http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-36670145

“The dead rider was taken off his saddle by the bear and the other rode off to get help.”

More like pedalled like hell away from the bear.

A lot of the Canadians I talked to about bears,were more worried about Mountain lions.
I did used to get ‘the fear’ when I was out on my own,and would try to kid myself on that I could out sprint a bear 🙄

I have a friend in BC who rides with one of these strapped to his helmet for this very reason (not to mention the bear mace in his camelbak).

Kind of puts dealing with the midges into perspective!

Mountain lions and big cats are spreading in the Northern US states too, my relations see signs of them on their property fairly regularly now (New Hampshire), together with a lot of bears, it is becoming a worry for them.

I have a romantic idea of spending some time ‘gravel’ riding over there, but the wildlife does put me off a bit…

Yeah,I always wondered how handy I would be with the bear spray.
Most likely be minced before I even got it off the frame 😯

Watched The Revenant last weekend, I am now as scared of the woods as Jaws made me of the sea, hopefully they won’t base another film around the average front room.

I was in Vancouver last week, mooching around an adventure shop, and overheard the sales assistant saying “what do you know about bear safety? I’d recommend this pepper spray…’

I laughed when i heard it..

Not now though

I spend a fortnight every summer in california, right next to the park where a biker was killed (may or may not have been taking a shit in the bushes at the time, they say) and later that day a walker attacked by a mountain lion

The next time I was over there it was like a Rambo convention; everybody was tooled up (sheath knives, guns, pepper). It all calmed down a bit by the following visit but I’ve since spoken to a guy who always carries a gun while riding (“for bears, not lions – you’ve no chance if a lion wants to ambush you but really they’ll just watch you go by”)

I mostly ride those trails alone, usually at dawn or dusk as it’s bloody hot. I do occasionally find myself thinking about the risk and do clear my throat quite often in what I like to think sounds “big” to a mountain lion 😀 😳 It’s done wonders for my climbing speed !

I try very hard not to crouch over the bike/my backpack etc while out & about but otherwise, pretty much all I can hope for is that I’m a bit too big to be seen as easy prey

I’ve seen bears on rides in Ontario and New Jersey and bikes are at greater risk because they’re quiet and can surprise bears. Generally so long as they know you’re coming they’ll go away.

Mcmoonter and I rode out in the backwoods of Idaho a couple of years ago. We met a bloke in the middle of nowhere with a shot/recently deceased black bear in his truck. That night we wild camped in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, specifically in Bear Valley… We took it seriously for the first time; grub up a tree and shitting ourselves at the slightest noise. We also saw very fresh Timber Wolf tracks that day. Happy days (-:

I’ve been growled at a few time while walking in the woods in Alaska and Alberta. It reminded me to make a noise, singing and clapping. Seeing signs of bear activity on a ride does detract from the relaxation element. I once had to ride the long way home to avoid passing a mother with her cubs while out for a quick spin one afternoon in spring.

I was riding in Whistler with a friend from the UK. I was pressing on him the need to ride close together to deter mountain lions. He thought I’d lost the plot, which is amusing as he was scared of the cows in the New Forest. That evening we were in a bar where the waiter just happened to tell a story of a guide he knew having to face down a lion.

I always carried bear spray in an easy to get to location while riding out there.

Bears I can live with. Snakes on the other hand!

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ypcgQRMSFs[/video]

After Canada, I lived in Texas for a couple of years. In the first week I was there I rode past a snake that was probably 6″ long. Naively, I thought it was a very straight fallen branch. Until I saw that is had a head.

A few months later on the same trail a snake fell out a tree and landed on me. It was only a little one and a lovely shade of green. I don’t mind snakes, unless they are swimming.

On the less scary side, I also saw a flock of wild turkeys running about they were very amusing. Not sure if flock is the right word to describe a group of flightless birds.

I was having a rest in an English wood last week I chuckled at how safe I felt. On the other hand I was surprised how few animals there were.

I’ve had an owl fall out a tree and land on my top tube, it started flying in between my legs as I was going along.

My brother went on a camper van holiday in the us national parks and bought bear spray at the first outdoors shop they went into. About two weeks later he went into another store to top up supplies and noticed they didn’t have bear spray so asked why.

