A friend and I have free use of an apartment in Morzine from July 12 – July 17th (4 full riding days in practice). The apartment is about 5 minutes from the centre (Dixie Bar, Rhodos and Bar Robinson – if that means anything to anyone?).

We are both ‘OK’ riders. Our focus will definitely be on descending. However, since a couple of wrist breaks I developed something of an aversion to large drops (the limit of what i do now is, for example, the largest drop at the top of spooky wood, Glentress, the B-line at ‘Degla or the Hope Line at Gisburn).

So first question is: can anyone recommend a ride of series of rides that are big on fast, steep, fairly technical tracks with manageable (i.e. rollable) drops and jumps or chicken runs? Even some nice sweeping banked blues might be nice?

The second question is bike hire. We were thinking 160mm AM bikes with a dropper post. Any recommendations?

I know a lot of you guys head of this way so any tips would be great. Thanks.

You’ll be fine. There are very few unavoidable drops. In fact I’m struggling to think of any on the marked trails. I’d start in Les Gets and have a play there and under the Plenney. The reds and blues are fully rollable and fairly steep in places. The blacks are the same but more. Pop over to Chatel bike park via the Super Morzine for another day of more of the same. There’s a few more jumps here, all with chicken runs so watch the warning flags. Basically anything on the map will be fine. If you are feeling a bit more adventurous try some off piste. For bike hire there’s plenty of good bikes available. Not cheap but it Sounds like the rest of the trip will be.

Edit: Also tell the hire co you want the brakes the right way round or you might find yourself going over the bars the first time you try and stop.

^^ wot he said

if you can comfortably ride at a UK trail centre you’ll have a blast. Morzine is steeper, but the defining difference is the length of the down-hills really.

as for bikes, could you not take your own bikes? the bikes you’re looking at to hire are fine, but hire bikes are shocking 😆 the brakes will be the wrong way round, and you’ll spend the first morning actually making them work…

We’ve always had really nice hire bikes. I think the last couple of times we used Torico but the bikes in other shops seemed good too. They are happy to swap brakes if asked. That said I’d still rather have my own bike if that is an option.

Took my hardtail quarterhorse last summer, was a blast on Super Morzine and PDS, went to Chamoniz too, it just got better as the days went on

If you are renting bikes ask them to change the brake levers round as French have front/back on different sides to us. Not sure you really need a dropper as seats tend to be down most of the time.

The majority of the riding has no un-avoidable drops, even the Les Gets “blacks” of Canyon and Dans le Gas, all the reds and greens of course. You should explore the PdS the Reds in Morgins and Les Crosets, the Blues in Chatel are great (as is the red off the middle road). You might take a look at this thread

STW

EDIT: enjoy its a great place for a first time Alps trip – loads of marked trails, good,loft system, enduro/off piste routes to to get away from everyone (eg Col du Coux, Samoens, back side of Les Gets/Col Ecrenaz to Morzine)

bike hire ain’t cheap either.

^^^ this is true, 4 days will be 240€ ? Plus you have to pay for any breakages and brake pads (?)

Thanks guys, really useful info.

The faff factor involved in taking my bike puts me off, notwithstanding that my friend currently doesn’t have an MTB so we’ll have to hire anyway. The flights were cheap and the accommodation will be pretty cheap (though I’ll certainly be offering to pay) so happy to splurge a bit on bikes.

Getting a bi excited now 🙂

Fast steep techy tracks:
– the black run (Hattock) from the top of the super Morzine lift (up the lift, turn left, down part of the blue or red, then bear right after the road gap on the red). Some optional jumps and drops too.

– The black down into the lindaret bowl (it’s the old French national dh track). Rocky, super techy, not necessarily that fast but a lot of fun! Again, with optional drops.
(I think this one is the run just below where ‘Avoriaz’ is marked, just to the left of ‘colde la joux verte’ on this map http://www.activeazur.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/portes-du-soleil-mountain-bike-trail-map-1600.jpg )

– Pleney – start the black, but basically any off piste runs off to the right at the start of the trail

Have been on my dh bike, and trail bike (140mm trek remedy) and was quite happy both times, obviously faster on the dh bike but just as fun on the trek.

