Whistler, baby!!!

[Bikeworks]

Two weeks away!!! Me and a group are hitting Whistler for an epic week! Our itinerary includes Whistler Bike Park (duh), a heli ride, and Lord of the Squirrels, along with some other fun non-bike activities.

For myself, aside from the above, I'll likely be sticking to Greens, Blues, and single Blacks, knowing that those designations vary greatly compared to our local stuff.

Ride of choice will be the Stumpjumper Evo.

Suspension and fork are freshly serviced and dialed in (at least for local stuff). I have the new 8220 XT brakes installed and bedded in nicely. I am also going heavier duty on the tires with Schwalbe radials in Gravity Pro casings, Ultra Soft compound; Magic Mary in the front, Tacky Chan in the rear as pictured. I'm entertaining switching my rotors from the XTs to TRP R1s for the added thickness (rawr) but I'm not sure if it's worth it (or smart this close to the trip).

Anyway, feel free to offer any comments/advice. @24khugs your last couple of videos have really helped me get into the correct head space. I'll be updating this with any relevant stuff before and after the trip.

 

[Robin]

We went this time 4 years ago. The park was dry dusty and blown out. Crankworks was about to happen. Plus 1/2 the mountain was closed for construction. I wasn’t overly impressed by the actual bike park. I may have to revisit for another chance.

My favorite days of riding were outside of the bike park.

Have a great time!

 

[24khugs]

Two weeks away!!! Me and a group are hitting Whistler for an epic week! Our itinerary includes Whistler Bike Park (duh), a heli ride, and Lord of the Squirrels, along with some other fun non-bike activities.

For myself, aside from the above, I'll likely be sticking to Greens, Blues, and single Blacks, knowing that those designations vary greatly compared to our local stuff.

Ride of choice will be the Stumpjumper Evo.

Suspension and fork are freshly serviced and dialed in (at least for local stuff). I have the new 8220 XT brakes installed and bedded in nicely. I am also going heavier duty on the tires with Schwalbe radials in Gravity Pro casings, Ultra Soft compound; Magic Mary in the front, Tacky Chan in the rear as pictured. I'm entertaining switching my rotors from the XTs to TRP R1s for the added thickness (rawr) but I'm not sure if it's worth it (or smart this close to the trip).

Anyway, feel free to offer any comments/advice. @24khugs your last couple of videos have really helped me get into the correct head space. I'll be updating this with any relevant stuff before and after the trip.

I'm really glad that you enjoyed the videos - I have fun making them and sometimes I think I am able to communicate the vibes of the day correctly haha.

I would say my words of advice is not to sweat the small stuff - It sounds like a dream trip!
Traveling far always adds pressure that you have to be enjoying your time 100% of the day.
Just give yourself, and your travel companions, grace for all the little things that come up (always easier said then done in the heat of it), try to soak up the special moments, and go enjoy your trip together!

I'd love to see some clips of the highlights when your back!

 

[Turbotrix]

We went this time 4 years ago. The park was dry dusty and blown out. Crankworks was about to happen. Plus 1/2 the mountain was closed for construction. I wasn’t overly impressed by the actual bike park. I may have to revisit for another chance.

My favorite days of riding were outside of the bike park.

Have a great time!

I second this. I'd recommend spending a day in the park just because but I'd spend the majority of the time hitting the local trails in Whistler, Pemberton and Squamish. The Squamish trails and slabs are amazing! Theres plenty of local guides that can provide shuttles and take you to the best places in the area.

 

[Jeremy]

Two weeks away!!! Me and a group are hitting Whistler for an epic week! Our itinerary includes Whistler Bike Park (duh), a heli ride, and Lord of the Squirrels, along with some other fun non-bike activities.

For myself, aside from the above, I'll likely be sticking to Greens, Blues, and single Blacks, knowing that those designations vary greatly compared to our local stuff.

Ride of choice will be the Stumpjumper Evo.

View attachment 287236

Suspension and fork are freshly serviced and dialed in (at least for local stuff). I have the new 8220 XT brakes installed and bedded in nicely. I am also going heavier duty on the tires with Schwalbe radials in Gravity Pro casings, Ultra Soft compound; Magic Mary in the front, Tacky Chan in the rear as pictured. I'm entertaining switching my rotors from the XTs to TRP R1s for the added thickness (rawr) but I'm not sure if it's worth it (or smart this close to the trip).

Anyway, feel free to offer any comments/advice. @24khugs your last couple of videos have really helped me get into the correct head space. I'll be updating this with any relevant stuff before and after the trip.

Sick. Whistler is on my list.

And do NOT make any changes to your bike before you go. If you do, ride it at least 2 times before.

I went to thicker rotors right before a race and my pads were rubbing/making noise the whole race it and drove me partially insane.

