The wife’s thinking about booking a trip to Spain in Sept for us all. We have a two year old so it’s not going to be a bike trip but that doesn’t mean I can’t have a day out with a company.
We’ll have a hire car so I can travel an hour if needs be.

So where should we be looking for an apartment? And which company would you recommend to hire me a bike and show me a good time?

Her parents are up I Calpe but although there are some good trails there, it’s no biking Mecca.

Try Sierra Cycling based in Fuengirola some fantastic trails for you and Fuengirola has lots to offer for a young family like the award winning Zoo ,the great for young children Tivalli world in Benalmadena and Fuengirola has its own water park.
So theres plenty for your family to do while your out ripping up the dusty trails .

Hasta Pronto Tio

Im about 45min to one hour inland from the Costa del sol or Costa del la luz. I quite often get people driving in to meet me, some times at el chorro or Ronda, for a day trip. Costa del la luz is a much nicer coast, very unspoiled and still very Spanish.

http://www.allmountainventure.com

Fuengerola would be a full days drive from Calpe,and Ronda probably the same.
There is a bike park somewhere around Alicante which is mostly downhill but does have some xc stuff.Sorry can’t remember its name.
You’re really in roadie country being around Benidorm/Calpe so you could mix it up with the pros on the inland mountain roads.
From around Alicante the best riding is one and a half hours South in the Sierra Espuna ( Murcia region ).Easily enough trails for a weeks riding but no guiding company,although Saturdays sees loads of Spanish bikers in the park.Orange test prototypes there and the campsite in El Berro could point you in the right direction.
I’ve only done road biking in the Alicante area but there must be some mtb trails in the mountains behind.
There is also Biking La Manga,run by Geoff Cox,down the coast in La Manga club.He does good quality hire bikes and can provide routes into the small natural park below La Manga.

BasqueMTB near San Sebastián is worth a look up….

We had a week on the road bikes around Calpe/Alicante area.
Some very nice riding too.

Bike park near Alicante is called la fenesosa I think.

BasqueMTB near San Sebastián is worth a look up….

That’s where I’d go given the choice, San Sebastien is worth visiting in it’s own right so your wife should have interesting things to see and do with the little one.

I think some of the posters on here have no idea about the geography of Spain . It appears Mugboo is flying into,or intends to,Alicante,due to the mention of Calpe.

Google spanish cycling companies and see what comes up will bring you recommendations or places to avoid.

Go with All Mountain Venture, me and a mate had a cracking trip with Chris last summer.

Based right on the beach we are perfect for a combined biking/family holiday
Stunning singletrack rides with plenty of bus uplift during the day & fun après-bike on the coast at night. Sandy beach, large pool and kids playground on tap.
Toddlers free and non-biking parent 40% discount.
Checkout our family info page.http://www.sierracycling.com/Families.html

If you need to be in Calpe I googled “mountain bike Calpe” and came up with http://www.solybike.com who may be able to help.

Does this suit: Hike + Bike Sierras?

Could be the perfect blend for your family and for you?

Fenessosa costs about twelve quid for access to their terrain with marked routes, they also do bike hire. Who ever you use make sure they are a legal company ie they hold an AT number, this will be displayed on their website and publicity.

Sorry, busy old weekend. Thanks for all the advice.

To clear it up, the out laws are in Moraira nr Calpe but we are going to rent somewhere else and they can drive to us for a holiday. So in theory we can base ourselves anywhere.

I wrote about this very scenario here:http://www.sidetracked.co.uk/edition-07/spain-mtb.php

Chris

We at http://www.bikingandalucia.com are based at the Sierra Nevada, between Granada and the Costa Tropical (Nerja, Almuñecar & salobreña), you have the option of renting one of our houses(large garden, swimming pool etc), and just using our biking services as and when required. We are about 6 hours from Calpe.

I’ll show her indoors all this info and make a decision…. And thanks again.

Ooh – while we have the Spanish contingent available…

I have access to an apartment in Calahonda in April. I was thinking of popping over with a bike to do some gentle off-roading, possibly mixing it up with quiet roads etc. I would hire a car or van for driving to any good spots. I’m more interested in doing some decent distances and getting good views than hooning down rocky passes. It looks like there are some tracks up from Marbella that would be a good starter. Any other ideas/resources/other websites I should investigate? And what are the access laws like – am I likely to be shot for trespassing?

I think this might be a pre-cursor to doing the full circuit of Andalucia, mibbe next year.

That looks like a good idea Chris. I’ll explore that a bit deeper.

Druidh be careful where you ride! when we went out with a company named here and they took us on illegal trails we got stopped by the police who really weren’t happy campers, turns out there can seize your bikes there and then I believe!!

Get someone to give you an uplift onto the Sierra Lujar (too far to ride from Calahonda). I asked a workmate who´s from the area, he reckons its the got the best riding.
From there you´ll see the full Sierra Nevada in the distance.

I was in Marbella a few years back, didn´t like it much, Malaga was a lot better.

Where should I holiday in Spain to get a good ride in?

😯

You can access the Sierra Lujar from Orgiva or near Fregenite, I think you would need a 4 wheel drive to get to the top at 1871 metres, we at http://www.bikingandalucia.com cover all the routes on the Lujar, and know it as well as anybody.

Had a good time with Mountainbikingspain.com, and they are less than an hour from Mojacar where there is everything for a family holiday too.

Druid. From near the Ronda road is la.quinta golf. A track leads up from there into sierra de las nieves where there is a network of fire roads that sound like what you want. great views. Try wikiloc for some xc gprs routes.

Access is fine unless gates are locked. Its a big place so let sonera one know your route .

P.S Thanks squeaky.

Thanks folks. Spain in April is looking like a go-er!