I mean a trip that will be fun on a bike like an enduro, with four to six inches of travel and FS. Not a steel bike with panniers. Mountain biking, not off-road touring.

Personally I can’t imagine anything more epic than parts of the Alps, relatively close to home.

But if you had a month off, and all the money in the world (ha!), could you do better? (ruling out Whistler – it looks a bit like Morzine on steroids to me – please though let me know if I’m wrong – and definitely keeping in mind Canada generally and the Yukon).

We’re talking Kazakhstan, Nepal, the Atlas mountains, the Andes. Ideas?

Preferably where there are already companies running trips who can help with the logistics (for a handsome fee no doubt).

Also preferably somewhere you don’t have to worry too much about getting robbed, which rules out much of Central America right now (certainly Mexico, I think. The Sierra Madre, Chiapas, all those places seem a bit affected by the drug war right now).

Places with basic infrastructure and bike shops and maybe even the odd chairlift get points (no extra points for remoteness in itself, e.g. the Alps are awesome but not remote).

peru
cuba
alaska
new zealand
chile
russia

Helpful but more specific would be good – place names within those countries/possible bases?

Wilderness Scotland do a trip to Bhutan.

all the countries i have named have companies doing guide mountain biking there.
google is you friend
saddle skedaddle is a good place to start

http://biking.skedaddle.co.uk/splash/index.rails

probably Libya right now.

A friend highly rates these guys:

http://www.redspokes.co.uk/

I quite fancy heli-biking in the Himalayas

http://www.hmbadventures.com/

Mountain biking through the Vatican would be quite outlandish

Mt. Tamarancho – Marin, California
Downieville Downhill – West Sierra, California
Mr Toads Wild Ride – South Tahoe, California
Mammouth Mountain – California
Laguna Niguel – LA, California
San Juan – LA, California
Santa Cruz – California

I’ve ridden in Peru, Bolivia and chile and could not recommend it enough. There was a Mega race a few years back in Peru and it was the best thing I’ve ever done

Would love to go ride in argentina too

Closer to home, morocco was fantastic too

Cool

I see a lot of the generic “travel companies”‘ websites above seem to feature a lot of snaps of fire roads and hybrid bikes in their promotional material. Off-road touring.

Hmmm. It doesn’t look like many places are really “set up” for mountain biking (proper buff singletrack mountain biking) other than the Alps, the States and Sierra Nevada but this does seem a bit sweeping. I suppose you actually need a certain level of infrastructure for it. Sport’s not as self-sufficient as I often like to think it is.

I know some of the ski resorts in Chile and Argentina run lifts in the summer. Bariloche comes to mind. Peru sounds interesting maybe. Have always wanted to visit Bolivia generally – is there much of a DH/freeride scene? In all seriousness, how’s Alaska? I have a friend who’s a lawyer there, weirdly…

You could try Afghanistan

Seriously JHW

do a trip to BC – best riding you will ever do. A complete mixture of bikepark, epic alpine single track, total gnar all in a stunning country with great people, great food and easy to get about infrastructure.

Vancouver
Squamish
Whistler
Pemberton
Chilcotin
Kootenays
Kamloops
Fernie
Revelstoke

La Paz and surrounds is what you want…mind you’ll need to acclimatise for a week or so before you put any hard work in. Specifically, check out ‘Andean Epics’ in Sorata (3hrs from La Paz). A guy called Travis has crafted some wonderful technical riding on the 6000+m peak of Illampu around there. Also there are some old Inca and Mining trails that descent from the altiplano to the jungle (Takesi is one that i can remember now). There’s transport to the top fairly easily, through returning from the jungle can take a while.
Due to the ‘Wolds most Dangerous Road’ thing there are lost of bike companies and availability of bike parts, most just do that trip as thats all the tourists want, but the guides are usually good riders so have found some amazing stuff all around La Paz. Another good company is Gravity Assisted. Both the mentioned companies can do customed trips.

The Andes sound amazing.

I didn’t ride there but have been to Chilean Patagonia and was blown away by the place. You could base yourself in Coyhaique and push out from there, there are lots of UK/US folks out there working for wilderness holiday type outfits. Also lots of local guides etc so I’m sure you could find some mountain bikers, although you might struggle for bike shops so should take plenty of spares. We did a sea kayak expedition with a bunch called NOLS, they have a base in Coyhaique and would be glad to help you out with contacts I’m sure.

Stop off in Santiago de Chile on the way and Buenos Aires on the way back for some Latino partying!

Places with basic infrastructure

I occasionally stray into Lancashire when I’m out riding.

do a trip to BC – best riding you will ever do

OP wants exotic and outlandish, and you recommend BC, where every man and his dog goes? Right. And how do you know it’s the best riding ever? Ridden everywhere? No, thought not.

To the OP – how about the Caucasus or somewhere like Romanaia? I seem to vaguely recall hearing about biking companies that way. Personally I fancy the Urals 🙂

Morrocco or Nepal.

DaveyBoyWonder – Member

Places with basic infrastructure?

I occasionally stray into Lancashire when I’m out riding.

Nominated for “Wit of the Day” award.

Why thank you. I was going to mention my trips to Scotland too but at least they hav decent trails whereas Lancashire has… erm… Oldham.

Molgrips, yes BC does have the most diverse riding on the planet fact.

The Moon?

Hindu Kush

Take a look at this :- RESPECT! sure you can find something somewhere in there that’ll ring your bell for you