North Shore mountain bikers kick off season with 'Fivers' race series

The North Shore mountain bike scene has a reputation for extremely difficult and intense trails.

But for the past few years, the North Shore Mountain Bike Association has been trying to attract new members with gentler routes in its bi-weekly summer race series.

The NSMBA "Fivers" series started with its first race of the season Thursday night on Mt.Fromme.

"It's a great social event for the community the North Shore was really missing a fun, social, weekly race series that some of the other local communities have," said event coordinator Brian Earle.

Some of the other local mountain biking communities have cross-country oriented events, he said, which have boosted trail membership considerably.

These fun, all-level races are open to association members only and in the past five years of the series, Earle has seen similar results for the NSMBA membership.

"The race has become the incentive for a lot of people who might not necessarily be members," he said.

Approachable for all riders

The eventhasevolved over the years, with turnout growing from about 60 racers in their first season to more than 200 enrolled last year.

Organizers have decided to set a 200-rider cap this year based on the trails and capacity, said Earle.

"It's our first major sellout, which is cool but it kind of sucks too because I hate telling people they can't race," he said.

The course sticks to mostly intermediate trails to keep the event approachable forridersofall levelsin the Lower Mainland.

The series is structured as an enduro race, with the course split up into stages. Downhill sections are timed and the neutral, or transition, stages are not.

"We don't try to run the hardest, gnarliest stuff, which there's lots of on the shore, but we want the average rider to enjoy them," Earle told The Early Edition producer Ash Kelly.

Association advocacy

Association members also get to participate in operations like trail building and maintenance, and advocacy for riding on the North Shore.

"We get a lot of riders who are in here for the social, but then we get to mould them into advocates rather than just racers," Earle said.

Each Fivers race costs $5 and includes a beer and a burger after the course is completed.

The next race will be held on Thursday, May 10 on Mt. Seymour.

Listen to Ash Kelly ride the course and check in with new and seasoned riders along the way:

With files from The Early Edition