Right,

I'm off on my Canadian road trip on Friday and I will be paying Whistler & Kamloops a visit. Any rental reccomenations please from people who have been? Companies, gear etc.

Also if ther are any ex pats that are up for a ride let me know.

Thanks,

Nick

Ooh by the way, this 9 meter monster will be what I call home for 15 days: –

Bring it on!!

Hired from the shop on the lh of the bottom of the pistes/trails as you look down. Was fine.

I did the same earlier in the year, you'll love it!
I took my own bike but there are loads of places in whistler which will rent you a bike (and helmet, pads etc) so don't worry!
The nesters supermarket does brilliant food and is right opposite the RV park. Worth looking at hiring an XC bike and riding the zappa/lost lake trails too (all rideable straight from the RV park also).
Where else are you going? Some amazing riding in squamish too.

Just check what ever bike you hire has easily swappable brakes… some makes are easier than others to just move across.

Thanks for the reccomendations guys, all noted. Route plan is

Vancouver to Whistler,
Whistler to Kamloops,
Kamloops to Glacier National Park,
GNP to Banff,
Banff back to Kamloops,
Kamloops to Vancouver.

But it may change when we get there, main events are Red Bull 5000 on Sunday, some biking and Fishing!

Hope you like driving! The roads aren't a straight as I'd imagined.
We managed;
Vancouver to vancouver island (Tofino)
Van island to Squamish
Squamish to whistler
Whistler to Kelowna
Kelowna to Nelson (our fav place)
Nelson to vancouver (11 hour drive)
In 3 weeks, only stayed in any place for 2-3 days but I'd miss kelowna out if I did it again.
It's a brilliant place, hope you have a good time.

Thanks Backhander, good bit of advice there. How about buying MTB stuff out there? Glasses, shorts, shocks etc, is it cheaper?

Thanks,

Nick

Thanks Backhander, good bit of advice there. How about buying MTB stuff out there? Glasses, shorts, shocks etc, is it cheaper?

Thanks,

Nick

Well the canadian stuff is (as you'd expect) but not much else what with the pound being so weak. The Chromag kit is as good if not better than any I've used. Whistler has a outlet type centre where everything that hasn't sold goes and that's quite cheap for clothing.
Don't overlook Squamish IMO, the RV park in alice lake is lovely with a lake beach, loads of walks and the riding trails are right there.
Also, have you booked the RV park in whistler? IIRC, there's only one and it's quite small. We were early in the season and got away with it, but it may be worth thinking about. Nelson is one of the coolest places I've ever been, really laid back with a massive lake (think fishing), hot springs and scary as f*** downhilling. Quite hippy (in a good way) and you can smell weed all the time!
I'm not sure about kamloops, it wasn't recommended to me.

What are you planning on doing in Banff? Mountain biking is limited in Banff national park – the best riding is south of Canmore (so even further towards Calgary from where you're starting). Moraine Lake Road (near Lake Louise) and Lake Minniwanka are both good rides but both are closed currently due to bear activity… – I met a fully grown grizzly (15m away) around a bend on Saturday near Nakiska in Kananakasis and there was no way it was shifting from that lovely crop of berries. It knew I was coming (group of 4 making a lot of noise) but couldn't have cared less.

Most stuff isn't much cheaper than in the UK… Nobby Nics are over $100 each (plus tax); Maxxis are ~$60 each..

A slightly 'out there' suggestion but it might be worth checking BC vs UK bike prices. It's late season here and most shops are having big sales to get rid of 2010 bikes, otherwise they'll sit rotting while everyone hits the snowy slopes. If you've got the money, there is the possibility that you could buy a bike, ride it while you are here, and take it home and sell it and not lose much money. Might be wrong though, but UK bike prices always used to be higher than here, yet P+A stuff (like tyres) cost much more here (BC).

Oh yeah, ride Squamish and Pemberton (I'd even **** Whistler off if given the choice of Squampton or Whistler).

