The Fernie TransRockies Society (FTS)was created in 2002 to support Fernie’s involvement with the TransRockies Challenge. Fernie needed a dedicated group to ensure that the event was and remained successful to boost Fernie’s destination bike business. Fernie was the only community to host all 12 of the TransRockies Challenge events and the FTS played the leading role in making that happen.
The FTS is a group of local riders with a dedication to our community. Our goals include developing the local biking community by hosting events that are inclusive, raising monies to support trail maintenance and development, and to further develop Fernie as mountain biking destination.
Fast-track to 2013 with the TransRockies Challenge final year and the introduction of the Singletrack 6. The FTS announced its intention to continue with a three day stage race, now re-branded the Fernie 3, and the Fernie Enduro. Both events were branded to promote Fernie and were managed locally. New for 2017 was the Fernie Lucky 7’s, an event that has been created to be more inclusive. It’s success has prompted the return of the event for 2018. The Fernie Enduro and Fernie 3 could return in future years.
The Fernie Enduro is returning Summer 2020 as a virtual race and fundraiser for the Fernie Mountain Bike Club.
Completely reimagined, from the ground up, the new Rocky Mountain Altitude is built for going fast in Fernie’s Rocky Mountains!
Rocky Mountain is stating that the all-new design makes the Altitude even faster than before. With increased stiffness and a lower centre of gravity, overall ride performance is leveled up. The new suspension designs linear rate curve provides a supportive and predictable feel with minimal unwanted movement or harshness. Mid to large-sized impacts are absorbed effectively without compromising speed or control.
The LC2R™ suspension system is making it’s first appearance on the Altitude and promises to deliver superior climbing and descending. It was first introduced on the 2006 Slayer, and was found on later versions of the Slayer SXC and Slayer SS. The design was then adapted to the popular 2008 Flatline, and then the Flatline WC models.
Mark Hall, Gearhub Sports Manager, commented, “The Altitude has been Gearhub’s and Fernie’s most popular bike for the past decade and the new design will be more popular that ever. We have the new Altitude on the floor, drop by and see what’s in stock or order one today!”
Rémi Gauvin, Rocky Mountain Athlete, commented, “I’ve been riding iterations of the Altitude forthe last 10 years and this one is by far themost exciting yet. The evolution of the bikemakes it without a doubt the most capableit’s ever been, and I’ve never been more excited to take a bike to the races.”
Anything Goes Event Series is stoked to contribute to the boomin’ early season gravel race scene in Western Canada by hosting the Cranbrook Gravel Grind this May 25th followed by the Fernie Gravel Grind on July 12th.
Cranbrook Gravel Grind is it a perfect season opener, it’s also great preparation for Canadian Gravel National Championships coming to our neck of the woods in 2024 hosted by our friends Ghost of the Gravel.
If you’re looking for the ideal Nationals tune up race, the Cranbrook Gravel Grind is prime timing to test the legs three weeks out. Sharpen your bike handling skills in the twists and turns of the Cranbrook Community Forest before really getting the legs burning on the climbing-heavy back half of the course.
Ever since the 2021 atmospheric river that destroyed much of the Fernie Gravel Grind’s routes, they’ve been making due with what was left. Fortunately, thanks to the help of many community members, they are able to bring new roads to this year’s Short Haul.
The 2024 Short Haul is perfect for new racers or those simply looking to have a good time, as it’s not too hot and not too cold, it really is just right. The Short Haul features a roller coaster of a ride with incredible vistas to boot throughout the Elk Valley. As always they’ll have their wild Stoke Stations locked and loaded to support riders topped up with race fuel and premium stoke.
The 2024 Long Haul, is just as beautiful as it is unrelenting and every descent is hard earned. But whether or not you’re in Fernie to be the first across the finish line or to simply take in the scenery with friends, you are guaranteed an epic day out!
Don’t let the distance deceive you! The Updated Long Haul will be sure to challenge riders featuring a wide variety of terrain featuring Forestry Service Roads, tough climbs, flowy double track, and even bits of green singletrack, after all – anything goes with gravel! They guarantee your post race beverage will be well earned. Stay tuned for course files in the coming weeks.
Following their mission, Anything Goes With Gravel, the races are open to anyone and everyone and offers multiple distances, race categories and fun activities for the whole family all weekend long.
The TransRockies Gravel Royale has been cancelled due to Wildfires in the region.
