I love how all of pinkbike talks shit. Park is awesome. Indoors is awesome. Speed is fine (refer to video the jumps were being cleared without effort). Go ride your f*cking bike and get off your keyboard.
It's an awesome park and fun to ride---but they do not offer season passes and they are only open 10-6 during the week/10-8 on weekends...so as for local riders here-it's lost its appeal. This could have been an awesome step for a part of the country where there is not even a pump track....but sadly, it has been made more into an amusement park attraction than an actual bike park. To answer some questions, the dirt is from local construction jobs and is dumped in there for FREE--dump trucks in and out all day. There is a slope to the whole park and is actually quite fast==but not enough for actual dh training/rock gardens, etc.... Also, I am selling a Trek Ticket S R-dog if anybody is interested...built it for the park--and without access-I can just keep my hardtail
This is disappointed but I can't say I'm surprised. Every video I've seen is all DJ stuff. Part of the success of Ray's is that he had a lot of XC and skills stuff for the old folks like myself. He knew if he made it just another bmx park, it wouldn't do well. This looks like a giant underground bmx park.
Indoor jump track is great but we can wait till summer. What we really need is crash air bags and foam pits. There is a lot of untapped FMB potential in Alberta. The riders would be a mix of flat land "Ontario" Rheeder and mountain life "BC" Semenuk.
I will not comment on the song, or the edit, only what is important to mountain bikers. Great job, great foresight and it is always ballsy trying to something new. Congratulations and I wish you a huge success.
I'd agree that the videos could be better, but what do you love about Ray's in comparison? Dirt vs wood/cement is a huge advantage here, as well as overall space and mileage. Cavern vs busted ass building. There are much bigger jumps here. As a relatively inexperienced dirt jumper, I'm a bit leery of sending sizable jumps made of wood. Dirt is more forgiving.
Thanks for the reply. I have been to Ray's, back in October. I enjoyed it very much, but am also looking forward to trying the Mega Cavern. I am curious to see how the atmosphere compares.
I wouldn't count this place out based on its opening line/video. I remember some of the initial stuff coming out of Joyride150 here in Toronto and it wasn't overly impressive… but with some traffic and continued building it's a now a full blown premier park producing and supporting top talent like Bezanson, MacDuff, Gray and so many up and comers.
I just rode this place over the weekend. Though I did enjoy myself, I would have been disappointed if I drove 4+ hours to get there vs the 1hr I drove.
Looks pretty cool if one is into DJ and if the snow is piled up outside. But I ride singletrack and live on the Island so I will stick with the fresh air and trees.
considering bike parks here in BC are $40 a day (whistler is a little more) but they have way more jumps way more km of trails to maintain way more staff to pay and chairlifts to operate and maintain. restaurants to run for lunchtime.
I am sure they have a business plan that will keep them sustainable. Trestle has more money and these guys obviously do not. I like to support businesses that take that risk for us. How many loans did they take out? What is their break even point? Do they have crazy insurance in case of a possible collapse? That last one may be crazy, but this is a tough business and the only ones that knows those answers our the owner. or investors. Does Trestle sell real estate at their mountain? That helps big time with cash flow. The best analogy I can think of is the waiter, or bartender that thinks they could run the business better than the owner. Not trying to argue, but I constantly have people tell me what we need to do.
Im not arguing with anyone I just think its an astronomical amount of money to ride some dirt jumps when bike parks offer lift access, way more trails(read as selection) and cater to substantially more riding disciplines. its a cool idea but I cant see it lasting with no season pass offering either. I dont consider it apples to oranges either anyone with a bobcat and a 1/2 acre can build 45 jumps in a solid weekend with some friends.
@downhillmike Im going out on a limb here but im assuming MOST businesses have a 'plan' to make them profitable yet majority of businesses are belly up in 5 years. Im not telling anyone how to run their business but charging the equilevant of a lift access bike park for the same amount of jumps in 60 seconds down A line or dirt mechant that I now have to walk back to the top starting ramp I just dont see it as a feasible long term investment. then again I live in and grew up in what most consider the dh freeride riding capital of the world with so my opinion is only so relavant. happy trails
You can order tickets on the mega cavern website. They are 4 hours for 24 bucks or 8 for 40. I think I heard grand opening is in March but anyone can get tickets now and go during february for the soft opening. I'm sure they are still working out some kinks and I know they don't have the rental bikes yet, etc.
Boring? That looks like fun and way better than what's typically offered in KENTURKEY!
But like every bike park that has ever existed, they start out small. I'm sure once they have the interest and money, it will be built. Until then, reserving all judgement.
^ This, as someone from Southwestern IN that has relocated to Coloraodo. Some people don't understand the scene is not as epic everywhere. Granted IN is very underrated when talking about MTB(Look up BCSP), things like this do not exist anywhere infact I'd like to see the distance you'd have to travel from the Mega Caverns just to find comparable dirt jumps.
Also, I am selling a Trek Ticket S R-dog if anybody is interested...built it for the park--and without access-I can just keep my hardtail
But I ride singletrack and live on the Island so I will stick with the fresh air and trees.
The best analogy I can think of is the waiter, or bartender that thinks they could run the business better than the owner. Not trying to argue, but I constantly have people tell me what we need to do.
I dont consider it apples to oranges either anyone with a bobcat and a 1/2 acre can build 45 jumps in a solid weekend with some friends.
@downhillmike Im going out on a limb here but im assuming MOST businesses have a 'plan' to make them profitable yet majority of businesses are belly up in 5 years. Im not telling anyone how to run their business but charging the equilevant of a lift access bike park for the same amount of jumps in 60 seconds down A line or dirt mechant that I now have to walk back to the top starting ramp I just dont see it as a feasible long term investment. then again I live in and grew up in what most consider the dh freeride riding capital of the world with so my opinion is only so relavant.
happy trails
But like every bike park that has ever existed, they start out small. I'm sure once they have the interest and money, it will be built. Until then, reserving all judgement.