1 more piece of unsolicited advice, take several days off riding before you go. The days before travel are usually a little stressful and adding rides to that stress can put you in an overly fatigued state when you finally get there. I made this mistake countless times and only on my last trip to Park city I took the 5 days before totally off, and I felt like a million bucks when I got there.

Enjoy and take a shit load of pictures and videos.

 

[Cassinonorth]

I'd rent a DH bike for the bike park day but that could be just me. If you're flying all the way out there, enjoy the full park with the right tool for the job.

 

[Bikeworks]

We went this time 4 years ago. The park was dry dusty and blown out. Crankworks was about to happen. Plus 1/2 the mountain was closed for construction. I wasn’t overly impressed by the actual bike park. I may have to revisit for another chance.

My favorite days of riding were outside of the bike park.

Have a great time!

I second this. I'd recommend spending a day in the park just because but I'd spend the majority of the time hitting the local trails in Whistler, Pemberton and Squamish. The Squamish trails and slabs are amazing! Theres plenty of local guides that can provide shuttles and take you to the best places in the area.

So this sentiment has been punted around a bit, as Crankworks will have just finished and the trails may be blown out/closed. I'll make sure to have the conversation with the group.

I'm really glad that you enjoyed the videos - I have fun making them and sometimes I think I am able to communicate the vibes of the day correctly haha.

I would say my words of advice is not to sweat the small stuff - It sounds like a dream trip!
Traveling far always adds pressure that you have to be enjoying your time 100% of the day.
Just give yourself, and your travel companions, grace for all the little things that come up (always easier said then done in the heat of it), try to soak up the special moments, and go enjoy your trip together!

I'd love to see some clips of the highlights when your back!

I love that insight, thank you!!! Truly!

Sick. Whistler is on my list.

And do NOT make any changes to your bike before you go. If you do, ride it at least 2 times before.

I went to thicker rotors right before a race and my pads were rubbing/making noise the whole race it and drove me partially insane.

1 more piece of unsolicited advice, take several days off riding before you go. The days before travel are usually a little stressful and adding rides to that stress can put you in an overly fatigued state when you finally get there. I made this mistake countless times and only on my last trip to Park city I took the 5 days before totally off, and I felt like a million bucks when I got there.

Enjoy and take a shit load of pictures and videos.

This is great advice and what I was leaning towards. I will seriously consider doing my best to lay off at least 3 or so days before.

I'd rent a DH bike for the bike park day but that could be just me. If you're flying all the way out there, enjoy the full park with the right tool for the job.

Also good advice, but I'm not going to go that hard. Anything requiring a DH bike is likely outside my skillset quite frankly, and I'm mostly smart enough to recognize that.

 

[Cassinonorth]

Also good advice, but I'm not going to go that hard. Anything requiring a DH bike is likely outside my skillset quite frankly, and I'm mostly smart enough to recognize that.

This is kind of a misconception of DH bikes and why you'd rent/own them. You want them because it makes the braking bumps easier on the hands and lets you ride longer. Allows you to ride tech easier and grip the trail much better without feeling like you're in over your head on everything but a green trial.

Even doubley so if you've never ridden one...they're absolutely awesome. Just my $.02...may be your one time there. Make it count.

 

[24khugs]

Also good advice, but I'm not going to go that hard. Anything requiring a DH bike is likely outside my skillset quite frankly, and I'm mostly smart enough to recognize that.

IMO, Besides for racing, a DH or park bike's job is to grant you forgiveness for mistakes where a lesser travel bike might punish you. Also, the travel eats up some of the typical park chatter that would otherwise wear out your body earlier.
There is, however, something to be said about riding what you are comfortable on.
There likely is a choice to be made on the total # of park days you intend on riding on the trip, is riding a unfamiliar bike worth the forgiveness and lighter load on the body.

 

[Bikeworks]

This is kind of a misconception of DH bikes and why you'd rent/own them. You want them because it makes the braking bumps easier on the hands and lets you ride longer. Allows you to ride tech easier and grip the trail much better without feeling like you're in over your head on everything but a green trial.

Even doubley so if you've never ridden one...they're absolutely awesome. Just my $.02...may be your one time there. Make it count.

IMO, Besides for racing, a DH or park bike's job is to grant you forgiveness for mistakes where a lesser travel bike might punish you. Also, the travel eats up some of the typical park chatter that would otherwise wear out your body earlier.
There is, however, something to be said about riding what you are comfortable on.
There likely is a choice to be made on the total # of park days you intend on riding on the trip, is riding a unfamiliar bike worth the forgiveness and lighter load on the body.

Thank you both for that perspective, I hadn't considered it! Got some thinking to do. I'm likely going to give it a whirl with my bike and figure out how I want to progress, or just stay comfortable. Decisions, decisions.

