[Closed] sierra cycling

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/a-shambolic-week-with-sierra-cycling/page/11

Ouch. I seem to remember sockpuppets.
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😯

ohhhh dear

I have no useful contribution to make.

There'll be some one along pretty soon to recommend you go to Morocco instead.

This cant end well..

Jamie - Member
I have no useful contribution to make.

That made me laugh. 🙂

biggest mistake i have ever done !!!

shambolic is such an ace word. I need to use it more often. I'm gonna use it tonight.

i was the guide i had to leave so so bad !

i mean i was this year guide wot a mistake !!

damo1 it was between you and me, glad you got it not me!

When I spoke to the owner he seemed more interested in telling me how much tennis he got to play than anything 😐

Alan is a big C word, I also made a lucky escape in not working for him around this time last year.

Good to see they got their act together then...*cough*

Ginger creams?

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Darjeeling?

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I don't fully understand this thread though, you are asking this

has anybody used this company before??

but then say this

i was the guide i had to leave so so bad !

Why are you asking if you worked there?

Anyway, l never worked for them but I did go on hols with them three (maybe two) times and enjoyed every minute of it

as the author of what has become known as "That Thread", I had genuinely hoped they had raised their game. Not sure if the OP is a troll or not given the guide disclosure, but more recently this thread ran and ran until it was locked (the first and only thread the OP started).

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/sierra-cycling-holidays-fuengirola-southern-spain

Jota, we didnt 'recommend' Morocco (good memory!), only offered Cycleactive (the only organised trip we'd done prior to Sierra) as an example of how different experiences could be. I've subsequently glowingly reviewed Bike Verbier and mountainbikekerala.com, both of whom we are seriously considering going with again (already booked leave for the BV trip next year).

I have no useful contribution to make?!

No reason to lock a thread of peoples experiences.

I went last christmas with a few friends and had an awesome time, loved it.
Planning another trip to the area next year but more DH focused

the sc is a nitemare didnt no were they were going half the time ! spent most of the time putting my bike in the van , was told i wouold be ridin 4-5 hours a day wot a joke !! i would come back and ride again myself ,all they kept doing is telling people to put there seatpost down and body armer on for wot . i was out there doing this 10 years ago with another company we rode all day in same places .the guide seemed to be okay at first but that changed , ive have never seen a guide walk up every climb when out with a group , he surposed to have worked in whistler well he had a t-shirt with it on!he was a trained bike mechanic i was told, then he told me he was not it was getting worst there is so much about that company is bad , but have good base good riding area the lady who works there called mary has got ideas for that company that will make it better till then well avoid

damo, the "whistler" guide is the the guy we had for our group (covered exhaustively in "that" thread so not repeating it here). A new guy Ash started with them whilst we were there but was still learning the trails.

I and others with poor experiences get the impression Alan isn't interested and is keeping the business going as a needs-must; contrast that with Phil and Lucy at Bike Verbier who go on "busmans holidays" riding elsewhere in the world when not working.

So you were working as a guide with them then? When and for how long? Did you replace Ash then?

yes working as a guide there lasted just over 3 weeks . i replaced ash but did not ever meet him , there is some much riding out there i was going to arrange some rides if any one is up for it , iwas out about 8 years ago riding out there for about a year . so anybody interested let me no , will be out there begining of november with some gb u23 riders who live near me for some winter training

ive have never seen a guide walk up every climb when out with a group

We haven't met then? 😀

When guiding in Whistler I'd sometimes walk uphill when certain guests liked to seig heil up every fireroad climb. They seemed to be on a mission to try and kick the guides ass (who had to stay in one piece for the whole season). I'd just walk while smirking to myself as I knew that they'd be the ones walking on the descents 😉

so its good out there then for all sorts of riding

When guiding in Whistler I'd sometimes walk uphill when certain guests liked to seig heil up every fireroad climb. They seemed to be on a mission to try and kick the guides ass (who had to stay in one piece for the whole season). I'd just walk while smirking to myself as I knew that they'd be the ones walking on the descents

Better practice would be to sit in behind them and ask them lots of questions that need more than a one word answer. 😀

Still appears to them that they 'won', they're happy but you still made a subliminal point. The guest then respects you enough to take valuable skills development tools and advice from you to help their lack of confidence with descending and ultimately goes home a happy and better rider.

Which in the theme of this thread... it is all about providing the guests best experience, regardless of how you make that happen! Right?

Mantra for climbing as a guide:

"If you can't be first, be fresh!". 😉

Me and Ms AD are going in a few weeks, I'll post a review afterwards.

