Moving to Calgary Area - Shop / Trails Recommendations??

**OneEyedDog** · 06-12-2007, 12:21 PM

Anyone have some recommendations for Calgary area shops to do a roadie fit for my gf? I know there are some mags that work in area shops. We'll be in Airdrie through the summer.

I'm also looking for mtn bike shop recommendations and / or trail info. I've checked out the Bike Bros. website (www.bikebros.ca) and there's some good trail info there, but anything else would be great to get out riding when I get there. (end of June)

Thanks.

**Eldo** · 06-12-2007, 02:17 PM

Buy this book. It is the Bible of mountain bike trail books for the Canadian Rockies.

http://www.rmbooks.com/books/easbac.htm

Note that the book is aimed at trail riders and not gravity bikers. If you are all about the downhill, check out the ski resorts like COP, Panorama, Kicking Horse and Fernie.

My favourite bike shop has always been Bow Cycle, down in Bowness on the western edge of the city near COP and the TransCanada Highway.

http://www.bowcycle.com/bc07/index.shtml

I have no idea if they are good for road bikes, but they know mountain bikes.

A maggot, Oarhead, works there a couple of days a week.

**OneEyedDog** · 06-12-2007, 02:43 PM

Thanks, Eldo. That's what I'm looking for.

I'm not too particular between trail and gravity. If I'm outside, it's good.

**mntlion** · 06-12-2007, 03:59 PM

that guide book is great, good info, elevations, junctions etc.

I can guide around banff when you make it to the mountains...

bow is good, large, busy, but from what I hear good.

also Brendan, and Noel at coulior in Canmore, good guys, can talk the DH or XC talk.

**OneEyedDog** · 06-12-2007, 04:14 PM

I'll be shooting you a PM when I'm that way, mnt, to take you up on that guide offer.

Not really getting to the mountains, just crossing over from west to east for various reasons.

**mntlion** · 06-13-2007, 08:32 AM

lake louise:

ross lake and moraine lake high line

for the banff area.
lake minniwanka
upper and lower stoney squaw

K country
Blady, prairie view/jewel pass.
Big elbow/little elbow

If you have time the jasper area had great riding too.

for road fitting. No idea personally, but
waypastfast in calgary, is a big Tri geek store. they should be able to help...

**finbar** · 06-03-2008, 03:22 PM

Search came up with this thread but was looking for more info. on inner city trails if there are any ? Going to be spending significant periods of time in Calgary this yr so will be getting a place and wondering if there is anywhere in or around the city that has direct access to decent single track, w/o having to throw the bike in the car and drive. Thanks in advance Calgarians !

**Gripen** · 06-03-2008, 03:58 PM

Try Mountain Bike City on 17th as well. They know their shit for both biking (including road) and skiing. My go-to-shop in Cowtown.

**Eldo** · 06-03-2008, 07:25 PM

From the inner city you can get on to Calgary's pathway system which has more than 500 kilometres of paved trails. There are various places where you can find single track off the pavement, including Fish Creek, which I think is the largest urban park in Canada, bigger than even Stanley Park.

There is also some single track in Bowmont Park, near Bowness, and 12 Mile Coulee. But my favourite XC riding in the city has always been in Nose Hill Park in the northwest. I lived right next to the park for a long time and rode literally thousands of kilometres there each year, sometimes every month of the year when the Chinooks melted the snow. Canada Olympic Park (local ski hill) has downhill biking with lift rides, but hopefully some day they will open the XC trails in a new area to the east of the ski hill that was purchased about five years ago. There is are some awesome trails there, which were used once for a World Cup race, and which I poached one day.

Unfortunately in recent years there has been a trend to restrict off-pavement riding in many areas, so some trails we used to ride in Fish Creek, Bowmont etc are now officially off limits (of course only to cyclists, not dog walkers).

I know you mentioned not having to drive to ride, but during our long summer daylight hours, many people throw the bike in the car after work and drive the half hour west of the city to the Elbow Valley and some of the best mountain biking anywhere.

Some links with maps that might be of interest:

www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/fishcreek

www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/kananaskis/pdf

www.braggcreek.ca/kananaskis/trails

www.calgary.ca/Pathways

**jetski** · 06-03-2008, 08:05 PM

[QUOTE=Eldo;1873360]Coulee. But my favourite XC riding in the city has always been in Nose Hill Park in the northwest. I lived right next to the park for a long time and rode literally thousands of kilometres there each year, sometimes every month of the year when the Chinooks melted the snow.
QUOTE]

Seconded...
I live in the mountains with a hugely extensive xc trail network both mapped and not so mapped and Nose hill Park last year was in my top ten rides ever.
Mind you if If I had to live in Calgary maybe I wouldn't be so stoked but man we had a good time. I think a lot of residents of Calgary have no idea how great Nose Hill really is or maybe take it for granted. Probably a good thing as we pounded all sides and ran into mostly walkers/runners.
Can't wait to go back and re-try a few climbs that got the best of me.

**finbar** · 06-04-2008, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by Eldo

From the inner city you can get on to Calgary's pathway system which has more than 500 kilometres of paved trails. There are various places where you can find single track off the pavement, including Fish Creek, which I think is the largest urban park in Canada, bigger than even Stanley Park.

There is also some single track in Bowmont Park, near Bowness, and 12 Mile Coulee. But my favourite XC riding in the city has always been in Nose Hill Park in the northwest. I lived right next to the park for a long time and rode literally thousands of kilometres there each year, sometimes every month of the year when the Chinooks melted the snow. Canada Olympic Park (local ski hill) has downhill biking with lift rides, but hopefully some day they will open the XC trails in a new area to the east of the ski hill that was purchased about five years ago. There is are some awesome trails there, which were used once for a World Cup race, and which I poached one day.

Unfortunately in recent years there has been a trend to restrict off-pavement riding in many areas, so some trails we used to ride in Fish Creek, Bowmont etc are now officially off limits (of course only to cyclists, not dog walkers).

I know you mentioned not having to drive to ride, but during our long summer daylight hours, many people throw the bike in the car after work and drive the half hour west of the city to the Elbow Valley and some of the best mountain biking anywhere.

Some links with maps that might be of interest:

www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/fishcreek

www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/kananaskis/pdf

www.braggcreek.ca/kananaskis/trails

www.calgary.ca/Pathways

Thanks Eldo, good info there !