Aaron McConnell, TransRockies President, commented, “It’s with heavy hearts and a commitment to safety as our top priority, we regret to announce the cancellation of the highly anticipated TransRockies Gravel Royale 2023. The decision comes in response to the ongoing wildfire situation that has affected the race route and surrounding areas. Despite our dedicated efforts and consultations with BC Wildfire officials over the past week, it has become apparent that proceeding with the event would pose too great a risk to participants, staff, and the local communities.”
The TransRockies Gravel Royale has been a testament to the spirit of adventure, camaraderie, and endurance since its inception. Aaron continued to say that he understands the disappointment that this cancellation brings, but the TransRockies responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of all involved is paramount.
Several key factors contributed to this difficult decision:
1. Wildfire Proximity:
The Horsethief Creek Complex, comprised of the Horsethief, Yearling, and Mia Creek fires, poses a significant threat along the route. All three fires have been classified as “Out of Control,” creating an unpredictable and potentially hazardous environment.
2. Evacuation Concerns and Emergency Respose:
Although the evacuation order for Nipika has been lifted, the area remains under an “evacuation alert”. In the event of further closures or emergencies, the options for transporting a large group of riders out of Nipika are limited, raising safety concerns in case of unforeseen circumstances.
3. Course Disruption:
A section of the race course near Nipika, particularly Cochran Creek, remains closed due to wildfire activity. This closure necessitates a reroute, which could impact the overall race experience.
4. Uncontained Mia Creek Fire:
The Mia Creek fire continues to spread, with limited containment progress. BC Wildfire authorities have expressed apprehension about potential fire spread, especially if wind conditions change. The inaccessibility of the area further complicates firefighting efforts. Portions of the planned route are within the current Area Restriction and closure.
5. Air Quality and Smoke Concerns:
While smoke has not been a significant issue at present, the situation is unpredictable and could rapidly worsen. Given the nature of the race as a point-to-point event, it is challenging to adjust stages to account for poor air quality.
7. Permit Uncertainty:
Ongoing evacuation alerts in the Nipika area could lead to officials withholding of necessary permits, creating additional obstacles for organizing a safe and successful event.
The TransRockies administration have communicated with registered participants regarding deferral options and also express their commitment to exploring future opportunities to bring the spirit of TransRockies Gravel Royale back stronger than ever once the wildfire situation stabilizes and conditions permit. Next year’s event is scheduled for August 23-26, 2024.
The Entire TransRockies Team We would like to extend their sincere gratitude to all participants, sponsors, volunteers, and local communities who have supported the TransRockies Gravel Royale. While this cancellation is undoubtedly disappointing, the health and safety of everyone involved remains our utmost priority.
Stay safe, stay informed, and let us work together to support the firefighting efforts and recovery of the affected communities.
The TransRockies would like to thank all the Fernie supporters including GearHub Sports, the City of Fernie, Fernie.com, Tourism Fernie, Park Place Lodge, Red Tree Lodge, Raging Elk Adventure Lodge, Fernie Lodging Company, Fernie RV Resort, Stanford Resort, Snow Valley Lodging and the Fernie Fox. Fernie was ready for an epic finish…
Gearhub Sports Team Rider Dylan Bailey is sharing his fat bike knowledge with you and inviting you to get out and celebrate Canada’s Fat Bike Day. On Saturday, February 6th Canadian’s coast to coast will be riding fat bikes in recognition of Canada’s fastest growing winter activity.
Here are Dylan’s fat bike tips:
These are the main areas I find people often struggle with while fat biking:
This article is aimed at the beginner/intermediate riders out there that are looking to improve their basic fat biking skills. The following tips will hopefully improve your overall experience out there on the trails and may make it easier to conquer all the great fat biking trails that the Elk Valley has to offer.
Dylan climbing in a balanced position with consistent power
Climbing
Although it’s part of this challenging, yet amazing sport, having to get off your bike, whether it was planned or unplanned, and walk up that last little steep bit of the climb can be a downer. Sometimes it can just be a lack of fitness, but quite often, a loss of traction due to poor pedaling technique or improper body position is the culprit.
The goal for pedaling is to provide consistent power to the rear tire. Unwanted surges of power, caused by applying the majority of your force on the downward stroke, will likely result in your rear tire slipping. This kills all of your momentum, leaving you with no option but to hop off your bike. Try your best to evenly distribute your power as you pedal. Think of this: kicking a ball as your crank passes through 11 o’clock, and scraping mud/gum/poop off your shoe as it passes through 6 o’clock. The smoother you can pedal, the more traction you’ll have!
