[Closed] Holiday Advice - Spain

Freeridespain:

Been twice
You're made to work for the descents (12k climbs at midday etc), but its always worth it - definitely more XC orientated than I've heard the likes of Switchbacks are.
Guides and hosts are friendly (Simon's a sarcastic bastard though 🙂 ), and very very laidback.
Accommodation is OK.
Llanjaron is a nice place with some decent bars and a tasty ice cream parlour.
From what I've heard, Emma's food doesn't match up to other guide companies', but I enjoyed it so no complaints there.

Mike_T, what were your switchbacks experiences? (sorry for the slight hijack)

Freeride spain - I don't know about XC orientated, some of the descents were just silly steep dusty slides (IMHO). The accomodation was OK, but the food was poor (again, IMHO). The town was good, though.

www.basquemtb.com

Just started this season and based in the Basque region. I know Doug who has started it. Worth having a look at their site and Flickr page as the trails look pretty intersting.

Cheers

Sanny

Jim at seasonally is a nice guy
the riding was good, a mix of xc and tough descents which everbody enjoyed, went with 8 friends
The accomodation looked fine, but we stayed in Fuengirola at a mates.
Duel holiday, boozing all night and riding during the day 😉

Freeridespain - good riding, as per previous posters, more xc orientated as you have to climb more but the descents are still good (some the same as they use as Switchbacks). Food was basic but filling and free beer in the fridge.

If Trailaddiction's set up in Les Arc is anything to go by and their knowledge of the trails and tailoring it to the group, then this is the one I'd choose. Staying close/in Granada would be superb too.

Thanks for the replies guys, TrailAddiction were the guys I was favouring at the moment.

flamejob, ref our time with Switchbacks, the riding was spot on, just the right balance towards the down rather than the up, as someone has already mentioned you cant be doing to much up in the heat.
They tailored our week towards the ability of the group so we got it at the more techy end of XC with enough to keep us on our toes.
check the pics out http://bubion2007.fotopic.net/
The accom was basic along with the food so be prepared to take some or cash to take advantage of the cheap restaurants around Bubion.

Must give a shout out to AltitudeAdventures, Ian and Angela's hospitality last year was spot on and the trails are fantastic, so if any of your guys fancy the Pyrenees give them a call. http://pyrenees2008.fotopic.net/

I've been out and stayed with FreerideSpain and had a great time - I was normally too tired to notice any negatives about the food (FFS for that money what were you expecting?). I though Si, Emma and the rest were great hosts and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone. Lots of climbing though but all worth it.

Been out for the last two years with Seasonally Unajusted, highly recommend - great place, some of the finest singletracks - Jim the owner/main guide is very laid back and takes you on routes to suit all abilities.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Well 'for that money' I would have expected better. You get more picky as you get older.

Switchbacks looks like fun... I like these [url= http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u139/taylo_m/MTB%20Bubion%20Vids/?action=view&current=20070908_0601.flv ]videos[/url], that corner looks steep!

I take it no one has any experience with TrailAdditction in Spain, has anyone stayed with them out in Les Arc's?

no experience of the companies you mention but i' happy to recommend joyriders mtb. self-catered but free beer 🙂
i've talked about them on here before, so do a search. they have a couple of videos on u-tube as well.

Yep, stayed with them in Les Arcs. The Goat Shed was catered so its probably a bit different for Spain but they tailored the riding to the group, offering advice on switchbacks etc if people wanted it. The groups were changed around a little after the first day so that the people in the group were reasonably evenly matched. They also did some sessions for the less confident riders.

Some might misinterpret their set up as laid back, as they don't have a fixed itinery but I thought it was good and their knowledge of the trails was excellent.

Wahey thats MEeeeeeeeeee. Didn't know that video had been uploaded. Fame at last 🙂

Cheers everyone, I'll drop TA an email see how their fixed for Septemmber

Bring it on

Another FreerideSpain regular here, I love the place. Laid back, great riding, pretty much catered for whatever you wanted to do. Never had a problem with food or accomodation either.
And don't let Simon's lycra fool you either, he'll beat anyone uphill or down!

If you haven't already discounted them I'll recommend [url= http://www.ciclomontana.com/index.html ]Ciclo Montana[/url] We've used them for years and keep going back. Our group have 5 holidays booked with them this year. The village is very small, quiet and peaceful but the hosts, accomodation, food and riding are all top notch.

+1 for Ciclomontana.....quite a few youtube vids to get an idea of the riding.

i have to plug torolocspain

they are competitors for freeride spain also based near lahron (sp?)

great trails great guiding and amazing accomodation a, food and private pool!

http://www.sierracycling.com/

Try these, went with them a few years ago and it was ace. Considering going again this summer.

good skills getting down that switchback, its much much harder than it looks in that video. The week before we went apparently someone went over the edge and spazzed themselves.

CicloMontana gets a double thumbs up from me. The whole package is fantastic. How do they do it for the money?

I like the look of CicloMontana

Joyriders in Cerro Macho have fantastic trails, accommodation and they do amazing home prepared food (the Spanish Paella & Tirimisu are simply outstanding).

Highly recommend them 🙂

2nd [url= http://www.joy-riders.com ]joy riders[/url]. amazing accommodation in cerro macho, great trails and a free bar (+ playstation, falt screen, ipod in every room, luxury accomoodation and a full hot tub/jacuzzi on the roof.. Did i mentiona free bar?

nope, i don't work for them but been twice

seasonally unadjusted is ace. trails, food, people all top class

I've been with a few:

Freeride Spain had best trails, cheapish but accomodation and local town poor and far from airport.

