Forum menu
Having never ventured to the Alps yet!,i was recommended Les Arcs as a good starting point,as it is meant to be tamer than other such areas?if so it would suit us very much as neither of us are anything special on bikes.
Me and my other half are currently looking at 29ers,hence thinking it is feasible to use these out there?
A Guided holiday is defiantly our strategy.
I've been out there with Bike Village the last couple of years (and going again this year). Most of the stuff we ride isn't bike park style trails with big jumps, but either fast/flowy or as technical as you like or a bit of both - bikes of other guests whilst we've been there have ranged from mid range hard tails to an Orange Patriot. I've taken a 120mm travel Mount Vision with me and have found it great (it would be nice if it was a bit lighter though!)I'd have no worries about riding a 29er out there and am considering one for next year - might be tricky on some of the really tight switch backs, but maybe not. It's a great area - have a great time.
Thank you for your reply,
i used to have a mount vision,alas i have her no more which is a shame as such superb bikes
i own an ibis,and a 29er at the moment.
Is Trail Addiction a good company to look at? the scenery looks breathtaking.
les arcs is great - not DH/jumpy so much as loads of ace, quite rocky singletrack
I doubt wheel size is critical, though there's some sharpish bends. Biggish tyres will be needed to avoid pinch flats (esp assuming you'll be lift-assisted and the weight isn't a problem)
Guiding is pretty much essential, I'd say. TA are excellent - had 2 trips with them a few years ago, highly recommended IMO/E (other companies also get well-reviewed on here)
you'll be fine on a 29er... have spend far too many weeks in the area over the past 8 years.
who you go with kinda depends on what you're after from a holiday though... happy to ride up some hills (but still use up lifts etc) and access slightly more 'hidden' stuff - i'd go BV. if you just don't want to ride up hills, then i guess TA would be better.
having holidayed (and worked for) BV a lot, it sounds like your bike would 'fit in' more at BV than TA - TA guests seem to be on bigger bikes, and appear to wear more body armour (massive generalising sweeping statement, ok...)
btw - les arcs isn't 'tamer'... it's less used than morzine, and has less purpose build DH tracks, but the trails, if you know where to look (or ask your guide for them...) certainly aren't tame 😉
Sorry Monkey but it is tamer. There are some very good, very technical, very steep trails there but not the same abundance or severity of the stuff in the PDS.
I love both, and probably prefer Les Arcs these days (quiet, natural trails are tough to be beat) but the unmarked stuff in the PDS is definitely harder.
Also, if I can get the DH bike round the switchbacks, you'll be grand on a 29er
Thank you very much for the advice,
I think me and my partner will be going with trail addiction as they seem an extremely professional outfit and that matters to us alot.
He is not too keen on the idea really as he is quite scared of going believe it or not.Where im at that point where i feel the urge to get better at this wonderful sport.
Hence why the Alps is on the agenda 8)