Hi all
I am going to Madeira in a fortnight and would love to go riding when I'm over there. Has anyone ever been and done this?
I am staying in the Funchal area. Any recommended bike shops and guides to show me around?
Been there five or six times, but not seen one mountain bike, searched the net last year - not a thing.
I'm really hoping someones going to pop in a link, proving me wrong but I fear not. Its a really nice place though, the Levada walks are worth leaving your bike at home for - some are really exciting, the walk across the highest peaks, from Pico Ruivo is superb Dont forget to take a torch for the tunnels!
Anyone done any biking here? - I live in hope!
Only been there once, and a few years back - mebbe there's some possibilities around the higher but flatter centre - and mebbe to the north/east, but there's so much that's just so bloomin' steep there must be whole areas that must be unrideable, other than on the road
A quick google popped up these:
http://carlosmata.pinkbike.com/album/Marco-Mata-Album/
http://www.loopd.com/Members/JDGomes/Default.aspx
- a few of the place names are on Madeira
Result:
http://www.jernmand.dk/DagbogMadeira2009eng.htm
- but looks like the routes they did were on road, apart from a race in the national park. Mentions a shop in Funchal too:
http://www.bikezone.pt/?co=0&tp=100&cop=0&LG=0&mop=2&it=home
- could try mailing the shop I guess ?
Ah, mtb is BTT, searching on btt madeira has this (plus some other stuff)
http://www.geocities.com/bttmadeira/
http://www.forumbtt.net/index.php/topic,10277.0.html
- looks like a Portugese forum but I guess it's worth seaching for info.
Ooerr:
http://sport.gdubol.com/video/jCJ6Z0iZirU/Downtown-BTT.html
http://madeirabtt.blogspot.com/2006/08/video-downtown-brisa-funchal_03.html
(madeiraoffroad.com ismentioned in that 2nd vid - like it might be useful, including a forum, but my browser's whinging about malware in the last n days or something like that- in fact, ignored it and it looks like the site's temporarily on hold - I guess being fixed)

