Whistler in Pictures

[Captain Freeride]

I was also able to enjoy whistler just last year, twwo friends and I rode Whistler for 3 days in July. Most definatley the best riding experience I have ever had in my life....bar none. Dirt Merchant was my favorite trail, but Lower Joyride and Angry Pirate were quite sweet too. I rode my DBack XTS Moto with a Boxxer and the ruts and roots worked that suspension like it had never been worked before. I dont know how people ride the trails on HT but I have seen it with my own two eyes.

[Chauncy]

i was just curious because several bike comapanies like norco and transition advertise some of their hardtail frames as "perfect for the shore" and by the look of those pictures and what you have said, I didnt think that would be true

BIG difference between Whistler and the shore though. Like the shore isn't really about skinny's and stuff as much people as think. Think of the gnarliest trail in the bikepark, make it 10 degrees steeper, put in roots, make it rain, unberm the corners and then you get an idea of what the shore is like lol
AHHH you beat me to it Pete!

[Kosk]

i was just curious because several bike comapanies like norco and transition advertise some of their hardtail frames as "perfect for the shore" and by the look of those pictures and what you have said, I didnt think that would be true

Well, "the shore" is not the same as the Whistler Bike Park. Two completely different animals that are not at all related. They may happen to be in the same part of the country, but are completely different in terms of style. WBP has a few "shore-style" trails, but is otherwise predominately the style of trail @ WBP is well, Whistler-style.

[wanderingrobots]

i was just curious because several bike comapanies like norco and transition advertise some of their hardtail frames as "perfect for the shore" and by the look of those pictures and what you have said, I didnt think that would be true

[Kosk]

You really only need suspension because of the breaking bumps all over the place.

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you on that one. There are plenty of trails (bottom of whistler downhill & angry pirate for example) where it is just so gnarly that a big fully is the way to go.

Sure you could ride some stuff on a rigid single speed, but why when you could ride big bike and get the full experience?

It's just like riding a DH bike on MN trails; you can do it, but you'll have a better experience on a XC or SS that is more suited to the terrain, etc....

Right tool for the job.

We're already planning on going back next year. Get your big$hit working and do it up right, no excuses, you got 10 months to get it ready.

[manual63]

yeah but you guys didn't ride in the bike park at all. (riding up easy does it and down b-line once doesn't count!)

I did B-line 3 times....but yeah. If it wasn't for all the breaking bumps I would have done A-line. You really only need suspension because of the breaking bumps all over the place.

But the XC trails were still quite killer.....like "A River Runs Through It". If I recall, that rolling skinny Buck is riding was there.

[manual63]

I can't believe how perfect and how much work has gone into those trails.

Very nice pictures.........

It was amazing in Whistler. They have a group similar to MORC that does a lot of work. They also have a guy who is actually paid to go out and work on the trails. It's an amazing place indeed. I hope to go there again some time. Most of the XC trails there are what we would call XX or even harder.

[Kosk]

Pete forgot to mention that there where two crazies with hardtails and rigid forks out there.....they even had singlespeeds. Yep, mara and I rode our On-One singlespeeds the whole week.....

yeah but you guys didn't ride in the bike park at all. (riding up easy does it and down b-line once doesn't count!)

[toyota200x]

I can't believe how perfect and how much work has gone into those trails.

Very nice pictures.........

[manual63]

Pete forgot to mention that there where two crazies with hardtails and rigid forks out there.....they even had singlespeeds. Yep, mara and I rode our On-One singlespeeds the whole week.....

[Kosk]

There were some guys in the Bike Park on hardtails. If I had to guess I'd say it was only about 5% or 7.5% of the riders though.

The boneyard and 4x course would be awsome on a HT. Most of the tech shore style trails would be doable on a hardtail as well. Some of the more high speed and big hit stuff would definately suck tho. You'd get your teeth rattled out. It's definately doable on a HT, but a fully would be the best way to get the most out of a trip up there. IMO the high speed race and jump trails (A-line, dirt merch, whistler down hill, angry pirate, & stuff on the upper mountain) are the main reason to pony up the $$ for riding the mountain. Those trails are completely unique and really define lift-access gravity riding, so why not have the best suited tool to enjoy them....

If you ride off the mountain, then a HT would do just fine, as you will be doing a lot more pedaling.

[wanderingrobots]

i meant to ask. did you see anyone riding a hardtail out there, or was everyone pretty much on full suspensions?

[Kosk]

Buck on the same ladder work via a "dolly shot" collective style.

[Kosk]

Thayer on a curved log ride:

[Kosk]

Buck on the HOD stepdown: