Lake Garda - Riva del Garda

frankspencer1979

Going with the missus for a week in May and I've been given a pass for a day's mtb'ing.

The hotel offers tours and rental through a local bike shop, but I was wondering if anyone has been here or nearby and has any recommendations on where to ride, where to rent, what to rent etc'? Any advice or experiences really.

Also, I've never ridden a full susser before, so should I use this as an oppurtunity to try one (local shop does Cannondale Jekyll's according to their site) or could a foreign feeling bike on foreign trails in a foreign land be a nightmare!!?

lonebikerit

frankspencer1979 wrote:

Going with the missus for a week in May and I've been given a pass for a day's mtb'ing.

The hotel offers tours and rental through a local bike shop, but I was wondering if anyone has been here or nearby and has any recommendations on where to ride, where to rent, what to rent etc'? Any advice or experiences really.

Also, I've never ridden a full susser before, so should I use this as an oppurtunity to try one (local shop does Cannondale Jekyll's according to their site) or could a foreign feeling bike on foreign trails in a foreign land be a nightmare!!?

Garda is one of the best places in Italy for MTB from XC but even more Trail-AM-Enduro DX (search "the Skull" Garda for DH trails and a "The skull" new for Enduro). Another famous trail is "Anaconda" starting from Santa Barbara and arriving at Nago just above Riva del Garda. In riva del Garda you can find a lot of Bike Rental Shop, one of the biggest is Carpentari (in Torbole very close to riva del garda). If you go on the First day of May there is.
Me and my group are 80km far from Garda, but normally when we want ride on hard trails we go to Garda Lake.
In Italy very good trails are also in Finale Ligure (Liguria region) and of course our Dolomites.
If you need other information ask me without problems.

bye

frankspencer1979

Thought I'd post an update now I've been and come back. Here's what I learnt

Riva del Garda is really nice and I want to move there
There's an abundance of mtb'ing to have a crack at all around the north of lake garda and the surrounding area
Trails are steep
No matter how prepared for it you are and how often you remind yourself, it's very hard to get used to the bloody brakes being the wrong way round!
European mountain bikers love Lycra
There's no orange 5's round that lake, unlike our lake district!
I don't know what any other destinations are like so I I can't offer any comparison, but I can't recommend Riva enough