 

[Juggernaut]

Thank you both for that perspective, I hadn't considered it! Got some thinking to do. I'm likely going to give it a whirl with my bike and figure out how I want to progress, or just stay comfortable. Decisions, decisions.

Soooo just a thought, if you haven’t (or have rarely) ridden a DH bike, maybe either stay with your current bike OR rent a DH bike beforehand for the day at Creek (or insert preferred DH park here) so you can weigh the benefits of increased travel/forgiveness vs the sluggish handling if not going mock-chicken. Funny story, it was relatively early in my park journey and my first time on a proper DH bike. I was having a blast my first run of the day just monster trucking down my warmup lap on ego trip and greenhorn. I decide to take Indy down the last little bit. Well, I was unprepared for just how aggressive I’d need to ride the berms and ended up slipping right over the top of the second to last berm and yard-sale’d down the embankment 😳. Lesson learned and was fine riding the rest of the day, thankful that my misstep was inconsequential. Yes, you’re a much better rider than I was (better than I am now too, for what it’s worth) but do you really want to fly all that way to ride epic trails on an unfamiliar bike?

 

[24khugs]

Soooo just a thought, if you haven’t (or have rarely) ridden a DH bike, maybe either stay with your current bike OR rent a DH bike beforehand for the day at Creek (or insert preferred DH park here)

Really good point - Some people can switch bikes and adapt in a lap, some people can't. Better to find out before getting there if considering rental at all.
Creek might not be the best representation of a DH bike rental, some of those bikes are clapped out and they don't quite set them up for each rider well. better than nothing tho!
I'm probably overthinking it - but it its just one park day then just ride the trail bike, if its back to back park days then rent at least one day, if its park day then trail day then park day then its a toss up.
TBH as long as the brakes are strong enough were you can stay loose on the bars in the chatter and you aren't going mach chicken I imagine that 150 - 160mm travel is fine.

Well, I was unprepared for just how aggressive I’d need to ride the berms and ended up slipping right over the top of the second to last berm and yard-sale’d down the embankment 😳. Lesson learned and was fine riding the rest of the day, thankful that my misstep was inconsequential.

Indy do be like that! The first time I rode it on my hardtail rather than my DH bike it was like a whole different trail.

 

[Bikeworks]

Soooo just a thought, if you haven’t (or have rarely) ridden a DH bike, maybe either stay with your current bike OR rent a DH bike beforehand for the day at Creek (or insert preferred DH park here) so you can weigh the benefits of increased travel/forgiveness vs the sluggish handling if not going mock-chicken. Funny story, it was relatively early in my park journey and my first time on a proper DH bike. I was having a blast my first run of the day just monster trucking down my warmup lap on ego trip and greenhorn. I decide to take Indy down the last little bit. Well, I was unprepared for just how aggressive I’d need to ride the berms and ended up slipping right over the top of the second to last berm and yard-sale’d down the embankment 😳. Lesson learned and was fine riding the rest of the day, thankful that my misstep was inconsequential. Yes, you’re a much better rider than I was (better than I am now too, for what it’s worth) but do you really want to fly all that way to ride epic trails on an unfamiliar bike?

I really want to get back to Creek at least once with this bike TBH. I feel the old brakes weren't working properly, the gear I was wearing was for the first time (gloves were super uncomfortable) and it was my first ride in a full-face. I recognize my limitations and adapt quickly, so I feel another trip on the SJ would result in a better idea of where I am at skill-wise.

Not sure I agree with your assessment of me (or you for that matter), but thanks for the compliment. FWIW, I hit Indy a few times and was very comfortable at the speeds I was hitting. I did the middle drop after the second run, and I feel I can hit the highest one with no issues. Go progression!!

Really good point - Some people can switch bikes and adapt in a lap, some people can't. Better to find out before getting there if considering rental at all.
Creek might not be the best representation of a DH bike rental, some of those bikes are clapped out and they don't quite set them up for each rider well. better than nothing tho!
I'm probably overthinking it - but it its just one park day then just ride the trail bike, if its back to back park days then rent at least one day, if its park day then trail day then park day then its a toss up.
TBH as long as the brakes are strong enough were you can stay loose on the bars in the chatter and you aren't going mach chicken I imagine that 150 - 160mm travel is fine.


Indy do be like that! The first time I rode it on my hardtail rather than my DH bike it was like a whole different trail.

I agree. I think the brakes, coupled with the 160 up front and the Vivid is more than enough for what I want to ride. Pushing past that, the DH may be the way to go.

 

[Bikeworks]

OhboyOhboyOhboy!!!! Tomorrow's the big day!!! Hope to share some epic views and reports!!!