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  • BC BIKE RACE 2017
  • mrlebowski
    Free Member

    Anyone else entered?

    Anyone done it lately?

    What is/was your set-up?

    I last did it in ’08 on a SC Blur xc – certainly seemed enough bike then but times have changed..

    mikey74
    Free Member

    A mate of mine who lives in Vancouver has just finished the 2016 one, as a pair with his wife. It was an amazing experience, apparently.

    sweaman2
    Free Member

    So sweamrs and I made it though a very wet BCBR We apparently had more rain than the previous 5 times combined….

    This old thread from 2 years ago is worth a read.

    http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bc-bike-race-some-thoughts-after-doing-it

    In addition here are some more comments not covered in the above. Feel free to ask more while it’s still fresh in my mind…

    When there are 2 options for ferries make every effort to get on the earliest one even if it means skipping showers / not washing bikes. Ferries get delayed etc and especially on day 2 the second ferry (which we weren’t on) got in very late.

    If you’re going for meal plans then Plan A (the earliest) are allowed in Plans B & C but not the other way round. I’m an early riser and sweamrs struggles with breakfast so we went for Plan A to allow us to digest fully pre-race start each day and found it worked out fine.

    Despite it being “the ultimate singletrack experience” there is a lot of forest road climbing especially on days 3 & 4.

    Endurance is good but a lot of the trails are quite tech and require short burst of power to get any flow. Sweamrs had plenty of endurance but lacked power and so struggled with punchy climbs / moves.

    They have a habit of putting the most techy trails at the end of the day which can be quite demoralizing if you’re tired.

    Breakfast / Dinner is fantastic. On trail food at aid stations is average. If you’re towards the back plan for only 2 meals / day. If you’re near the front it’s a long time to dinner and a couple of the campsites aren’t near food so pack a few bars etc or recovery drinks (we did the later)

    The Holiday Inn in North Vancouver is a good spot for pre-race as they were doing pick-up of bags from there which avoided a schlep.

    Line-ups (queues in Canadian) are a feature of the trip.

    sweaman2
    Free Member

    On the set-up question… I used an Ibis-HD3 with 2.5 Minions 😀 but I wanted to enjoy the descents and had no illusions about anything beyond completing. Sweamrs used a SC Bronson.

    A friend of ours placed 3rd in Womens 40+ on a SC 5010 with 2.3 Nobby Nics.

    If I had the optimum bike it’d be a trail 29er so something like a Ripley LT (as I like Ibis) or a Pivot 429. You see everything on the race though. Another friend placed 68th (which is proper fast) on a Ti 29er hardtail and he was beaten by someone riding a singlespeed 29er+ bike.

    sweaman2
    Free Member

    A few photos. All taken by various BCBR pro photographers I should add.

    In Campbell river.

    Sweamrs ripping it up in Squamish

    The obligatory finish line shot

    Burts
    Free Member

    Yes, I’m in for 2017. I live in Vancouver now but have 3 good friends from the UK coming over to join me, can’t wait.

    BearBack
    Free Member

    I’m up for it again, raced in 2009 I think it was.
    Raced a 26″ 100mm Spark, would probably choose the new Spark plus 130/120mm with 29″ wheels, 2.4″ Conti Mountain King/x-King if I was racing 2017.

    I’d like something as challenging somewhere completely new to me though as the Squamish and Whistler days are my regular trails.
    Top notch event. Lucky enough to get to watch it roll past my house every year and see the buzz/joy/pain/hurt of the participants!

    bullandbladder
    Free Member

    I’m in, and very much looking forward to it!

    ybsurf
    Free Member

    I’m on the waiting list don’t know how many on list (probably a few hundreds) but heard of a lottery in November so finger crossed. If I got I’m going on rocky Mountain altitude full carbon with either specialized butcher/purgatory control or minion 2.3/ardent dp ending on weather I might go semi slick with Slaughter or rock razor.

    shortcut
    Full Member

    So I did it last year and 2015.

    In 2015 I used a Specialized Camber Evo and last year I was on a Pivot 429sl. Both with 120mm on the front. Tyres wise I had no issues with Butcher and Ground Control 2.3 in 15 or WTB TrailBoss and Nine Line. On Day 3 a lot of folk had punctures in the first 5 miles so take it easy on those descents.

    I would also back up the first ferry and meal plan A option if at all possible.

    Additionally if you get a Water Taxi option then that is great fun. I was never hungry or especially bored.

    Take a battery pack with you for bonus charging time.

    It is great fun and I will be there again.

    Any questions please do ask. Email in profile.

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