pedal

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the forums here. As the subject says I'm from Victoria, BC, Canada where we ride year round as we get 0 snow!! I ride many different types of bikes but lately my passion is on my new road bike. I've always been fascinated with long distances, so I'm training to do some Randonneurring next year. I'd love to discuss training techniques, hints, experiences etc.

Hope to hear form ya.

Robert Gardner

Pedal, when you said it never snows in Victoria, I had to get my atlas out and see where Victoria was located, because I had made reservation to ski in British Columbia 24 years ago at Whistler Mountain. Well at least you are near a good skiing area though I have since heard that the snow at Whistler is not all that hot. Here in Southern California I live within an hour of skiing too but it is not very good either.

pedal

Well to be entirely honest, we had 2 days of snow last year, which melted almost immediately. I've heard the snow in Whistler is usually pretty good, but having never been there myself in the winter, I can't say but it was good enough to get the Olympics in 2010! I've ridden the mountain in the summer and they have an outstanding DH bike park.

jeff williams

Hey, I live in Vic too. Damn rain, I ride mtb and fenders ain't cool.
I wrecked last month and am just getting going again. Glad you found the forums, hope you don't own a Krypto lock..
>jef.

konaroastabika is Vic also- who else?...

pedal

Ya I don't have fenders on any of my bikes. I sometimes wish I did, especially on the loooong wet rides. I thought my lock was a Kryptonite, but it was a 'Bike-Guard'. I tried picking it with every pen in my home and office and it held together. Whew!!

jeff williams

chainchainchain does my mech, Jeffs a friend from the p-rock days, great guy.
They do dh as well as the courier, road etc. I have a weird bike with a 140 mm axle and do custom mods..he's been great in dealing with my ' ideas'.
They are downtown and do day 'safe storage'.
>jef

zoogirl

Hey, welcome! I'm pretty new here myself, but I'm a lifetime Lower Mainlander. I actually finally got to Victoria for the first time back in May and I'll be back for a day trip in October. I won't be riding though as I'm assisting a handicapped friend. If you check my profile, you'll see that it's taken me a VERY long time to hop across the Straight!

pedal

I've tried out a few shops around town, and have always found Russ Hay's to be the best guys in town. I've been dealing with them for 5 years now. Their wrench guys have worked some miracles for me over the years. They also do shop rides, road/mtn.

Maelstrom 

Worlds number 1 ski resort 3 years in a row. We have had bad snow but still better than most as it is still powder. This year looks to be a record breaker (crossing fingers) though.

Welcome to the forums. Have you ridden mt washington yet?

Been in bc 4 years and still haven't been to the island. I really have to plan a trip

pedal

Ya, 2 years ago I joined Whistler Bike Camp for a week of riding. The coaches were the fellas from the Superheros videos (Brian O, Garreth Dyer, Randy Spangler). It was an amazing time, great coaches and Whistler's park is SOOOOOOO SWEET. Gotta love the chairlifts!! As I always say, my bike says Team DH on the side, not Team UH.

jeff williams

Hey, ever seen\ heard the cyclist who has a high power car soundsystem in a doubled bike trailer? Man is that thing loud, stuffed into 2 tupperware bins-including subwoofers, sick.
Gotta get to know him and invite to beach parties (doubt his rig is much good offroad, still, blaring 'Run to the hills' and bombing downhill would be fun untill the trailer smacked you in the back of your helmet.)

Maelstrom 

I really need to look into joining a camp. Did you find it helped you at all? I am having serious issues with VERY steep descents (not rockfaces but very technical rooty and rocks and steep) I have thought about doing a camp but have often wondered if it is worth it.

You should come up again next year. So many more trails, it feels like they doubled the size of the mountain.

oh wait, they did

pedal

Jeff,

No I haven't seen or heard of that guy, but that's hilarious! And ya a little Iron Maiden makes any ride better!

Maelstrom,

The camp definitely improved my skills. Those guys take it up to a different level and you find out what you're really made of. They definitely pushed me to keep up in the flow sections like A-line, but we also slowed down to do some more technical stuff like Schleyer. The 'campers' all sort of formed a drinking pact and took the coaches out drinking every night to try and slow them down a bit!! It was a blast.

Maelstrom 

Excellent. I might consider it. I just want to give one a try to see if it can help. Cheers