NELSON AND AREA CYCLING RESOURCES
Mountain Bike Riding
Mountain biking in Nelson is the stuff of legend. Showcased in many mountain bike films, Nelson trails offer everything from gentle railway grades to steep, rooty technical tracks. For the hard core freestylers there are enough stunts, ladders and big drops to keep the adrenalin pumping long after the last epic ride of the day. With the breathtaking backdrop of the Selkirk Mountains, Nelson’s rides take the West Coast style and crank it up a notch.
Gravel/Bikepacking/Touring
Our hills and mountains are criss crossed with reclaimed rail grades, logging and mining roads that take you far from the beaten path in a very short amount of time.Prepare yourself with some fatter gravel tires and a good sense of adventure and you will be treated to a world class experience. check in with the local shops and riding clubs for organized gravel rides that happen monthly.
Road
The Nelson and Kootenay Lake region has several road cycling routes that take you along highways and roads through some of the most gorgeous scenery you’ll ever experience. It often feels remote, and yet there are ample cafes, rest stops and accommodations along the routes, making for a memorable road cycling experience.
Nelson Cycling Club
The NCC works to improve and maintain trails, trail access and events. Our goal is to promote and develop cycling opportunities in a socially and environmentally responsible manner for the benefit of Nelson area residents. We are a volunteer-run, registered, non-profit Society that caters to children, youth, adults and families, and riders of all levels and abilities.
Steep City Road/Gravel Club
Steep City Cycling is here for the serious cyclists (of the non-mountain-biking kind!) to ride, train and hopefully race together around Nelson.
Group rides, specialist chain gangs, long gravel rides and fondos, road time trials, road races, cyclocross races – our goal is to represent and hopefully promote all of the activities through 2022 and beyond.
West Kootenay Cycling Coalition
Our Vision
Safely moving together
Our Mission
To further the needs of our cycling community through advocacy, guidance and education and to actualize our vision.
Our Mandate
To make active transportation awareness, safety and infrastructure prioritized.
Our Region
Two mountain ranges, six communities, and one awesome experience of culture, outdoors and relaxation.
Come discover the East Shore from Wynndel to Riondel, cross the glacial-fed Kootenay Lake over to Balfour, on a free ferry, and journey along the shoreline to Ainsworth Hot Springs, Kaslo, North Kootenay Lake and Nelson BC.
City of Nelson Cycling Initiatives
Historically, transportation plans for the City of Nelson have focused primarily on roadway networks and infrastructure related to the automobile; however, residents have shown a willingness to use alternative modes of transportation to commute to work. In fact, 31 percent of Nelson residents walked or cycled to work, according to the 2006 Census. This compares with only a 9 percent average for British Columbia. In Nelson, 65 percent currently commute to work using personal automobiles, as compared with 80 percent of British Columbians. The following figures illustrate the mode split for Nelson and the province of BC: