I first came to the Yukon over a decade ago. At the time, I was very much still into xc racing, so my bike was a light, 22 lbs. race hardtail with a 3” travel fork.

After a summer spent riding in Whitehorse, I had not only many new scars but also two broken frames. Riding a hyper-light race bike is not the way to go when there’s rocky trails and fast bumpy singletrack all over the place. Whitehorse trails are pretty smooth, just not as buttery smooth as those in Southern Ontario.

Now more than 10 years later, I own two bikes: a 28 lbs. steel 29er hardtail with a 4” fork and a near-40 lbs. all-mountain bike with 6” at either end. They are awesome rides, but I don’t think either represent the ultimate Yukon mountain bike.

To me, the ultimate Yukon ride is a relatively light, but still strong, all-mountain, full-suspension setup. Something under 30 lbs., 5” travel front and back. Fast-rolling, but grippy tires, 2.3” width at maximum. Fairly upright position, but still aggressive enough to comfortable tackle the occasional race or group event.

An example bike that immediately comes to mind is the Norco Fluid.

What about you? What’s the ultimate Yukon mountain bike?

I’m wondering the same thing myself.  I live in Portland, OR.  Moving to Vancouver, by the way of Whitehorse where my mom lives.  I’ll be up there for a month or so and would love to ride some trails.

I work at a bike shop currently and need to purchase something quick before I lose discount. 

I’m thinking a Specialized Stumpjumper comp 29er.  Or maybe something full suspension.  I’m a beginner, would love to start off on a hardtail to build handling skills.

What are the trails up there like?

I know this may seem more like a question for you, but any info helps.  I’m hoping to hit the trails up there.

When are you coming up to the Yukon? Also, I assume you are moving back down to Vancouver afterward, correct?

I ask because, if you can afford it, two bikes are best. A big bike (Norco Shore, etc.) for Vancouver will make the shore trails a lot more fun, not to mention much safer, if you’re just starting out. I rode a Brodie hardtail with a 5” fork when we lived in Vancouver, but if I could do it again, I’d definitely choose a big bike.

In the Yukon, a Stumpjumper 29er is more than adequate. Our trails run the gamut: smooth, rough, lots of rolling singletrack, rocky descents, sandy hills, etc. The Yukon has it all.

what about a Cannondale Rize 4 for trails like Vancouver Shore?  I’m a newbie and wondering what you mean by safer?

I’m really into single track/cross country style riding, not jumping off cliffs, etc..

Anyways, good mtb riding up there??

The Rize looks like a good pick. Anything with 5-6” of travel at either end, big tires and 7-8” disc brakes is what you should be looking at for Vancouver trails.

By “safer” I mean, the trails around Vancouver are very rough, usually slippery and quite technical. Nothing in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan or Alberta (nor the Yukon) matches the average BC trail in this regard. An intermediate level trail on Grouse or Seymour will be much harder than any advanced trail elsewhere. You don’t have to be jumping off cliffs to make a difficult trail - just the most basic singletrack in Vancouver will be hard enough.

So, a big bike with lots of suspension, grippy tires and strong brakes will allow you to be much safer and have more fun while you bounce down the mountain. I guess it’s hard to describe the trails there until you ride them. You’ll see when you arrive.

As for the Yukon, check out this NSMB article to see some photos and read about what’s up here.