Toying with the idea of a long weekend (4 days riding) in Spain this spring and have been looking for companies that run holidays. I know of Switchbacks but hoped some of you may have tried others and can give me a bit of feedback on the type of riding and quality of service?

Any help would be appreciated.

We went with Pure Mountains and did the tricky trails week. Excellent riding and a great place to stay. Tim and Jenny make great guides. Bit of a drive from the airport maybe for a weekend but still worth checking out the web site and seeing if it fits in with what you’re looking for.

Go with Switchbacks, I went last year and the trails were AWESOME. Its one relentless technical battering after another (if your on a ahrdtail your rear wheel is a consubable!). By the last day (we did 6 days riding without a rest day, normaly Wednesday is a break) I could just about spin the pedals, but my brain seemed to have shaken itself to pieces! The only downside is now everything in the UK feels flat and dull.

Will definately be back later this year, the only question is one week or two!

Been with joyriders twice now and i have to say they were AWESOME

amazing riding, jacuzzi on the roof, free bar. Did i mention a free bar?

That’ll be the clincher right there, eh 12?

Thanks for the help so far.

Free bar would save a lot of money.
Actually Joyriders is fairly good value as well and the riding looks pretty good.
Fancy a long weekend end of March Jason?

End of March is the Rheola race mate; be lucky to get two weekends in a row away. Surprised you are getting permission?

Maybe beginning of March then. I have got a pass to go boarding for a week and have started thinking I would rather get away from this weather and ride my bike in the dust for a few days instead.

Sofia’s birthday is at the start but I would deffo be up for a trip away mate. What type of riding are you thinking of, XC, DH or somemthing in between? Put another way, which bike would you like to ride; Enduro or Sunday?

Switchbacks provide a fridge full of Beer and Meat 🙂

Switchbacks, awesome, learnt more about riding in 6 days than about 10 years of biking.

The guides are bloody good riders and you pick up so much.

Seriously good, I even flew from the alps to go there.

Enduro I think. A bit along the lakes type riding but without the lakes!

Switchbacks provide a fridge full of Beer and Meat

Switchbacks is back in the mix 🙂

Can I chip in with with a Ciclo Montana plug?

Not near a large town or beach etc. but to be honest after a hard day of Ciclo action you’ll just be wanting a beer and the pool.

Plenty of technical riding, fridge stocked full of Brekkie stuff (bacon, eggs, bread, OJ) + cereals.
Plus a few bottles (litres) of beer to get you started. There’s normally a supermarket stop-off on the way back from the airport for snacks/more alcohol if required/other bits.

Dinner is all provided and is great.

The riding is as technical as you want & you’ll struggle to meet a better bunch than Marco, Jacky, Matt and the rest.

Ciclo Montana looks good, thanks.

Going riding instead of boarding? I’m disappointed! And jealous of your spanish trip….

Take Sofia to spain for her Birthday Stopa, I bet she’d be moaning how cold it is here loads by then. A trip to the homeland would be perfect, surely?

I’d recommend Sierra Cycling. Based on the beach in Fuengirola with a communal swimming pool, free beer in the fridge and top guiding and trails.

We went in November and we’re going back in March.

It wouldn’t be a holiday if she was there, Odd Bod.

12, Curtis’s review of Switchbacks was “It was good but not what I expected. They made us ride up stuff”

I have obviously corrected the grammar and removed the profanities, and it’s worth remembering that Curtis took the Sunday as it was all he had. It’s also worth remembering that Curtis believes that anybody who rides up a hill of any size is gay.

Home

Awesome variety of riding – from beachside singletrack to uber-tech. Very lush compared to southern spain. Doug’s a good coach too.

Going back for the 3rd year running this yr

+1 for Doug at BasqueMTB I’m going back this year … way too techie for me but all the more of a challenge for it 🙂

Also love being on the french/spanish border, such a great mix of cultures.

Yep – thirds for Basque Mtb. I had a great time there when out for the mag. I’ve known Doug for years but leaving aside our friendship, can honestly say that he has an excellent, well run set up out there. The riding is top notch with everything from easy coastal paths to techy mountain trails. The Basque coast is beautiful and was a real eye opener for me. Have a look in the mag archive for the article we did or check out the mtb film FIND to see the riding for yourself. Planning a return trip in May as a paying guest.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Sanny

Ps the local cuisine is top notch.

Another vote for Ciclo Montana from me.

Yea, Switchbacks website is misleading about the ammount of climbing involved. They may uplift 2/3 of it, but in a day with 3000m* of climb/decent that doesn’t feel like enough sometimes!

*Bubion is a 1350m, the national park entrance (which seems to mark the start of most trails) is at 2500m IIRC, and the uplift goes halfway. Decend to 800-1000m, then climb back up some of that height before doing another decent and gettign an uplift back to Bubion. seems to be the order of the day. Don’t make my mistake and go with 2.5 supertaky dual ply high rollers f+r!

It’s not bad climbing (awesome views, sociable pace) , but I’d definatley take a bike more AM than DH Hardtail next year (the climbs killed me and the decents batterd me).

I’d recommend Sierra Cycling. Based on the beach in Fuengirola with a communal swimming pool, free beer in the fridge and top guiding and trails.
We went in November and we’re going back in March.

If you are coming for just 4 days we are just 20 mins from Malaga airport. We´ll have you riding an hour after landing if you catch an early flight, perfect for a long weekend.
Check us out on http://www.sierracycling.com.

Cheers for the plugs guys! Looking forward to having you all back out here in 2011 and I’ve got some new trails ready for you 😉

twelveski if you’re after any more info then just give me a shout, we’re right next to Biarritz, just 15 minutes, so it works well for a long weekend.

Decided to go with Switchbacks. To the people who have been with them, how did you make the payment / deposit, as I am having trouble finding how to make a payment to a foreign bank?

Last year I paid the deposit by paypal and the balance in cash on arrival.

Great idea, will have a look at Paypal now.

Can’t see an option to pay to a personal bank account?
Did you pay to an email address / paypal account or directly to an account?

Thanks

I had to pop into the bank to do it, cost about £6, but the exchange raqte doing that was better than the exchange rate for cash
which made up for it.

When do we need to pay the deposit by 12? I can get you a wodge of cash at the weekend

I paid to an email account (lagrillere?? mikes wife), ask them as it was them who suggessted the payment method to me.

Stayed with Switchbacks and Ciclo, have to say we’r going back with Ciclo for the 3rd time running this yr, so read into that what you like, same trails and 30mins drive from each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike_T
Thanks for that but to be fair I contacted them all and in the end decided I would rather ride my Sunday than my Enduro, and as such decided to go with Switchbacks as the others were much more biased towards all mountain type stuff with maybe a day of totally supported uplift.

Stopa, your deposit is paid and we can sort the rest out at the weekend.

Eight weeks from now I will be getting very excited.

Thanks for all your suggestions, I will report back once we have been and let you know how it went.

Thanks for all your suggestions, I will report back once we have been and let you know how it went.

Well, it was fantastic. Weather was a bit crap but the riding was top notch, the guys at Switchbacks are spot on (friendly, helpful, etc), accommodation was great.

Get through a day without a big crash and you’re doing well 🙂

You rode the climbs on a Sunday, hats off! Or were you on the DH holiday in Malaga?

DH holiday in Malaga; we’re not that stupid!

I was going to mention Singletrack Safari and Ridesierranevada, but I’m sure they are all pretty good (and “share” trails in any case….)

Good shout being near the airport if you are only going for a few days, fingers cross the Spanish baggage handler strike doesnt mess you around.

Oops! Guess you’re not bothered about this year’s strikes…