Any experiences?

Yep, all good. Great trails, quality accommodation, free beer and a hot tub. Get it booked!

Great accomadation in a 300 year rural villa and trails are a good mix of rocky in Zueheros and flowing singletrack in the hills above Cordoba. Really enjoyed my time with them. Free bear is a bonus although it is a local spanish beer not branded beers but nice anywhay 🙂

went with them a few weeks ago, and the accommodation is great (far better than you could hope for) and guides are friendly and knowledgeable.

I did however make the stupid mistake of not realizing that the temp in June would be over 40 degree’s, which was my own mistake, so I got a bit hot and grumpy whilst I was there 😉

I wouldn’t say the trails were as difficult as others places I’ve ridden, however if you enjoy XC trail riding you will love it, and I don’t think we could ride some of the stuff as it was too hot to go out for long

Interesting – plan to go out to Spain in winter so the heat wouldn’t be an issue. I did get the impression that the riding wasn’t say, like Ciclomontana, whom I’ve been out with twice before. I don’t necessarilly need ‘bonkers mountain biking’ but, I would like to be challenged from time to time.

Any links to your holiday pics guys?

Been with them twice now and highly recommend them. Great trails and they can definitely cater to any need (we did a really gnarly uplift day that was very technical)

my pics: joy riders

also check out their gallery http://www.joy-riders.com/gallery.asp

Have been with them twice and am going back in September, if that helps.

Was there back in February, a bit drizzle and temp spot on around 15 degrees. Nice accomodation, friendly guides and superb trails – a mix of steep rocky and narly descents to smoother park like stuff. Defo worth it! 😀

Any more picture links from your trips with joyriders above?

I will bung mine up when I get home, if I get time.

Another thing they do which is very good is the guide takes photos throughout the week when you are riding, so you actually get some 1/2 decent shots of what you actually riding rather than the usual, here I am at the van, here I am at lunch, here I am at the van shots.

A few here:

Got loads more but these were the only ones I put online.

i went last year and unfortunately it was pretty poorly organised. That was at the estepona site which i understand is currently not running (not making enough money) and im pretty sure the Cerro Macho site is better. Im good mates with one of the old guides and he says the riding is alot better up there.
We had three days of brilliant riding let down by the first two days which seemed to be assessing everyone, and we ended up doing massive fireroad/tarmac ascents/descents-not my idea of mountain biking. I definately wouldnt steer you away, but make sure they know what kind of riding you want to do before you get there.

Controversial Kenny, but good to see things from another angle. I agree, would find that frustrating knowing there is so much other riding to be had.

Ridethelakes – your first pic is great!

I'll look out for those, when you have time richc

Pete aka Woodsman

Hi Woodsman

Just to let you know that we have an offer on at the moment – up to 25% if you book by the end of the month. See http://www.joy-riders.com/offer.asp for more info.

As for our riding, we have a huge range of trails so we can tailor a week’s riding to the groups needs. We do have easier rides for beginners, as well as scary rocky black descents (as associated with Spanish riding) for the more experienced. Riders of all ability will be challenged during their time with us.

We avoid long fire road climbs (the only true fire road climb we have is 7kms and this is very gradual) – other climbs are rocky and very technical in places. We don't climb on tarmac and don't descend on fire roads (unless guests take that option over the harder stuff). We have up-lift days available and can also start rides as high as the van will allow (if climbing isn’t your thing).

We are lucky that we do have some easier rides than CicloMontana, but it doesn't mean we don't have the hard stuff either – you can have a full week of hardcore riding if it’s what you want – or have an easier day thrown in…. It just makes our riding much more flexible.

The temperature when RichC was out was unusual for the time of year (40+ is more August temps). It's now a more manageable 30-35'c

Rich is also right in that we couldn’t do some of the harder and more technical rides due to the temperature that week.

Finally, in answer to Kenny we do send out a pre-arrival questionnaire which allows you to tell us what sort of experience you have and therefore what sort of riding you want to do.

Hope this helps

Mark

Mark,

I've recently had email corresprondance with you regarding January 2010, via my personal aol account. I'm currently trying to persuede some others from my club to comitt to a bike holdiday.

Pete aka Woodsman

Well, to prevent any accusations of kenny being a liar, I also went to the Estepona site and we did climb on tarmac and we did descend on many fireroads. We also climbed on them on every ride except the uplift day.
I also didn't get a huge sense that the holiday was being tailored for us, but as I wasn't the person who organised it perhaps I missed the questionnaire.

As this site is no longer being operated from, I suspect you'll have good riding Pete, and the 25% discount is pretty hard to ignore. The pics posted above do look fantastic.

The accomadation was excellent, too (Estepona).

i don't think anyone is calling Kenny a liar. i was with the guys in estepona in november of last year. for sure there were some fire road climbs. an absence of lifts and you can only take a van to so many places, so i think this inevitable at times, and routes, riders and guides all change and evolve. it's the nature of things. the riding was fantastic. challenged every day. planning on going back when i can.