BCBR Recap Episode 7 - Day 5, North Vancouver *Crash!*

The gnarly North Shore is the stage looming on most racers' minds. Famous for its signature technical steeps, ladders and roots, it sure isn't one to take lightly, even though it featured one of the shortest distances of the week.

In preparation, I did a short loop the week prior with a qualified tour guide who showed me all the quick lines -- some were hiding very well. The Bridal Path climb was therefore my favorite section because I was able to avoid traffic, even while in traffic, by snagging all the secret up-and-overs. Flow is the key to riding the North Shore and once you lose it, it's really hard to get going again so I was stoked to be flowing like crazy. Partly thanks to preriding but also partly thanks to the condensed lesson in mountain bike skills that is the BCBR. Also it's possible I was too tired by day five to get off my bike so just letting it roll actually felt like the easier option. 

The day's most poignant climb was Old Buck, a trail as steep as it was long. It was a toughy and I was starting to feel like maybe I didn't bring enough gears as I kept grinding out the up. To my surprise, looking up from the wheel in front of me, I saw a racer coming the other way.  Then another. Then a bunch in the leaders' jerseys. What the heck? 

Our group started murmuring and this huge pack of riders riding down told us we were fine, they'd gone the wrong way. But it doesn't matter, you still panic that you're going the wrong way too. We reassured ourselves all the way up Old Buck while remarking, when we see those riders again, they are going to be mad ...

Apparently, rumor goes the entire front of the race had become victim to some course sabotage on the streets leading to the trails. A couple of our pink trail-marker flags were pulled down from a turn and that sent them off on a tangent. They had to haul ass back the first aid-station to make sure they checked in. I couldn't even imagine how bummed I'd be, but everyone I talked to was so good natured about it. BCBR is full of the best people.  

With heightened awareness of pink ribbons, I kept on trucking, processing nerves as I went but also really happy with how smooth I was riding. Thunderbolt was home and you could tell. It was a joy ripping corners, dropping steeps, and shredding through the tech.

Eyes forward!

That said, this is also the day I had my one significant bail of the week. In preriding, I knew there was a section that was a little too steep and loose for me to tackle. I planned to grab the hiking route because smooth is fast and I knew that running it would be the smoothest for me in that section. Except on race day, I was better than I guessed, and was happily following a flowy wheel through all the awesome rocks and roots and yup, down that same section. Just as I started my drop, my tired brain caught up and said "oh hey wait, we were going to walk this!" .... And I hit the brakes. 

Probably, I had it. Probably, it was actually already completed if I'd just kept my head up. But I "tripped" and the back end of the bike came up over my head in slow motion. Seriously I had some remarkable hang time. Enough to tell the guy behind me in a full sentence, "I'm going to need some room." Than *splat*. Full face plant.

Collarbonecollarbonecollarbonecollarbone ...?? Check. Hands??? Check. Nothing but a few scrapes on my elbow and knee and I had to pull the chainrings out of my hip but they'd only made a dent. Didn't even rip my Eliel bib shorts. The guy I crashed in front of was a doctor so that's twice in two years I have wrecked in front of medical professionals. But this time I knew I'd be continuing. Phew. Close call. 

I was proud of myself that the incident didn't get into my head and I got right back to riding with the same confidence as before. In fact more, because by then, Christine Shandro had caught up from getting off course and was keeping all the riders around us in check single handedly. With her on my wheel, I had the chance to focus 100% on regaining flow, until she'd got around the last rider between her and me. I led her until she was ready to dust me and then she was gone, fueled by that earlier frustration no doubt, but also offering an awesome clinic as I watched her. The North Shore is her backyard so I was only too happy to hop on her wheel.

I rode and rode, and some of the climbs were the toughest of the week, combining some line choice, tech and pitch that had you out of the saddle redlining around every switchback. At the end of the last single track climb, we met some awesome locals with the best signs of the day: "beer ahead", "ride it like you stole it" and my personal favorite: "only five switchbacks left". 

We saw this gang and their awesome signs later on the trail. Here they are at the start line. 

