Introducing the Mega Volt: BCBR rethinks eMTB racing
A very creative approach to racing electric bikes for new multi-day event on Vancouver Island
Photo by:
Dave Silver
Racing eMTB’s hasn’t quite picked up steam the same way analog racing has, yet. Maybe that’s because the new ebikes just don’t fit into the same old race formats? That’s what BC Bike Race is betting on, anyway, with the new Mega Volt. BCBR’s latest multi-day adventure takes a very different approach to bike racing in an attempt to tailor the race to the racer, and the bikes they’re riding.
A new (mega) take on eMTB
So, what is the Mega Volt? In the words of BCBR, it’s a tribute to the Hair Metal phase of our lives. It’s also a three day, four stage eMTB challenge.
The first ever Mega Volt will run from October 22-24, 2021 in the mountains of Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley. Registration is open now, and limited to just 75 riders for its first year.
“Cowichan takes it’s name from Quw’utsun’, an Indigenous word that means warm land. Cowichan is on the southern part of Vancouver Island, bordered by the Nanaimo and the Alberni-Clayoquot and located in Canada’s only maritime Mediterranean climactic zone, it is home to the warmest year-round temperatures in the country, perfect for an E-MTB bike race in October”
RELATED: Not your typical epic: Going electric on the Cowichan Triple Crown
Instead of a standard, point-to-point race, Mega Volt tries out four different course styles over three days. The events are designed to be challenging and fun, testing all aspects of a riders skills – and leaving time to recharge between activities.
“I gotta say I was super excited to see that BCBR is adding an Ebike event to it’s offering,” says Wade Simmons, “The Godfather” of freeride. “I have been lucky to have participated in 2 previous BCBR’s, and am now stoked to try my hand at this event. Ever since Rocky’s first Powerplay model, I realized the potential and inclusiveness of these bikes! Long live mountain biking and the BCBR!”
What is the Mega Volt?
The four events are new to mountain bikes, and pretty unique. We’ll turn it over to BCBR to describe what exactly the new Mega Volt format will look like:
Stage 1 – Consistency Enduro – Friday afternoon
Inspired by the moto world comes this unique format. This warm up stage will pit rider and bike against none other than themselves and the route – find your groove as you pick your tempo and try to match each lap as closely as possible – consistency is the name of the game and a true understanding of yourself is required to come out on top of this stage!
Stage 2 – Tech Gnar Rally – Saturday morning
Let the games begin as we ramble all over the mountain tackling everything up and down that can be challenging, gnarly and fun. This is pure heaven as far as a mountain biker goes; roots, rocks, old growth cedars, arbutus’, slabs and loamy chutes. We think the contest will be decided by the best technical eMTB climbers.
Stage 3 – Flow Master 3000 – Saturday afternoon
To juxtapose the mornings excitement we’ll take time to siesta and recharge our batteries for a curated afternoon of maximum fun, flowing singletrack, every which way that can be found to heighten the adventure. The spoils of this war will go to the Flow Masters!
Stage 4 – Poker Challenge
Today’s course is all about wicked fun trails, what an e-bike can do and how to have a Rip Snortin Good time doing it. Instead of creating a race, how about a poker challenge to get out and ride the trails at your preferred speed, it is day three. This might be the day to manage your battery and your body as we want to put the icing on the cake for the first ever weekend of E-mountain biking – lets celebrate the E-Bike Nation. No bluffing, this is for real and the best hand wins!
