It’s that time of year to start thinking of memberships, racing plans & new bike parts
Are you registering for BNS membership (80$ +race day fees)?
BNS General Member (50$)? Trail Management Fund (+35$)? Club Membership (+10$)?
BNS event membership for a race?(25$+ race day fee)?
Roadents racing only (historically 20$/race)
NB membership? PEI?
Zwift (19$/m)? Trainerroad (25$/m)? Sufferfest(19$/m)?
None of the above? Why not?
Would be great to hear what your memberships are, and most of all, why?
None of the above, no interest in racing.
History: I’ve raced/competed in other sports and it tends to take the fun out of it (for me, anyway). I still work to improve, but I’m focusing on keeping the fun in my recreation.
5 Likes
Race or no race, a BNS general membership for $50/yr is worth it just for the insurance alone. Covers you anywhere in Canada for any type of accident, as long as you were on a bike when it happened.
Side note: BNS really needs to do a better job of marketing this membership perk to the non-racing community.
13 Likes
I bought a keppoch membership and that’s about it.
1 Like
Probably going to do BNS race membership, a couple Roadents gravel races and a few other events like Elgin and Tour de Cabot. Still want a smart trainer and the plan it to get one next winter, mount my XC bike on it and keep riding my incoming gravel bike outside throughout the winter. Once I get that trainer, will probably get on Zwift and maybe Trainerroad… sounds like it might be hard to incorporate outdoors riding/training with a Trainerroad program.
Oh and once my Bolt and HR monitor arrive at least going to use my 1 month trial of Strava and may end up subscribed to it.
I was a big Sufferfest fan. I owned all of the videos back when we had to buy them, and I also did the Tour of Sufferlandria a few times. I quit sufferfest and vowed that they would never see another dime from me after they switched to the Sufferfest app and left all of the people who had built the company through the our video purchases hanging.
Zwift, Strava, Vital MTB Box, Trailforks. Fitness,Tracking, My version of gambling, don’t like being lost.
Prob will Jump on BNS for insurance this year, if my current policy isn’t as good
Nothing like starting the riding season off with a new bike. Whether race/shuttling/XC single track/jump line sessioning… It’s all in good fun for me. See you all soon!
Bns general member for the insurance. And to support the scene.
McIntosh Run Trail Pass! Available shortly at your local bike shop.
14 Likes
Might buy membership to keppoch as I plan to make atleast 3 trips
2 trips to pei maybe 3, both for biking and relaxing
I want to race maybe at some point, neither fast enough or skilled enough to even bother, easily would be bottom 5%
Keppoch Membership, McRun Pass, BNS membership of some sort.
While I think a trail management fund is a good idea, I was curious about the BNS Trail Management fund statement:
" Bicycle Nova Scotia is committed to maintaining top-quality trails in Nova Scotia. To enjoy BNS managed trails throughout the province, users must contribute to the Trail Management Fund below . Contributing to this fund guaranties access to BNS-managed trails in 2021." (emphasis theirs)
What are these BNS managed trails? Have I been riding without permission?
I think until you get out there its hard to say where you would place and the sooner you start racing the earlier you will get some feedback on where you stand and be able to start improving. There was only one XC race in 2020 in NS that I made to, my goal was just not to come last given I had only been back riding for 6 weeks after 12 years off. Will be approaching this year with the same goal but hope to improve as the season goes on.
I feel like some people feel that unless they are going to be competitive against the province’s top elites that there is no point in racing but there is more than one skill class to race in (3 or 4) whether its XC, gravel or road, so if you feel like you have a novice level of skill and fitness you can race against others that also feel they are that level and so on. I personally don’t need to stand on a podium to enjoy the experience of a race.
Also forgot about the Mcintosh Run Trail Pass will have to remember to pick up one of those as well!
2 Likes
Good question. What trails are these?
1 Like
Also plan on some roadents gravel rides/races. I don’t know how they do it but their prices are crazy good. If they did MTB as well bns could basically shut down the racing side and focus on youth racer development and trails. And licensing.
I would say Brunello, since the expansion that is underway is a partnership with BNS to develop it as their training ground.
Not sure what other BNS trails exist. @elleDEE?
1 Like
I searched the BNS website and could not find a trails list. If it is Brunello, does that mean I don’t have to pay the fees to ride at Brunello if I’ve paid the trail management fund?
since “Contributing to this fund guaranties access to BNS-managed trails in 2021”
Don’t get me wrong, I’m more than happy to contribute financially to any MTB trails in NS, however I don’t want my wallet to be double-dipped 
7 Likes
That would be interesting to know. If you didn’t have to pay the fee with a BNS membership.
3 Likes
There’s not much money left after Netflix, Prime, Spotify, Disney+, SXM, 3 PlayStation Plus memberships, Nintendo Family membership and Crave/HBO!
It’s surprising how many companies get their hooks into you these days.
But I’m likely to do a BNS membership, MacRun and whatever fundraising ECMTB do. (Although I need to get better at actually collecting things).
3 Likes
Jesus, cut all of that and buy more bike stuff.
I do have Netflix but rarely use it.
1 Like