Broken Pelvis. I have a sick note and everything.

For the last two years we have been with Rivierabike to Molini in the Italian Alps. We have gone as a group but teamed up with individuals that were there or joined us and it made it more interesting for everyone.
Family run hotel in the middle of the village with fantastic food and so all meet in the bar and sit down to eat together. Hotel Chef is a local trailbuilder and so you see him in the hills during the day and then in the evening he comes over to the bar to tell you the food is ready!
Superb variety of flowing to tech trails with great guiding. As much uplift or climbing as you want. We went in September both times and each time the weather was good, shorts and tee shirts and autumnal colours were stunning.
This year trying Austria but having spoken to Jo and Ady at Rivierabike we will probably be going back next year to try something slightly different of theirs.

Grantway
I owe you 😉

Sanfacuzsi.
In an attempt to rescue this thread I have a late model Mk1 Sub Zero and I have ridden a Crush but only a little play in the local woods and not for any length of time. Difficult to make decent comparison because the Crush was a bit too big for me and the fork had almost no rebound (no path side adjustment because rebound adjustment is internal)
Probably as you would expect it just felt a bit more like a normal bike. I am sure it would be better at going up and riding all day on but as a result was not as much fun in the woods. Much better compromise as an only bike I am sure.

Blatant Plug – I will be selling my Sub Zero. Currently stuck in a wheelchair with a broken pelvis having crashed my 224 in the same local woods and now rationalising my bikes. 224 and Sub Zero are going!
I have had Sub Zero for about three years I guess. Smaller frame which I think is 16" and orange not blue I'm afraid. Well used of course but always one of about 4 bikes and always maintained (I am closet 'Bicycle Repair Man')

i have nothing against mud guards but curious as to why you would be fitting some in May?

Sailor, thorough response and interesting. 2009 they had FR or AM versions. FR used DHX Coil and I would normally favour coil. Pricey upgrade is a Cane Creek but makes you wonder why they did not use a DHX Air as standard shock. Maybe TF tuned could help. They were good with my Fox 40s

Not worried about fast uphill. Happy to winch and plummet. I had a granny ring on the 224 and rode that uphill and anything has to be better than that.

Cheers Grantway.
I also like the idea of an Alpine but that is probably just because I like Oranges! Where I live we have quite a few downhill runs but it is not rocky and so felt I did not need a tall bike. I do get the chance to ride abroad and sometimes used to take the big bike but often too big really and an Alpine would be perfect for that but perhaps not when closer to home. Fancy being close to the ground like a hardtail but with some give to help me out.

Cheers, given it's not an only bike and I doubt I will be racing again a Blood looks good. Something to keep spirits up. My only wheels at the moment are a wheelchair.

Ady
Hi and thanks for the tip about Trail Addiction. I had looked at their site but they don't seem to go beyond Mid September and not with Short weeks/long weekends.
Rob, William, Dan, Juice and Chris have all gone very quiet since I floated the idea of going somewhere else and so we may be back to see you at Rivierabike in October anyway!

Thanks for the feedback

Thanks Chris
I will email you later if that is Ok.

If you want to keep downhillers and xc happy then try Rivierabike in Italian Alps. Good mix of uplift and XC. Good trails and accommodation. We have same problem with mix of ambitions but has kept us all happy. May go back for a third year if it was not so lacking in imagination.

Very Funny
What a sanctimonious bunch of old miseries.( I know, I am a sanctimonious old misery)

Trails are pretty fresh and not beaten up because relatively few people riding them, no braking bumps anywhere. Some flowy and fast, some steep and tight.
Group size varies. We had 5 in our group and sometimes just us with the guide. Other times we had 9 of us and a guide. The uplift van is the limit.
Mix of XC and downhill shuttle runs but the choice is yours when you are there.
Not met Manuel Ewan, a local guide?

Not that I recall. Dan's Brown Pants may have to be a treat for next year!

I'm sure shoulder will be fine. A friend has just had a much worse shoulder injury from a road bike accident. Mine was on the last run of the day when big crashes always seem to happen. As usual a triumph of ambition over ability. Getting carried away following Ray, just thought that I was teavelling to fast without a fullface when my pedal clipped a tree and I was over.

Went last year with them and it was pretty much perfect biking holiday. Trails, scenery, uplifts, village and food. No surprises we are going back again in a couple of weeks. Photos were a nice reminder.

I have a SubZero with big forks on the front. I ride it a lot and have loved it and it can be good fun. I was at UK Bike Park this weekend whilst Hardtail championship was going on. I was not involved. I was racing on a full suss 224.Some Hardtails were very fast but they all had about 4 “. I have a hardtail in France with about ” and it is more fun than it has any right to be. I think that it is simply because it feels so tight and the BB is so low and as soon as it gets bumpy you just have to pick the back up. I have been a long term devotee of hardcore hardtails but I am starting to think that we are kidding ourselves. Either that or I am just getting old.