The North Shore in Vancouver, Canada was arguably one of the most enticing mountain bike attractions in the world. The three local mountains—Mount Seymour, Mount Cypress, and, most infamously, Mount Fromme—were home to some of the most challenging trails and stunts. The mountain biking scene first started in the 80s, and peaked in terms of difficulty in the late 90s and early 2000s, then softened up in the years later to come, but could still provide a difficult challenge for riders to come.
In the past, trail building and riding were frowned upon by the district. It was deemed illegal to move dirt, rocks, trees, or any form of forest-like debris without a permit. And back then getting a permit was like trying to sneak into a club underage—it very rarely was going to happen. The district feared that they'd be responsible for anyone who may get injured while using the trails, and throughout the North Shore's most notorious days, fines and jail time were even threatened against those who took place in illegal trail building.
Yet determined and dedicated, maybe even a little bit stubborn, trail builders refused to abide by these laws, sneaking off into the mountains and building secret, hidden trails. Some builders even went as far as covering their stunts in camouflage nets, as they feared any prying eyes may catch them taking place in their passionate anarchy.
During the late 90s and early 2000s, the North Shore was seeing some of its craziest stunts, creating challenges that had yet to be seen in the era of mountain biking.
"It's just crazy when I look back at it," said Connor, recalling all the wild times. "I think a lot of people, locals even, would be shocked at some of the crazy shit they were building up in those mountains. As much as we hated the district for trying to take away what we loved doing, I can also see why they were concerned. We were nuts. Us British Columbians were pushing the sport harder than ever."
"The Shore ain't like it was back then," admitted David, who reminisced on the earlier days. "Don't get me wrong, there are still quite a few challenging double black diamond trails that will give you a solid run for your money, no doubt. But if you wanted that gritty, old school North Shore vibe, then you had to be riding here fifteen or twenty years ago."
David Thorn, twenty-two at the time, had moved to the North Shore with his family in 2002 from Windsor, Ontario. Upon settling into his new environment, David was introduced to mountain biking by a neighbour, John Ramerdy, who he had spotted riding a 1999 Kona Stinky up and down the block. Entranced by the bike and its style, David asked John if he could try riding some of the local trails with him if he were to save up for a mountain bike of his own. John saw no problem in this, and was more than willing to make David's wish come true.
So David started saving his money carefully, working long shifts at the gas station just up the hill from his house.
After two months, David was ready to buy his first mountain bike. He and John, who by this time had built a friendship, made their way to the local bike shop, where David purchased a 2001 Norco VPS—one of the first mountain bikes to provide both front and back suspension. David said it was like love at first sight.
"It caught my eye the second I walked into the store," he confessed. "It was resting there up against the wall, shining bright lime green with streaks of pumpkin-orange. I looked at John and said, 'This is the one.' "
"I thought it was a good pick for him," John, too, agreed. "Sometimes, when riders are first starting out, it's suggested that they don't buy a bike with back suspension. The reason for this is because you don't want the rider to become dependent on the suspension; you want them to rely on their skill and hard work. But I didn't feel that way with David. He was tall and had a natural, athletic build. I thought he could skip the beginner stage and move to the more advanced trails right off the bat."