88 organise the bike rental in advance, usually in France if you prebook and pay in advance you’ll get a better price. You can ask them when booking to switch the brakes so less time wasted in the resort. If you understand enough French it would be worth searching websites in French for rentals as you may well get a better price. Even if renting I suggest you take some spare tubes, pump etc for trailside repairs

Jambalaya – thanks for the advice. My French is woeful, but i’ll have a go.

Yes – never leave home with that a couple of tubes, repair kit and pump 🙂

Planning on leaving the full-face at home based on the comments…?

(Torico is an “English” shop)

Not sure why you’d leave a full face at home? 😕 It’s a dh park- yep some trails are fairly smooth, but you’re descending the whole time, and some of the trails are far from smooth!

We are out there on those dates, for me full face full armour ,so many runs to find just ask.

Were out on those dates also,our 6th year and we always take the fullface

Almost everyone is in full face and body armour

Almost everyone is in full face and body armour in the jump parks and on the blacks. On the xc trails and greens and blues they aren’t. Depends on where you ride and your riding style. No one in our group wears a full face.

What @nick says. I many years of riding in the Alps I have used my full face for one day. Now if I had a lighweight lid with a chin guard or a similar fullface I may well wear it. Knee amd elbow pads are useful although again most of the time I don’t wear them although I managed one tasty ding in my shin 4 years ago which I still have – pads not much use strapped to backpack as section was easy 😳

So first question is: can anyone recommend a ride of series of rides that are big on fast, steep, fairly technical tracks with manageable (i.e. rollable) drops and jumps or chicken runs? Even some nice sweeping banked blues might be nice?

I’d start on the couple of blues on the Pleney side.

Up the gondola, turn right, head down towards the main black line
Sharp right just before it and down the rough as hell track that passes under the Pleney gondola.
Turn right, fast forest path with some horrible drainage ditches
At the end go over a small metal ramp (carefully!) and you’re on a really nice flowy blue. Nothing steep but loads of flowy turns, some nice rooty sections. When it spits you onto the fire road go right and follow the signs

This is the run: https://www.strava.com/segments/1754984

The other blue is really nice and a bit steeper in places. Again up the gondola, head down towards the main trails but stay left and follow the fire road towards Les Gets. Round a couple of corners and the trail starts on the right

https://www.strava.com/segments/7500711

Do not be fooled by the “red” grading of the red track on the pleney side. It’s arse clenchingly steep in places. Passed many people on the verge of tears clinging on to the side of the track last year! Even my first run down was a WTF moment. Nothing too techy but some very steep sections on very loose surface

https://www.strava.com/segments/9933995

The main black line is by far the best though. It’s rough and fast but never that steep, apart from possible the massive chute at the clearing but that has a path to avoid it. Toss up between that, the Super Morzine black and Komaltrail as my favourite in the PDS. Or maybe the Swiss National…or the French National!

https://www.strava.com/segments/5251674?filter=overall

Here’s a backwards facing run down the Pleney black which gives a better view of the terrain

[video]http://vimeo.com/134534934[/video]

And our overall highlights from last year

[video]http://vimeo.com/134882772[/video]

Thanks guys, especially you boarding bob. I’ve shared this thread with the guy i’m going with – hopefully the start of an annual trip…(nudge, nudge if you’re reading this Chris 😉 )

I will pack the full face just in case along with elbow pad I never wear. I wear knee pads in any event.

ETA: Bob what bike are you on in those vids?

Bob what bike are you on in those vids?

A Canyon Torque DHX or a Nukeproof Mega AM

the first vid gives me queeze, like the second one though.

A Canyon Torque DHX or a Nukeproof Mega AM

Thanks. I won’t have a full DH rig, but looking to hire something similar to the Nukeproof.

Is the big chute at around 3.05? I bet that’s steeper that it looks!

The run on the second vid starting at 0.20 look superb!

Is the big chute at around 3.05? I bet that’s steeper that it looks!

Aye. It’s BIG. Just drops in, is very long but with a huge catch berm at the bottom.

The run on the second vid starting at 0.20 look superb!

That would be this one. It’s fantastic.

[video]http://vimeo.com/133233482[/video]

Another quick question. Lift passes… do you guys buy them before you go or when you are there ? If before you go can you recommend a website ?

Thanks.

I buy in the resort, easy. I would guess you can save a bit by buying online in advance but ithe pass is so much cheaper than in the winter we don’t bother. Also you may want to explore a bit, or a day in Samoens or even Chamonix/Les Houches for example so stay flexibke would be my suggestion.

