i've treated myselve to is perfect

Anyways, i'll happily go riding with ye on the NS, got no car so it's tricky for me to get other places. Unless someone else from downtown wantst o provide a lift

a ride sounds good to me. Glad to hear Whistler is OK for beginners too. My outlaws are coming to visit for a couple of weeks next week and one weekend trip to Whistler could be on the cards... perfect chance for me to make my excuses and have a few rides on the slopes.

I bought a full suspension Trek , but not a downhill badboy when I arrived this year as I didn't want to limit my riding (as I like doing Xcountry trails too), but it seems to be good on most of the downhill stuff. If I get the money then I'd like to get a full downhill (a BMX and a nice little road bike is on the list) too.

If I'm not riding local (I'm out in Pitt Meadows) then I need to get a bike rack, so I'll try and get one sorted in the next week or so... hopefully we can hit the mountains together before the end of the season.