Five things to do at Crankworx Whistler next week

We’ll be there. Will you?

Crankworx Whistler returns next week, and with it comes the usual madness: the races, the crowds, the noise, the dust and all the reasons we keep coming back. If you’re planning to be in town, here’s a short list of things to do that’ll keep your stoke levels high.

1. Demo a dream bike

This is your chance to try something you probably can’t afford. The demo zone is back and stacked with brands showing off their latest and greatest. Want to know what a $12,000 superbike feels like under your feet? Grab your pedals and go find out. Maybe leave your credit card in the room.

2. Ride outside the park

It’s tempting to spend your whole trip lapping A-Line. But step outside the lift lines and you’ll find some of the best singletrack in B.C. Whether it’s a spin up Into the Mystic, or a lap on Lord of the Squirrels, riding outside the park is the local move. And it’s a good way to avoid the midweek brake bump arm pump (and the lift line).

3. Catch a premiere (or two)

Brage Vestavik and Loosedog Lewis are teasing film releases on Instagram. Premieres also pop up throughout the week. These are your best chances to sit down, rest your legs and get hyped on the big screen.

4. Race the Bosch eMTB Challenge

The Bosch eMTB Challenge isn’t your typical e-bike race. Taking place Friday, August 15, it blends timed stages with untimed transfers, navigation and up to 1,500 metres of climbing. Think technical descents, “no-feet” uphill balance tests (foot down equals a five-second penalty), and some serious battery management.

There’s no on-course training allowed, so riders will have to rely on skill, quick adaptation and either a GPS device or printed map to navigate the course. Which is only revealed the morning of the race. Riders must carry everything they need including spare batteries. Timing is tracked via on-bike transponders, and results are based on cumulative stage times.

5. Go lift-line tech hunting

The lift line is ground zero for soft-launches of next year’s gear. Look closely and you’ll spot prototype drivetrains, unreleased tires, mystery suspension and the occasional censored frame with “confidential” stickers still flapping in the wind.

Bonus: Just be there

Whether you’re racing, watching, partying or just soaking it all in, Crankworx is still the Super Bowl of mountain biking. We’ll be there—riding, covering the action and trying to get through the week without blowing up our…