Whistler BP with AM bike

next season i would like to try the bike park including the trail that starts at the peak. i have a Norco Range kb and would like to use this bike. i know the park is designed for DH bikes. are there enough trails that are appropriate for the Range or will i be way over my head with this bike.

Your Range would be perfect for the Peak trail (Top of the World).

As for the rest of the park… I've seen people shred the park on hardtails. I am not one of those people. I need all the travel I can get as some of those brake bumps can get rather large.

FWIW, I thought I'd hate the park before I tried it. Now I'm hooked. Mixing up single track with jump trails is a perfect day.

I'd ridden the park on both a downhill bike and a hardtail and it was awesome on both. Garbo on a hardtail was a challenge but your range would be fine for a few days (if fact it would probably be a blast)

Yes you'll be fine, unless you're seeking big air. Worst case is you get frustrated and rent a big bike for the second half of the day, but you can have lots of fun on an AM bike.

Last season I rode the Park on my Nomad…no worries at all, I guess I could perhaps have squeezed out 2-3 more laps if I was on a DH due to less fatigue. Personally I like the "pop" I get out a single crown bike at the Park.

Would I be pushing it if I rode the 650B Bronson, I'm sure I could enjoy a good day shredding but I'm pretty sure Im asking for issues as the Bronson may not be strong enough for park abuse? However, I bet I could get away with 3-4 days….
What are NSMB's thoughts?

No problems riding my Chilcotin for a few days at the park, although I wouldn't want to subject the bike to that level of abuse for an extended period of time. Stylus was fun but I couldn't do more than half a day on a hardtail due to the brake bumps. Even with a 170 Lyrik I was feeling it in my hands after just a couple of runs.

While I could definitely ride my AM bike in the park, I would prefer not to. Too much abuse on the bike and the body. However, you could just do less laps and ride more appropriate trails (no brake bumps, not super gnarly, etc.) and you should be totally fine.

If I were you I would bring my AM bike to ride and then maybe rent a DH for one day to get a little different bike park experience.

a couple days? perfect. Lots of days? get a DH bike, too much abuse

Had so much fun on my Ibis Mojo last year that I'll sell you my Demo 8!

a couple days? perfect. Lots of days? get a DH bike, too much abuse

I think I'm of the same thought

I posted a very similar question a few years ago when I was just starting to ride the bike park more. The advice then was the same as now, and very accurate.

I was trying to get by with a "do-it-all" 6" bike for everything, but the truth is, a DH bike is just better for long days, or multiple days in the bike park. Once the trails get well ridden, and the braking bumps are more pronounced, a "little" bike just beats you up so much more.

Now I have a DH bike and a 130mm 29er. I usually bring both to Whistler, as the trails outside the BP are sooo good. Then if I want to do a day in the park, the DH is the better choice. That being said…I will often go and grab the 29er at the end of the day for a few laps on Ninja Cougar, B Line, HOD and it is a BLAST!! But..I wouldn't take it on many other trails, or ride it all day.

I took my kona process for a day in the park and it's really fun especially on jump trails but I want it to last a couple years so I'm probably just going to use it on days when I lend my DH bike to a friend or something, and my glory did 90 something days in the park and its still in good shape just a few sets of pads and a set of tires, fork rebuild in sept

good input. sounds like the stock wheels (heavy as hell and my backup set) with some heavy rubber would be good to go for a 2 day outing. i won't be seeking out the most intense trails thats for sure, but getting as much air as i dare is a big part of the deal.

I to have a 650 range!

And lemme tell you its so much fun in the park! all the flow trails A-line, dirt merch, ninja cougar, are a party on a slightly smaller more poppy bike, its also the perfect bike for top of the world. Your hands are going to feel it more then if you were on a big rig, and it's wise to avoid the super chunder, but otherwise the range has as much travel as most of the freeride bikes we were all riding a few years back.

Throw those heavy stock wheels and tires on and go have some guilt free smashing, also maybe a chainguide. Last time my range was in the park it still had 2 rings up front and maaaaan was it loud.