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Tips For Mountain Bikers In Spain
By Steve Murray
As any keen mountain biker will know, there are some important rules to follow and bike handling skills to master before subjecting yourself and your bike to the thrills and spills of off-road riding.
Although most of us ride within our capabilities most of the time, riding on different trails in hot weather conditions can present a new set of challenges
requiring some new biking skills and knowledge.
Here in Southern Spain, I spend most of my time riding in warm and dry conditions, on shale/gravel trails in relatively remote areas, at medium to high altitude (1000 - 4000 ft). I say relatively remote, in that I seldom meet other bikers, hikers or other like-minded individuals. In other words, you must be prepared to patch yourself up and get yourself off the mountainside in the event of an accident.
Here are some points to consider before embarking on your Spanish MTB adventure.
Planning routes:
Map it out - When planning routes for yourself and other bikers to ride, get hold of a map first. I use the 1:25,000 topographical maps published by the Centro Nacional De Informacion Geografica (CNIG). They show most off-road vehicle tracks, forestry access roads and some single track/footpaths.
Note: I am not sure how often they are updated. Some trails marked on these maps can suddenly disappear. On the other hand, I have ridden trails, which are not indicated, on the maps.
Terrain and time of year -Taking into account the distance, terrain, altitude, gradients and vegetation you can plan a suitable route for the time of year.
Mid-summer (early morning and evening riding advisable) look for shaded trails, low gradients with less altitude gain and think about places to refill water bottles.
Mid-winter This time of year it can be lovely and warm (15-20 deg C ) at sea level and pretty chilly (0-5) at 1000 metres. When ascending you are generating a lot of heat, coming down the other side at 40Kph you are subjecting your body to a wind chill factor which can drop temperatures a further 10 degrees. - carry extra layers of clothing.
Preparation:
Rider - You of course, must be fit for the ride and this cannot be achieved the night before.…… although it can be enhanced by laying off the San Miguel.
Eat a decent breakfast, mainly carbohydrates, Cereal, toast and fruit for example.
Stretch before you leave and spin in a low gear for about 1 km when you first set off (especially in winter).
Know some first-aid that you can administer to yourself as well as to others. E.g dealing with Bleeding and serious grazes.
Bike
About the Author
Steve Murray lives in Spain and runs an Adventure Sports company http://www.abdal-adventures.com
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