#Canada

tag

Dirt by the Seaside: Bike Touring Texada Island

Reportage By: Pat Valade

Dirt by the Seaside: Bike Touring Texada Island

The ocean felt like bathwater. A welcome reprieve from the usual cringe-producing ice bath of the West Coast of BC. I eased my way in step by step, the water picking away at the grime and sweat of a full day, mid-summer ride. Alycia strode into the water with confidence, and purpose, more at ease around water than I am. I’m always worried about hurting my feet. We climbed onto the trunk of a huge old-growth tree just out of the water, a relic of the island’s history. I could see a white motorboat in the distance, drifting lazily. I tilted my head to see if I could hear the inevitable music, cheering and the yells that I imagine would be happening on a party boat. I hear nothing, only silence and the lapping of the water on the beach.

Keep Your Wet Gear Separate From Your Dry Gear with HMPL’s Gear Tote

Radar

Keep Your Wet Gear Separate From Your Dry Gear with HMPL’s Gear Tote

It’s a tote bag, but SO MUCH more. The Gear Tote by Canadian bag maker HMPL is packed with features to help make it the one and only bag you need when heading on an adventure, whether it be going for a mountain bike ride or heading to the beach. With a built-in moveable internal divider, you can pack your gear to the trail, then throw your wet muddy gear back in keeping it separate from your clean items! Not only that but it comes with one of HMPL’s Floor Mats for you to keep your feet dry and warm while getting ready in the dirt!

Specs:
– Available in 6 colors
– #10 Water Resistant Zipper bag closure
– Wet/Dry moveable internal divider storage system
– Water resistant “Dry” compartment to keep the goods dry
– Mesh vented ” Wet” compartment to air out the wet/dirty gear
– Internal Zipper Stash pouch
– External Zipper pocket
– Large External Slide Pocket
– Included Removable Waterproof Floor Mat
– W7.5 x H15 x L21
– 38L
– Handmade in Canada
– $333CAD

In stock and shipping now from HMPL.

Radar

7Mesh: The Crunchy People – A 7mesh Women’s Mountain Bike Series

7Mesh is taking its women’s MTB series to new heights in the Chilcotins:

“In the parlance of our times, the Chilcotins, if you are to believe social media, have been done. Ridden, rated, reviewed and photographed to no end. They’re an awesome place to ride bikes, but some would say documented to death. But don’t believe all you read – there’s still a lot more to discover.

So in the spirit of adventure, we made some calls to local 7mesh ambassadors Laura Battista, Megan O’Brien and Angie McKirdy, mapped out a route and headed up to the often overlooked Shulaps Range for one last adventure before the alpine shut down.”

WZRD Bikes: Ritual Rack LITE Preorder and Fundraiser

Radar

WZRD Bikes: Ritual Rack LITE Preorder and Fundraiser

Remember our Shop Visit with WZRD Bikes? Well, Em has worked on bringing this Ritual Rack LITE to life and is offering them for a pre-order for Canadian residents only.

These $500 CAD cargo rack/bar combos have the following specs:

Rise – 42.0mm
Width – 800mm
Back sweep – 10 degrees
Up sweep – 3 degrees
Paint – Black or clear coat over raw bar, brushed stainless rack

Em is also donating $50 per pre-order to  BC flood relief mutual aids and community funds. See more at WZRD Bikes.

Radar

Full Circle: True Nature Series

Joel Fuller, photographer, artist, and endurance athlete, is addicted to the energy of nature – both sides. Joel believes that being outside and pushing yourself is a pure expression of freedom, but also understands how the isolated power of being alone in nature feeds creativity. Join Joel and two friends as they give it their all biking through Endangered Old-Growth Forests in BC and discuss why the environment needs to be cared for and protected.

When I Say Hike, You Say Bike: A Swift Campout Double Feature

Reportage By: Pat Valade

When I Say Hike, You Say Bike: A Swift Campout Double Feature

It’s pretty clear that I really like bikes, and I really like camping. A lot of us are here because we like combining the two. I’m also very lucky that my partner also likes bikes and camping, and we live in a place where it’s fairly easily accessible to do both. However, For whatever reason, I’ve never managed to actually do a trip over the Swift Campout weekend, and, it looked like the same thing might happen this year! So, we decided that we might cheat a little, and do a close-to-home, Thursday night camp and take advantage of some beautiful weather. All the while still getting our respective work, and school days in. Ideally leaving the rest of the weekend open to *maybe* sneak another ride and camp night in, you never know.

Some Sort of Rhythm: A Bicycle Touring Story From the BC Epic Route

Reportage By: Pat Valade

Some Sort of Rhythm: A Bicycle Touring Story From the BC Epic Route

“Oh, shit is that a skunk? I’m pretty sure that’s a skunk”. This sentence can always cause a moment of trepidation on any trip, multiplied in this case by the tough day of pedaling we just had. When my partner Alycia uttered those words, we were already a few hours past the time we both would have preferred to stop for the night, and dinner was a distant memory.  Alycia’s DSLR had recently hit the eject-from-bike button and taken an un-dignified crash through the dirt and rocks.

Leaving Behind the Persistent Illusion of Permanence: a Review of the KONA 2021 Process 153 DL

Reportage By: Chip Woodley & Grant Hindsley

Leaving Behind the Persistent Illusion of Permanence: a Review of the KONA 2021 Process 153 DL

Modern beings are swimming in a self-destructive bath of distraction and doubt. “What is our usefulness?” we ask. What are we missing out on? Obviously something way better than what’s presently available to us. Is there a possible transaction of labor and capital that will permanently remove our doubts and self-diagnosed shortcomings? Is loving our own being possible? What is the best lifestyle accessory for our feelings of inadequacy? Such is our cruel method of measure, our search for moments of ease. This pernicious dance is as tedious as it is destructive. In this mindset, we will never be enough, never feel whole. It’s a zombie game that eats the possibility for our own contentment and moments of equanimity. This seeking is a cruel grift.

Radar

Soil Searching: Kamloops

Out of all the riding areas in British Columbia, Kamloops is one that truly draws me in. Part of the reason for that is the phenomenal job photographer Dylan Sherrard does on his Instagram account.  Then again, videos like this don’t hurt either!

Rapha Rapha
Shimano Shimano
Otso Cycles Otso Cycles
1Up 1Up
Shimano Shimano
Brooks Brooks
Paul Paul
RiG'd Supply RiG'd Supply
Leatt Leatt
Rivendell Rivendell
SimWorks SimWorks
Peak Design Peak Design