Heading to Spain with the familia in May/June

Been told I could take the ol faithful.

Q1 – if I use a bike bag EVOC or the likes will there be space in the boot of a Passat for a suitcase / smaller bags?

Q2 – or should I use a bike rck like Saris Bones or something – just don’t want to be faffing with the boot if I need to access stuff now and then

Q3 – anyone ridden in the Cabo de Gata area

Q3 – anyone ridden in the Cabo de Gata area

Walked and driven around it a bit.

Coastal path is very fireroady. Surprisingly hilly though. And very beautiful!

There was some decent looking singletrack around Agua Amarga, though I don’t know if it goes anywhere or just peters our.

Worst case scenario, take some straps and put it on the roof. Passat’s have roof rails i believe.Got the bike (in bag) in the boot plus 3 suitcases and three pieces of hand luggage. Oh, and three peeps in a Peugeot Bipper thingy very easily.Always take straps,just in case 8)

If you use a rear-carrier be aware you need a red-striped reflective panel when driving in Spain, this is not needed for a rooftop rack. The bike shouldn’t cover the number plate, either.

I’ve got a bike bag, it takes up loads of room – it’s more designed for flying than for carrying a bike in your own car. I’d just take the wheels off and wrap the bike in old sheets or similar, then fit the cases (carefully!) around it.

No idea about mtb in that area, only been there the once and I spent half of the time underwater 🙂

You could struggle…I had a choice of all kinds of hire cars when I was last in Spain, I chose a Fiat Doblo though as that was the only one that I could get my stuff in with the minimum of hassle (Evoc bag and suitcase).

I take it you haven’t already got the Evoc bag? I have a BMW 3 Series estate and still have a fight with that and my other bag/s, let alone anybody elses…I guess the Passat would be similar.

Ah, is it a hire car? I got the impression you were driving down. In which case forget what I said…

Sorry if I’ve caused any confusion…I was just saying that I chose the Doblo as it was the only vehicle that could take the Evoc bag without hassle. Any normal car would struggle, especially if you need the rear seats.

How many passengers OP?

Sorry we are driving down… but duh me Mogrim think the blankie thing might work….

No EVOC bag… saves me the pain of splashing down 250 quid..

d45yth – 2 adults 2 kids… yeah no chance of putting the rear seats down 🙂 yeah I once used an Alanbox and that was a pain to get into a merc estate

thanks for the suggestions…

Chakaping.. thanks, seems very fire road type of thing… can’t seem to find anything on the net as yet

Chakaping.. thanks, seems very fire road type of thing… can’t seem to find anything on the net as yet

Try wikiloc, usually has something.

Cabo de Gata is pretty barren and mostly fireroads.

If you have time the Sierra Espuna outside Alhama de Murcia has some of the best mountainbiking in Spain.
There’s an excellent small campsite in the mountain village of El Berro.Orange test their protoypes there and the campsite staff would be able to help with routes.

Joe thanks a million, abt an hr from where we are staying so looks perfect… much appreciated

You can hire an evoc bag for £20 a week.. someone posted a link on here not long ago. Ive got a trip planned to spain in september and im hiring one..

tuskaloosa,generally the “Orange” gang have a ride out every Saturday morning from the campsite in El Berro,normally around about 10’ish.
There is an information centre in the Espuna,Centro Interpretacion,where in the car park there are boards with routes that can be used for biking( the one up to the collado has a fantastic descent if done in reverse)
Just up the road from the info centre is Fuente del Hilo bar where all the road and mtb’ers gather around lunchtime.

OP – If you do go to the Sierra Espuna NP (I think it’s more than an hour away to be honest), check the ‘La Perdiz’ restaurant in the forest (not far from the visitors centre)…I went there for three days in a row once I’d found it. A proper Spanish hunting kind of place, all the meat they serve once roamed in your surroundings. Giant venison and wild boar kebabs, served with fried potatos, bread and a glass of red for about 7 euros! 😀

As mentioned above, Wikiloc is your friend. I would have been lost without it as I was downloading routes onto my phone and luckily the memory card fitted my GPS. If you haven’t a GPS, buy one over a bike bag as the best trails aren’t waymarked.

turbo – I’ll look this up sounds like a good thing to have handy in case the need ever arises…. by the sound of things might be easier to dismantle the bike and wrap in blankies just cos of space in the boot (just so I don’t piss the missus off….)

joe – thanks I cam across a thread where you mentioned a singletrack guide book which i orderd for 7 bucks so will take a gander in addition to your advice

d45yth – sweet Lad Perdiz sounds like a real treat.. will def look it up thanks for the tip on the GPS

If you are driving down I’d put the bike in an anonymous looking box & strap it up on top. Any decent looking bike bag you are going to attract unwelcome attention – be careful in the rest areas.

I live 2 hrs north of Cabo de Gata & it will be hot & dry in may june, trails are rocky so bring bombproof tyres, loads of tubes, water….

Good luck, I’d like to go exploring that area.