BC Bike Race is Showcasing plans on plans within plans for riding in 2021 – While lockdowns & quarantines have been a boon for affordable (and more) bike sales, events were hit hard in 2020. But BCBR is all about bringing mountain bikers together to meet goals and make memories. Their 5-part Showcase series previews of the new route with the stories of six athletes: Felix Burke, Katerina Nash, Florence Dostie-Menard, Sandra Walters, Karsten Madsen and Geoff Kabush, plus many more sprinkled in there too.
And they’ve been figuring out how to make sure that the show goes on in the new year, with race dates set for July 4-10, 2021 and even a backup set of dates Sept 12-18 if that doesn’t work out.
“While we will continue to do what we do – host events – they may look a little different, and how different at this moment we don’t really know. We have plans on plans within plans and overarching plans to go with those plans as we work towards 2021 and beyond. What we do know emphatically is that even with all the changes and unknowns the ‘show must go on’. Safety is our primary concern as we navigate these changes to execute a safe passage forward and we will have a successful plan in cooperation with the health authorities, the clubs and the communities. However you slice it, seven (7) days of sweet singletrack is still seven amazing days with friends, new and old and not at work.”
The Showcase is aimed to capture the bizarre and strange experience that 2020 delivered, to a lost season and then right back to the indomitable spirit of communities and athletes as they come together to look to the future, to focus on the positive and reflect back on where we have come from to where we are going.
BCBR’s The SHOWCASE, Episode 1
Location: Fraser Valley, Chilliwack, Vedder Mountain & Cultus Lake
The SHOWCASE, Episode 2
Location: North Vancouver & Seymour Mountain
The SHOWCASE, Episode 3
Location: Squamish
The SHOWCASE, Episode 4
Location: Whistler
The SHOWCASE, Episode 5
Location: Points Unknown
All videos produced by Wildland Media. And if you are enticed by their Showcase, maybe it’s time to make some plans for 2021 – v3.0 of the BC Bike Race… dubbed the “Ultimate Singletrack Experience”. BCBikeRace.com
Training & Industry News
- Finish out 2020 in fitness, with Rapha’s Festive 500, even on the trainer! – It’s the 11th year of Rapha’s annual Festive 500, and while many riders (myself included) see it as a challenge to ride out of doors in some of the coldest darkest days of the year, 2020 is different. This year has been a hot mess, and with many countries around the world in various pandemic lockdowns, Rapha has opened up the possibility to include virtual ride kilometers too in a partnership with Zwift. If you can, feel free to ride the whole thing outside. But remember, the Aussies were already cheating by getting to do it in summer, so let’s just all try to end the year building fitness, riding in between socially-distanced holiday dinners with too many pies, and let’s look forward to better riding in 2021 together this Festive 500 season. Oh, and there’s stuff to win too. Scroll down for more on that…
New Gear & Deals
- Save 1/3 off Ritchey bikes & gear – Ritchey’s 2020 Holiday Sale is here and for a limited time, you can get up to 33% off a special selection of Ritchey frames, components, accessories & apparel. There are big markdowns on carbon wheels, the great carbon breakaway Outback gravel or Road framesets, plus cockpits, pedals, tools & more. Shop now at: RitcheyLogic.com/specials
- Swift x Crescent packable Down Booties – Every year Swift Industries works with a local independent outdoor gear maker to spread the love of their favorite goodies. This season it’s a pair of cozy down booties made by Seattle’s own Crescent Down Works. The $150 Crescent Down Booties will keep your toes warm on cold bikepacking nights, backcountry ski trips, chilling in the vanlife, or just hanging out at home this winter. They’re not cheap, but super light, ethically sourced, and made-in the-USA. builtbySwift.com
- New Litelok Gold frame mounts secure your flexible lock on the go – Bike lock maker Litelok has added a brand new set of Litelok Gold Frame Mounts to make it easier to carry their secure flexible loop lock while riding. Essentially a £13 pair of velcro strap mounts, but with a new rubberized clip design that makes it easier to slide the loop lock into place to stay put while riding on any bike. Litelok.com
Contest
- Win a Canyon Grail in Rapha’s Spirit of the Festive 500 awards – Every year the Festive 500 has prizes up for grabs for those that complete the challenge or fail miserably (and poetically). Beyond the regular prizes for those who tell their story the best, there’ll be a bike up for grab too. This year for those that pedal the complete 500km in 8 days, it’ll also be possible to enter a drawing to ride away on a killer winter bike – a 4000€ carbon Canyon Grail CF SL 8 built with a wireless SRAM AXS eTap groupset. It won’t be just for who rides the furthest or fastest, but open to all who finish the Festive 500. Entry opens on December 24, with the full details then. Be ready. Rapha.cc/Festive-500
- Win 1 of 5 bikes for road, gravel, or trail! – Why win just 1 bike, when you can have a shot at 5 different ones. Tis’ the season to… enter as many competitions as possible to win a bike. Find how you can win Rigoberto Uran’s Tour-ridden Cannondale SystemSix road bike, a new carbon Vitus Escarpe CR all-mountain 29er, endurance cyclist Chris Hall’s custom-painted Cervelo S3, Colin Strickland’s carbon Allied Able gravel bike, or a Transition Patrol mountain bike. The details on each bike and how to win are here.
