River Valley Cycling

Supporting Cycling In and Around Fredericton

Return of the Enduro Race Series for 2024

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We’re proud to announce that with the support of the Radical Edge Bike & Ski and Grimross Brewing Co the Enduro Race Series will be on again for 2024! If you need no further information – registration is open!

Sign me up!

A repeat of last year’s fun and casual tone will be the goal. The series will feature 3 races with a podium each night and an overall winner crowned in each category. Registration is open to everyone and will be $50 for the entire series (regardless of how many races you ride). RVC members get offered a discounted rate of $35.

  • Race 1 – July 29th – Penniac – 5:30 check-in(event page is live)
  • Race 2 – Aug 6th – Woolastook – 5:30 check-in
  • Race 3 – Aug 24th – Woolastook – 1:00 check-in

New to Enduro?

This format times riders on downhill ‘stages’ which will take place on some of our longest and best descent trails. Riders must climb uphill ‘stages’ within a given time window but uphill riding isn’t timed.

What do you need?

You need a bike in good mechanical condition and a safe helmet (RVC will refuse unsafe gear at check-in). Bring water and snacks. Riders in the youth category (16 & under) need to be accompanied by a parent/guardian during the race.

Photos from the 2023 Enduro Race Series

We’ll have a pro photog present for the series and racers will be able to buy images direct for the Insta!

Temporary Closure – MVP Flight Deck Trails

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Riders,

Today I met with the gentleman who owns the land upon which the Flight Deck / Enduro Zone trails are built. We were joined by representatives of the logging company who is currently working on the property, and is set to begin heavy truck traffic which will last 8-10 weeks.

Ultimately, the landowner has made the decision to close all trail access which intersects the road travelling through this area. Given his own experiences, which included a recent “close-call” with a rider while travelling in his own vehicle, he couldn’t accept the risk of an accident occurring. I understand this decision, and I assured him that club members would respect his choice so that we can continue to enjoy the use of the trails once the heavy traffic has ceased. This individual has been extremely generous with our club.

Heavy trucks were moving past the Flight Deck bench this morning as we discussed the issues.

The temporary closure impacts every trail that crosses / enters / exits onto the road. This includes:

  • #Blazing Destruction (normal finish)
  • Monkey Business
  • Pinball
  • Slash N’ Berm
  • D-Track
  • V-Fib

Please understand that RVC looked for alternate solutions. We proposed a single road crossing at the top of Flight Deck and as we posted yesterday, local builder Chris F. had already begun the necessary changes to trails at the bottom of the hill. We also tried to understand whether there were times of the day (or days of the week) where traffic would be reduced – without success. The temporary closure was the only solution that could ensure the safety of everyone involved.

RVC will be informed as soon as the heavy traffic in the area has stopped (that’s expected to be in early September). The club will re-open the trails as soon as we are able.

RVC has just invested in revamping the area, which has been made possible by local small business donations, gold membership holders, and many others. The Flight Deck / Enduro Zone build crew have been working the dirt since May. To everyone who’s been involved and to the riders who use this area to progressively build their skills I’m asking for your patience and cooperation. This is not the news anyone wanted to share, but we are grateful that it’s temporary. Let’s look forward to a fall where we can enjoy the result of all of this effort.

Chris Norfolk
Volunteer President
River Valley Cycling

Help Wanted: Summer Volunteer Trail Work!

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We often get contacted from people who are looking for ways to help out. We have some ideas. These are trail jobs that will really improve the fun-factor of everyone’s ride and make a visible difference. The best part is – these are jobs that anyone can do and they can be done on your own time. No need to be a master trail builder or wait for a trail day. Nevertheless, helping out will make you feel great… and it will get noticed!

See how happy these fine people are! Do trail work and be awesome.

Brushing

Rain and long days mean that the vegetation has kicked into overdrive. Some of our trails are getting very bushy. Brush can really suck the fun out of a flowy ride. Nobody likes getting whacked in the helmet by branches. Vegetation can mean riders can’t see far ahead of them and they can’t see the obstacles on the ground. Well cleared trails are fast trails. Generally, we want a corridor that is 3 feet on either side of the trail tread and 7-8 feet high (low branches drop down in the winter and become an obstacle for grooming). RVC can lend out loppers for pruning back trees and shrubs. We also have heavy duty line-trimmers for grass and bushy stuff like tall ferns and raspberries.

Bunkerama is turning into a bit of a jungle.

We have lots of ground at MVP and Penniac that could use brushing out. Trails under mature forest are not bad but any trails going through sunny areas are sure to need cleaning. It would be amazing to brush out the Mark Bolden Skills Park at MVP.

