I’ve seen Basque MTB featured quite a bit in various media and considering the Basque coast trip.
Has anyone used them or any other guided companies in/near Spain?
Looking for the full package guide/accomodation/food etc.

Ciclo Montana is the other Go-To reccomendation. Many happy weeks spent with Marko…

Plus one Ciclo

while not quite in Spain, I had an excellent time with Altitude Adventure last year. They’re on the Pyrenees borderlands between Spain and France, can’t fault anything really, excellent hosts, amazing riding, stunning location (and empty trails).

Totally recommend BasqueMTB

Home

I used them 18 months back and was absolutely brilliant. It’s not 5* accomodation with egyptian cotton sheets, it’s basic and brilliant. It has a pool and nearby bars…
Stunning trails, epic views…

and crazy cheap !

BasqueMTB are certainly very excellent. Had a total of 3 weeks there.

Another vote for Ciclo. Slightly biased though as this will be our 20th year riding with them.

Plus a couple of folk from our group had a second Spanish holiday with Basque MTB and spoke very highly of Doug and the trails out there.

I’ve only been with Ciclo Montana (3x I think), but I recommend them wholeheartedly.

A thoroughly excellent holiday & not just because of the riding.

Have used Sierra Cycling a number of times in the past. Trails are great, will return again when I get the chance to

http://www.sierracycling.com/

A friend has setup a guiding/rental business near Barcelona and as he is a riding buddy i can recommend him. He is a better, faster rider than me 😀
http://wildcoastbikes.com

nickc – Member
while not quite in Spain, I had an excellent time with Altitude Adventure last year. They’re on the Pyrenees borderlands between Spain and France, can’t fault anything really, excellent hosts, amazing riding, stunning location (and empty trails).

Came in to say the same thing, Ian and Angela are great and the riding is amazing.

Ciclo Montana.

Ciclo

Never used guided tours in the Pyrenees.
But spent lots of time on the spanish side of the Pyrenees.
Excellent, excellent reliable and hot summers. Lots and lots of wilderness. Always drove first to Jaca (Aragon) and decided from there if to go to Navarra, Basque Country, Cantabria or to stay in Aragon / go to the south direction Barcelona. (only place to stay away in summer: Ordesa national park. Flooded with tourists…)
Righly recommend the “smaller mountain ridges” south auf the Pyrenee main mountain ridge. There are truly “magic” places.
A guide maybe not a bad idea.
Basque country great for biking but not as “weather realiable” as Aragon. Aragon simply has perfect weather in summer!

Basque MTB’s good reputation is fully justified. Very well run trips with great riding.

“in or near” Spain is quite loose…. There’s also AQR on the French side of the Pyrenees in Luchon who are very competitive on price. I’ve had some great trips with them – the Tour de France week was a great way to see the TdF. They normally try to mtb up to the finish, watch the race then descend back to town off road.

Andreas, careful with some of that information! Aragon in the height of summer is very, very hot. The coast weather during that time is reliably good, certainly with some local knowledge. Also Ordessa should be avoided at all times, it’s completely forbidden for bikers. Everything else I totally agree with 🙂

Sorry to jump into a thread about us, I always try to avoid them, but I just wanted to add to that. It’s always a shame when we get called by people in Ainsa for example dying in the heat during August and asking us where to go! And the national parks thing is super, super important.

And off I go again. Bye!

We live in Andalucia which must have higher summer temperatures than Aragon, yet we bike throughout the whole summer, June, July & August, no problem please see the Strava account, https://www.strava.com/athletes/13391322, bear in mind we have the Vuelta which starts in August, and is often in Andalucia at that time, and those riders can be putting out 400 watts! It is a case of knowing your water stops and being prepared, it can be done.

Another nod for BasqueMTB – went on their “Winter Enduro” trip, based from Ainsa in November. Superb. Further south, Pure Mountains are equally excellent. Trails are a little less technical, but no worse for it and accommodation is amazing. https://www.puremountains.com

I’m a big fan of Switchbacks, been to Bubion twice and Malaga once, all superb and Mike is a legend.

https://switch-backs.com/

Did a Saddle Skedaddle trip recently, Tranz Andaluz. Pedally one, not uplift. Very well organised and supported. Point to point and great to just ride from one hotel to the next and all the luggage is transported there for you. Guided all the way and great picnic lunches provided wherever the support van can get to on the way (so no carrying sarnies).

They do a more singletrack one (uplift in parts I think) around Sierra Nevada. Might be interested in that. Though I do like the point to point type stuff. Just lots of riding in fantastic scenery.

https://www.skedaddle.co.uk/

@doug_basqueMTB.com:

Andreas, careful with some of that information! Aragon in the height of summer is very, very hot.

Good point. You live in an beautiful spot!!!

Couple years ago: had a “winter Job” only and spent June to October year after year in this area. Loved it! Met only great, friendly and helpful people!
And you are right – some weeks are very hot. Dry and hot.
Suffered on the french side – but for me the “dry” Aragon side just worked great. Every two days a hiking or biking tour, vultures every day…
Many, many magic places. Example south of Yesero: endless biking from one old, beautiful, uninhabited village to the next one.
And every village still has a small well going. Need only sleeping bag and food…
But definitely: easy to get lost. Wilderness pure.
And the summer heat might be not good for everybody so…good to warn!

Ciclo Montana and Ride Sierra Nevada. Been with both over the years and they were both excellent in different ways. As many have said, Marko is a great guide and host (how the heck does he manage to bike as much as he does?). The trails he takes you round are varied and he really takes you to your limit.

Shaun at Ride Sierra Nevada is also a good guide. It has been many years since I rode with him but his trails were a bit more mellow with a lot more climbing.

Just posting so I don’t lose the thread. Time for some research later.