Good evening,
New here names Adam. Moved back to Nova Scotia last years after two Winters living out of a van and ski touring every day and I am hoping to fill that hole in my hart…if that is even possible…also having a reason to not work and get off the property is an added bonus. Oh I guess I should say I am hoping to get into the N.S. mountain biking scene. Primaryly in the wentworth area as that is the aria I live in.
First questions.
What are the wentworth valley trails like? Tried using the search function but not find any hard info on trail terrain and maintenance.
Are they maintained and rode often? Trail forks lists many trails but the dates are old are they still around? Any local groups do weekly rides or trail maintenance?
The second part of questions. Bikes.
Yes these are some open question with no one answer but I am looking for some direction…
I have been looking at bikes and there’s are so many options and differences I would say I am confident on a bike but my recent hands on Knowledge of bikes is limited to a trance 29er I spent a week on riding single track in interior BC two summers ago. It makes it a little harder not knowing exactly what the available terrain is like in my area.
So what should I be looking for in a bike For N.S. terrain?
Sorry for being a little rambly but Thanks and look forward to this conversation.
Happy to talk BC ski touring and vanlife.
Hey Adam, welcome! You should check in with Hub Cycle in Truro. They would have all the scoop on the Wentworth trails, and everything else in that area.
Not sure what your riding style is, but yeah a full suspension trail bike is definitely the go-to ride for most folks in NS.
For Wentworth, Fitzies, and Victoria Park a bone-jarring aluminum hardtail would suffice, I’m riding one and all of those trails are pretty forgiving. Of course, I was looking to save money and maintenance time, so a regular fun bike with full-suspension would probably do you good around here so get one of those. Mayswell go 27.5 while you’re at it. Little to no help, I know.
Ive spent A LOT of time on a freeride hardtail this past season and although heavy and not pedal friendly i had an absolute blast and it was more than capable of handling all the jumps and bumps i came across.
That being said im looking forward to getting a full suspension all mountain/enduro bike to alleviate all the climbing you encounter. Climbing tech on a hardtail sucks
Also have a dedicated downhill bike which is beyond fun but not much around here to enjoy it on so unless you plan on shuttling every weekend id entirely avoid that path for NS
Hub Cycle can definitely help out with some trail suggestions.
I would say a full suspension with about 5" of travel is perfect for hitting up any trail in NS or the maritimes really. It can be done on a hardtail but a full suspension does allow you to have more energy and feel less beat up over the long haul.
A Trance is a great bike for the price! Try a few different ones out to make sure you get the right fit though.
If you ever make your way to the Annapolis Valley feel free to contact me and I will show you the trails here.
I’d recommend Specialized Camber or Stumpjumper. If ya go hardtail, 27.5 Plus. Lots of bite, a little more forgiving. If you want all that speed, mountain goat climbing and good sustain; Specialized Epic hardtail.
Felt also makes some pretty sweet rides that have received lots of praise by many mtb magazines & blogs. Notably the Felt Decree as the best all rounder.
Compared to climbing on a 27.5+ full suspension meant for up and down, yeah i’d say ass end bouncing around climbing tech shit on a 10 yr old 26" hardtail meant for downhill kinda sucks. after riding the same stuff on a modern all mtn bike it was unbelievable how easy it was in comparison but yeah “lolz”
I really do like my Scott Scale. It’s exactly what I wanted and it rides exactly as advertised. And I do get beat up a bit when I’m riding Grey Mountain. I also do a bit of a double-take when I make the rare appearance at an ECMTB ride and see 17 full suspension bikes and I’m the only hardtail. Makes me feel like I missed a memo or something!
Nova Scotia trails generally have a lot of exposed rocks and roots. Not a lot of topsoil, and a lot of our trails are “artisanal”, with minimal buffing. That is changing a bit, as there are some trail systems getting professional development and care.
Full suspension is pretty nice for much of our singletrack. I’ve run a 4.7" travel Stumpjumper for many years, and have stepped up to a new full suspension Stumpjumper for this year. A lot of the guys I ride with run Giant Trances. I haven’t been up to the Wentworth hostel trails in a few years. I know they get ridden, but it doesn’t sound like ECMTB’ers ride them that often. I’m not aware of anyone doing maintenance to them.
Oh sorry, you meant your specific bike, I thought you were talking about new modern 29er hardtails which climb just as well as anything else out there. Sorry about the ‘lolz’, its just that the “full suspension that climbs like a hardtail” has been the Holy Grail/Marketing Schtick of the bike industry ever since someone decided to put a spring on the back of a bike.
thanks every one for the info. i am definitely planing on get a FS bike knowing that I would vary quickly want to up grade. Is there any thing I should avoid I am looking for a bike that charges up hill as well and rips down. I should also add I will most likely be purchasing used. I will check out cycle hub next time I am in truro.
thank you, I grew up out side of wolfville and will be moving back in a year or so and frequently visit my parents so I will defiantly take you up on that offer some time.
I ride a Trance with 140mm of rear travel. That kind of travel is nice to have but certainly not necessary. For a majority of the trails in HRM it’s kind of overkill I find. I could definitely get away with a 120-130mm trail bike no problem. Something a little more nimble for the tight, twisty, pedally stuff would be nice. I still love my Trance though. I’m really splitting hairs here.
IMO the ideal sort of bike for around here if you’re just trail riding is a 120-140 full suspension xc/trail bike. That being said I see people riding anything from 100mm XC hardtail race weapons to full on modern enduro bikes. It’s really all up to your riding style and budget.