Raking & Picking Rocks

Loose stones are not pleasant. Over time, riders can dislodge rocks that accumulate in the trail. Anything larger than a golf-ball that is loose should be raked off the trail. On descents they decrease control and get shot up putting dents in your fancy bike’s frame. On climbs they can be frustrating momentum killers. Getting rid of them is easy with a rake (RVC has lots to lend out) and you can cover a lot of ground in an hour.

Loose baseball-sized rocks aren’t a feature. If it isn’t lodged into the ground it should be raked off to the downhill side of the trail.

MVP has lots of trails that could use a pass with a rake. Bunkerama, Velocity, D-Track, Slash-N-Berm and V-Fib would be top of the priority list.

Rooting

Over time hand-built trails can go from being smooth flowy delights to root-packed technical nightmares. This happens as riding compresses and removes the organic part of the soil. While roots are to be expected on a mountain bike, some trails need the occasional root pruning to keep the ride quality that the original builder started with. Loppers are the right tool for the job. Their jaws make short work of tough root-wood but they aren’t big enough to remove large structural roots that hold up the trees. Big roots should be left alone or buried with rocks and soil to smooth the ride. Rooting is especially important for tripper-roots that have become fully exposed creating a loop back into the ground. Overzealous rooting can lead to erosion on steep trails and a change of riding style so if you’d like to try this out just give us a message and let us know where you want to work.

When the roots get too dense riders start going around them widening the trail and accelerating the impact. Better to just prune them and re-establish the trail tread.

Some trails in Odell Park would really benefit from a root-pruning and RVC does have permission from the City to do this work.

Rider Etiquette on Downhill Only Trails

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We’ve recently added three new trails which are marked ‘downhill only’. These trails are purpose-built for descending and have lots of flow features like rollers and berms that allow riders to maintain speed throughout the course. In fact, the size of these features encourage riders to carry as much speed as possible in order to get the most out of the ride. Excellent visibility allows riders to see well down the trail, further encouraging speed. We looked at the times that riders are sharing on Strava for ‘Big Wooly’ and the average speeds of the 10 fastest riders down the trail are ~30 km/h. These riders shared top speeds on those trails of more than 55 km/h. Summary – these trails are fast!

With flow trails like this we have some specific etiquette that kicks in to keep everyone having fun and safe. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Pre-ride, Re-ride, Free-Ride

Inspect jumps, gaps, and landings before you decide to try and send something new. Ride within your limits. Injuries can happen and you are responsible for your own safety. Know exactly what you will be hitting before you have wheels leaving the ground.

Stopping

If you need to stop while on a downhill trail, move yourself and your bike to the side immediately. Sometimes we need a break. Sometimes our chain breaks. Sometimes we crash. It happens. For your safety and for the safety of those behind you move to the side as fast as possible.

Passing
(and Being Passed)

The top 10 fastest riders and the top 10 slowest riders are equally welcome on RVC’s flow trails. Occasionally they meet. Here’s what to do – if you are the faster rider and you see yourself gaining ground fast on someone it’s time to peel off speed. Do not run someone down assuming they’ll give way to you. That’s a jerk move. Be cool. If you are the slow rider – do not panic and put yourself into the rhubarb patch. Keep riding until you find a reasonable and safe place to pull aside for the faster rider. The faster rider should let you know before she/he/they passes you.

Wheels Only

The overwhelming majority of trails that RVC has built and maintained are open for multi-use including hiking and trail running. However, out of concern for the safety of everyone involved, we don’t believe these trails can accommodate walkers or runners (uphill or downhill). The speed differences are just too great.

This etiquette applies to Radical Ledge, Big Wooly, and Mammoth at Woolastook as well as V-Fib, Slash-N-Berm, Pinball, Monkey Business, #Blazing Destruction, DNF, and Hoot N’ Holler at MVP and Bull, Dozer, and Learning To Fly at Penniac. We won’t speak for other destinations that you may travel to which have their own rules… but if you’re unsure… you should ask a local about etiquette.

Have fun and stay safe!

Finding a Balance on Trail Dogs

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Many of us love good trail dogs. Riding is a great way to exercise yourself and your pup and a cool way to spend time together. Most dog owners also understand their responsibilities.

Not everyone is comfortable with riding around trail dogs however, and we need to find a balance for all members. After a recent discussion among the RVC executive (half of whom own trail dogs), we’ve decided we need to clarify a club position.

RVC Trail Dog Policy

Well trained trail dogs are welcome on RVC’s trails with owners who are practicing good etiquette (in full control – respecting signage and local rules – leaving no trace). RVC will post notice when group rides and special events are dog-friendly to let owners and other riders know what to expect.

RVC executive – June 2024

The right way to interpret this statement is that if RVC hasn’t specifically indicated that an event is dog-friendly, pup should stay at home. We’ll try and offer a few social rides that are dog-friendly and when we do, all riders will know to expect pups on trail.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Proud Members of: Velo New Brunswick

Canadian Cycling Association

International Mountain Biking Association