The President of the Squamish trials bike association wants to remind trail users that local trails have been shared for years with the mountain bike community, and others. With many shared commonalities, working together to maintain the trail network.

Chessy Knight with the 99 Trials Association says they have built many of the trails over the years, and are allowed to ride them under the Off-Road Vehicle Bylaw. “Over the years, members of the mountain bike community have become increasingly frustrated and irritated when they see a trials bike on the trail. Many mountain bikers believe that we are riding the trails illegally, and that we should not be there” says Knight. “Each year, things seem to get worse, and the disrespect shown to some of our club members is unacceptable.”

Knight took her concerns to social media after members of her Association came under fire recently from what the club’s President describes as visitors and newer locals using mountain bikes on area trails. “a lot of folks that don’t know anything about motorcycles see that we have a motor and automatically think, oh it’s a dirt bike, dirt bikes aren’t allowed” says Knight.

According to the club’s President trial riding has been popular in the Sea to Sky Corridor for over 30 years. Knight describes the bikes as different to dirt bikes; “They have no seat, the rider is typically standing, the tires have a flat profile, and tire pressures are very low”. She says she would like to see more education, including signage to let trail users know that they can expect to see trials bikes on the shared trails.

Knight says there was a great response to her post on social media, and that she just wants to get the word out. A meeting is planned with the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association where a trail will be walked followed by a discussion. “…most of them are great, we get along fine. We have more shared interests than [we do] a lack of shared interests.” says Knight.

 

Filed under: 99 Trials Association, Mountain bike, Sea to Sky, Squamish