We bought ours out there. A week for just over 100 euro I think.

The black down into the lindaret bowl (it’s the old French national dh track). Rocky, super techy, not necessarily that fast but a lot of fun! Again, with optional drops.
(I think this one is the run just below where ‘Avoriaz’ is marked, just to the left of ‘colde la joux verte’ on this map http://www.activeazur.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/portes-du-soleil-mountain-bike-trail-map-1600.jpg )

The blue coming down from Avoriaz into Lindarets on that map is ace. Not techy but you can get some serious speed up. Had to do a few runs of it with no back brake after I boiled the fluid due to sticky pistons one day. The red down under the lift is good as well, slower but lots of tech/rocks etc.

The blue coming down from Avoriaz into Lindarets on that map is ace.

I love that one. Turn after turn after turn, all nicely banked and easy to link up but also easy to get wrong. Great fun.

you want Dans L’Gaz, the Mont Chery black DH run in Les Gets. really fun track loads of features of variable size all with chicken runs and some good tech! usually pretty quite over there too.

^^^ just a quick note to say tye Mont Chery side is great as is that trail Dans le Gaz, also nice long red round the back or an off-piste was back to Morzine vi Col-Ecrenanz as per the thread I linked to.

I love Lunch here too – Mont Caly – this is only a fraction of the view

A group of us went a couple of years ago and one of the chaps hired rather than took his own bike.

He had the option of a Mega or a Pulse and could basically swap and change to suit – he planned on riding a Mega for the week as he wasn’t planning on doing any full on DH stuff.

After 3 or 4 days he decided to give a Pulse a go for a day and kept it till the end of the trip.

Might be worth asking at the hire place if you can have this option as once your confidence grows you may be wanting a go at some of the techier stuff where a DH bike makes sense.

I would definitely hire a DH bike. Even if you’ve never really ridden one before they give so more more confidence when the going gets fast, rough or steep…. and it does get VERY steep in places!! (and invariably fast and rough at the same time ha!) Sometimes you just gotta let the bike go and hope for the best – I much rather be on a DH bike in those sorts of situations.

Besides, if you’re buying a lift pass then you may as well make make the most of it and focus on the downs. That’s what Morzine is all about!

I would second the DH bike for a day, they are fantastic fun on the right trails. I would suggest a full face and body armour as they do encourage you to go fast and to get air so if you get it wrong ….. I say encourage you as they are very capable with the suspension soaking stuff up and ime the bikes seem to just work better at speed 🙂

I’m sold on the DH bike – i’ll probably ask if i can swap it out for one of the four days i’m there.

I’ve come across this website http://www.fbfreeride.com/en/
Would be great to have a Nomad (EUR 69 / day) for a couple of days then try out the V10 for a day (EUR 89)!

The prices are a little more expensive but the bikes look lovely. The website is not easy to use so I’m going to give them a call and see how i get on.

The other options are (prices for 4 days):
– EUR 321 – Scott Voltage http://www.mtb-rental-morzine.fr/en/bike-rental/1-vtt-enduro-scott-genius-lt710.html#/3-size-l
– EUR 336 Pivot’s Mach 6 Carbon http://www.toricomorzine.com/bikehire/mtb-mach-6/
– EUR 240 Morewood (?) http://www.alanbike-morzine.com/rent-a-downhill-freeride-noir-3-bike-morzine.html
– EUR 250 – 280 Mondraker http://rent.intersport-morzine.com/en/
– EUR 300 – 27.5? 2015/16 GT Force X Sport – http://www.alpine-sports.eu/product/27-5-201516-gt-force-x-sport-large/

Also, a quick billy-no-mates appeal. My mate hosting me is only looking to ride for 2 days, so it would be good to join any one else out there.

i hired a v10 for a day last year, the best thing about it was how much more I appreciated my own bike when I was back on it the next day!!

it was a fun day and a nice change but I wasnt hitting anything that I wouldn’t hit on my trail bike just because I was on a DH so it was a bit pointless really.

Yep, went with Pivot Mach 6 in the end.

Heard good things about Torico, plus it’s plenty of bike for me!

Looking a tad moist on the pleney today

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGmOMq_xB3M/

Some nice riding there 🙂

88 another stw-er has rented same bike from that place later in the year, looks perfect to me