I knew where we were: the bottom of the final fire road climb that would take us to Expreso, the day's feature trail, and one I'd had the pleasure of seeing before last year, although this year, we'd get to ride it dry. Someone passed me what I swear was the most delicious orange wedge that ever did wedge, and I settled in and pushed lactic threshold all the way to the top, passing riders and eventually getting a great amount of space between me and others around me so that I could ride how I ride without worrying about holding up some of the guys who LIVE for this kind of stuff.  Wade Simmons and friends from the Rocky Mountain "Living Room" up top gave me a super soaker dousing for the road and I was off! Barreling down Expresso was a highlight of the week for me. I rode the entire thing where last year I was too timid to even attempt some of the sections. With a new bike and new confidence I felt like I did some of my best descending of the week so far. Plus, a rider I passed told me I had the best kits out there (I was wearing my Team Ninja kit so of course he did!) 

Even though I thought I was super fast, there's always someone faster so when I got passed by local (and fellow Rocky Mountain ambassador) Melanie towards the end of the stage I was a little bummed but I turned it into energy and got by her again, trying to stay on the gas to widen the gap back as much as I could. I did a pretty good job, dropping her on some of the trails through the residential areas, but her home court advantage was actually enough to have bridged to my start wave from the one behind. That means she had two minutes on me that I didn't realize were there til I checked the results. So although I crossed the line ahead, I was 6th on the day behind her 5th, and holding my 5th place in the GC, still enjoying the buffer I'd built up on Day 1.

I was thrilled to have survived the North Shore and was surprised how much it had been weighing on me. With the weight lifted, and my awesome team of mom, dad, and Gerhard, we loaded up and headed to Squamish in the air-conditioned comfort of our RV (which is the envy of most RV-ers we'd discovered ...always someone asking about "our rig"). 

The end was in sight but there was still so much racing to do. My brain was having a hard time getting it actually, and when we arrived in Squamish, a blistering heat wave was waiting and added to my addlement. No doubt about it, I was tired. With Squamish being the last chance to make any big GC moves, I wanted to have a good race. Gerhard helped me get refocused and we put some extra effort into recovery that night so I could be as fresh as possible. 

We joined Ryan Leech for restorative yoga, and then why not? I signed up for some recreational IV support, sucking up a bag of vitamins and minerals through a tube in my arm. More stretching, rolling, deep breathing, eating (the food on our trip was excellent!! Thanks Mom!) and then it was bed time. Squamish -- the tallest and second longest stage of the bunch -- was waiting to say "gooooood morning!" 

More photos from Day Five: 

Rise and shine! 

The start waves begin filling in

Game face

I was in the second wave, so I had the pleasure of trying to catch these speed-demons every day

Last-minute instructions from Dave

The support crew checked out Lynn Canyon while I was out racing

G and Mom, photo by Dad! 

Some of what they saw on their hike

Me, crossing the line on Day 5

#ninjaspotting! 

Checking out the day's results with Mom

BCBR update 2 from Day -1

I have been on the go a lot over the past couple of days - another couple of rides in, connecting with my parents who are now here in Vancouver, with Gerhard following tonight, and meeting all kinds of awesome members of the BCBR Family, including racers, course designers, bike patrollers and more. 

This year on top of riding (cause that's not hard enough), I'll also be sharing some "tales from the bike wash" for Bike Mag so stay tuned for coverage starting on Sunday. Let's see if I can pull this off, eh? If you're reading this and part of the race, let me know if you have a great BCBR story to share and I'll come find you :) 

Anyway, to keep it quick, here are a few pics I snapped on my phone over the past couple days with some rambling to go with them. Energy is building, excitement is palpable and everyone is ready to get rolling! 

I am SO thrilled to be working with my sponsors at Eliel all the time, but for this particular week, I'm on cloud nine. Just LOOK at what they have put together for me for this special occasion! I will be rolling in style. Gerhard has the new kits which on Monday were just a couple of jpegs, and by Thursday afternoon were fully printed and sewn, high-end, high tech examples of kit-doping. Look for these on the trail! Stoked. 

