Hi all!
I want advice weather or not it's worth the hassle taking my own bike to whistler or pay for a rental?
I'm hoping to get a working holiday visa and arrive in whistler for late April, work and play for about 6 months depending I find a job. I'm thinking I want to take my own bike (transition covert, 160mm pike, 160mm fox CTD, mavic ex823, hope pro evo 2) it's a very decent all rounder! I want to be riding at the very least twice a week, the cost of renting a DH rig will add up very quickly. but being from the UK it's hassle, ill more than likely be in and out of a couple hostels for the first couple weeks, not sure how much personal space ill have for a big bike bag and my large travelling bag or if it will be safe!
Has anyone or know of any one who has had a similar dilemma? If I was just going for a month or two I would rent but renting when hopefully staying for 6 months I doubt I could afford to ride every week! I'm thinking it will be worth the hassle.
Any advice is much appreciated.... even i get told this isn't the right forum (which wouldn't be the first) 🙂
Thanks.
Ben
Buy a Santa Cruz over there - they're only about $200 or so...
I looked after long stay guests there in 2010 , some stayed all season. Not one of them hired a bike , if that helps ?
I've been for 2weeks, twice. Always taken my own. If I went for longer, I'd take my own or buy one out there.
Take your own bike. You clearly are into bikes so there nothing worse than paying for rentals out of your upgrade budget 😉
Several transatlantic airlines will let you take a bike for free
Regardless of that, unless hiring allows you to trash bikes without any penalty it must be worth taking your own
Take your own bike or buy a cheap 2nd hand DH to take with you. Ride it for the season and sell it when you get back.
Take your own bike or buy a cheap 2nd hand DH to take with you. Ride it for the season and sell it when you get back.
Almost right. Take your own bike and buy a cheap DH bike here. There's so much riding to do outside of the park that an 140-160mm bike is perfect for and where an DH bike would suck. There's a huge number of cheap DH bikes on Pinkbike in Whistler and Vancouver. So buy one, ride it for 6 months, flog it.
The only problem is that you'll be buying a bike when everyone else, and selling when everyone else is (unless you take two bikes home). Still, the loss would still be less than the cost of renting ($100+ per day for a DH bike IIRC). If you have the option of buying in Vancouver, that would be better than buying some poo-kicked Whistler bike.
take a cheap bike there, buy a new one out there ( same make) and bring that one back, not forgetting of course do declare it at customs
I've just done a month back in the UK with my own bike, some hassle but worth it. 6 months and I'd really want mine or be picking something new up on day 1.
Thanks dudes, awesome responses... wasn't expecting so much so quick. So ye i guess renting is a fat NO! Never thought of buying one out there, will have to have a ponder. My heart is pretty set on taking my own. Does anyone know if there are public bike lockers or something? Don't reply want to be packing it away in the bike bag after every use.
*don't really... effin auto tx!
Don't reply want to be packing it away in the bike bag after every use.
For day to day travelling with an Evoc bag I drop the wheels off and thats it, bars stick out one end of the bag and thats it.
Don't reply want to be packing it away in the bike bag after every use.
Whistler in Summer has plenty of longer term accommodation options. you should have a reasonable selection of places to choose from.
I certainly wouldn't be looking at renting a place on the 3rd floor with only a deck to store my bike .. if you do go that route, you may as well write off any damage deposit before you even move in!
juice501 i'm doing the same as you but ive already got my visa. Just a word of warning, you have to be super quick with IEC applications, the quota 'sells out' in a matter of minutes. Last years was gone in like 15 minutes! I applied last January and was on the waiting list for 9 months.
Planning on arriving in whistler in april as well. I've got a 160mm banshee rune with pikes which i am definitely taking, there's so many pedal access trails outside of the bike park.
What are you planning on doing in terms of work?
juice501 i'm doing the same as you but ive already got my visa. Just a word of warning, you have to be super quick with IEC applications, the quota 'sells out' in a matter of minutes. Last years was gone in like 15 minutes! I applied last January and was on the waiting list for 9 months.
This is absolutely true. Earliest they're being released this year is mid February. And not to put extra pressure on it, but the canadians are cracking down on foreign youth worker programs. There's a fair chance that numbers will be massively reduced after this years quota.
Definitely take your own, hiring is expensive and they're nackered. For accommodation look at South side lodge in creekside. I think it was about £350 a month rent in a shared dorm (which I had entirely to myself for 3 months).