[Closed] Whistler next week, do i really need to put the dual plys on?

in 2005 inner tubes were $20 each! 😯

i'd go with the duel ply

hmmn, maybe i'll just go buy the 2.35HR DP from LBS tomorrow then...thanks for the feedback, I hoped that the extortion only applied to the ski season, it seems not.

When I went I wished I put my Maxxis on.

Had a lot of problems with my 5 when riding mavic 819 and Mountain Kings there last year (I'd only had the bike a month then and couldn't face buying new tyres!). Will be taking the superstar DH wheels with dual-ply maxxis this year for sure. A fair number of the trails are fine on single-ply (A-line etc) but once you're nailing it down Goat Gully you'll be glad of the dual-ply, I wished I'd put mine on.
That said when riding the XC stuff in the valley, and other things down in Washington State (Galbraith Mountain for one - amazing place to ride) I was glad of the XC/AM wheelset rather than the beefy option. Tough call on a trip if you know you're going to be pedalling up too.

Neil

Yes yes yes yes yes yes you should put the dual ply 2.5s on. Do not even contemplate running folding single plies or even the 2.35 maxxis. The extra volume will help.

I'm assuming you are riding the bike park? If you ride anything harder than a blue trail (i.e. blacks and double blacks) the terrain is perfect for pinch flat frenzy. Sharp jagged bed rock and big roots hit at high speed. If you skimp on tyres you'll end up buying some out there at $90 a pop. Don't even begin to worry about the extra weight.

How long are you out there for? I head out next weekend. A week travelling to silverstar and sunpeaks, then a week in whistler staying with the nice chaps at Bearback.

No. You do not need them. I've never used dual ply in the Alps, and have never punctured there (touch wood).

Thanks Neil, i usually have a 2.5 up front for Andorra and actually have a couple spare as they don't wear as quick as the backs in that they last more than a weeks riding.
...but with your feedback and as its a once in a lifetime kinda trip i'll get 2.35's so that it'll 'feel' easier to pedal 😆 if we go out of the park.

oh ok, the answers are coming in faster than i can take in..#

@phototim, see you at Bearback then.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback, i'm gonna sit back and take in the answers for a while - cheers!

JHW - Jon Woodhouse?

How will I recognise you? Do you have a black Patriot by any chance?! I'll be on a Gambler.

I don't know what level you are at but if you'll be hitting rough sections with a reasonable speed and riding the rocks rolls and chutes then you'll be thankful of the beefy tyres. Don't skimp on tyres unless you are willing to run them at 300psi and ride slowly skipping over the roots with no control whatsoever 🙂

I toured BC last year - for the bike park (and for the rest of the trip for that matter) we all ran dual plys. I didn't get any pinch flats, but I can't say for certain I would have if i'd run single plys.

Hope that helps 😀

P.S. Strap one on and put dual plys on - go tubless if you want to ditch a bit of weight (no DH tubes).

No. You do not need them. I've never used dual ply in the Alps

Err, you do know that Whistler is nowhere near the Alps don't you?

😉

Forgot to say - the bike park runs aren't all smooth buff BMX tracks - the greens are and some of the blues are (e.g. the truly epic Crank It Up) but the black's aren't (apart from A-line maybe, but even that has got a few rocks) and the double blacks certainly aren't. In general the stuff off the second lift is rockier than the stuff off the first lift (there are only two lifts).

E.g. photo below is a bike park trail (think it was a black or a double black but I forget which). Check out the rest of the album for some other photos of the terrain.

[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5188447732_146e6e4424_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5188447732_146e6e4424_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= [/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/ewanpanter/ ]Ewan Panter[/url], on Flickr

^^ that In Deep, a single black, but probably one of the harder single blacks.

Forgot to say, with dual ply you won't really need DH tubes. Normal or freeride tubes should be ok. DH tubes can make getting the tyre on and off a right pain in the backside. Running light tyres with DH tubes however is not a good alternative.

Definitely go for the double ply's or you'll spend all your time mending pinch flats.
Having said that, the really gnarly stuff is mostly up in Garbanzo, which right now is under several feet of snow...

