Emma rest of pics here to give you idea... few years old now back in 07 😉 great fun!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stu007/sets/72157600878930330/
Thanks stu and nonsense, looks amazing. cant wait now! 😛
Hora - I dont know what you are insinuating - I was indeed very confused and until I posted on here and you all came to the rescue was in need of sensible advice. 😆
To echo what everyone else has said, you'll be fine. I've been on my juliana, but also on my hardtail rockhopper that I had before that. Tyres and pads, that'll sort you.
Did it on a hard tail and it was fine, take the chicken runs if you dont want to fly. Some great XC stuff to be had. I was lucky I met some super cool people who were kind enough to show me around.
Beware the rain gulleys on their forest roads get those wrong at your peril.
Yes, she's lovely.
Our first trip there many years ago was on fully rigid bikes with "canti" brakes. The guides did laugh at us, but we all survived and kept up with the group.
We've been back many times since with a variety of XC/AM (I hate that term!) bikes 4"-6" travel is perfect for the XC trails. As others have said some good tyres and spare brake pads are more important.
I first went in 2004 and took a 1994 Kona Fire Mountain with ancient Pace RC35 forks on and old fashioned brake pads! Within 2 days I'd ground away the elastmers and had a fully rigid bike, had an awesome time. You'll see blokes there with 5 inch DH bikes that you can over take!!!!
I would suggest a full face if doing any DHing and some pads but otherwise like others said XC is very much like riding in Wales or other places. Awesome place. Been 7 years now .. banned this year after Mr MC broke his knee on first DH run of day 1!!!
Hora - you're too late. She's 5 months pregnant, hormonal and round now.
Edit this quick. She'll read it and you'll be in trouble! 😆
Safe now?
Munqe - I have a feeling that is exactly the sort of thing that will happen to my OH on the first day so will just ban him from the DH!!!
Cheers
Phew. Trust me, I know a certain angry/hormonal woman who (edit as its embarrising and gone now)
Emma.. the only thing I can say is make sure you have your medical insurance sorted! The Dr's over there were ace! 10am accident, 11am trumpton take him off the mountain (1 hr was us faffing about as Mr MC kept thinking he may get better and be able to get off), 1/2 hour later Dr in Morzine x rays and says "broken surgery" about 1 hour later (giving me time to get changed and pack bag!) an ambulance arrives and takes us to Thonon-les-Bains, within 10 mins of being there, consultant comes in from golf range looks at x ray "yup broken surgery back later 1 to do before you" he returned around 6pm like they said and into surgery! pin in knee and 3 days in lovely private clinic with his own room!
However being SO it sucked ... don't do it!
However do do loads of awesome riding, even try Le Pleney DH there are some chicken runs .. my favourite .. or one of them! Just go easy on day one and build your skills up gradualyl over the week, you will be amazed how much your skills improve! happy days I'm very jealous!
Hi Emma!
I live (and run bike holidays!) near Les Arcs. We've had guests come out on all sorts of bikes from skinny hard-tails with SID forks right through to full-on DH rigs. Most of them get on just fine!
My other half just sold her Specialized Stumpjumper FSR 120mm (from 2005), very similar to your FSR XC 09. She rode it everywhere round here, mostly singletrack but the odd run on the DH courses as well. It's not the bike you'd choose if you lived out here, but it's perfectly capable for a holiday.
Pads are probably a good idea, just because you'll be doing so much more descending than back home. Full-face helmet is up to you. I only wear mine about 25% of the time as we ride mostly singletrack rather than mad jumpy stuff and there's usually a small amount of pedalling involved.
Give me a shout (website in profile) if you're interested in guiding or just want some trail advice for around here.
Cheers,
Stevo
(Mr MC posting)
Have you booked camp sites? there is an outstanding campsite in les gets "le grange au frene" or similar, has on site showers, washing facilities, drying room, access to kitchen and cooking facilities, daily visits from baker first thing in the morning etc etc. Can dig out their number if interested.
MC in 2007 full-on grrr DH mode (on chevannes side of Les Gets if memory serves). Dont be put off much of it is basically lift-assisted XC. We're only no going back as my ambition has overtaken my talent 🙄
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daily visits from baker first thing in the morning
... who insists on having a stupidly loud conversation with the campsite owner when you're trying to have a lie in 👿
imnotamused if you can sleep thru the cowbells you mean!!!!