Seasonally Unadjusted had Ok accomodation but by railway line and I didn't sleep as much as I'd have liked, trails fine but spoilt by some slow riders joining in for a few days so we only rode 1/2 what we should have done. I won't go back but I was probably just unlucky.

Sierra Cycling great accomodation and local town though go off season for cooler climate and lack of tourists. Riding wasn't the best but OK and I understand they do more demanding stuff these days. I've been twice and might go again.

Ride Sierra Nevada are best placed for Granada side of the Sierra Nevada mountains, we rode all kind of stuff with the emphasis on technical singletrack and wicked sannies. Had a couple of nights out in Granada as it’s only 15 minutes drive from Monachil.
www.ridesierranevada.com

Another one for Ciclo Montana, get jiggy with Marco and indeed, "how do they do it for the money" . Been a few times and its always different and fresh.

I had a fantastic time with Ride Sierra Nevada, we went in september and the weather was as cool at 3000m, but pleasant at the village (800m) so no early starts required. Shaun ans Czilla are ace!

+another1 for ciclo montana (although the beds were not great)

just back from Sierra Nevada with Ciclo Montana and was very impressed by the slick organisiation. Will definitely be getting back there later in the year.

^ the beds have now been changed and are new for this year so you can get a good nights rest after riding the amazing trails.

wahey new beds! That was truely the only downside to our trip there.

I'm a Switchbacks regular. I'm too lazy to do all the climbing (I can do that in the UK). I'd rather spend my holiday descending. The van up the hill suits me and a short pedal to the start of the descents gets you warmed up nicely.

The guides generally tailor the riding to the group. It's technical riding and fast/difficult at times but not DH. Switch-backsdh.com is for the "proper downhillers"

As far as I am aware, only Switchbacks and one other company are legally registered in Spain. Check the companies have a "Registro" and full insurance otherwise theoretically if you are riding in the national parks, the police can fine you and/or confiscate your bike (apparently).

Accomodation and food wise, the SB "casa" has been gradually upgraded over the past couple of years. It is basic but has everything you need. Some food is provided but it is intended as a starter pack for breakfast/lunches rather than food for the week.

Switchbacks have changed snce I was there with them 4 years ago then! He b!tched us up the hills - I remmember one 10k climb around Orgiva somewhere - I was going really well, spinning along then my chain jammed somehow and after a ten minute pitstop I just couldn't get the rhythmn again.

Saying that, the lazy guys in our group did get an uplift for the first two thirds - I just fancied the challenge 🙂

As far as I am aware, only Switchbacks and one other company are legally registered in Spain. Check the companies have a "Registro" and full insurance otherwise theoretically if you are riding in the national parks, the police can fine you and/or confiscate your bike (apparently).

That seems to get mentioned quite a bit on this site and is unfair to some of the other companies. I think you will find most of the companies are legally registered Spainish compaines. From personal experience I know FreerideSpain and Joyriders both are.

However being a registered Spainish company does not automatically provide the right to guide groups in the 'National Parks', the outfits that don't use the Sierra Nevada don't need to bother jumping through the hoops to get permission as they ride in 'Natural Parks' which fall under different laws i.e. the Subettica for Joyriders.

If I were concerened about going with a different/new Spainish MTB company company I would just make sure of the following;

1. Spainish Company Registration.
2. Guides with first aid qualifications to at least REC level 2 or similar and preferably some form of mountain leadership qualification. It does not have to be mountain biking. Skiing, walking or climbing all cover the same basic areas of group management/saftey and emergency actions.
3. That your own holiday insurance is all sorted and you have an EHC or E111.

BigEars

johni - Member
I'm a Switchbacks regular. I'm too lazy to do all the climbing (I can do that in the UK). I'd rather spend my holiday descending. The van up the hill suits me and a short pedal to the start of the descents gets you warmed up nicely.

The guides generally tailor the riding to the group. It's technical riding and fast/difficult at times but not DH. Switch-backsdh.com is for the "proper downhillers"

As far as I am aware, only Switchbacks and one other company are legally registered in Spain. Check the companies have a "Registro" and full insurance otherwise theoretically if you are riding in the national parks, the police can fine you and/or confiscate your bike (apparently).

Accomodation and food wise, the SB "casa" has been gradually upgraded over the past couple of years. It is basic but has everything you need. Some food is provided but it is intended as a starter pack for breakfast/lunches rather than food for the week.

Just what I wanted to hear 😀 3 weeks today and we'll be riding those trails with SWDH, can't flippin wait 8)

Are you definitely stuck on Spain? Bike Verbier's new holidays look mint, and I can vouch for the new backcountry trails they're riding away from the resort - they're amazing. Plus, the team behind them are seasoned pros at this game - famously good hosts. Check out www.bikeverbier.com. Just a thought........

stop it wl!!!!

Just back from a long weekend with SwitchbacksDH in Spain, one word, WOW 8)

Michael was great as not only a very experience guide through the day but also entertained at night, cool guy. And the riding, wow, the riding... natural DH at its best, some of the tracks are just hand crafted from god himself, others by the devil 😆

Just need a weeks sleep now to recover, oh and my bike needs some serious TLC 😀

Can't wait to go back, most highly recommended 8)

Any pics Bream?

Did you meat Mike H as well?

I got an email from Switchbacks today with a special offer for May and June of 395euros for a week of riding too. If I could get time off then I'd be going.

Stacks and stacks of pics, just need to shrink them and upload, takes forever.

I'm writing a full report to share our experience so I'll post it up when finished.

We rode Malaga DH only with Michael S and possibly the coolist van driver in Spain, Lucky. However the stories of Bubion has me longing to go there now as well with a smaller bike, so many places to ride and not enough time off work to do it!

Only pic uploaded so far, me at the start of 911:

[img] [/img]