I was riding a Scott Voltage with Totem 180’s up front, two riders ahead; 1 on a Transition 250 & other on an Orange Alpine. Another 3 of our riders were also on Alpines and the guide reckoned they were at their limit in the park. My Voltage was the perfect bike there. 7 inch coil travel on a slack bike gives you the confidence to hit the big stuff: I never thought I’d do the containers, Fade to Black or start to clear the tables on A Line.

That’s really all down to our guide: Mark from BearBackBiking. He progressed us up to some very leery stuff by the end of the week. If you go to Whistler I’d suggest a guide as you’ll get much more out of the park, even though its way marked and I’d give BearBackBiking 5 stars.

Rollercoaster at Hafjell might fit the bill.

Now that looks like A Line. I imagine a week in Norway will put a dent in the wallet.

Nice video, but kept thinking you were going to come up short on the gaps!

Yep: took the woodwork too slow & cased back wheel. Need a lot of speed on A Line, which takes balls when you come face to face with those massive table tops. On Crank it Up (blue version of A line) we had more speed by the end of the week & we were landing between the tables. So much stuff at Whistler we only rode A Line a couple of times.

We ride the local stuff in south London/Kent borders; Selsdon, Shirley Hills, Orpington. There’s a lot of stuff out there but its all local knowledge. If you end up in South London try here: Big Foot Bike Club They do night rides on Thursdays.

From SE London its 40 mins to the Surrey Hills. Here’s some footage from last Sunday:

Scott Voltage FR20: Stock forks changed for Totems, Saint Brakes with XTR levers, Mavic EX823 rims and some chunky UST Minions. Photo’s from Whistler 2012.

Come on Hamsterley riders, where are you?

All those who park at Bedburn to avoid paying £3 should be donating

I’m always amazed when going to Hamsterley at the amount of mtb cars parked just outside the gates, on the verge and down near the pond, just to avoid £3 and then use the trails. Shame.

Anyway the new built trails are excellent and if Hamsterely continues in the same vain it’ll prove to be a worthwhile destination for people outside of County Durham. Have donated and will encourage others.

It’s good to hear from someone who can make a direct comparison.

So, if your kids could easily ride all the reds at Deux alpes, had no problem clearing an 8 ft table, had a bike suited for the terrain, had loads of experience of riding European bike parks etc, etc. Would the trip to whistler justify the extra cost?

Yes.

The DH trails: The blue and green. Tabletops, woodwork and berms. They were on 24inch hard tails and managed fine. My 11 year old even ended up tailgating some guys on DH bikes, but TBF, there’s a lot of beginners on these trails; a lot of people turn up, rent a big full sus, FF lid and pressure suit and have their first go riding a DH trail, so you’ll come round a big berm and find a couple having a chat in the middle of the trail.C’est la vie.

I’m just back from a week in Whistler. Stayed with Bearbackbiking. 6 of us on their all inclusive Whistler package, with a guide provided for the mornings (Mark Hill – fantastic coach & guide). Previously we’d ridden with Trail Addiction in Les Arcs, French Alps.

Was Whistler worth it? Life changing.

If you’re looking to push you riding up a level and ride fantastic purpose built trails, Whistler is worth a visit. I started the week nervously casing 8 ft table tops, by the end of the week I was riding the containers on Freight Train and cleared the gaps and the wooden table on Fade to Black. Another week and I would have been clearing all the table tops on A Line. The best thing we did was to stay with BBB and have a guide for the week. We wouldn’t have made half the progress without him. Accommodation and food was great, bike workshop in the basement was a lifeline. 5 min walk from the chalet was a lake. Swimming there on an evening was sublime.

I had been riding with the family at Les Deux Alpes two weeks prior to the Whistler visit, 2 kids 11 & 13. I like 2Apes but you cannot compare it with Whistler (it isn’t fair to 2Alpes). Would I take my kids to Whistler? Only if I enrolled them on a tuition programme on full sus. bikes – guide in the am, with Dad in the pm. I would NOT take them down A Line & Dirt Merchant (unless they were already riding DH courses/bike parks in the UK). We were on 6 & 7 inch bikes with all the protection and our guide (as a matter of policy) would not take us down A line on the first day. (also, he wanted to qualify our ability – and rightly so).

So; visit Whistler, take a big bike, use a guide/coach, go catered (eating out in Whistler will dent your wallet), enjoy the ride of your life.

interesting that this discussion starts to reflect numerous libertine arguments we’ve seen for the right to not wear a helmet, and some slightly narky language.

concerning what other people think and passing comment on complete strangers? Its a concern and can put you off wearing protection, thinking you look like a dick. I’m off to Whistler for first time and finally bit the bullet and bought a neck brace. I realise there will be tons of better riders there, hitting stuff bigger & faster wearing nothing more than a FF lid and a pair of ripped jeans and a t-shirt. Me? FF, pressure suit & full length knee/shin pads & Leatt. I may look like a dick riding with a toilet seat around my neck for a week, better than a wheelchair & catheter for the rest of my time.

Last two summers have ridden Les Arcs with TA. Consensus among our group’ 2.5 Maxxis Minions DHF 60a rear 40 super tack up front. Depends on how hard & fast you ride. We were all on 6 inch bikes and my UST Minions running tubeless were perfect (no punctures for me). Some still did snakebite their DH tubes, so if you can, go tubeless.

Gary Fisher was asked; ‘What’s your favourite bike?’ Answer: ‘The one I’m riding’
I’ve got a 5, had a Commencal, Trek Remedy and Scott Voltage. I don’t care what any of them look like just how fast they can get me down a mountain without breaking my neck. Don’t be a hater, be friendly to your fellow riders, peace, chill!