Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

MTB TRAILS

Kamloops Bike Riders Association preaches patience for start of cycling season

Mar 16, 2021 | 5:06 PM

KAMLOOPS — With the snow mostly melted, many of the activities associated with warmer weather are starting soon. One of those activities that Kamloops is well-known for is mountain biking. CFJC’s Adam Donnelly caught up with the Kamloops Bike Riders Association to find out about early season riding conditions and why important to stay patient early in the season.

“As good as some of the other areas are, every time I come home and ride Kamloops… man, I get pretty excited and feel pretty lucky for that.”

Kamloops has long been known for the quantity and quality of mountain bike trails in and around the community. Just ask Cam Marshall, Vice-President of the Kamloops Bike Riders Association (KBRA).

“We’ve got so many great, great riding areas,” Marshall explains. “That’s why it’s such a big draw for people from all around the world. We’ve seen so many mountain bike videos filmed around here because of the diversity of terrain.”

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One of the reasons the trail networks in the area are so good is in part due to the stewardship of the KBRA. Last weekend, the association spent several hours doing trail maintenance in the Lac du Bois grasslands, as they prepare for the upcoming season. Marshall says because it’s still early, riders should be mindful of the condition of the trails they’re riding.

“We’ve got some areas that are still a little bit wet and mucky,” Marshall says. “If people could just stay off those areas for the next couple of weeks, or even a week until they dry a bit. One challenge with the clay out here is it turns into concrete.”

Last year, it seems more locals made a move to mountain biking. According to one local bike shop, the pandemic helped push bike sales to new heights.

“[Sales] were pretty much double over the previous year before,” Jessica Blanken, co-owner of District Bicycle Company tells CFJC Today.

District Bicycle Co. are strong supporters of the KBRA and the work they do to keep Kamloops riding. Shop owner Jessica Blanken suggests new riders would be well served to invest in a KBRA membership.

“They contribute a lot of time and volunteer hours to trail maintenance. They have trail building nights, they have group rides for all levels of riders,” Blanken suggests. “It’s a great place to start and your membership goes a long way.”

At $20 for a single membership, Marshall hopes new riders will see the value the KBRA contributes to the local cycling scene and decide to make that investment.

“We’re hoping this year that our numbers will grow exponentially because there are so many more people starting to get involved n riding,” Marshall says.

For more information on the association, future group rides, trail maps and more, you can visit www.bikekamloops.com.