The second part of gaining more traction is body positioning. The goal here is simple: Give your rear wheel weight by sitting up straight. If you lean forward too much or stand up, your rear end will be lighter and lose traction. Lean back too much and your front wheel will likely lift off the ground, leaving you with little control. Moving forward on the seat on the steeper climbs will also help. This allows you to keep an upright position, which will make it easier to take deep breaths, while maintaining steering control.
Tourism Fernie image
Cornering
Cornering technique, and the speed at which you enter corners, will vary quite a lot depending on conditions. In firm, grippy, predictable conditions, you can almost corner like you would on your normal mountain bike in the summer and approach corners at a higher speed. If there is fresh snow on the trails, or it’s just soft because of warmer temperatures, you’ll have to gauge how predictable the snow is, and adjust accordingly.
Regardless of conditions, there are a few basic techniques that you can apply. If the corner is sharp enough where you’ll need to lean the bike over a fair bit, make sure your outside foot/pedal is down. The last thing you want is to have your inside foot/pedal hit the snow as you’re going around the corner. It also gives your tires more traction which is never a bad thing!
Secondly, keep your eyes up the trail and look ahead! Knowing how tight the corner is and what follows the corner is very important. This will help you gauge your speed coming into the corner and will help you decide which gear you should be in before the corner (more on this later!)
Lastly, in soft, loose and/or unpredictable conditions, slow down before the corner. Braking before the corner, as opposed to braking while IN the corner, will give you more control and probably lead to less crashing.
Gear Selection and Shifting
Being in the correct gear is crucial for fat biking. It can be the difference between making it up the climb or not making it up the climb. It can also help you smoothly accelerate out of corners and keep your momentum going forward.
A common mistake beginner riders make is waiting until it’s too late to shift into an easier gear while transitioning to a climb. As I mentioned earlier, look ahead on the trail so you can see what’s coming up and shift into a lower gear just before the climb. You may lose some of the speed you had because of this, but it allows you to be in the right gear as the bike starts to slow down. Shifting later than this can be hard on the drivetrain and will cause you to apply lots of power in a high gear, likely resulting in slipping out.
The same principles apply for corners. If you are coming into a corner pretty fast and it looks like it may be a slow exit (tight corner or maybe a little hill after the corner), pedal a few times and shift gears before the corner, not afterwards.
Keep it simple: Look ahead and shift early. I can’t emphasize this enough.
Tire Pressure
I get asked about tire pressure almost daily, whether it’s in the shop or on the trail.
There are a lot of variables involved here such as tire size and tread, snow conditions, rider weight, experience and riding style, so there isn’t a magic number, but here are some good general guidelines.
If the snow is firm and provides decent traction, run a higher pressure. This will allow your tires to roll faster and give less resistance. Having pressure too low with firm conditions may cause your front tire to oversteer in corners and if it’s too low in the rear, you may just be bouncing up and down unnecessarily while you pedal. I normally run about 6-9 psi on these days, but again, that’s just me. Experiment with your tires and see how it feels!
On days where the snow is soft and/or slippery, drop your pressure. Doing this has many advantages. Mainly, it will give your tires maximum traction for both climbing and cornering, and increase the surface area of your tires. This prevents you from leaving massive ruts in the trail, which can ruin the experience for the next rider. I find that 4-6 psi is usually low enough but some people will go lower than that if needed. Just be aware that running a really low pressure can result in getting pinch flats, even in soft conditions, so bring a spare tube.
Most people know that air pressure drops when it’s cold, but how much? If you’re checking your tire pressure with a gauge at 25ºc, your psi may drop by as much as 4 pounds by the time you get outside. While 4 psi might not sound like much, if you’re running 8 psi in a fat bike tire, losing half of your air pressure is a pretty big deal.
Using the chart above, it should be a bit easier to arrive to your destination with the desired pressure right off the bat. Obviously temperatures on the trail may change, and you need to know what the temperature is when you’re inflating your tires. This is definitely not for the riders who simply go by feel, but for those looking to run specific psi it could be pretty useful.
That’s it for now! Get out there and celebrate Canada Fat Bike Day, enjoy the fresh air, be courteous to other trail users, be safe, keep your head up, ride smooth and smile!
