JABR - Just Another Bike Race

Sign up now for the final race in the 2010 Hell of a Series - the Squamish JABR. The course covers trails around the Ring Creek area, starting and ending at Quest University. Online registration is open, and the spaces are filling up. For information or to volunteer contact Dwayne Kress admin@justanotherbikerace.com - and visit the site www.justanotherbikerace.com

GearJammer Weekend a grand success

Another perfect day for mountain biking in Squamish and 422 riders signed up for the annual GearJammer XC race. Point to point, the course follows miles and miles of classic single track with final times being very close to those of the Test of Metal. Logan Wetzel of Bellingham, WA had the overall winning time of 02:24:30.9, placing first in Male Elite. Brandi Heisterma, of Brackendale, continued her winning season on the heels of her top Squamish spot in the Test of Metal by placing first in Gearjammer’s Female Elite category and 50th overall with a time of 02:57:14.6. Brandi won the GearJammer's Squamish Cup. Neal Kindree has returned in force after breaking his knee and 'retiring' from competition a year or two ago. Neal won the GearJammer's Squamish Cup for fastest Squamish male racer, and 1st overall in the 20-29 cat wlith a time of 02:29:33. Complete results and photo links can be found on the GearJammer website www.gearjammer.ca

I wish there was a GPS type trail map of Squamish ...

... so when I was lost on the trails I could press a button and it would immediately show me where I was.

Ya and maybe it could have an alphabetical list of trails, so I could find one I'd heard about and click on it and it would show where, on the map, that trail could be found.

And this map, because it's an App, could be updated regularly so always have the latest maps!

How cool would that be? Wait. What? There IS something like this? OMG - I'm buying it right now! www.trailmapps.com - wait, do these guys have an affiliate program?

Cougar Sightings

Two separate cougar sightings at the Squamish Valley golf course over the weekend; two cougar cubs were reported. Please do not approach wildlife especially young as mom might be near by. Call all wildlife encounters to the Conservation Officer hotline at 1-877-952-7277.

Test of Metal MMX

It was a robin's egg day that dawned for the 15th Annual Test of Metal in Squamish and what an amazing start line. 800 riders, hundreds of spectators, native drum and dance, a beautiful rendition of Oh Canada by Emma Pederson and then 12 highland pipe bands playing as the racers left the rec centre in a mass start that closed Highway 99 for half an hour.

TOM Press release: Race winner Geoff Kabush demonstrated once again why he is considered Canada's pre-eminent mountain biker by beating a stellar field and setting a new course record in the 15th running of the North Shore Credit Union Test of Metal in Squamish.

The men's race was unique featuring every past winner of the Test of Metal since its first running in 1996. Kabush and Plaxton were joined in the starting chute by past champions Carter Hovey, Michael Pruner, Chad Miles, Ruedi Schnyder, Andrew Kyle, Ricky Federeau and Neal Kindree.

Catharine Pendrel defended her title with a time of 2:51:53. It was Pendrel's third Test of Metal title in the past four years.

For more on this and for results, visit the TOM website www.testofmetal.com

Test of Metal is Race #3 in the 2010 Hell of a Series. Also this year will be the GearJammer in July (includes a downhill the Friday night) and Jabr in August.

ORECRUSHER Results online

With more than 185 racers participating in the fifth annual Orecrusher race there certainly wasn’t any shortage of Squamish cyclists representing their home turf. Forty-seven locals competed, 16 of which finished on the podium in their category. Read story in Squamish Chief here. Complete results can be found online www.orecrusher.com

Who's Ridin?

XC Group Rides Saturday mornings from Republic Bicycles in Brackendale Leaving 9:00 am from the shop.

Starting Saturday April 17th there will be womens riding groups will be heading out from Onatah Coffee at 9:30am. Each week it will be different rides, and rides will be posted in advance so people can get the most out of each ride! A mid week morning ride is also in the making ... will keep you posted on that too! Join Onatah Coffee, Squamish on facebook and keep posted!

The Tuesday road ride is back!!!! ROLLING out from Republic Bicycles in Brackendale @ 6:00 every Tuesday come earlier for chatting and bike adjusts. This ride is for beginner riders and more experienced riders looking for an easy day and a laugh or two. Talking pace (for real) with a touch of instruction as needed. We will ride for about an hour and we WILL keep the group together. This is a dry day only and is a no-go it it's wet out.

The Squamish Mountain Biking Mama’s is a social biking group of women that ride the vast trail system available to us from our backdoor. The Mountain Biking Mama’s is for women all at all levels, just beginning to advanced riders. Join their Facebook page for ride announcements.

