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BC Bike Race 2014: Day 3 – Powell River

If you have been contemplating riding the BC Bike Race, Tuesday's stage should tip the scales for you. The speeds are higher, the climbing not as epic, but the fun factor is off the charts. Base camp was campground beside the water, which added to the overall vibe here. The end of this stage brings the distance completed to 132 km with 172 km remaining, and the altitude gained 3,400 m with 5,300 m left to go.

Ferry shot BC Bike race
BC Bike Race Day 3 Powell River B.C. ferry
Happy Canada Day from the ferry to Powell River, B.C.

If you have been contemplating riding the BC Bike Race, Tuesday’s stage should tip the scales for you. The speeds are higher, the climbing not as epic, but the fun factor is off the charts. Base camp was campground beside the water, which added to the overall vibe here. The end of this stage brings the distance completed to 132 km with 172 km remaining, and the altitude gained 3,400 m with 5,300 m left to go.

BC Bike Race Day 3 Pacific Ocean
Riders, post-ride, cooling off in the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

For anyone wondering what bike to bring to the BC Bike Race, I think it varies on goals and skill level. An advanced rider with lofty ambitions of podiums would be best with shorter travel dual-suspension, but should leave the lightweight tires at home. A dropper post can come in handy, but not a necessity for an experienced descender. If you are someone with average abilities who values the journey over the destination, you want a mid-travel bike in the 120 mm to 140 mm travel range, much like I am riding, with a moderately aggressive tire.  A burlier bike’s attributes will rarely be needed in the trails used in this race, and the geometry of an all-mountain bike tends to be too slack for efficiently conquering the steep climbs.  A very fit, strong rider may be fine with a single ring setup, but a two- or three-ring setup for the majority of riders will better handle the variety of speeds you will be riding. Other than those basics, you need to be very comfortable, so make sure your saddle and grips don’t give you any issues on longer rides and you should be set.

The start/finish line of Day 3 of the BC Bike Race at Powell River, B.C.
The start/finish line at Powell River, B.C.

If you are interested in signing up, the early bird registration opens soon after the finish of this year’s race. BC Bike Race is a good one for any rider’s bucket list, and a better one to get checked off as soon as possible.

Shimano logoSupport for this trip is provided by Shimano Canada.