[namaSSte]

Very little inof out there on whether or not its a stupid idea to try. Im heading out there in two weeks and really don't want to think about putting all those yucky gears back on my simple steed. Anyone ever ridden out that way SS style? BTW, Im not talking about the bike park, that I'd ride SS for sure, really wonering about the XC stuff. For anyone who has, what kind of gearing did you run?

 

[never_was]

People do it but not sure what gears the use. Talk to Chris at Corsa Cycles in Squamish. If your coming this way for XC, don't bother with the Shore. There isn't any. Better to spend your time in Whistler and Squamish.

 

[namaSSte]

People do it but not sure what gears the use. Talk to Chris at Corsa Cycles in Squamish. If your coming this way for XC, don't bother with the Shore. There isn't any. Better to spend your time in Whistler and Squamish.

Thanks for the heads up. Im planning on doing a little xc but Im really coming for Whistler and maybe a little Shore riding. The xc will just be a bonus. Ill call Chris and get his input. Thanks.

 

[neville]

Lot's of Fun

I just spent the weekend riding SS XC in and around Whistler and south to Brandywine Falls. I'm old and fat so I was using 32:20 and no problems at all.
There are a lot of XC trails that are around Squamish that are great riding and only about an hour's drive from Whistler.
You will get lot's of looks on the SS as most of the riders up there are riding FS. I was the only SS that I saw for the 4 days over the weekend.
Have fun when you come up.

 

[namaSSte]

I just spent the weekend riding SS XC in and around Whistler and south to Brandywine Falls. I'm old and fat so I was using 32:20 and no problems at all.
There are a lot of XC trails that are around Squamish that are great riding and only about an hour's drive from Whistler.
You will get lot's of looks on the SS as most of the riders up there are riding FS. I was the only SS that I saw for the 4 days over the weekend.
Have fun when you come up.

Right on! I use a 32:17 around here but our trails are much different. Very rocky and rooty and techy but the climbs are really short steep efforts. Glad to hear it can be done...I hated the thought of all that noise from the gears!

 

[GlowBoy]

Lots of good SS trails around

Not into the whole BC DH scene myself, but I took my bike up there for a weekend last year and loved it. If I remember right, some of the trails I rode were RIverside, Blueberry Hill and River Runs Through It. Riverside was a nice well-named, fun conventional singletrack. Blueberry Hill is brutally steep (at least from the south/west) in spots but rooty good fun, and River Runs Through It is super-technical with lots of stunts and great practice for Northshore riding. (I walked the log bridge, thank you very much). Also on the north side of the valley there's a network of trails that I only rode a small portion of but seemed promising. Go to any bike shop in Whistler and they can sell you a plastic map of all the trails.

I ran my (then 26") bike 34:20, my usual gear. At least for the trails I was on, I could have gotten away with something a bit taller (but not quite 2:1) ... most of the trails weren't super steep, except for Blueberry which most people would have to walk part of anyway. The taller gearing would be nice on the paved Valley Trail that connects everything together.

 

[namaSSte]

Not into the whole BC DH scene myself, but I took my bike up there for a weekend last year and loved it. If I remember right, some of the trails I rode were RIverside, Blueberry Hill and River Runs Through It. Riverside was a nice well-named, fun conventional singletrack. Blueberry Hill is brutally steep (at least from the south/west) in spots but rooty good fun, and River Runs Through It is super-technical with lots of stunts and great practice for Northshore riding. (I walked the log bridge, thank you very much). Also on the north side of the valley there's a network of trails that I only rode a small portion of but seemed promising. Go to any bike shop in Whistler and they can sell you a plastic map of all the trails.

I ran my (then 26") bike 34:20, my usual gear. At least for the trails I was on, I could have gotten away with something a bit taller (but not quite 2:1) ... most of the trails weren't super steep, except for Blueberry which most people would have to walk part of anyway. The taller gearing would be nice on the paved Valley Trail that connects everything together.

great color, thanks! I run 32:17 here and was thinking of even going 32:18 there (1.78-1) and figured that would get me past anything except the silly steep stuff. Im also gonna take a rear derailer and shifter as a worst case backup. 1x9 would solve any gearing issues I might have.