“Spray just makes ’em really pissed off”

We spent 3 weeks in the Rockies on our honeymoon back in 2002. Very, very conscious of bears when we were hiking and carried bell so they knew we were there, but the advice from local guides was that by the time they were close enough to use pepper spray it was too late. And it requires the wind to be in the right direction, otherwise it just becomes seasoning for the bears lunch.

We were warned that a cross country skier had been killed by a mountain lion the winter before near Banff, and a girl was attacked by one nearer Vancouver while we were over there as well.

I’ll stick to squirrels and rabbits, thank you very much.

‘Hummerlicious’ (aka Jim Barrow) is on the Tour Divide route (with his son) just behind this event and his latest FB posts are concerning the decision to hire a car to bypass the area.

One helpful poster did point out if they hurried up, the bear would still be full… 😯

FFS Out there in August and planning to ride through that area solo. This is not helping 🙁

Tough times and rip. I think its roughly 1 death every 10 years in that Park. It is supposed to be a wilderness. I would imagine you’re more likely to die in a traffic accident on the way to the park.

There are a lot of differing opinions about the effectiveness of bear spray. It depends on a variety of factors including the type of bear I believe. If it were the last chance of avoiding getting physical, I’d take it.

It is true that if the wind is against you’ll just be peppering yourself. Fortunately the burning and choking will distract from the gnawing sensation on your head.

Bear bells are not very effective and people talk of them attracting cubs. There is a joke about identifying different bear poo. The punch line is that grizzly poo contains bells and smells of pepper.

Andy, I’m no Ray Mears and certainly no Bear Grills, but I’m not too silly either. Read up on what to do when confronted by wildlife and equip yourself accordingly. The biker I heard of being jumped by a lion was saved by his back pack. I have no idea if the animal assumed it was part of the biker’s body, but I liked to think so. Perhaps I am silly?

Like I posted on the other thread…
If bears hear you coming they generally leg it. Because humans equal danger.
I have spent a bit of time riding in BC/Alberta where the rule is shout before every blind corner because bears use the trails as a berry buffet and you don’t want to come round a corner and come nose to nose with one.

So either he wasn’t making enough noise or he got between a mum and cubs.

When I was in BC I saw plenty of bear poo and claw marks on trees and possibly a bear from the float plane.

Mountain Lions on the other hand will actively stalk you!

Thanks guys. Was in BC 2 years ago and came face to face with a bear – admittedly the other side of my bedroom window at my cousins and wasnt too concerned. My cousin lives in Rossland and isn’t worried for me at all (she has had many bear encounters).

I have done my research and I have also carefully researched avoidance and encounter action. I have concluded my fears are largely irrational – I am much more likely to be hurt in an RTA (look at poor Josh Kato). I know they are irrational but they are still there 😯 🙁

A few years ago on a dead calm yacht crossing the channel one night we ran over a fishing net mid shipping lane and I had to swim under the boat mid channel to clear the prop. I wasn’t overly concerned by the darkness, 3 large radar blips with an ETA of under 10 minutes, the water temparature or the mild swell as I hurriedly hacked away at the net. I was more concerned about the SHARKS! that I KNEW were circling me below – in the English Channel. Sadly thats how I roll 🙁

Condolences to the family of the guy in the the sad case linked by the OP. The press reports talk of a really nice guy. It hasn’t even been confirmed as a brown or black bear & they dont know the circumstances. But sad all the same.

The biker I heard of being jumped by a lion was saved by his back pack

I’ve though about putting a sticker with big pair of eyes on the back of my helmet – some random person with no obvious expertise once told me that they hate being watched, won’t attack if they are and that’s why you keep eye contact if you encounter one (highly likely to be bollocks, I suspect)

Not worried about Mountain Lions at all. They are just pussies 😉

What’s Colorado like for this kind of thing?

Got a mate who’s heading out that way this year.

Re Jim on the TD bypassing the area, thought it was more of a risk related to suprising a mother and cubs or ending up between them? But fair enough with his son with him. The TD has been diverted in the past, away from areas where aggressive male grizzlies are known to be. For balance people camp in bear country regularly yet bear attacks are very rare.
Andy, I’m usually more concerned by UK drivers than I was by bears in Montana. Take precautions, use a bear bell or whistle and read about what not to do, like running away or thinking you can pedal fast enough to get away!

If bears hear you coming they generally leg it. Because humans equal danger

Mostly the case but it’s also now well documented that Grizzlies in Alaska are seeking out the source of gunshots in deer/elk season to eat the resulting gut pile.