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  • Alps Mountain Bike Book recommendation and thoughts on first trip to the Alps.
  • Matt_SS_xc
    Full Member

    Hi All
    just back from a summer in europe which included 10days riding in the Alps.

    I had never been before, only ever ridden in the UK.

    Wanted to first of all recommend the Alps Bike Book that was in fresh goods friday a whiel ago, it was amazing. Without it I wasnt really sure where to head.

    I rode loads of fun places, it was all during the last week of July, everywhere was super quiet.

    The book helped work out what places sounded like fun on a normal trail bike. It had advice on the best runs and off piste options away from bike parks which was the most fun.

    If anyone has done it the massive run from le Saises to Albertville was awesome.

    My advice for anyone who hasn’t been before and didnt want to use a guiding company …..

    One day at most places was enough to get a feel for them, we travelled around in our campervan so that was easy.

    Normal trail bike is fine, didnt feel the need for body armour at all, maybe i’m not gnar enough!

    Took probably too many spares, although I was suprised at the lack of quality bike shops, and when my Pro2 cracked with 2 days to go I couldnt get hold of a 15mm front 26″ wheel so had to hire for the last 2 days, everywhere is 20mm!

    nickjb
    Free Member

    One day at most places was enough to get a feel for them

    didnt feel the need for body armour at all

    the lack of quality bike shopsI’d disagree with those three points. I find it takes a while to get the measure of a place and it’s very easy to miss some excellent bits on a flying visit. I love touring round but there are big benefits of spending a bit of time in one place. Its probably a good way to work out where you might want to go back to next trip.

    professor_fate
    Free Member

    So give us the lowdown on where you sampled and where was good/indifferent…

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    Matt_SS_xc
    Full Member

    I’m sure that we missed lots of riding, and there are places we intend to go back to with proper maps. I just meant that after a day at a lot f places we were keen to keep exploring.
    We rode megeve, super fun, nice warm up riding.
    Le tour and le houches near chamonix, great natural riding an big mountain feel.
    Le tour ride over to vallorcine was an amazing natural singletrack route. Le tour also had great bike park singletrack.
    La thuile was really fun, proper bike park stuff but fun. Great black run called k2
    Valloire we won’t go back too, poor signposting and trails felt like they either needed maintenance or hadn’t been built!
    Bardoneccia was fun, good rest/easy bike park day
    Sauze d’oulx we didn’t enjoy, some fun sections but on the whole not great
    Montgenevre, really wet day and tired, but what we rode was great, from natural ridgeline to singletrack. Will be going back.

    professor_fate
    Free Member

    Agree with you over La Thuile – condensed area but excellent techy trails. Try Solden in the Otztal (Austria) for more of the same.
    Been 3 years since last visited Chamonix valley – Les Houches nice and steep but Le Tour i preferred the old cheeky hiking trails to the new bike trails. Didn’t try Vallorcine, mind, so need to add that to the must-ride list. Check out the descent from Grand Montets lift to the Heliport in Cham… rocktastic!
    Must check out Montgenevre next time i’m in the area.

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