MMM before someone else comments. . I'm still not sure why I thought sleeveless top with pads, full face was a good idea! Luckily that day I didn't crash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As others have said, you'll be fine.
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That's me (in about 2003) on one of the DH runs in Morzine on an S-Works FSR (old 3.5" travel XC-race version of the Stumpjumper basically), the only changes I made to it were some heavier duty wheels/tyres instead of my normal XC race ones. A friend was on her Kona XC full sus and again, she was able to ride most stuff. OK so neither of us were thrashing the DH gods but we weren't there for that, it was just a holiday!
You'll be amazed how much better you are at UK downhills when you get back as well. 🙂
Hi munqe. Campsite number / detAils wud be great, we aren't really sure where we are going to stay yet so any advice wud be welcome, we are going down in our camper. Will def be getting travel insurance too.like the pic! I won't look half that determined, probably more scared but am going to give it all a go. If I get the hang of it I might even show up a few stormtroopers.
Stevo-thanks for the offer. Wats ur company called-can look u up when we get there. Will be arriving around 20th, does it get busy round the resorts around that time of year? Just thinking whether we need to book campsites etc, a lot of people with vans don't seem to bother asu can stop onthe side of the road.
Ta all
Emma- if you plan to visit Wales beforehand I'm more than happy to show you and anyone else around Afan Argoed/ Glyncorrwg/ Brechfa/ Natural stuff. Mail me.
Stevo-thanks for the offer. Wats ur company called-can look u up when we get there. Will be arriving around 20th, does it get busy round the resorts around that time of year? Just thinking whether we need to book campsites etc, a lot of people with vans don't seem to bother asu can stop onthe side of the road.
We're [url= http://www.whiteroomchalet.com ]The White Room[/url]. Be aware that there will be no chairlift uplift available at all in the Les Arcs area around the 20th of June. The Les Arcs lifts don't open until the weekend of 3rd July, although some of the lifts around the valley might open for a day or two during the previous week (no confirmation on this yet). We'll be running van uplift for our guests, whether staying with us for the week or day-guiding clients.
Given that, I don't think you'll have any great hassles with busy sites, etc. Camper-van camping at the side of the road is possible if you do it discretely. There's a designated area up here in Sainte Foy where you can camp for free in your camper van, but there's not much in the way of facilities.
Further to the pad comment, it's not that much that you'll fall, but more to protect your legs from the nasty flying rocks...
Thanks for the maps ambrose, will have a look at them all later, not sure when we are heading down/up depending which way we go, probably wont be long if the weather picks up.
Stevo - hadnt realised the chair lifts might not be open. Do you know if that's the case around the other resorts? I wont be too upset because I'm sure we can find our way up but wud be good to know in advanced so we are not too disappointed when we get there!
Emma
I think at least some of the lifts in Morzine/Les Gets area will be open, but definitely nothing in the Tarentaise valley (i.e. Les Arcs/La Plagne/Sainte Foy/Tignes).
Cheers Steveo - how exactly do you use the lifts? Sorry, stupid question but they don't look particularly safe if you ask me? Do you have to just jump on them? I have visions of me getting accidentally hooked onto something and dragged up the hill or my bike falling off the lift and landing on someones head! 😛
go on then, buy the Zesty 😀
The lifts are sooooooooooo easy! The bikes vary depending on what lift you are on but normally there is a lift dude who will put your bike on the lift foryou .. to ensure it doesn't fall off. Then you just jump on, they move so slowly at entry and exit you will struggle to get injured unless you are being a numpty!
If you think about it they are designed for people with planks strapped to their feet to be able to get on and off...
Normally the lifts in Morzine/Les Gets don't open until the weekend of the Passportes du Soleil which I think is last weekend of June.
I might buy the Zesty but not just yet! I do like them..... but if I'm ok on my current bike I really shouldn't. 🙄
Bit confused with the lift openings, I presume they are just not all open at that time of the year, some of them definitely must be because they are listed on some of the sites I've looked at, will find out when I get there I suppose. We aren't intending to keep to one area so will have a drive around see what we find I think. Can't wait now 😮
Thanks MC - glad there will be someone there to help me! You would be amazed at what I am capable of, especially when it comes to making a numpty of myself!!
