The Wayside
Our Big Dumb Ride
Traversing Mountains
For one week each year, Whistler becomes the epicenter of the mountain bike world. Crankworx takes over the town, the bike park, and the surrounding trails.
All that mayhem makes for a good excuse to step away and go for a bike ride. In this case, a really big bike ride.
7 am
People began rolling up for the All Day Ride at 7am, where coffee and breakfast were stocked up while riders congregated for the day to come.
By the time pedals started to spin, over 200 people were about to tackle what would undoubtedly be one of the most challenging rides of the week.
Heat Wave
Riders started with a lap on Blackcomb — a complete ride in itself — before making their way back to the village and taking the gondola to the Top of the World, the highest trail in the Whistler bike park.
As the day wore on, temperatures continued to climb, topping over 30ºC (86ºF) for much of the ride, adding a brutal element to an already challenging ride.
From the Top
Finding little respite from the heat at the Top of the World, riders descended to Chromag Bikes for a rest stop before the climbing began again. First, it was up the west side of the valley and back to the village, before a repeat of where the ride started — another ascent of Blackcomb.
Final Refreshments
Thankfully, at the top of the last climb, refreshments waited. Our very own gelato stop was just what the doctor ordered, giving riders a final burst of energy for the finishing descent down Microclimate.
By the end of the day, riders traversed 30 miles (48km), 6,000 ft (1,800 meters) of climbing and 8,000 ft (2,438 meters) of descending.
Ready for your next ride? Discover trail apparel proven to conquer the most remote rides.
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