Little Tip about coming to BC, BRING CASH

Everything is expensive here, especially bike stuff and that's before you add the 12% tax

Walleater is right, dont just drive through Squamish, some wicked trails and the maps and signs are plenty good enough for you to guide yourself.

Hi Konastoner,

Summit Cycles has Rocky Mountain Flatlines. The 'big yellow park buses' are heavy AS, but they work. The yellow flatline is a special version that RM do specifically for the bike park, it weighs an extra 10 lbs.
99 dollars a day 'ish. Summit has a big hire fleet so good availability.

Fanatyk co
Hire Norco A-lines. They have some bikes that already have their brake levers 'moto style' i.e. the proper UK way around. We found that this was the only place to hire a small sized bike. Again about 99 dollars per day.

Evolution Cycles has Spesh Demo 8s for hire. An all together better bike.
About 120 dollars per day. Worth the money. Tiny hire fleet so pre-book.

More money…don't forget you'll need a lift pass too.

Routes
'Crank It Up' is great.
I really liked this combination; B-line, ninga cougar, Samurai Pizza Cat, A-line (or Easy Up)in to Hornet, GLC drops. The small one rolls.
Fun ladders (narrow and high)on Old School.

Try the Yam fries at the GLC patio. mmmmm

Try some the cross country trails, there is so much good riding outside the park.

cheers
Hidetherum

I can think of no reason to go to Banff on your trip. Its the Blackpool of Canada really

Squamish, Pemberton, Nelson are great places to ride

Hey.

I'm an expat canuck living in edinburgh and here's my two cents:

i was in nelson riding/hanging out with my brother and friends for two weeks this summer.
Nelson's a bit outta the way if you're going 'loops to banff…but WELL worth it if you can make it, as others here have pointed out.
mtb wonderland. 😛

But….a ride that a photog/mag editor buddy o' mine(http://www.kmcmag.com/) told me about that I wished i could have ridden was the Keystone Standard Basin trail near Revelstoke. Look it up.

Hope that helps.

stan.

I can think of no reason to go to Banff on your trip.

Er, yes it get busy but it a beautiful place. Quick walk over the river past the Native museum and your out of the busy bit.

I would like this view down Stafford high street.

I'm not envious about this trip at all. No, not at all. Vancouver and BC in general is not one of the nicest places I have ever been, really.

Thats a lot of driving for two weeks for 15 days, especially in an RV and if you want to do some riding as well!

Missing out Banff makes sence if you are only interested in Biking but if you are in the glacier national park and you want to do some walking then lake Louise and Banff has some great walks.

There are other bike parks like kicking horse that might be on your route but you might need to check if they are still open.

If you can forget biking for a couple of days (it's perfectly possibly in Canada…), then personally I'd hit the Icefields Parkway from Jasper to Banff. Let's face it, all settlements in BC and Alberta are younger than most of the trees so you don't go anywhere around here if you want culture. Most of my roadtrips in BC and Alberta have involved 6-8hr drives everyday, just to catch all the scenery. One day you can be in a desert environment (Baaaadlands), and the next day standing on a glacier (Athabasca). If you want to be sat in a bar in Whistler, then you might as well be in Broad Street, Birmingham!

Here's a few shots from 2007:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9460&id=666307809&l=be7c87a8a6

I agree with Scruff…Banff is gorgeously situated and the Icefields Parkway is one of the most scenic drives I've done…

Thanks for all the useful info all, really appreciated. As most people will say even the best plans change and I fully expect mine too!
I intend to use this trip as a bit of a "Reccy" for the future, bored with the usual euro tat, so not really woried about cramming everything in. I do monster miles with my job so not worried about the driving either and hey i'm sure them views will make up for it.

I have a sneaky feeling I will be going back…….. With my bike next time though.

Nice one, cheers all.

If you want someone to guide you for a day or two and show you some of the best trails you'll probably ever ride in your life, then have a look at http://www.ticket2ridebc.com for the various day trips to Pemberton, Squamish et al.
They also have Commencal bike for hire too and are only a few hundred yards from Nesters.