Well thats it folks! Im Done! Im a day or so late posting the final review, but real life obligations pulled me back home. I was also looking forward to seeing my cats, and sleeping in my own bed.
The final day of SingleTrack 6 was amazing. I think they saved the best for last. The majority of the day was all single track of various types. There were dry, dusty, rocky trails and also very wet loamy -cedar trails, similar to the North Shore of BC. The trail variety within this one ride was amazing.
The majority of the day was flowy single track with slight ups and downs. You were constantly working hard(especially after 5 days of fatigue to deal with) but to be honest it felt easier and more fun than the previous day.
Maybe because each pedal stroke brought you closer to beer and burgers…….
The Best Days
Ive been getting a lot of questions about what I would cut out if I were to do this ride for fun with some friends. It is incredibly easy to find these trails with Strava and Trail forks. I posted every day here: So if people wanted to do their own mini S6 they could.
For me the best days were day 1 and 6. Fernie and Golden. They had the most single track, varied terrain…LOTS of flow and the climbing wasnt as horrible as other days. If you followed these loops it would be a great day in the saddle. Obviously if this is on your mind, check in with the local bike shop to see if they would recommend some other options as there is always ‘locals only’ trails that Im sure S6 couldn’t touch.
Remember that aid stations pulled me home from death during these days so pack a lot of food!
Lodging
If you wanted to re-trace the S6 experience or simply ride in these great towns, I am a big fan of hosteling. They tend to be cheaper than hotels and offer a better community experience, and trail advice as most of the staff ride in these towns. Ive stayed in the DreamCatcher hostel in Golden many times, and they are very bike friendly and offer a great time. If your looking for more private accommodation I would check out AirBnB in these smaller towns. Usually you can get a cabin or house for a great rate.
The Singletrack 6 experience has been great not only because of the trails, but also because of the time spent in these great little Canadian towns. EVERY single morning I cursed the early starts, but later it was nice as you had most of the day to check out these little places that have a lot to offer. SingleTrack 6 is very family friendly if you think about it like that. Usually the riding part is over before the family really gets going for the day. It leaves you options to take in what the rest of the location has to offer.
The Bike
Singletrack 6 has some of the best singletrack Canada has to offer. With this in mind, and the knowledge that my beer gut will prevent me from winning, I chose my weapon with fun in mind. The Intense Carbine is a 29er that offers 140/127 rear suspension travel, and 160mm up front. I choose this bike as my everyday bike in the interior of BC as the trails tend to get a little knarly. Despite it being a lot of bike for an XC marathon bike, it is a lot of fun, and pedals very well.
If I were to do S6 again I would choose a much different bike. The reality is that there is so much climbing your behind the 8 ball from the start if your over-biked. Its better to take a smaller bike and make it feel bigger, than take a big bike and make it feel smaller.
For example. I think the perfect bike would be something like a Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt, or Instinct, or a Santa Cruz 5150/Tallboy, or a Trek Top Fuel. Something around 25lbs, with 120-130mm of travel that pedals well. Ideally a 20er. With that platform I would add bigger tires(2.35ish) a dropper post and maybe a wider bar. For me the Carbine was too big. Although it performed perfectly, it was just a bit heavy and was too much bike for all the climbing.
Tire selection depends on the courses year to year, but this year the Maxxis Ikon in a 2.35 3C EXO was perfect. There was only 1 section that was slightly wet that I wanted more tire. I didn’t flat once, and they were performed better than expected in the rough. I would also recommend the Ardent Race, or Ardent, and maybe the new Schwalbe Nobby Nic on the front paired with a Racing Ralph on the rear. Everyone is different but that is what I would go with.
Kudos!
With that I am out. Singletrack 6 was a fantastic experience for me. Would I do it again? Ask me in a day or so. The event organizers were amazing and provided a great experience on and off the trails. I couldn’t ask for more, and cant fault them on anything……maybe a little less climbing!
Great Job!