Bring goggles and rain gear, raining again in Vancouver this morning so I expect things are pretty mucky up at Whistler.

Paul

Black Patriot are you going with Bearback? Me and Mrs P are flying out next sat for two weeks with them. Cant wait!!

In deep - that's the one. Awesome trail. Proper techy. Doesn't it branch off to a double black bit or am I thinking of another one.

In Deep is an awesome trail. That bit had me twitching as I rolled over it!

I'd go dual ply's, ridden in The Alps and Canada, both amazing riding, but Canada kicked the crap out of me each time. Love it.

[img] [/img]

Wow sounds like a STW fest at Bear Back for the first two weeks of July!

There's a nice fast line down that rock roll on the right and into those roots, a great place for a pinch flat 🙂
It branches off right to Facrobat which is a double black but only because of the skinnies at the end. Go left and you stay on In Deep for the hardest section to keep good flow on. I really hope this stuff is open in two weeks time.

A week travelling to silverstar and sunpeaks, then a week in whistler

Bring snow tyres, it was snowing in Silverstar this morning 🙁

FYI: A riding buddy of mine just bought two Maxxis Minions in Vancouver and they now retail at $107 each! Luckily, we both get a reasonable discount at our lbs...so I guess the moral is, by them cheap in the UK 'cos you'll get badly stung if you have to change tyres out here (BC)

Maxxis prices are going through the roof here too 🙁

I rode there last week, with 2.5 HR dual ply. There was no time when I found myself wishing for the 2.35 to be honest, you're not pedalling around and you'll be glad of the extra volume. I certainly wouldn't be going out to buy 2.35 if you already have 2.5, but just my opinion!

I tend to agree that Whistler is nowhere near the Alps.

As such, if you are going to ride out of the Park, and uphill at times, 2.3 dual plys would be the way to go. Really soft compound on the front, but can go with a harder compound in the rear. Use large, but standard thickness tubes. If you are just going in the Park and shuttling, might as well go big.

If you have weird brakes, take pads!

Bring snow tyres, it was snowing in Silverstar this morning

Oh dear 🙁

Ok Guys - all sorted now.

The 2.5's remain in the shed and we've bought some fresh 2.35's and a truck innertube to go sledging on as it seems that the place is going to be covered in snow or at best MUD.

On the plus side they'll be at least 6 Brits in Whistler to share moans with about the prices of stuff and the weather, although we've just been speaking to the owner of RIDE ON who reckons that there is a cracking Sushi bar in town that is much cheaper than the burger/pizza that you find near the lifts.

We're going out of Manchester on 2nd July for two weeks at Alta Vista, two bald blokes on Patriots (one brown, one silver) and my girlie on her green and white Kona so feel free to say hello if you see us.

Keep doing the sun dance..!

Stayed with BearBack at the Alta Vista chalet in 2009. Good chalet, good staff, have a great time!!

Nothing to add to the tyre debate, but I'm currently sitting on the deck with the [s]gf[/s] wife on honeymoon at the Bear Back chalet 🙂

Had a morning of techy XC riding, just out the hot tub and now waiting for some lovely nosh from Wally the Chef. Saving my portion of homemade cake for this evening so I don't spoil dinner :p

Definitely bring spares with you as it is expensive. Also brake pads and mech hangers as not everything is available. They don't do Hope over here so definitely bring pads for those. The only Hope stuff I've seen are integrated headsets.

Also, bring good mosquito repellent as the buggers are biting, especially if you are doing the XC trails.

I was going to post that the Alps are rockier than the Rockies, but then thought better of it for obvious reasons...

*not Jon Woodhouse

@JHW - yes I would have expected the Alps to be rockier than the Rockies too, hence the original request - thanks for putting your head on the proverbial block anyhow 😆

Whistler is not in the rockies 🙂

Will see you there for your second week mr black patriot. There are 3 of us, me on a Gambler the other two on a session 88 and Transition TR450. All with tractor tyres 😀

@spooky - thanks for the good news amongst the sea of doom, well except for the mozzies - do you think Avon skin so soft will work as that's always in the kit bag 🙂