I'm trying to find a mountain bike friendly city anywhere in the world

that fits some specific criteria for a business idea I have.

I want to find a city that is:

* temperate all year round (i.e. winter might need a jersey on a bike ride – warm is good)
* has really good trails nearby, and really good means hills and trees
* ideally it will be a compactish city so that it’s easy to ride to the trails
* is at least a little bit touristy
* it would be nice if they spoke english, but it’s not a deal breaker
* the internet must be good

I’m maybe thinking of somewhere like Canberra? What else you got?

Vancouver.

Not been to Vanc – the climate there worries me. It gets cold, no?

But definitely a contender

er…Bristol

Innsbruck? ok, so there isn’t all-year round riding, but you get to cut some lines in the snow instead.

i was in Canberra for a week or so and would imagine you’d get bored pretty quickly. true, it’s surrounded by hills, but not mountains; they’re a good drive away. it lacks any reason being there other than it’s about halfway between Sydney and Melbourne.

But Brizzle is also cold, no?

Bristol – cold ? everyone bikes in shorts all year round here 🙂

barcelona

Oh, Barcelona – that’s a good idea. What’s the biking like there?

Liverpool

San Sebastian

Oh, Barcelona – that’s a good idea. What’s the biking like there?

Some great stuff nearby and a very bike friendly city. I’m off there for next week! 🙂

I’m liking the San Sebastian idea.

It looks lovely: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Sebasti%C3%A1n

san francisco meets some of that criteria

vancouver is not that cold in the winter (hence all the bums in canada end up there)

Cordoba, Spain.

Cracking biking, have no idea what it’s like as a city.

I lived in Vancouver for a while – pretty similar to SE england temperature wise. Ie the odd frost and snow in the winter and nice summers but not to hot. Does rain a fair bit though.

Cordoba is a lovely city.

How about Granada too, bit chilly in winter but you can go skiing.

San Fran

Nice in the south of france .

These are great thought starters people, thank you.

I’d be looking for a workspace/idustrial unit of about 6,500 sq ft of space – does that alter the viability of any of these places I wonder.

Not Edinburgh

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

LaPaz

I thought the US/Canada/Oz were difficult to stay in permanently…

…can you just go to one of these places and start up a business as a foreigner?

Yeah, visas become a secondary consideration if you are able to start a business with an investment about a certain threshold. Typically 100k dollars. And the (day dream) business idea I have would certainly cost that.

Apart from the client, Gothenburg

Perth WA.

Stirling…cold is all in the mind…toughen up if it feels a bit cold…

Granada

Porto

Girona
Naples
Florence/Sienna
Seville
Lombardia

All have what you need, Seville is amazing BTW and very warm and friendly, admittedly northen Italt can get a teeny bit cool (cold) but look at whats over the Lake!

Santa Barbara

Rotorua. Meets all your criteria in spades. I’d also throw in Wellington and Queenstown, though that’s a town, not a city.

Cape Town. Job done!

Cordoba and Seville are 40+ in July & August, everyone comes done to the coast for good reason , also cold and rainy in winter – forget anything there.
Barcelona or Malaga could be good, what is your business? May be able to point you in the right direction.

Santa cruz, boulder, golden, faro, Seattle, Grenoble for starters .

Austin, Texas

Boulder Colorado

But I think alot of trails snow up in the winter. But I think the Planes climate is great year round?

Conqueror – Member
san francisco meets some of that criteria

I spent a week in SF in drizzling rain. It was definitely not warm.

And legitimate trail access from the city would concern me. Nice place though.

Newport? Well close to Cwmcarn etc.

I think the only problem will be your definition of “winter might need a jersey” 🙂

Boulder Colorado is very dry – don’t go if you suffer from ezcema or dry skin…