Planning a trip to California to include about 5-7 MTB days. Any advice re best trails, rent/take bikes, etc very much appreciated.

Whereabouts?

I did a riding trip in Southern Cali a few years ago. Did a 9 day roadtrip starting in San Diego moving through Palm Springs / Idyllwild and ending up in LA (Laguna Hills). Great trip with lots of good riding.

I possibly still have the spreadsheet that I used to organise it which prompts the rides we did etc. Happy to send it through if it will help?

Northern Cali I can’t help with. That’s the plan for next year. Although Weaverville (2015 WEMBO location) looks very cool.

Was thinking Northern (sorry,I should’ve said).
Are you planing a simular trip (ie 9 day rd trip)?

Next year will be longer. 2 – 3 weeks as I want to take in Bend, Oregon too. Currently undecided about flying into San Fran and working North and East (through Weaverville) or into Portland and working South(ish) and East.

Lake Tahoe area is supposed to be pretty good.

A friend of a friend that I rode with in Colorado / Utah / Idaho last year resides in San Fran and commented that a lot of the riding in the San Fran area was now very restricted and that it was a breath of fresh air to be able to ride pretty much unrestricted where we were.

When I’m planning a US trip mtbr.com is always a good starter. Use the trail reviews for the areas that you’re going to be and then build up a list of rides that you want to do and work out a plan. Then drop the plan into a post in the respective area on mtbr.com’s forum and you’ll normally get a load of locals come back with comments and advice. You’ll almost always get offers of guided rides.

The other option, which is a little risky but can work well, is to ask in the local shops as soon as you get there. It worked for us in sun Valley, Idaho – but there’s so much riding there it would be difficult for it to not.

Best of luck and have an awesome trip. Anything else that I can help with let me know.

That sounds awesome. Thanks for the details, I really appreciate it. Have an amazing time too.

Mammoth Mountain Bike Park is worth a look if bike parks are your thing.

A friend went last year and said Lake Tahoe was nice. Lots of places to rent bikes there apparently. Oh, and apparently if you call the Santa Cruz factory up and say you’re in town they’ll give you a tour of the factory for free.

Me and a buddy of mine had 2 weeks in Cali in 2012. Started in San Fran, hired a camper and stopped at rv sites. We rode downiville, truckee, Lake Tahoe and Santa Cruz. And yeah we got the factory tour at Santa Cruz. Fantastic trip, shuttle runs at downiville with bike hire available. It did take a bit of planning of which I didn’t do a great deal of. Great weather great trails great scenery.

If you come through SF then you need to hit Fairfax, 20 miles north. Tamarancho is ten miles of private singletrack with a flow trail and a downhill only section. After that you hoist a pint at one of two bike-specific pubs, then admire the public monument to downhill racing. Stop in at the Marin Museum of Bicycling/Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and check out machinery from the last 150 years.