Victoria, B.C. Trail and Bike shop Reccs?

[bennymac]

Thirsty wasn’t logged when I was there last month.

Forbidden is undergoing a renovation back to its former glory. Had a super fun shuttle lap there recently.

IMHO it’s a lot of climbing to get up to Race Rocks - I’d vote doing two laps of Sobo climbing trail vs going all the way to top of race rocks - plus that trail was blown out when I rode it prior to BCBR- it’s gonna be even rougher now. Felicia and Potluck are ok trails but 2 laps of the lower trails is a better bang for your buck - again IMHO

[Dromond]

There is Cumberland campground on Comox Lake but it might be busy now that it's summer.

I camped there for three nights in summer ten years ago, and it was the loudest one I've ever stayed at with people belting out Rush until 2am. So it depends if that's your thing or not.

[jtran10]

Mostly looking for good blue trails tbh. Got our share of tech the last month in Victoria. But no flow.

Will check logging roads. In town now

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[bennymac]

Things that are great:
Riders Pizza
Biblio Tacos
Cumberland brewery (looks like you found it- try the forest fog)
The new coffee shop across the street from taco shop
Both bike shops (Dodge City and Beaufort)
Tin Shed cafe/coffee shop in Courtney if you’re down there for some reason
The bakery across the street from Tin Shed
The ice cream places in Cumberland (just down the street from brewery same side of street) and in Courtney
Swimming at Comox lake
The dirt jump park in Cumberland esp if you have kids on bikes (and the nearby water park for kids)

[bennymac]

Do you want a list of fun blue trails to hit or I can make you an actual trailforks route

[jtran10]

Do you want a list of fun blue trails to hit or I can make you an actual trailforks route

A list is fine. The climb looks self explanatory, road to climbing trail

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[evdog]

Thirsty wasn’t logged when I was there last month.

Forbidden is undergoing a renovation back to its former glory. Had a super fun shuttle lap there recently.

Good to know about Thirsty and Forbidden. Thirsty is super cool in winter when tons of water is flowing everywhere. It's rated black on TF, but I'd call it blue. Not hard at all and flows well.

I liked Potluck because of all the wood work.

I camped there for three nights in summer ten years ago, and it was the loudest one I've ever stayed at with people belting out Rush until 2am. So it depends if that's your thing or not.

I've never stayed there. Being on the lake, not surprised it would be loud in summer. No other official campgrounds I know of close by though. Sounds like dispersed camping is the way to go.

Mostly looking for good blue trails tbh. Got our share of tech the last month in Victoria. But no flow.

After riding Hartland where everything is uphill both directions, even black trails in Cumberland will seem flowy and easy. They're pretty well built for the most part.

[bennymac]

Yeah riding the road up to bottom of climbing trail is a standard warmup.

The climbing trail (sobo michi trail) goes uphill in sections and allows you to peel off in a few different places - but most of the time you’re gonna wanna ride it to the top. It’s a masterclass in how to build a climbing trail for all skill/fitness levels that allows you to maintain a pace that allows conversation with your fellow riders. The trail ends at a bench in an old clear cut at the entrance to “New Vanilla” trail.

But when you get there keep going up on the rough rocky road a tiny bit further until you cross a main logging road onto a brief climb called “Above and Beyond” - that will take you to the top of “Blueprint” - turn your suspensions on and head downhill on a gem of a trail that’s over way too soon.

Then flow into (all descents):
Hunky Dory
New Vanilla
Lower Thirsty Beaver

(If you need to head back to town at this point do Teapot/Slickrock/Dam Trail/Missing Link/FoundLink/Kitty Litter/SpaceNugget)

To keep riding from bottom of Thirsty Beaver turn right on the road and go to
Vanilla Climb
Old Vanilla (downhill)
Middle Vanilla (downhill)
Vanilla Bottom (downhill)

Then over to
Trestle climb (steep but very short)
Upper crafty Butcher (short climb then downhill)
Middle Crafty Butcher (downhill)
Lower Crafty Butcher (downhill)
2Flats to Bonestorm (has an obvious rock roll at the very end with a ride around - the roll makes it black diamond but it’s super smooth and well built)

You’re now back to town. Grab a burrito and some fluids and then see if you want to go back out for more - cause there’s more where that came from.

