Been researching a biking trip to Spain and so far Switchbacks is the favorite. Just 3 of us going.

We are thinking of going in September or later on as we are hoping for some good summer biking here first and it would be a nice end to the summer should we get one.
Although this way of thinking could be flawed if September is not a good time to go for reasons unknown to us!?!

Has anyone been with them? The only thing I could not find much info on is the accommodation. What is it like? Most set ups seem to have doubles/triples. Is it one big place or split into apartments?

We have only ever done Morzine/Les Gets before so don’t really know what to expect so any info on the over all experience and riding would be very gratefully received.

S.

Switchback do all mountain holidays may-sept in bubion, and DH from oct to epril. I think there is some latitude with the dates. Best to email Mike @ switchbacks and ask. The Am is higher in the mountains where it is cooler in the summer. The Dh is on the foothills which are great in the winter. I’ve had rain there once, it evaporated as it hit the ground, and made the sand really grippy.
I’ve done the Dh trip 4 times, and am doing the AM later in the year.

The DH is brilliant, challenging trails, good guides, lots of fun.
The Am I have only heard about from the group I go with, but they all have really good things to say about it.

I can only give positive feedback, Mike is a top bloke (ex DH pro racer form the 90’s) and all the guides are excellent.

The accomodation style varies. They have the switchbacks villa, where I have never stayed, and then they just rent apartments/rooms as and when they need them. Discuss with Mike what you want, although that does not garauntee a choice..

Been to Spain twice in September and the weather is just about right. Went first time with Freeridespain, and the second with Switchbacks. Despite the name, Freeride is the more xc of the two.

Plenty of recommendations on here for either and also others…

Thanks for the info toys19.

Just emailed them for more info. We are going for the AM stuff over DH. Its good to hear such pos feedback, they do seem to get good reviews.

Cheers.

Thanks mtbtomo,
Had a look at Freeride but kept on coming back to Switchbacks. Don’t really want XC so looks like we are on the right track. 🙂

We did a day with switchbacks based out of Bubion in October last year.

It was a great days riding, I’d highly recommend them.

They used the van for an uplift in places and I think we did about 6000 foot of descending, and 3000 foot of climbing.

They’ll make it as tough or easy as you like, we did a decent mix of flowing singletrack and rocky technical stuff.

Cant comment on the accomodation, as we didnt stay with them, we were staying in a friends apartment.

When I said more ‘XC’ I meant maybe a little more pedalling up hill but they still do some van uplifts to reduce the amount of climbing. Both companies ride a lot of the same trails. Its worth going to Southern Spain if you haven’t been but since having been there, I’ve preferred the riding and location in Les Arcs (TrailAddiction) and with Rivierabike (Molini in Italy).

If you go to Switchbacks XC with actual XC riding in mind, you’ll be in for a shock. Far more down than up, but some climbing fire road to access singletrack and link runs. Tons of singletrack, tons of technical, all natural, a little climbing. I think you could safely call it all mountain. Awesome!

Spent a week with Switchbacks last year. No complaints at all.

Lots of dust.

More here…

Thanks for the update…Will defo do the Spain trip as it looks ace but it’s interesting you mention the other two. Doing a trip with work mates in Aug, France and Italy. More of a general trip finding our own accommodation and trails but I will research the 2 companies you mentioned as they might have some guided stuff we could do.

Cheers fella!

I recommend them highly! The pictures really take me back. You’ll love it!

fourbanger, we are hoping it won’t be too XC! They describe it as AM/Enduro. You make it sound like a right treat! You stayed with them? How was it?

daveatextremistsdotcouk…. that looks very nice!

daveatextremistsdotcouk

Just looked at all your pic’s…. I’m sold! Will send on to mates. Cheers.

I stayed with them up in Bublion, pretty sleepy little place with a few restaurants. Not overly expensive but we were late in the season. House was nice, mix of double beds and twins. Plenty of space, clean, well stocked with food for the week. Lounge full of mtb mags and DVDs as it should be!
Riding was as described, some climbing then hours of full singletrack and rock gardens, broken up by coffee or lunch stop somewhere. At the end of the day you felt like you’d got your monies worth from the terrain and because you were shagged! Guides were really sound and patient with some if the more accident prone group members!. Liked the whole setup. Would go again for sure!

[/url]
IMG_0657 by 100%of thetime60%ofthetime, on Flickr[/img]

Mike is waiting…

Been three times. All late September. Excellent.

fourbanger, thanks for that. Good to know late in the season is still a good time to go. Accommodation sounds great…as does the whole set up.

Thanks everyone for the feedback and the pic’s too. Good times ahead!

Shit, I might book up again. Been too long!

Went to Bubion with Switchbacks and cannot recommend them highly enough. As above, it’s sleepy up there, but perfect for a riding break – not too much temptation to make the riding more difficult than it already is/needs to be!

Been many times. The winch & plumet style riding around Bubion is friggin fantastic!