Spotted this 2016 Thunderbolt on the Cumberland Women's Ride (UROC) on Wednesday night. It was the best night. Thanks to the six women in my group for an epic tour and awesome vibes. Got a nice preview of the BCBR course over Blockhead and the newly routed Bear Buns, plus we did a bonus round on Climax with some time on Broadway, and some other new-to-me trails I can't name this second but that were all amazing. We rode until 9pm and it was still totally light out. Cumberland is heaven. 

This is the whole ladies' group meeting outside the Riding Fool Hostel in Cumberland - the place to stay if you're visiting the area, which you definitely should. Our group had THREE Thunderbolts out of six riders in it ... it was a THUNDERSTORM.

There are so many awesome trails in Cumberland, even the locals gotta double check the map. 

The Wednesday Night Bike Gang. 

The next morning, my Thunderbolt and I made our way over to the mainland from Nanaimo. Thanks to Gerhard and Christine for the lift -- I was the last one on the boat but just made it! It was funny to learn that your bike is treated like a vehicle so I got to ride on with the cars and then roll on up to the front. This is the view -- a first for me -- of us docking in Horseshoe Bay. I met lots of cool cyclists on the ferry and one day it would be neat to do it with a proper touring bike like they were.

Next, Thunderbolt and I hit up the bus! It was a long beautiful trip into Vancouver and I can't get over how many senior citizens use the public transit! And even more next-level, they ALL seemed to know each other! For $4, it was a nice alternative to riding with my giant hiking pack. 

After posting up at a Starbucks to do some work, I got a quick tour of Rocky Mountain HQ and then hit up some North Van trails with my tour guide, Bryan. Perfect "gnarly north shore" shake down ride and I was feeling great, albeit hot. It's going to be a tough week for hydration! After the ride, I connected with the athlete I've been working with, Bjorn, down at BCBR central for racers, the Holiday Inn. From there, we headed to Granville Island for dinner at The Sandbar with my folks. And check out these silos we spotted! 

When we got back to the hotel after a nice little tour of Stanley Park and the Lionsgate Bridge, we saw this sign and had to wonder.

And that brings us to this morning when I was caught having a threesome. o_0

Registration is today, and later I'll be moving into our home on wheels, the RV so stay tuned on Instagram for more shares a little later on. 

Tomorrow: Safety Meeting and transfer to Cumberland! 

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt - First Impressions

My BC Bike Race rig is here thanks to the fine people of Rocky Mountain and North of the Border bike shop. If NOTB is your LBS then you are a lucky person! They are small but mighty, carrying top Canadian and Californian brands, Rocky Mountain, Norco, Marin and Turner. 

My LBS is the amazing RIDE Cyclery, so Blaize did the honor of getting this red rocket all built up and rip-ready. When I first saw it in its stunning red paint job, I mostly just felt humbled. For me? Really?? Some days it feels like I've got all the luck. 

Since then, Thursday night, I have been out riding on this handsome beast every day. Here are my first impressions: 

Day one: the "women especially" RIDE Ride I lead on Friday mornings, through Calavera. 

I was happy for this to be the first outing because I knew it would be shorter, which is important to me when dialing in a new rig. Sometimes, the littlest thing out of whack, e.g. seat height, won't show its ugly face until you're sore the next day. Millimeters matter. 

On the climbs, the Thunderbolt surprised me with its "stick-to-it-iveness" thanks to its XC inspired geometry. With only small inputs from me, I could easily keep the front wheel down and the back wheel catching, even over uneven terrain. This thing climbs. 

But point it downhill and it's a fire-red fiesta. The first time I got the chance to let it fly, I picked up a QOM and felt like I was more in control and confident in that section than I ever have before. And this is the first ride!! I hadn't even begun to play with the Ride-9 chip! We are off to a great start. 

For more Thunderbolt thinking, check out the post that explains why I chose it. 

Day 2: the regular RIDE Ride, Saturday morning, Calavera 

This ride is decidely more "dudely" and the training plan said "no rules" so off we went to add in some mileage, steepness, and tech. 

