Les Gets with a family?

larkim

Any tips on getting the most out of Les Gets with a family in the summer.

- 16 year old, fearless, Canyon Nerve
- me, fearful, dodgy Rockrider 29er
- SWMBO, fearful, better Rockrider 26
- three other under 10 year olds, not likely to be able to fit bikes to take with us.

So, questions arise:-
- Do we take our own bikes?
- Is son's Canyon up to a week in the Alps, or does it need some upgrades before then? Or would hiring be cost effective?
- Is it worth taking low end hardtails as SWMBO and I have to perhaps accompany 16 year old on a couple of days out?
- Lessons / tuition / guiding etc for 16 year old - any recommendations?
- Any essential tips from past experience of taking families?

Cheers!

rockmonkeysc

Les Gets is mainly downhill and the trails are full of braking bumps. You really need a decent enduro bike or downhill bike there. You also need very good suspension to prevent your arms getting pummelled.
It's not a great place to go unless you're fairly experienced. Les Arcs would be much more suitable.

eric_draven

Have a look at going to Samoems instead,it's very close to Les Gets,the trials are more enduro style,and they are also pretty well graded green through to black,I rode there a few years back and really enjoyed it there,I will be going back for a few days this year,it is a lovely little town,Chamonix is about a 1hr drive from there plenty of sight seeing and walking trails there as well as being a stunning place as well,there should be plenty of walking trails around Samoens as well

as Rockmonkey says Les Gets/Morzine are more DH oriented last time I went about 6-7 years ago the braking bumps were insane,after that trip vowed never to go back,did go through on my road bike after climbing the Col de Joux Plane from Samoens and the the Col du Joux Verte Morzine to Avoriaz,that was a tough days riding

Stoo61

Lived in Morzine 2.5 years, only just got back after moving out. What the other says is generally true, there are options for fire road climbs and more chilled out stuff. A Nerve is quite short travel but the bike park stuff up Super Morzine for instance would be a blast on a shorter travel bike.

There are many XC sorta, long day out runs, using lifts here and there but more difficult to find.

You would have a great time but perhaps not bike orientated great time if you know what i mean.

larkim

Thanks all. Les Gets is our base due to accommodation, but happy to travel around a little to get the most out of the trip (we're there for 14 nights) so advice about Samoens and Morzine is helpful.

Likely to shell out some cash on hiring a decent rig for the son whilst we're there anyway even if just for a day to see what riding a DH or decent Enduro rig is like, but at near enough 100 euros per day we'll not be doing that for the whole fortnight!

rockmonkeysc

If you're not experienced at riding bigger bikes you won't really get any benefit from them.
With a downhill bike you will need a lift pass, it won't pedal up hill and down hill they feel slow to react and sluggish unless you're aggressive and forceful. They also build speed very quickly and can get you in to trouble if you're used to xc hardtails.

larkim

He's a quick learner (and I think genuinely a good bike handler from what I can tell), and we'll definitely be paying for lift passes anyway (what's the point in going to the Alps if you have to get all your height under your own steam!). We'll stump up for at least one day (whether he goes full DH or "just" and enduro spec bike is his choice) and if he wants to get more he's got a Saturday job which can fund some extras.

If he didn't "upgrade" whilst there to a bike more suited to the environment you'd come home regretting not at least giving it a try, so whilst I appreciate the potential pitfalls he won't be the first rider in the alps to be riding something different for the first time and finding his feet a little. He'll know quickly enough whether a day riding a different bike is money well spent or not, and as he'll have his own bike with him he's got a plan B if he hates his first experience on a big heavy bike.

If we all played safe we'd never be adventurous would we?

rockmonkeysc

I would recommend an enduro bike rather than a DH bike. Unless you're pushing really hard and on the black trails an enduro bike will be better and easier to ride.

larkim

Thanks, sounds emminently sensible!

Stoo61

Spent my whole second summer on an Orange Five AM and had a lot more fun than on my DH rig the season before. Good advice. A lot of boys that live out there have two bikes.