- Welcome back, you beautiful people.
And guess where we are.
- Whistler. - Yes!
- [Neil] If you've ever been here,
you'll recognize this view.
You've probably been here and taken selfies
like we just have.
- We just have done that.
(camera shutter clicks)
- Yeah, and today, Blake, we're riding downhill bikes.
- We are.
- It's the first time I've ridden one in a long time,
very excited.
- Yeah, yep, it's good to see you on a downhill bike again.
- I'm loving it.
But, you know what, down at the bottom of the lifts,
it's sort of a mix.
There's a lot of trail and enduro bikes down there.
Not as many downhill bikes as there used to be.
- Yeah, like, nearly 70:30 to enduro to downhill.
- But what's better?
- Oh, Neil, that's an argument
that we're going to have to settle right now, today.
Which is better, downhill bike or enduro bike?
(upbeat techno music)
- [Blake] Jump that, Neil!
Aww!
(bike wheel whirring)
- I'm riding my Nukeproof Dissent, brand spankin' new,
beautiful lookin' bikes.
The bike that Sam Hill actually won Garbanzo
this very spot on last year.
- [Blake] Yeah.
- 27.5 wheels. What are you riding, Blake?
- I am riding my Canyon Sender in this nice salmon color.
- [Neil] Salmon.
- [Blake] 27.5 as well, straight out the box.
I've upgraded from my Black Beauty to this one.
- Two freshies.
- Mm-hmm.
- Oh, can't wait to ride, come on.
(calm music)
- My Canyon Strive's got 29 inch wheels
and 150 mm travel.
This is the bike that I spend most of my time on at home
and I also raced the Andes Pacifico on it.
Blake's bike is the Nukeproof Mega.
27.5 wheels with 165 mm travel.
Blake also raced the Andes Pacifico on this bike
and rides it at home all the time in the bike park.
My Nukeproof Dissent downhill bike has got 190 mm travel
and runs 27.5 inch wheels.
Blake's Canyon Sender has got
the full 200 mm of travel on the back
and also riding 27.5 wheels.
They both weigh in a lot more than the enduro bikes.
(fast-paced techno music)
(bike squeal)
The great thing about downhill bikes is they are long travel
so they're able to take those big hits.
Also, they're long, so they're stable at high speeds
and much more forgiving.
The slack head angle also makes 'em really good
for steep trails.
But, really, they're just not as nimble as an enduro bike,
definitely harder when it gets flatter.
They don't pedal as well, just down to the weight
and that extra rolling resistance
of those big, downhill tires.
Downhill bikes are great at going downhill,
but they're just not as versatile as an enduro bike
and you need an up lift.
(calm techno music)
(bike wheels whirring)
Enduro bikes are lighter, they're easier to throw around
and they pedal really well on trails
and on downhill sections.
You really notice how versatile and efficient
enduro bikes are when it comes to pump tracks
and flow trails,
'cause you can really work the bike hard
and get movin' forward where you just don't get
that same effect on a downhill bike.
The great thing about enduro bikes
is you can also explore different parts of the bike park.
If you need pedal up a big hill,
well, then you can do it without too much effort.
However, they are shorter travel,
so definitely less forgiving,
and that can be more fatiguing on long days.
Less stable at high speeds
and they don't quite take the big hits
like the downhill bike.
- [Blake] Neil, do you know what?
On a rainy day like this, the weather has come in
and day in and day out riding lots and lots of trails.
- [Neil] Yep.
- [Blake] You know, I feel more comfortable
on a downhill bike.
- [Neil] You know what?
What is this, day five, maybe?
- [Blake] Day five, yeah.
- [Neil] My arms feel like they're jiggling.
- [Blake] Yeah.
- [Neil] They feel a bit tired.
And, yeah, actually this is the same track
I raced Garbanzo on on my enduro bike.
- [Blake] Yep.
- [Neil] And that was good, but, actually,
it's nice to be, like I said, a little bit tired.
- [Blake] Yeah.
- [Neil] If you got the gravity behind ya, downhill bikes,
it feels wicked.
- [Blake] Yeah.
- [Neil] Yeah, stuff over on Creek side,
where it's a bit flatter,
where you're really pumping the bikes,
enduro bikes felt wicked.
- [Blake] The enduro bikes felt so good there.
- [Neil] My knees are just at hard work lately.
- [Blake] It just tanks.
- [Neil] But, the rest of it, I'm loving it.
Kind of, a bit of normality,
'cause I've not ridden down one for so long.
But, actually, really enjoyed it.
- [Blake] Yeah, I love it, I love it.
The tireder I get, the more and more,
the plusher my suspension gets.
- [Neil] Yeah, 200 mm of travel is feeling good
at this very moment. - [Blake] Yeah.
(laughs) I start to soften up things.
Right, we're in some nasty, wetty, rooty, rocky,
and there's a slab coming up, and it's wet, cool.
- [Neil] Are you ready?
- [Blake] Cool. (laughs)
(bike squeals)
(calm techno music)
(laughing)
- [Neil] That felt better on the enduro bike!
Ninja Cougar, it's a rad trail, isn't it?
- Super good, super tight, loads of like nice bank turns.
- But I reckon I prefer my enduro bike here.
- Yeah.
- Just throw that round up bit easier.
- Yep, mm-hmm.
Lighter, quicker, nimble and you can pedal it.
This is like a tank coming through here.
- And it's not that steep-
- Nah.
- So you need to carry your speed through these turns.
- Which bike do you think's better
when you've had a big night out the night before?
- Downhill bike.
- Yeah.
- And soften it all up.
- [Neil] It just goes to show that one bike
isn't always perfect for everything,
it really does depend on the trail.
The downhill bike will be ideal
for steep, techy, rough trails
as well as big jumps to absorb the big impacts.
An enduro bike would be better for smooth, flowing trails
and pedal-y trails, as well as tight techy stuff.
Whistler is an awesome bike park for a downhill bike,
as there's virtually no pedaling uphill
and there's only a little on the trails.
But there are plenty of other parts of Whistler
that you just can't explore as easily with a downhill bike.
That's where the enduro bike is better.
The enduro bike is more versatile,
more a jack of all trades,
where the downhill bike is a purpose-built tool.
Whereas some bike parks,
a downhill bike may not be necessary and overkill.
So it all depends on where and what you're riding.
Well, I reckon I'm sold on a downhill bike in the bike park.
- Well, it has come to we both want a downhill bike
in the end.
- Especially Whistler.
- Yeah.
- Love it, so good.
- Yep, it is, it is.
But you are limited if you had enough of the park
and you really want to go out and explore other avenues
like there's other trails in the valley.
- Yes.
- You could, you know, one bike does all.
- That is very true.
- So, I don't know.
But I think downhill bike in the park for sure.
- Yeah.
More laps, d'ya reckon?
- Yes, yeah.
- Get lunch, some more laps.
- 100%.
- If you want to see me race Garbanzo downhill
on my Canyon Strive enduro bike, over there for that one.
- Yeah and if you want to see
what else is outside of the bike park, like Dark Crystal,
click over here for that epic ride.
Don't forget to hit the globe and subscribe
'cause you're missing out on some rad stuff!
- Yeah!
- And we will see you beautiful people later on.
Neil?
- Yes.
- I will follow you all the way to our favorite eatery.
- [Neil] Yeah.
- [Blake] Do you know where that is?
- [Neil] Mogul's?
- [Blake] Why yes, obviously.