As an extension of the side discussion on One Bike to Rule them all.

Where would you most like to live if mountain bike trails were your primary goal?

For me – probably Squamish – close enough to Whistler and Pemberton but with less snow in the winter and still convenient down to North Vancouver.

Other fine possibilities are: Vancouver Island (maybe Cumberland), Nelson (New Zealand South Island) and Rotorua (also New Zealand).

Swindon

Monmouth.

I like the UK and that would make BPW, Cwmcarn, Risca, FoD and even Shropshire all really easy.

That’ll do me nicely… not IN Monmouth, but a village not a million miles away.

Somewhere in BC, Canada.

Didn’t really want to leave the UK so moved to The Tweed Valley.
Been here for close to two years and still not ridden all the trails.
There’s just so much of every type of riding to go at. From miles and miles of fireroad and open moorland to mega steep tech. Best of all it’s all bikable from the door.
It’s also made getting up north a lot easier.

If it couldn’t be UK it’d somewhere in Southern Spain for year round biking.

Anywhere in the PNW really. Preferably north of the border where there’s less chance of being accidentally (or deliberately) shot.

I’d love another trip to Whistler before I’m too old to enjoy that kind of riding. Flights and accommodation prices have doubled or tripled since my last visit so it’s off the cards for the foreseeable.

If money were no object then Squamish would be a good shout. If Brexit hadn’t happened, or if I could persuade Nrs NBT. then french alps would be my preference- Tarentaise (Bourg St Maurice) or Maurienne valley (Modane area maybe) probably. Lots of road riding, plenty of big mountains to go at, easy access to most of France / Italy via the TGV lines (Modane is on the line from Paris to Turin and Milan, BSM is at the end of the line from Paris), Bags of skiing in winter…

If I could afford to, somewhere in BC – wife’s from Vancouver, eventually my gentle nudges about how she really wants to go home to work will pay off..mwahhahahah

I’d need to do a thorough recce tour of BC and other likely candidates.

In Europe, the Italian Riviera springs to mind.

In the UK, maybe Dunkeld.

Would be Abergavenny area in the UK or somewhere NZ if international. I have never been to NZ and doubt I will now but it looks / sounds right up my street

I really really like Morzine. I know it has flaws but if I could be based there then I’d be happy. Lots to do off the bike, easy access to other alpine places and not a crazy distance if travelling back to the UK. It would do me.

Madeira.

Aberfoyle or Braemar.
Maybe Aberfoyle in the summer. Braemar in the not summer.

Money no object, most likely Squamish. Came dangerously close 6-7 years ago to making the jump & probably should have just done it in hindsight.

A little closer to home, Finale Ligure. Great riding, decent sized town, close to so many other amazing riding spots & still only any hour & half on a plane back to the UK.

But, weighing up the balance of very well paid & mostly low stress jobs, where we are in the FoD is tough to beat as an all round balance without totally turning our lives on their heads 🙂

Globally its hard to look past the Sea to Sky corridor in BC

In Europe Finale as it has great trails, mild climate and easy access to summer uplift fun

In the UK then Tweed Valley if I could cope with the winter climate and darkness

In the UK then Tweed Valley if I could cope with the winter climate and darkness

Same here. I occasionally look for houses around Inners and Peebles but I don’t know how I could live there especially in winter. What do you do when you’re not on your bike?

We picked the village we now live in for the urban/rural balance with the ability to get a decent off-road ride from the front door. Less than an hour’s drive to the proper gnar up in the Caroux or Millau, under 3 hours to the Pyrenees and 3 1/2 to Grenoble.
I’m sure there is far better purely from a biking only POV, but to live and work it’s probably the best we can do as a family. Saying that, we ought to catch up with that cousin over on Vancouver Island.

I really really like Morzine

Well at least you wouldn’t need to learn a foreign language 😉

I don’t know how I could live there especially in winter. What do you do when you’re not on your bike?

The winter up here isn’t any worse than it was in The Midlands TBH.
If anything it’s better as most of the trails never become an impassable bog, more a bit of mud on top of rock.