Not sure what the purpose of this thread is, or who started it, but I decided to give SC the benefit of the doubt as I fancied riding on the coast and staying near the sea. We've already had 6 weeks in the Pyrenees and Alps this year, plus a few weeks in Wales / Dartmoor etc, so our riding wellbeing isnt hinging on this one.

LOL at stevomcd. Sounds about right!

Yep BB, I agree. In all seriousness, I'd very seldomly stick the boot in on the descents, but there were certain times when I....had to 😀 As you know, Whistler trails are great for stopping on, discussing line choice, traction blah blah blah and the guests get a lot out of it as long as you don't stop at every damn feature (Hi Dan@T2R heh heh...).

I was never going to 'win' the climbs though when my hardtail with flat pedals weighed 33lb and plenty of guests brought out bikes that weighed up to 10lb less than that.

Plus I was old and fat.

Angeldagnamit, when are you going to Sierra cycling? We're there on 20. Oct. ?

I was never going to 'win' the climbs though when my hardtail with flat pedals weighed 33lb and plenty of guests brought out bikes that weighed up to 10lb less than that.

While getting my ar$e handed to me by some South African XC riders a few years back, I did a wee mental adding up session. I reckon between bike (Alpine 160 vs Anthem), pack (guide pack weighing near enough 10kg vs minimalist camelbak weighing about 1kg) and bodyweight (former rugby player vs XC whippet) I was giving them about 40kg each. I'd like to see them beat me up the climb with a couple of bags of cement on their backs!

pj - not sure, Ms AD has organised, but it's about that time, might see you there.

There obviously isn't an English language test for prospective guides at SC......

Don't say that, I got a telling off by the mods for mentioning Grammar. 🙄

(guide pack weighing near enough 10kg vs minimalist camelbak weighing about 1kg)

Ha, yeah I forgot about the packs. I still seem to carry more than anyone else now though. I can never quite throw away the guide in me ha ha.

Have read damo1´s incredibly badly spelt rants. As I see it we have a middle aged, fitness fanatic, and ultra keen mountain biker having to deal with clients less fit, keen and able than him, but he has forgot these people regardless are paying his wages, and when you are a guide that is the name of the game, patience is the most important quality. It is often said don´t do your hobby as a job, and there must be a question there, why is such a middle aged, fitness fanatic, lining himself up as a guide in a company that is going to attract such a mixed ability, which normally attracts young (often gap year student types) and easy going on a low wage (for a middle aged guy). You applied to be a guide not an elite fitness instructor.Your STW thread starts "has anybody used this company before??" then goes on to say "i was the guide i had to leave so so bad!" , could I be excused to believe that your thread was driven by pure malice? He should be applying for jobs as a coach (if he is qualified), not as a guide. In fairness to Alan at Sierra Cycling he is running a mountain bike holiday company NOT a training camp, may be Alan was a fault there for not making it clear at the interview.
Before anyone accuses us of speaking for or on behalf of Alan, Alan must be 60+ years now, and by many accounts appears to be getting detached from the world of mountain biking, Sierra Cycling, and often the guides that he employs. He appears to be running his mountain biking business as business man rather than a mountain biker, which is making problems.There is no dispute about his ability to promote sierracycling on the web (may be he should go back to IT work), which may be causing problems, as he may be overselling himself. May be he should take a step back, so he can concentrate on his tennis and expat life on the Costa del Sol if he can afford to,or go back to IT work.

**** those ginger creams look nice

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newlands you have not got a clue, i went to help with all different types of riders, taking them on routes in the area does not matter who they were , middle aged you do not no me at all or do you !! so choose words wisely ! if people new the truth how he speaks about customers they would not come back ! so no malice just annoyed with him , but would never tell any one to go there that is up to me

I've had friends who have been out there on holiday with them several times, and had great holidays every time.

if people new the truth how he speaks about customers they would not come back

You should sit in on some of the meetings I get to attend, abusing customers behind closed doors is normal practice. As long as you smile to their faces.

they should try another company now and see how they run ,

TBH, I've been to a few including SC and thoroughly enjoyed them all.

that is up to you. but i will tell you and every one else ,you have a crash or need to go to hospital, you are your own i have seen it for my own eyes !

so for all you spelling buffs spot the mistake and well done ! just find out about the company, before you go and spend your hard earned money. check the guides are qualified, that is it from me ride safe,

damo, you seem to be upset, but when i went with my friends we had a great time - alan and his wife and the guides were all good fun and we had varied rides, some days we could have done more riding and some days were thoroughly knackering, but there was never an issue around first aid or mechanic skills, it was a good trip and cheap too. The place was nice enough and the van and guides were spot on.

The DH routes were good and Peatys lines were a laugh too, plenty of variety. can't knock it.