MTBing in Tuscany

My mate is getting Married in Tuscany in May, I was wondering if it’s worth me taking a bike and having an explore, or even better, if there are any waymarked routes round there etc.

The holiday has already been booked, so have my accomodation, and flights (Easyjet from Bristol) already sorted. It’s up in the hills, so I’m assuming there is some good MTBing round there, but please if you know more, tell me, and convince me it’s definitely worth taking a bike!

Over the week that I’m going to be there, I reckon I’ll have possibly 2 1/2 to 3 days I could sneak off in total and get out on the bike, so I’m thinking it would be great to do so if I can. Everybody else is only going to be getting pissed from midday onwards, and getting ridiculously burnt lazing by the swimming pool no doubt (neither of which are my thing!), so I’d rather have some other things to do in my spare time.

Oh, and anybody got any experience of taking bikes on Easyjet? I’ve heard a few bad stories, but was that just by people who hadn’t packaged their bikes properly? And if I want to take it, how much extra are they going to charge me, and do I just ring them ASAP to organise it, or can I just turn up on the day and pay an excess baggage?

Cheers

Unless you get a guide you may have difficulty finding the trails.
Personally I’d take a road bike – or just spend the time exploring Florence, Sienna, Lucca, Pisa, Bologna……

Take a road bike? Sheesh, don’t talk dirty! Wash your mouth out with soap and water now! 😉

I’m planning to get up to Bologna one day to look around indeed, but someone tell me there’s some merit in taking my bike?!?!?!

i’ve heard mountain biking in tenerife’s good! 😉

ESSC08 was just up the road in Massa, there’s some great riding there albeit steep! You’ll more than likely need a local to hook up with if you want to find the better stuff.

geoffj knows what he is talking about, you would have a frustrating couple of days unless you have a local guide. Try borrowing / hiring a road bike, a very different experience than in the UK – they don’t have the sad MTB/roady stigma thing over there ;0)

or…..fly to Verona, hire a car and ride lake Garda for a couple of days and then drive down to Chiantishire…

not sure about flowinf singltrack and trcksy bits but there’s a network of farm tracks or strada bianca (white rioads) on the map which take you from hill town to hilltown and well worth an explore.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=8tKUyygkvjsC&pg=RA1-PA19&lpg=RA1-PA19&dq=mtb+strada+bianca&source=web&ots=MTD4Y-tFhl&sig=TLdgiJ9_mWGZRL88eIyB_6CHch8&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result

This gives a flavour – if you’re near Val d’Orcia it’s beautiful http://www.flickr.com/photos/veronicawipflinger/2973087804/

I was there a year ago and there is some awesome mountains to ride in the North west of Tuscany – north of Lucca in the Garfagnana – There is a MTB guide company there which hires bikes out and can provide guides or advice – in fact you can stay there also.

http://www.garfagnanaadventures.com/2.htm

Cheers Sheldon, will no doubt tap you up for some more info soon.

Woodey, Italians may not have the stigma about roadies that we do in the UK, but I do. Seriously though, I had a road bike for a bit, never used the thing, didn’t like riding on the road, it bored me! I’m an offroad kind of guy full stop! Can’t fly to Verona, Wedding is in Tuscany and my flights and accomodation already booked! Besides, my mate would be pretty annoyed if I wasn’t there to be an usher at his wedding 😉

Patentlywill and Bushwacked, many thanks. Just had a quick look at the sites you’ve linked me to, will definitely check them out in more detail later on this evening. Cheers!

mboy – please mail me re Hutchinson Bulldog UST tyres – email in profile