——

Other fun trails to consider:

Ride up Missing Link from the Spanker end of the trail and then turn onto Found Link /Lost and Found descent and then make your way to Orange Peels (fun mandatory small drops on Orange Peels - I’d rate this as easy black diamond)- this is a loop you can do from town in like 20min and is super fun - highly recommended

As someone else mentioned Space Nugget is also a quick fun blue trail and is very close to town so you can loop this in about 15min from the bottom - you can also hit this after Lost and Found instead of doing the drops on Orange Peels - just navigate over to nugget on trailforks.

Lower and upper Climbmax climbing trails to “Field of dream/Blue Collar” descent - this is a really really fun and long blue square descent (with a short but very steep climb at the very end)

Blockhead to Bucket of Blood Access to Bear Buns - these are on black diamond trails but are straightforward and fun especially once you get onto Bear Buns which is a great trail. You can also get to Bear Buns by skipping Blockhead - just navigate over on an old road from the top of the climbing trail and it’ll take you to Bucket of Blood access - follow trail forks to get onto bear buns.

If you get a desire for steeper tech you can link Blockhead into Numbskulls and Gravity - but these are Steeeep and gonna likely be very dry and loose and require one’s a-game.

[jtran10]

Yeah riding the road up to bottom of climbing trail is a standard warmup.

The climbing trail (sobo michi trail) goes uphill in sections and allows you to peel off in a few different places - but most of the time you’re gonna wanna ride it to the top. It’s a masterclass in how to build a climbing trail for all skill/fitness levels that allows you to maintain a pace that allows conversation with your fellow riders. The trail ends at a bench in an old clear cut at the entrance to “New Vanilla” trail.

But when you get there keep going up on the rough rocky road a tiny bit further until you cross a main logging road onto a brief climb called “Above and Beyond” - that will take you to the top of “Blueprint” - turn your suspensions on and head downhill on a gem of a trail that’s over way too soon.

Then flow into (all descents):
Hunky Dory
New Vanilla
Lower Thirsty Beaver

(If you need to head back to town at this point do Teapot/Slickrock/Dam Trail/Missing Link/FoundLink/Kitty Litter/SpaceNugget)

To keep riding from bottom of Thirsty Beaver turn right on the road and go to
Vanilla Climb
Old Vanilla (downhill)
Middle Vanilla (downhill)
Vanilla Bottom (downhill)

Then over to
Trestle climb (steep but very short)
Upper crafty Butcher (short climb then downhill)
Middle Crafty Butcher (downhill)
Lower Crafty Butcher (downhill)
2Flats to Bonestorm (has an obvious rock roll at the very end with a ride around - the roll makes it black diamond but it’s super smooth and well built)

You’re now back to town. Grab a burrito and some fluids and then see if you want to go back out for more - cause there’s more where that came from.

——

Other fun trails to consider:

Ride up Missing Link from the Spanker end of the trail and then turn onto Found Link /Lost and Found descent and then make your way to Orange Peels (fun mandatory small drops on Orange Peels - I’d rate this as easy black diamond)- this is a loop you can do from town in like 20min and is super fun - highly recommended

As someone else mentioned Space Nugget is also a quick fun blue trail and is very close to town so you can loop this in about 15min from the bottom - you can also hit this after Lost and Found instead of doing the drops on Orange Peels - just navigate over to nugget on trailforks.

Lower and upper Climbmax climbing trails to “Field of dream/Blue Collar” descent - this is a really really fun and long blue square descent (with a short but very steep climb at the very end)

Blockhead to Bucket of Blood Access to Bear Buns - these are on black diamond trails but are straightforward and fun especially once you get onto Bear Buns which is a great trail. You can also get to Bear Buns by skipping Blockhead - just navigate over on an old road from the top of the climbing trail and it’ll take you to Bucket of Blood access - follow trail forks to get onto bear buns.

If you get a desire for steeper tech you can link Blockhead into Numbskulls and Gravity - but these are Steeeep and gonna likely be very dry and loose and require one’s a-game.

Thanks for the rec. Did the first route top to bottom and really enjoyed it!

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[bennymac]

I’m experiencing “mudita” - taking joy in someone else’s good fortune.

Glad you guys enjoyed it!

[bennymac]

FYI if you’re riding tomorrow there is a trail running race going on from 7am til mid afternoon

[alive]

Had one of the best days on the bike this year with a similar route as Benny recommended. Blueprint, Thirsty beaver, Kitty Litter. Off broadway was a blast, but more tech. Will be back to explore more and will check out some of the other routes there. Was on the gravel bike but would love to try again with an actual mtb as well.

[bennymac]

Riding a gravel bike down Off Broadway means you know how to control a bike! Nice work