What MC said (re. lifts). There are a lot of different systems, but it's usually some variation on hooking either your front wheel or your fork stantions onto a hook on the lift.
There are definitely lifts in the Portes du Soliel area open during June, but it's not my local area so I don't know any details, sorry. The Morzine or Les Gets websites should sort you out.
Just to echo what's been said before: stick to a familiar bike with big tyres (2.3+) and be prepared to keep the seat down. Definitely leg & elbow pads. XC helmet fine for general trail riding, full-face not a bad idea.
Mrs Burts & I did 5 Alps trips from 2004-07 on 100mm XC hardtails, you'll love it. Mrs Burts on a Giant XTC:
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Burts 2nd foto is deceptive because over that little crest is a brill 4x type section, leading you down to the triangle shaped hotel. Top hot chocolate in that triangle shaped hotel at the bottom. Its hard to see, but the white oval going left to right is a six man express lift on the hill opposite that hotel , and great short run coming down, see the corners on the left of that little hill. You can session that and get about 10 runs an hour. ahh Morzine love it.
top pic is chatel bike park,
middle looks like on the way to les crosets
err guess on 3, somewhere near champoussin
an awesome area though - some cracking stuff, just don't get stuck on the roads in switzerland on the passportes route....
oh and buy the zesty, its not a move you will regret...
Dasnut beat me to it! I was about to start mentioning where they are! Ooo brings back so many memories, 6 times I've been there, Mr MC only ended up in hospital on 2 occasions 2009 and 2007!!!! I love the Chatel Bike Park (pre le joue .. or however you spell it!).But don't miss the waterfall if you are in the Les Lindarets valley so many people do and it's an awesome scene.
Stop encouraging me to buy bikes I can't afford!!! It's making me want to buy it 🙁
mc- I'm really hoping my OH doesn't wipe himself out on the first day, or any for that matter. He has a broken rib at the moment and is driving me bonkers because he can't get out on his bike or go to the gym. Men are such a pain. ( no offense meant men!)
emma if you want to email me a postal address I have a guide to camp sites in the Haute Savoie region with loads of numbers and a general map of the area showing where they are (including Les Gets and Morzine).
Burts 2nd foto is deceptive because over that little crest is a brill 4x type section
Indeed there is, that's where we were heading:
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top pic is chatel bike park,
Yes, at Pre La Joux, its the blue run starting right near the top, runs down under the slow chair to the mid-station. With the road-gap half-way down:
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err guess on 3, somewhere near champoussin
Yep, taken on a ridge at the top of a chair, starting the traverse & descent towards Les Croset. This ridge in fact:
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don't miss the waterfall if you are in the Les Lindarets valley so many people do and it's an awesome scene.
Munqe-Chick, I agree, waterfall at top of the valley is worth a quick picnic stop:
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Unexpected waterfall at bottom of Lindarets valley in a torrential rain storm, not so nice!
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Any excuse for Alps pics!
amazing amazing amazing, i am now sooooo excited I really can't wait. Exactly how jealous are some of you that aren't going! 🙄
Emma YGM. I am slightly jealous I'm not going as I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! However I'm off to Colorado this year instead.
Oh if you get on the chairlift next to the waterfall put on a jacket before heading up, it's the longest and takes you up to 2200 metres (pointe de moisette) and it's flipping freezing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YGM?? What does that mean? Also what does STW mean?
STW = singletrackworld = er, here!
YGM= you got mail.
Mr MC has been every year since 2000 so we are big fans of the area!
half way down Pre Le Jeux/chatel bike park valley
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riding buddy doing the shed drop in les gets bike park
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Top of Supermorzine, doing the ride over to the waterfall
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Here's Mr MC's holiday snaps from 2009 🙄 🙄
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Haha. Thanks. Hang head in shame re stw!!! Awesome pics. Thanks for maps etc, much appreciated. Where abouts do u ride in uk? Gonna be trying Brechfa next wknd then llandegla next bank hol I think. Not got much time to ride at mo cos of study and exam coming up but a free woman from mid June. Yippeeeee!!!
Meant to add, is mr mc's knee better now?
