Cool so see NB getting some attention, but I found that article painful to read. Trying too hard, just tell us how the trails are point blank, I don’t care what the wet air and yellow leaves smell like…maybe that’s just me though.
Man, seems to me NB mountain biking is poised to show up on the Americans radar in a big way. First, altruiste bikes wins NAHBS, now an article in BIKE. If they’re not careful they’ll start bringing in some serious tourist dollars…
I hear what you’re saying. But I imagine that would get old pretty quick when you write about so many different trails. You’d just end up essentially using the same adjectives and copy and pasting descriptions from similar style trails over and over. People would get bored of reading that. They write more about the mountain biking culture/experience. It’s kinda like how Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown isn’t only about the food. It’s a pivotal aspect to the show, but there’s more to it than just that. I think they’re trying to paint the mountain bike community of the region as a whole. Rather than just a written review of a trail. Which, for ecotourism, is important.
Interesting… I used to like how Rad X Bike was almost a travel show but with Jaw Hoots and Ryan Leech hitting up different trails.
I rode with the photographer and writer when they made their stop in Fundy for this article (I’m the guy standing on the pumptrack start block doing the Michael Jackson thriller thing with my arms). “Mahoney was super fanning over the EWS at every stop” is a little less flattering, but I’ll take my 15 seconds of fame and move on. These guys have an interesting perspective on mountain biking that goes soooooo much deeper than just the riding. Both Matt Côté and Bruno Long are your typical west coast riders who embody this deeper riding culture, and the fact that they can write this type of article about NB is pretty telling about the state of trails there…I’m just kinda sour that NS doesn’t have the same kind of flow as NB to warrant a column in Bike Mag.
I’ve been going up there to race for 2 yrs. The trails are great, well cared for, and interesting. The turn out for the races is really good. They also have the longer races I enjoy (60 and 80 km and 4 hrs). Hopefully NS turns around and more people start riding.
wade
NB’s municipalities/gov’ts have done a great job getting on board and supporting trail building and promotion initiatives.
- Rockwood Park in SJ
- The Minto Trails
- French Fort Cove
- Sugarloaf
They’re all good examples of what can happen when people get organized and raise money/take initiative to do this right.
But, we’re making progress here with Keppoch, the AVMBA and now Mountain Bike Halifax, and dare I say that when the MacIntosh Run work is completed, linking Fight Trail to Norrawarren, we will have a serious draw for mountain bike tourism with exceptional and unique terrain that you just can’t find anywhere else. Give it time, get involved, join MBH and support the drive to get us on the map.
Probably hard to quantify, but I wonder if tourism NB or N.S. are tracking tourists who either intend to or have engaged in cycling or mountain biking when visiting…
Better add MRWA’s great work in that list. 
Lots of people are riding, there just isn’t much interest in racing anymore. It used to be the opposite with tons of races and people racing here and f all happening in NB. Just the way it goes.
Imma gonna say no, they aren’t tracking. Our economy is in the pisser and our roads and health are crap. So no, they aren’t going to spend money tracking something so insignificant.