Staying a week in Malcesine first week of July, can anyone recommend any guides and bike hire? Stayed a few years ago and hired bikes below the lift up monte baldo but was wondering about getting the bus to torbole and hiring from there. A day with a guide would be good. Thanks.

nasher of riveaira bikes (sp)

mechi’s Bikes and Coffee, torbole. And the bike shop across the road.

http://www.mecki.com/homepage_eng.htm

In Riva del Garda in 2008 we had a local guy called Carlo. had a small kiosk down by the lake on the east side of a small tunnel on the lakeside. had a couple of colleagues and wife that helped out. used a van obe day for uplift. and collected us from airport and fixed our hotel. super nice bloke, great rider up and down.

we booked him for a week but you could turn up at the kiosk for about 8:30 AM and go out with a group of like minded riders etc.

no contact details, but google may work.

If you want to save a bit of money then these books offer over 50 extremely detailed routes. Your German needs to be good though.

Went this time last year and were guided by Carlo and Cesco, must be the same guy as in hh45’s post as his other half Andrea was guiding as well. We used to pick up our uplift from a bike shop in Torbole that had bikes and body armour for hire. Find them here null

Roter.. we had those books and extremely detailed is correct. To the point of too much info…. almost noted a feature every 100m or so….

Thanks for the info!

Your German needs to be good though.

I thought my German was good, but I proved to be misguided.

Translation errors saw us doing the Adrenaline Line, on hardtails, in the dark.

It was the best day’s mountain biking I’ve ever done, despite the extensive damage to both bike and body!

There are a couple of shops in Torbole that offer guiding. The one opposite the main public car park in the centre also runs regular bus uplifts to the top of the trails. All the details are on a board outside the shop, but you’ll need to check timings and then maybe book for the following day.

I would advise trying to book or organise as much as you can in advance or via the web. Very few people speak any english, and no one in a bike shop that I came across. To be blunt they basically sneer at you for not speaking italian (despite doing my level best to try french and german too).

I didnt experience any language issues in either shop. Our groups included germans, italians, swedes and swiss riders – all speaking English. OK, the guide’s English wasnt 100%, but far better than my non-existent Italian.

If you are worried, then Saddleskeddadle and Cycleactive offer expensive British alternatives.

It’s a fantastic place to ride, good alternative to the usual Alps locations, and you get a beach and better restaurants and better beer. Not as expensive as you might think either, certainly cheaper than Chamonix.

+1 for Carlo at Gardaonbike.

We went out with him and he puts on a fabulous ride. Does bike hire too.

We picked up the local outdoor map (available from most newsagents and touristy shops as well as bike shops) which details the hiking/cycling trails and used that for most of our rides, they’re all numbered and really well signed once you’re on the trail (once you’ve chosen your route from the map)and they’re graded on the map so you can select your level of technicality.

You’ll have a fabulous time!

hh45 & Lady Alex,

If your Carlo is the same Carlo im thinking of (and there can’t be that many Carlo’s running bike hire / guiding in torbole!) then he may be slightly hard to locate these days, as according to the owners of carpentari bike shop and Luca’s bike shuttle 6 weeks ago when I was there, Carlo is being investigated for tax evasion, and not having the relevant licences and permits to run an uplift service (basically an un licenced taxi service!)

Check out Luca’s bike shuttle for daily uplifts to all the good routes. There are loads of gpx routes on t’internet. I thoroughly reccommend the Diavolo trail (also called The Skull) and also the serpent trail.

If you’re feeling brave, try the 601 trail!

I can also recommend the 601 trail, but you do need to be… errr… committed!

You can do 601 in the dark too, if you’re completely mad, as we were. all the rocks are white, so they reflect light quite well, making it really easy to see which one was responsible for removing your rear mech.

I’m banned from planning mountain bike trips now…

Stayed in Malchesnie a few years ago, rented a bike from the local shop, located near the lift.
The staff did not know ( or did not want to say) where the best bits where located, Taking the bike in the ski lift was not encouraged. Probably in case their bike got trashed !

Having said this I found a found some good downhills ( be warned brakes are handed differently )

Got the feeling Mountain biking was a bit disorganised 2009 , might be better by now.

There is a bar/restaurant in Garda that serves ice cream cocktails and shows earther/nwd etc on plasma screens. Highly recommended. Think it’s on via rivererto. Ahhhh ice creamy booze.

be warned brakes are handed differently

but the bike hire shop will most likely swap them over for you if you ask.

+1 for Luca bike shuttle. He operates from the public car park opposite Carpentari bike shop in Torbole.

Diavolo trail

John, it’s “Val del Diaol” (Skull).
This was a cracking alternative/detour from part way down 601.

Another good variation from the lower section of 601 was Sentiero della Pace (Peace Trail). It does involve some minor hike-a-bike but well worth it imho.

Bocca di Fobia descent from Tremalzo gets my vote too but that involves SERIOUS hike-a-bike to reach the col.

All the above don’t require any guiding. You just need someone to tell you where they start. I’m sure Luca would point ’em out.