SORCA Welcomes Gravity Girlz

The Gravity Girlz is a social riding group for women who love to ride their mountain bikes (aka big girl bikes) and are looking to ride with other women on our beautiful local downhill trails. The group has joined up with SORCA for insurance reasons. Read more www.sorca.ca

Segment of Coho Park Connector Trail Closed to Public

When you're exiting the 7-up, 4play, trestle trail area via the Coho Park Conenctor, you're going to come across a small section that is closed to the public. There is no detour as yet, but if you bushwack to your left heading south or right heading north, you'll be able to go around the block and return to the trail on the other side. Read More.

Framebuilder relaunches website

Be sure to take in Mike Truelove's website relaunch which features lots of photos - small slideshows and larger slideshows - Mike's company, MT Metalworks, builds custom bike frames but is also known for some pretty spectacular custom welding. Goto: www.miketruelove.com

Just Another Mountain Bike Race (JABR)

Test of Metal Inc has added to its growing group of mountain bike races in Squamish with the launch of JABR in August 21, mmx. The race will begin and end at Quest University. Riders will enjoy new trails Half Nelson, Plum Smugglers, Word of Mouth and old favourite Credit Line and Roller Coaster. The map is now online at testofmetal.com - choose JABR from the menu at right.

Hell Of A Series Returns for MMX

2010 (referred to as MMX by the Test of Metal franchise) also heralds the return of Hell of A Series, this year a Cycling BC sanctioned mountain bike marathon series which includes:

Ore Crusher, Squamish : May 15
North Shore Festival, North Vancouver : June 5
NSCU Test of Metal, Squamish : June 19
GearJammer, Squamish : July 24
Just Another Bike Race, Squamish : Aug 21 The Final.

Rules and regulations can be found on the Test of Metal website but your best link will be hellofaseries.ca - a website that is scheduled for development.

New Downhill Trail in Squamish

The Squamish woods have been filled with the music of "Men at Work" lately.
Work has been steady on the new trail named "Half Nelson". Thanks to the fantastic winter that we have been having, work has been moving along at a "Dream's Pace". Completion date is set for March of 2010 so you can look forward to spring days on the new trail in the following months. Something else to look forward to is the recently announced DH race in Squamish on July 25th 2010. Watch carefully for announcements as this race will have a cap on entries. This will be a history making event that you won't want to miss. from Dwayne Kress, via the Facebook Page Bike Squamish

Spirit of Squamish

Everyone's loving the new YouTube Video about Squamish. If you haven't seen it click here!

More cool videos, including a few featuring Squamish mountain biking (Credit Line, Squirrel, Nemesis) can be found on the Tourism Squamish videos gallery.

Check out the Sea to Sky Trail website

The vision of a trail connecting the communities of the Sea to Sky Corridor, from Squamish to D'Arcy, has long held the imaginations of the residents of this region. This 180 kilometre, non-motorized, multi-use trail is being built right now for everyone to enjoy. The trail is optimized for mountain bikes and will provide you with a full outdoor experience of the landscape and the natural and human history of the Sea to Sky corridor. http://www.seatoskytrail.ca/

IMB: International Mountain Bike Magazine - Issue 3 now online

OK, you're in for a treat. A new online mtb mag full of high gloss ads and articles and some great photos but this mag is more than just another pretty face. You're looking at an Ellsworth ad? And suddently a window right on the ad comes alive revealing a sort film on Ellsworth bikes, where they're made, etc. Cool. You're reading an interview with Martyn Ashton and at bottom right is a little button saying 'play me' - you do it and watch Ashton in action. But my favourite section is Bike Tech and each article has a little video demonstrating what is being taught. How cool is that? There are lots of other screen controls - fidgets and fun things to discover. IMB will be published online every two months. You can view it by clicking here http://www.imbikemag.com

Protect the Test!

UPDATE: Winners were announced, prizes given in 2009. The website has not been udpated - information currently displayed is from June 2009.

June 25 :: Richard MacKellar of the “Protect the Test Initiative” announced the final winners of the contest last week. Our goal is to encourage all levels of government and land owners to work together to protect the Test of Metal course. Read more here :: or visit www.protectthetest.com

Mountain Biking Mamas

The Squamish Mountain Biking Mama’s is a social biking group of women that ride the vast trail system available to us from our backdoor. The Mountain Biking Mama’s is for women all at all levels, just beginning to advanced riders. Join their Facebook page for ride announcements.

SquamishMountainbike.com belongs to Jude Goodwin from Squamish, BC. Her goal for the site is to create an information stop for mountain bike enthusiasts living in or visiting Squamish. Click here for more information -

Text links help support Squamish Mountain Bike. Some of these text links may not be appropriate for people under the age of 19 years.

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Photo at top and bottom of page by Sterling Lorence Photography