| how long will we be riding for each day? |
| This depends on you. There will be guided valley rides, shuttle trips & bike park access every day giving you the option of riding for 5-6 hours per day (10 hours in the park some days!) |
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| I am planning to travel alone - can I still book? |
| Of course - we promote a social group riding atmosphere for all of our guests...cycling is supposed to be enjoyable afterall...we do have single rooms available if required or you can opt to share with a complete stranger! |
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| can I rent a bike? |
| Yes - we are an official Giant demo and rental centre. |
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| what qualifications do the t2r guides have? |
All of our guides are at the bare minimum level 1 first aid qualified. The lead guides are also Canadian qualified CMIC level 1 instructors and hold UK mountain bike leadership awards. The lead guides run the skill improvement clinics.
All of the guides on our Interior tour programs are Professionally sponsored freeriders, some of which possess Canadian coaching qualifications also. |
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| how hard is the riding really going to be? |
| As hard as you want it to be! There are endless man made & man maintained trails around Whistler and the surrounds to cater for all rider abilities. The beauty of the trail diversity is the rate of riding progression you can make in a very short period of time. |
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| Insurance - can you recommend any? |
Travel insurance is essential on any holiday, particularly an action sports holiday, and it is a condition of booking that you have travel insurance which must be effected at the time of booking, subsequently.
There are a number of insurance providers around that can provide you with a good adventure sports activity insurance with North American coverage. We work with Ventureguard who tailor specific mountain biking policies.
No liability will be accepted for anyone traveling without adequate travel insurance. Insurance policies usually specify the maximum amount covered in the event of loss of money, or damage/loss to bike equipment; most do not cover mobile telephones. We suggest you check the limits of cover of your chosen policy; Ticket2ridebc cannot accept responsibility should any losses exceed the amount for which you can claim. |
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| Flat pedals or SPD's? |
| BOTH! - that's the simple answer. Even if you feel more comfortable in SPD's we still recommend you bring a set of flats with you. Why? - because if you want to ride some of the more stunt orientated trails and you're new to it we'd prefer you to be able to 'bail' as quickly as possible. |
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| what can i expect from the riding? |
| Mountainous and technical characterised by fast burmed sections, rocky chutes, endless technical singletrack, North Shore & of course 4800ft of made man technical downhill and bike parks. Your bike will take a battering, as will your legs and lungs.
The best thing about the trails here is how you as a cyclist will improve. You may think that you have ridden great trails or had technically demanding rides but riding our trails day after day for weeks will make you faster and much more technically capable let alone making you want to come back for more!
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| getting here? |
Whistler is best served from Vancouver International airport in downtown Van. Our airport transfer service also operates out of Vancouver. Regular Charter & Schedule flights depart from Gatwick, Stanstead, Heathrow & Manchester on a daily basis.
With the advent of a large number of new economy long haul operators it is now possible to book a return ticket for less than £280. As always the earlier you book the better deal you may find. Have a look at:
Zoom Airlines
Canadian Affair
Air Canada
It is also relatively easy to fly with some airlines to Seattle Airport and catch a bus to Vancouver from there. |
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| do i have to bring my own bike? |
| No – but we recommend it. People always know their own bikes implicitly - you will need to know and be familiar with the way your bike handles and reacts over a variety of terrain (incl 20ft drops!). A hire bike cannot replicate this (unless you can afford to spend the time fettling). We generally promote the idea of purchasing a bike over here if you can (pre-ordering via ourselves is an option) as an alternative to bringing your own. We can arrange discounted hire for you nevertheless if required (anything from a hard tail to a full on 8” bouncer). |
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| can i take my bike on the plane? |
| Yes - most major Airline carriers will take bikes (in a box/bag) as 1 piece of your luggage hold allowance. Not only this, but there is a popular mis-conception that you will get charged for the privelage..WRONG. Indeed, some smaller operators may slap on an excess baggage charge but the major operators such as Canada Air do NOT.
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| tranfers from the airport? |
| We'll pick both you & your bike up from Vancouver - then if you really want to go home after the best holiday of your life we can be persuaded to take you both back! |
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| will i be able to get spares? |
| Indeed - there are over 15 bike shops in the village stocking all major manufacturers (including Orange and Hope!) - & they are usually at least 20% cheaper than the UK. However rare components are usually rare everywhere, so if in doubt - bring a spare. |
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| will my bike be safe in the evenings? |
| Absolutely - we have fully secure & locked bike storage facilities |
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| do i have to be fit? |
If you ride regularly, for example every other weekend then you should be fine in our moderate level groups. We are fortunate in that we have a large number of quality guides in our team which enables us to run a number of groups per holiday package. In effect - this means that you will always be placed in a group suited to your overall ability and fitness level.
If you are technically good then you will love riding our trails.
If you are less experienced then you will become more so – there variation in riding really does cater for all.
If you want to ride downhill all day – using the lift access & endless marked trails – then fitness is not necessarily a pre-requisite (athough being able to hold on for dear life has been known to help!)
If you are willing to learn we will get you riding very difficult switchbacks, drop off’s rocky sections & North Shore which will improve your technical riding exponentially. |
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| what sort of weather conditions can i expect? |
Warmed by Pacific Ocean currents and protected by a range of mountains, Whistler enjoys mild temperatures year-round.
British Columbia is blessed with a generally mild climate and typically has warm dry summers with daytime high temperatures ranging from 25-35 C (77-95 F) and low humidity.
During the fall and early spring riding seasons expect cooler temperatures and more precipitation. Some of the best months to ride are spring and early fall as the temperatures are not as warm and the trails are in great condition. In the summer expect warm conditions and prepare yourself to deal with sunny weather. Some hardy locals ride year-round, but prime mountain biking season is April- October. |
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| are there other things to do if not all our party cycle? |
| Yes. There are endless alternative activities for that bizarre breed of non – cyclists. Have a look at the following to discover whats available: http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/todo/summer/
As a brief indication:
Golf
Windsurfing
Snowboarding (Glacier)
Climbing
Walking |
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| what type of medical/travel insurance is required? |
| Insurance is not something to be taken lightly in North America. We’d go as far as to say don’t ride without it – a simple X-ray & consultation can amount to a fair chunk of cash. |
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| how much does food cost? |
| BEER = from £1.60 a glass in pubs / £2 per litre in shops
FOOD = Generally cheaper than UK supermarket prices (with the exception of bread)
A good 3 course meal out can cost less than a £10. |
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| do i need a visa? |
| As a British Citizen you can travel to Canada for up to 6 months without the need for any form of visa, however you will need to fulfil certain criteria (return flight ticket, proof of somewhere to stay). We will help you by providing a factsheet with details on traveling to Canada for a stay longer than 3-4 weeks.
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| not found an answer to your questions? |
| We're sure you may have many other thoughts - please email us your questions and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. |
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