I really really like Morzine

Well at least you wouldn’t need to learn a foreign language 😉

That side of life in Morzine would probably get annoying. I’m more than happy to attempt to communicate through my rusty GCSE French but when the reply is in English with a Surrey accent it gets you down.
I couldn’t move without a serious attempt to be able to be fluent in the local language.

Having lived there before I’d move back to Tassie in a flash. Riding weather near enough all year around. Amazing walking, incredible food. Virtually no traffic. Nice people.

Shame there’s not more good jobs for me.

I really really like Morzine

Well at least you wouldn’t need to learn a foreign language 😉

I reckon there are only two people in morzine that arent fluent in English. The guy who writes the signs, and the guy who writes the menus. Pretty sure everyone else speaks it better than I do.

A shame, because as above, the language is a part of the culture of the region (eg, alpine farming region) and it would be a shame to miss that.

I’m in a little village on top of a hill, just outside Monmouth, quiet natural trails and Wye Valley from my front door, with FOD, Black mts , Brecon Beacons, all a few miles away, so pretty content where I am. Overseas would be French alps

Hmm. Have to say, having recently been there, probably Marseille. Great city, fantastic food, weather, loads of sun etc. Close to both Alps and Pyrenees for ‘proper’ MTBing, plenty of great riding nearby though. But most importantly, and unlike most place mentioned so far; culturally diverse. An exclusive White enclave would be my idea of hell.

Ambleside

Deeside or Speyside appeal for these reasons – mountains, cycling, rivers, nice place to live, reasonable facilities.

Going abroad, the Alp Maritime in France, Okanagon in Canada, maybe Nelson in NZ….

I think Walleater, who moved to Squamish and works, rides and build trails there might say Squamish. But as it’s his 50th birthday today he might not be on the forum because he’ll be riding some of his best trails.
Happy birthday, Will.

The winter up here isn’t any worse than it was in The Midlands TBH.

Im surprised by that. Is it not darker for longer?

Westminster. Then I’ll be able to afford to go, live, holiday wherever I choose.

Back in the real world – Speyside/Deeside or the Pyrenees

Is it not darker for longer?

Not enough to make any real word difference no.

I’m in a little village on top of a hill, just outside Monmouth, quiet natural trails and Wye Valley from my front door, with FOD, Black mts , Brecon Beacons, all a few miles away, so pretty content where I am

Are you me? Have you stolen my log in? 😃

Marko – I’m definitely someone else! I’m in Parkhouse, not far from Catbrook, whereabouts are you?

Slovenia europ
New Zealand World
Torridon uk

Millau, south of massif central. Lots of great trails.
In the summer, good restaurants by the river.
Road riding is good too.
Lots more outdoors activities.
Small town but big enough for schools and Shop.
Job market is not brilliant but i dont live to work.

The house currently for sale across the road

I want to move in with Dafoj and Marjo, or nearby anyway- not to say the forest of dean is The Best Riding Location In The World but it’s probably the best that I would ever actually move to. Gorgeous area, weather’s that bit better than it is up here, huge range of riding, more uplifts than you can shake a stick at and not badly located for getting to other places either. I’d never move abroad, I’m not built for it…

Though there’s “grass is always greener” here- I moved just south of Edinburgh, to Penicuik- the actual town’s not the best but it’s OK, there’s 2 bus services right into Edinburgh, the houses are cheaper, and I’m only a short drive from the tweed valley. Could ride it but realistically I never will 🙂 Only thing I miss is having good trails right from the door- I can ride to good riding, but there’s a commute, my last place was literally minutes from the end of my local loop’s choice of 2 final descents.

Aosta. The trails, the food, the town, la dolce vita.

Not enough to make any real word difference no.

Suppressed at that but I guess it depends where your middlands youwere. We are down south a FIL is in St Andrews and really notice the sorter days in the Winter when up there.

TheBrick

Do you also notice the longer days in the summer when up there?

@dafoj

Whitelye.

In the UK I’m still happy with the SW.
No ‘big’ mountains, but I’ve got Dartmoor and the Quantocks on my doorstep, with S Wales only a couple of hours away.

Otherwise the eastern/mid Pyrenees, great riding from the Med all the way up to Andorra.