barcelona?
- Thread starter jochen88
- Start date
I was in Spain last fall and looked into riding a little bit, didn't actually ride, but I do remember reading something about there being riding in the mountains north of the city. Andorra is pretty close and it has good riding as well as the San Sabastain area. There was a Dirt with in the last year that listed the top 20 or 30 places to ride in Europe and San Sabastain was one of them, maybe track that issue down.
+1
The upper limit of the city are the Collserola mountains. It's not a huge area, so you maybe get used to it in a few months, but it's nice to have a place to ride just 10' away.
However, I wouldn't recomend going there for serious DHing (even less on weekends), even though there's a tram that serves as a lift. Many people go there to spend the day and the chance of scaring the **** out of someone or colliding with a dog or kid in a blind turn is quite high - I say this because, in theory, biking is forbidden, and a lack of respect will eventually lead to a real ban.
And yes, there are a few bikeparks 1.5-2h away (most in Andorra): Vallnord, Grandvalira, La Molina. Not too big, but nice anyway. If you prefer "natural" stuff, don't worry, because Catalunya is full of mountains - no time to get bored.
Bikes and components are crazy expensive (carry some spares in your lugagge if there's space) and it's hard to find a decent shop.
The terrain around is usuall dry and hard packed, loose rocks, surrounded by bushes and small trees (pines mostly); it gives nice rides and painful falls.
As for the city, I guess you'll enjoy it unless you stay longer than a few months...
On a somewhat unrelated note, what gives you the few month limit?As for the city, I guess you'll enjoy it unless you stay longer than a few months...
My girlfriend wants to move to Barcelona, I want San Francisco. Another friend of mine that has friends and family in Barcelona said that it is a nice place to visit but a terrible place to live. He has no interest in riding bikes though.
sweet thanks for de answers, sounds nice with the tram up. been living in oslo and its the same there, tram up
going to move there, a mate got a flat there and i got work, just hate the cold winters up here in skandinavia, want to ride all year anyone now how to hook up with some locals?
going to move there, a mate got a flat there and i got work, just hate the cold winters up here in skandinavia, want to ride all year anyone now how to hook up with some locals?
You can try here - http://www.foromtb.com/forum.php
Foromtb is definitely a good place to start. You might want to PM bikenweed on here, he has posted lots about riding over there and helped me out in terms of figuring out how to get a bike overseas when I was living in Zaragoza. Haven't seen his name around here in a while so I don't know if he's still active on the forums.
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I guess it's not one single big reason, but a lot of tiny factors that eventually build up. Of course there are many good things, but it's once you stay longer than a few vacation days that you start to be aware of those "subtleties".
The government worries more about self-promoting the city as a cool, hip place than about making it a better place to live in; it's like a theme park for tourists.
Population density is really high (even more the hot months), and there seems to be a state of generalized stress which exaggerates the worse aspects of the tipycal "spaniard behaviour". The really hot & humid climate boosts that, too.
The beauty and historical significance of the downtown and older parts of the city are spoiled by the amount of garbage, awful stenches, pickpocketers and hookers surrounding you day and night - it's a pity the police are too busy telling sunburnt tourists to put a shirt on instead. Most other parts of the city (specially the suburbs) are just an array of generic ugly buildings filling your line of view under the purplish grey clouds of smog.
Forget using you car in the city; get a bike (and many locks) or a moped instead, because no such thing as easy and/or free parking exists (this applies to highways and many other things too). Public transport isn't that bad, unless you hate being cramped and/or live in one of the surrounding towns.
That's just to name a few things from my point of view..
Bikewise, I think it's a really good place. As I said, the whole area is filled with mountains and great trails, and you also have bikeparks nearby (Deux Alpes is another option if you have a long weekend too). Decent shops and fair prices leave a lot to be desired, though, so expect to buy most things at CRC, wiggle, etc..
PS: I would say SF, at least because the summers are cool and not hot & humid.
That's the one.
There's a "foreign bikers" thread, but I'd just have a look in the "Rutas y quedadas" subforum and go for a ride with any of the "peñas" there that do the kind of biking you like.
barcelona is a lovely city to ride! I live here and enjoy it so much I go riding almost everyday to collserola that is wonderful and has lovely trails. Let me know when you get around and will try to show you some of them.
This place was near Barcelona - great fun! Nissan European Cup, MASDH - Spain - a set on Flickr