The accom. isn’t luxury, but that’s probly not what you’re going there for 😉

Don’t get pissed with Mike. Seriously. He can have a proper skinful and still flame down the trails the next day while you eat his dust feeling grim. He’s not bad on a bike for a fat old man and a pleasure to spend time with.

@ daveatextremistsdotcouk – did you manage to climb that section in the 1st pic? Nice little challenge that is.

Great memories of Switchbacks, tubeless and reasonably tough tyres and you are good to go! Your arms will ache as much as your legs from the battering.

I’ll be going back 🙂

If you want more uphill than down see if anyone comes to the Guadalorce valley.As the name suggests we are in a valley but surrounded by various mountains.The best climb is Pizzara to about 1000 metres then you can come back down singletrack,Coin-where the BBC soap Eldorado was filmed and the one we did today Alhaurin mountain,20km of up and down.stop at bar and then come back.You do need to be reasonably fit as there is quite a lot of climbing.

A few vids here from our last vist. The first is a compilation (listen for Mike’s coaching tips), whilst the others are head cam of specific trails. The POV vids are pretty steady but should give you a fair idea of what to expect.
Awesome place to ride, great trails and beautiful location. Highly recommended. We went in September too.

[video]http://vimeo.com/14900175[/video]
[video]http://vimeo.com/15717369[/video]
[video]http://vimeo.com/15237160[/video]
[video]http://vimeo.com/14841281[/video]
[video]http://vimeo.com/14699400[/video]

Good thread. I booked up with them last week for 5 days in September, can not wait to go. Gonna hijack this a little and ask what kind of tires did you all ride and how what you would recommend?

@ daveatextremistsdotcouk – did you manage to climb that section in the 1st pic? Nice little challenge that is.

Climb? That was a descent! Nice little challenge it was.

Climb? That was a descent!

Depends which way you’re going 🙂

Went with them last year and would recommend it. Good set-up and great riding.
There’s a bit more pedalling up than some other places but the downs are worth it.

As featured in issue 27 of Singletrack.
Had a great time and Mike is a great laugh and patient tutor. The accommodation we stayed in was basic, but OK (if a bit chilly – we had snow in April) – but the riding was extensive and great and that was the right way round for me.

Yup, went to Bubion about 4 or 5 years back and it was great! I going next week for the dh side of things.

I’d recommend some hefty tyres, there’s some mean thorns out there, plus most of the riding has a dh bias so the weight is less of an issue I guess.

A great riding retreat – recommended!

Went a few years ago, the company were great I thought, and gave me a really good deal being kind of “local”.

However the tracks were a bit pants in places – lots that just had a giant rut right down the middle, stick your wheel in and hold on. That picture above illustrates it nicely ! But that’s prolly just me being picky…

What tyres for….? I got some UST DH Minions for the trip, went for super tacky which I probably wouldn’t do again – the grip on the downs is fantastic but they’re pretty draggy on the climbs! We did one long road climb where I swear I could see my tracks in the hot tarmac, not sure wether that was the tarmac melting or my tyres shedding.

Just make sure they’re tough – it’s very rocky and quite thorny in places.

Edit: And take knee/elbow pads, they protect you a bit from the thorny stuff too. Mike has some loaners but they were pretty minging.

However the tracks were a bit pants in places – lots that just had a giant rut right down the middle, stick your wheel in and hold on

I think it is all an issue of perception. I found there was stuff in Malga Dh that was intitially unrideable, and so I thought it was pants ie way too effen challenging, but you soon up your game..

I used Switchbacks in 2007. Very happy with the whole package, accommodation was more than suitable and the trails were great. Unfortunately one of the group of five had an accident on the second day and broke his coller bone, the remaining four still had a good time for the remaining three days riding 🙂

I went at the end of April start of May last year and loved every minute of the riding. Mike’s a great guy as is Dave who guided our group for the week. Accommodation is good, local bar is very good as are the restaurants. Highly reccommend, you’ll have a blast. Lemmings is a must!

Been in the summer on a DH session. Had a great time. Would like to do it again. Just remember when you build your bike up after the flight to put the brakes the right way round.

Rode the last day with the Dudes of Hazard, if you know who they are.

Went a couple of years ago on the AM trip with Switchbacks
Bubion is a lovely little village high in the hills
Sept or Oct shouldn’t be too hot
Mike and his guides looked after us well
Accomodation in villa’s in the village – no complaints
140mm / 32 forks ok but 160 / 36’s better
rock can be abrasive so double plys recommended. Having said that i was ok on my single plys.
pads but not full face as the van is used to make the hill climbs easier not remove them alltogether
do a search for “lemmings bubion” and this will bring up a good vimeo clip of the famous Lemmings trails which was definately one of the the most memorable
Overall would recommend heartily

lots that just had a giant rut right down the middle, stick your wheel in and hold on

Cresta Run? Get out of the rut and ride the banks is the way to do it.