 

[tosis]

ss in Whistler

I ride ss full time in Whis, and am set up 34-20: the technical trails require a little higher cadence to get up and over obstacles... Not to mention a few of the big climbs... And as for trails, Riverside is the easiest network in the valley, Blueberry hardly registers on the map, but River is great but short. Those 3 trails represent maybe 5% of what's out here though... Just barely scratching the surface.

 

[pedalpete]

SS in Whistler

Great Handle NamaSSte!

I live in Whistler, and ride my SS about 65% of the time.
Lots of great trails for you. I ride a 32x16.

The Bike park isn't the place to ride a SS, but here are a few combinations of trails you could put together for a ride. It all depends on how much you want to ride, where you're staying, etc.

South of Whistler Creekside (south little village) there are the Riverside trials which are pretty buff (really dusty right now) and not technical. If you want something a bit more technical, you can ride Trash, and Train Wreck (where there is an old train wrecked through the middle of the trail, very cool).

From Whistler Village you can combine Blueberry (which is really more of a connector trail, but good fun), with Cut Your Bars or River (as already mentioned).

Also, from the Village it is really easy to check out the trails in the Lost Lake area. It's where we have our XC ski trails are in the winter, so there are a bunch of single track trails intermixed between lots of gravel road trials (closed to cars, just bikes and hikers).

I would highly recommend Thrill Me, Kill Me which is a bit north of Whistler (not drive far, about a 20 minute ride to the trail head). It's one of the more popular trails in Whistler (along with River). You can combine Thrill Me, Kill Me with Section 102 if you wanted a bigger ride.

So, as you can see, there are lots of fine trails to ride SS in Whistler. No need to go to gears.

 

[namaSSte]

awesome!

Great Handle NamaSSte!

IThe Bike park isn't the place to ride a SS,.

really though?? I was thinking of bringing a 14 or 15 with my 32 for the park and an 18 for the trails. I spose I could run a 1x9 in the park but if Im setting it up like that once, Ill prolly leave it that way the whole time Im there. I plan on renting a big bike for the lift trails but really wanted to ride the Chameleon as well (as a SS preferably). Can I ride things like A line, etc on a 32x16 or do I really need a 1x9 (or more) setup?

 

[tosis]

I rode a hardtail ss in the park for a full season. Don't worry about it... Most people don't shift much up there anyhow...

 

[namaSSte]

I rode a hardtail ss in the park for a full season. Don't worry about it... Most people don't shift much up there anyhow...

kinda what I was thinking. you remember what ratio you used?

 

[pedalpete]

I'm not a downhiller, so I won't comment on the bike park, I haven't had my SS in the bike park in the last 4 years except for one ride, so I'd trust Tosis judgement on that.

I'm going up the park on Wednesday for the first time in 4 years, but I'm not taking my SS.

 

[tosis]

It was a weird set up, I think it was a 22-12 or something like that... I had to use a granny for reasons that now escape me... Don't get too hung up on gearing, 32-14 or 12 should be fine, just run what ya brung! I you need extra cogs (assuming you are running a std freehub with a bunch of spacers) I have a tupperwear full, just swing by snowcovers between 10 and 6.

T

 

[namaSSte]

It was a weird set up, I think it was a 22-12 or something like that... I had to use a granny for reasons that now escape me... Don't get too hung up on gearing, 32-14 or 12 should be fine, just run what ya brung! I you need extra cogs (assuming you are running a std freehub with a bunch of spacers) I have a tupperwear full, just swing by snowcovers between 10 and 6.

T

awesome, thanks a ton! I assume snowcovers is a shop? a bar? house of Ill repute? lol!

I am bringing an 18, 17, 16,15, and 14. anything else means I need gears (ack!)

Im Scott, Ill stop by either way if I can and say hi. Feel free to come out and ride with us if you have time too, love to see the place from a local's perspective.

 

[tosis]

House of ill repute/bike shop... Sounds good. Maybe we can hook up a ride.

Alex