Right off the bat, I was wowed again by the Thunderbolt's climbing prowess. First climb was very steep and loose and we went up like it had an escalator. Bam. 

The rest of the day featured some tech descents and the dropper post made such a difference for me. Confidence was sky high. 

Jumps were fun and easy, and the bike is a joy to get off the ground, while landings were solid and squirrel free. 

I felt like this bike made me a better rider by the end of this one. The "gel" had begun in earnest. And with no tweaks, aches or pains to speak of, I was ready for Sunday. 

Day 3: La Costa with the "Fountain Ride"

For me, this would be a true test. La Costa is my backyard and the place where I've done by far the most riding in North County. When I'm testing/reviewing bikes for MTBR I always make sure to do a La Costa ride because the trail is so old hat I can really tell what difference the bike makes. 

The Thunderbolt pedals so well you can forget it has rear suspension at all. On the flat ride into the Copper Creek section, it was almost getting away from me as my velocity was always greater than I thought I deserved. A good thing! 

First climb is a real bitch taking almost 20 huff puff minutes to the top. But at least it's steep. The pitch and technicality of it were welcome though and the Thunderbolt thought nothing of it. 

By the top of this thing, with lots of hard rides on my legs, stress in my life, and sun beating down, I did start to feel the weight of the bike a bit.  I'll be looking at ways to lighten up but the spec is already drool-worthy so that will be a challenge. 

Coming down La Costa I learned my new favorite thing about the Thunderbolt: corners. Especially descending switchback corners. 

With the wide bar, and slacker geometry, I felt like one of those guys in the DH videos who just slice through the bottom of a turn and come catapulted out the other side. I'm sure that's not how I looked but it was still an awesome sensation. One of many good vibrations rumbling from the Thunderbolt. 

Whereas before adopting this handsome devil I had to take deep calming breaths remembering the ferocious terrain of the BC Bike Race, now I can hardly wait to get at it.  

I'm so happy with how well my homework paid off; I absolutely made the right choice. Thank you Rocky Mountain Bikes. This one's a fighter. 

"Rocky Balboa." 

Why The Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt Is My Bike Of Choice For The 2015 BCBike Race

Up

The coveted BCBR Belt Buckle

Update: First Impressions post now up! 

After dashing last year's hopes for a shiny BC Bike Race belt buckle in a dismal example of why you should always keep the chit chat to a minimum and watch where you're going (or else risk falling on your face, and breaking your hand), I have rallied, my support crew has rallied, and we are going back to [hopefully] finish this thing.

We learned a lot from our maiden voyage and this year's campaign will be even better than before. Mom has already started booking our campsites, Dad picked out an RV that is bigger and badder than last year's rig, and Gerhard is putting up with an absentee wife while I am busy logging those base miles.

But I think the thing I am most excited about for the 2015 BCBR, is getting to ride it on the 2015 Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt MSL 770.  The decision has been made, the order is on the books, and this red rocket will be here in just three short months.

Thunderbolt MSL 770 on the Interbike floor, where we first met. Jon Grinney photo

For those of you wondering what bike to choose for the "Ultimate Singletrack Experience," here are the six things that tipped the scales for me. And believe me ... I did not make this decision lightly. My coach and I carefully evaluated the geometry and specs of about six frontrunners on the short list. When we put all the data into an elaborate excel spreadsheet, the Thunderbolt was the clear winner.

GEOMETRY

When picking a bike out, there are two schools of thought: play to your strengths, or play to your weaknesses. Last year, I chose my Trek Top Fuel over a loaner Juliana Furtado because when it comes to BC single track, my strength is climbing, and I didn't want to bring the extra weight of the Furtado. The Top Fuel is a pure XC race machine ... which for me, I discovered, is not the bike for the BCBR.

Ride-9 chip. Jon Grinney photo.

The Thunderbolt's geometry is almost purpose-built for this race. I'm getting a slacker head tube angle so technical descents and rough trail will be more manageable, but not so slack that I'm sacrificing on the climbs.  And with Rocky Mountain's Ride-9 technology, you can actually change the geometry to match the stage you're on. Genius. The chip has nine different settings that move the shock mount-point into different configurations: Forward = Aggressive, Back = Efficient, Up = Lightweight Riders, Down = Heavyweight Riders.



