Mountain bike holidays..... cheapest way??

neil_uk

Well, due to family commitments and work, I have never been abroad for 8yrs!!! It's typcial that now I have the free time we are totally credit crunched! My question is - what is the cheapest and best way to go cycling abroad?

I'd like 3 or 4 nights away, somwhere like France or Spain - I don't expect luxury accommodation on a tight budget.... All we need is a clean double room with two single beds, some great singletrack, nice views, dry weather not too scorchy, and that's it!

Can I do this cheaper than the usual 899quid type offerings in the bike mags?

Any advice on where to start looking? or where to go?

Any help would be appreciated.

Neil

P-Jay

The only thing I can think of is Alpine Elements, they've got a pretty bad rep, but they're the cheapest way to get abroad on a riding holiday I know off. They go to 4 places in the Alps, one will suit the kinda riding you're into. Their prices are half aboard and include food which is important if you're on a budget because the alps was really expensive when it was 1.4 euros to the pound, it will be a total nightmare now.

Before you book though, whatever they say:

Accomodation will be basic, and the quality of food/cleaness of the digs is entirely down to the slave they have working there.
Their flights are with Sleazyjet and you'll have to REALLY make sure they book bikes on your flight because they very much push to rent theirs.

But if you don't expect much from them and you're flexible about when you go you can probably get a week with food and flights for £350ish. Speaking of which, in Morzine atleast thier season runs a week before and a week after the lift season! it's very cheap to go then, but you'll be going everywhere on an uplift bus and it's bound to be shit.

v23

Plenty of bunkhouse style accomodation in Morzine/Les Gets, even a campsite. Flights/trains from around £50 return upwards. Not sure about lift passes, but I reckon you could do 3/4 nights in Morzine/Les Gets for around £400 all in.

neil_uk

Thanks for the info guys - how about bike hire versus taking your own bike?

Neil

pat mcgucken

Check this out mate I can highly recommend it http://flyingpigsdh.com/

Raymondavalon

neil_uk wrote:

Thanks for the info guys - how about bike hire versus taking your own bike?

Neil

I think the risk of hiring is never knowing what the hire company will give you to ride, one thing this sport has taught me, not all bikes are created equal and a bike is not just a bike..

Take your own ride and you'll be on unfamiliar terrain on a bike you know, trust and have maintained yourself

As for being on unfamiliar terrain on a bike that you don't know.. well that could well be to your disadvantage especially if you don't get on with the bike's feel, handling or braking

I'd rather pay for my own ride to accompany me on an overseas trip

P-Jay

I can only comment on Morzine, but the rental shops have really good bikes Commencals DH's, Glorys, M3's etc but it can cost more than the holiday, £500 a week easy. Alpine Elements rent stinkys for about £160 a week, but they were in a shocking state bushes all ruined so the rear steared as much as the front, hanging they were.

Depends what you've got really, when it comes to Alpine riding it's bigger the better IMHO. It'll cost you about £60-£80 for a decent bike bag and if you fly with BA bikes are free (£100 to £140 for a return) and your kit is going to get hammered. In fact it's a total, total waste of money to fly with sleazyjet or the like, they might offer flights for £60 quid, but by the time you add bikes, normal luggage etc it'll be more than BA and everyone I spoke too got robbed by them for excess baggage even though they booked bike transfer.

Lift passes were 60 euros a week last year, of 130 for a full season pass.

Only I would recommend trying to go for at least a week, 4 days wont be enough IMHO, whatever flight you get, by the time your get from airport to digs,build bike and whatnot you'll be lucky to see trail at all that day and the last day you'll need to at least clean and pack your bike, you'only see 2 days full riding.

pat mcgucken

if you do fly with easyjet print off the terms and conditions and take them with you because it says in them that there is no excess baggage charge for bikes if you have paid for the bike bag.

neil_uk

thanks for all the input guys..... Looks like I might be able to get away after all!

I've allowed myself a total (tight) budget of £650 including spends.

cheers

Neil.

Banned!

just cut a nice looking beach pic from a brouchure and paste it to the inside of your shades. this way, no matter where you ride you will always feel like youve been on holiday.

neil_uk

Now - that's my kind of budget tip!! lol

Royal Dragoon

Have a look at the link on this post, they do some fantastic deals, in a great location.

http://www.mtbe.co.uk/mtb-holidays-t2225.html

Road or MTB.

Goneaway4836

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Steve_F

Me and my mate have booked a room in the budget chalet with Flow mtb the last week in June. If I remember right it is about £200 each.

After looking at the flights we have decided to drive over going from Edinburgh to Dover, Dunkirk to Morzine and adding an extra two days to the holiday.

After all the horror stories about the treatment of the bikes on flights and the limited amount of luggage we could take we felt it was the best option. The ferry cost £41 with 2 people and the car. Even with fuel it should be cheaper than flights.

I have a decent size diesel saab hatchback so we should be able to fit all the bikes and gear and spares in we would ever want and still get around 40mpg. Plus we get to see France.

Big downside is the 16 hours of driving each way :shock:

grumsta

We are driving out to do the mega and spend a week out there - its not gonna cost masses hopefully. Accomodation for the week is about 90 euros sharing a room in a chalet, plus lift pass/entry for the week is maybe another 100 euros, then there is petrol/channel tunnel/tolls and food/beer when we are out there.