photo credit – Mike Crane, Jesta Jeskova | TW
Biking in Whistler
Biking in Whistler
Posted on August 07, 2018
Biking in Whistler
If you are looking to bike, Whistler is the place to be. Over the past decade, Whistler has been focused on building an extensive trail system for road bikers, cross country bikers and downhill enthusiasts alike. The network includes the Valley Trail, cross country single tracks and one of the best downhill bike parks in the world.
Where to Ride?
Whistler Valley Trail
The Valley Trail stretches over 40kms connecting all the Whistler neighbourhoods together with a paved, accessible, scenic path that is perfect for biking. Along the way you will run into 5 alpine lakes, numerous parks and different area of Whistler waiting to be explored. The trail system has a low grade making it the perfect trail for riders of any ability.
Sea to Sky Trail
The Sea to Sky Trail is the longest trail system in the area boasting an impressive 180km non motorized, multi-use trail from D’Arcy to Squamish. This trail is open year round for walking, running, hiking and biking and for snowshoeing or cross country skiing in the winter. The trail is complete from Whistler to Squamish and has gaps missing north from Whistler to Pemberton. Make sure to check the Ready to Ride Guide before you set out on your adventure.
Cross Country Mountain Biking
If you are not afraid to pedal uphill, Whistler offers an endless variety of trails from the alpine to the rainforest with everything ranging from loamy, rocks, drops, turns and spectacular views. You can spend weeks exploring the vast network of trails and never ride the same one twice. Before you set out, check out this map to get an idea of the difficulty of the trail and its location from Whistler Village. If you are not sure where to ride, best piece of advise is to find a local and try and tag along.
Whistler Bike Park
The Whistler Bike Park is the main attraction that people from all over the world come to take on. The bike park itself is one of the biggest parks in the world with 5 lifts access over 70 trails. The terrain caters to riders of all abilities, trails are ranked 9% beginner, 31% intermediate, 34% advanced, 22% expert, and 4% pro. It is also home to the biggest bike park competition in the world, Crankworx that takes place in August. If you like to downhill bike, this is a must on any bike fanatics list
What Bike Do I Need?
Depending on what you are doing there is a bike ready and waiting for you. If you are heading into the park you should definitely rent a downhill bike. The extra travel will make your days exploring the flow and technical trails that much easier. If you are wanting to take on both the park and some of the cross country trails in the area, then renting an Enduro bike is the call. It is durable enough for the park but also light enough to pedal uphill.
If you are only doing cross country riding and exploring the valley trail then a xc bike is perfect, there are also bikes specifically made for just cruising so if you are just wanting to pedal around town, getting a valley bike would make more sense.
New on the scene is the e-bikes which allow you to explore beyond the trails opening up a vast amount of area including Rainbow Mountain, Tyax, the Coast Mountains and more. The electric bike gives you that little bit of assistance when needed to help extend your legs and ultimately your day of riding.
Where Can I Rent a Bike?
Don’t worry if you don’t have a bike, you can rent one from a number of establishments all throughout Whistler. The biggest carrier would be Whistler Blackcomb which has all of the different bikes needed to take on any trail Whistler has to offer. Check out their complete fleet here
You can also rent from Evolution, Fanatyk Co, Summit Sports and many more.
Whistler itself is known for its skiing but the bike scene has almost caught up. With so many bike trails in the area it is one of the most dense trail systems you will be able to find almost anywhere in the world. The bike season runs from May to October so there is still some time left in the season to get your bike on, call our reservations team and ask about our Bike Adventure Package at 1.800.667.3363 or email [email protected]