The RIDE-9™ System Explained from Rocky Mountain Bicycles on Vimeo.


It also comes shod with 27.5-inch wheels, which are a great choice for demanding trails, especially for riders of my stature. Basically, choosing the Thunderbolt means I don't have to play to either my strengths or weaknesses ... it's almost like magic how much capability is packed into this one frame.

SUSPENSION

My Top Fuel gave me 100mm in the front and back and to be honest, I didn't feel like I was coming up short in this area in last year's race. But, more is always nice, so the 120mm that comes with the Thunderbolt is a welcome addition. Rocky Mountain also thoughtfully included a remote for the rear shock -- for me, that's a critical feature that will ensure I make use of the shock's settings, even on the fly.

The suspension is also the feature that put the 770 MSL past the BC Edition of the Thunderbolt. For me, at 125 lbs race weight, a 130mm Rockshox Pike is a bit much ... though dang, that bike was a close second. If you're a guy reading this, I think that's what I would recommend. For us lighter-weight riders, we can get away with less.

DROPPER POST 

I think one of the biggest lessons I learned (the hard way) at the race last year is that a dropper post is mandatory. There is just so much technical descending, a little help getting your seat out of the way is a no-brainer. The Thunderbolt comes spec'd with the one I'd choose: the RockShox Reverb Stealth. I like that it's the most reliable one I've tried, and you can drop/raise it to whatever height you like, rather than pre-set levels.

Me, racing the 2014 BCBR, stage 1, North Vancouver
Margus Riga photo

2X 

It's not that I have anything against a 1X system ... but for this race--with 29,000 feet of climbing--I'm a fan of keeping a smaller chain ring. Shimano's XT has always been my go-to for its low-maintenance, reliable, takes-all-of-my-abuse capabilities. With Rocky's add of the XTR rear derailleur 'great' just got better. For me, a less-cluttered cockpit is a big price to pay for the tendonitis I'd get from rifling through my gears up and down, rather than a single left-hand shift. I like gears. I use all of them.

PAINT

It's red. Red is fast. And it's also the color of my very first "real" mountain bike. The one I got because I wanted something "cool" to ride when my Raleigh Tarantula was stolen--my gateway into the sport. It was a Rocky Mountain, too. A Fusion to be exact, with a RockShox Judy fork. I loved that bike and the places it took me. I get nostalgic thinking about it, so for me, the paint comes with some very good vibrations.

RED hot. Jon Grinney photo.

IT'S CANADIAN 

Rocky Mountain is an awesome Canadian brand that's now in its 30s. But more than that, it's British Columbian. These guys build bikes they'd want to ride in their back yard. Which happens to be where the BC Bike Race takes place. So for me, there's an extra level of confidence that comes from knowing that the bike I chose has been tested and tried against the very terrain waiting for me and 599 other racers this July.

***

The BC Bike Race is a "cross country" event, but it's a little more than that. The enduro sections are challenging, the single track is technical and though you'll want to bring an XC racer's fitness to the start line, you'll also benefit from a downhiller's technical skills. That's why when choosing a bike for the BC Bike Race, you need a little more than a cross country bike. The Thunderbolt is the perfect amount of "more."

But wait, there's more more! When I let Rocky Mountain know I was totally enamoured with their new Thunderbolt--in carbon this year for the first time--they were stoked too and made me an official ambassador. That's why in 2015, not only am I thrilled that a Thunderbolt will be taking up residence with me, but also a Vertex, their 29er hardtail, for all the racing leading up to BCBR.

More on that beauty later, but before we get another minute into 2015, I wanted to share this most exciting news for the upcoming year. Thank you so much, Rocky Mountain!

Over the coming weeks, I'll be sharing even more news like this welcoming all of the amazing support that has come to the table in 2015 so stay tuned. It's going to be an awesome year. Love the ride!!