[manhattanprjkt83]

Has anyone on the board done any DH/AM riding in Patagonia or other areas in the Andes? Couple of us are putting together a feb/march trip and looking at Patagonia as an option. Would most likely do 2-3 days of riding, with the rest of trip (week) taking in some local culture.

I have done some minor research on the area, and can’t seem to find anything that looks like the type of riding we are looking for; natural tech, alpine, all mountain style riding. Most of the guide services look like they are geared to a more novice rider. As much as I hate to do it, will most likely be looking to rent bikes (something high end), transporting a bike box through south America sounds like hell to me, rather travel light.

Probably looking for some type of local knowledge since our Spanish isn’t great and we obviously don’t know the area well. Any help would be great.

 

[slyfink]

I was in Pucon (Chile - the lakes district) this January on a family visit. On the plane between Santiago and Pucon, I noticed a guy wearing 5.10 Sam Hill editions ina seat a couple of rows in front of me, so I asked him if he rode DH and if there was riding to be done down there.... indeed there was! On one day I rented a cheapo hardtail with only the front brake working and he showed me around a bit, but he also hooked me up with a dude that works as a guide for a company who also has a side business running shuttles up the volcano. He has his own fleet of "Oxford" bikes you can rent too, which are alright. Tanks, but rideable and fun. I can try and dig up his name if you want, he may be interested in privateering. He's a former pro DHer down there, and from what I understood was #2 in Chile for some time, so a good rider.

there's some unbelievably spectacular riding down there, volcanoes and jungles, deserts and cacti, but when I asked if it would be possible to ride for a whole week on different terrain, he didn't think so. I think they don't really know what they're sitting on, and don't quite appreciate the North-American/European/Oceanian [sp?] appetite for off-track adventure riding.

Also, from what I understand, the Lakes District in Chile is just a ferry-ride and mountain pass away from Bariloche in Argentina. If you go to Pinkbike, there's a 5-part mini-series Rocky Mountain filmed in that area with SWade, Vanderham and others... to give you an idea of what's there.

Another thing, I kept looking and didn't really find anywhere that rented proper high-end bikes. I would strongly recommend bringing your own bike. I just got back from a bike trip to Sedona, and had a bike travel bag. Travelling with one of those is really not that bad. Yes, the airlines bend you over and really give it to you, but given how hard it was to find a good bike to rent in Chile, it may be the only reasonable choice. Maybe Argentina would be different. CRC has the Brand-X bike on sale for $70 right now...

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

I was in Pucon (Chile - the lakes district) this January on a family visit. On the plane between Santiago and Pucon, I noticed a guy wearing 5.10 Sam Hill editions ina seat a couple of rows in front of me, so I asked him if he rode DH and if there was riding to be done down there.... indeed there was! On one day I rented a cheapo hardtail with only the front brake working and he showed me around a bit, but he also hooked me up with a dude that works as a guide for a company who also has a side business running shuttles up the volcano. He has his own fleet of "Oxford" bikes you can rent too, which are alright. Tanks, but rideable and fun. I can try and dig up his name if you want, he may be interested in privateering. He's a former pro DHer down there, and from what I understood was #2 in Chile for some time, so a good rider.

there's some unbelievably spectacular riding down there, volcanoes and jungles, deserts and cacti, but when I asked if it would be possible to ride for a whole week on different terrain, he didn't think so. I think they don't really know what they're sitting on, and don't quite appreciate the North-American/European/Oceanian [sp?] appetite for off-track adventure riding.

Also, from what I understand, the Lakes District in Chile is just a ferry-ride and mountain pass away from Bariloche in Argentina. If you go to Pinkbike, there's a 5-part mini-series Rocky Mountain filmed in that area with SWade, Vanderham and others... to give you an idea of what's there.

Another thing, I kept looking and didn't really find anywhere that rented proper high-end bikes. I would strongly recommend bringing your own bike. I just got back from a bike trip to Sedona, and had a bike travel bag. Travelling with one of those is really not that bad. Yes, the airlines bend you over and really give it to you, but given how hard it was to find a good bike to rent in Chile, it may be the only reasonable choice. Maybe Argentina would be different. CRC has the Brand-X bike on sale for $70 right now...

Wow man thanks for the reply, from the small amount of research I have done it really appears that they are sitting on some incredible terrain that needs developed. I was afraid someone would say the bike rental ability would be slim to none. I have access to an EVOC bag, but traveling with 4 guys, bikes, and gear makes transport a big issue. We are all pretty picky about our equipment though so maybe it is the way to go.

Let me poke around about Bariloche as well, I’ll PM you if i need some more detail. Thanks again.

 

[yd35]

It's off the beaten track, but I had a nice time riding in La Paz Bolivia. I wasn't heavy into downhill at that point so I didn't do anything super gnar, but we took a tour with a company called Gravity Bolivia (www.gravitybolivia.com). We did the World's Most Dangerous Road tour, which was really sketchy if you drove on it, but nothing challenging for the experienced rider. The company does other tours which look like they would be fun for even the most seasoned pro. La Paz, and Bolivia in general, is very poor, but it's an absolutely awe inspiring place. Super high elevation, beautiful scenery, and shockingly dirt cheap.

 

[Rosa Michelle]

i agree with slyfink! Bring your own bike and or you'll ruin your trip.. !!

 

[slimshady]

I guess it's worth posting here in the open what I've written to paul801 in a Private Message when we asked me a similar question:

Hey, sorry for the delay in my answer. I haven't noticed the private message notification. I'll be more than happy to give some directions and help you to plan your trip!

Let's begin with the basics: I recommend you to visit San Carlos de Bariloche, since they have the best rental and general infrastructure for riding. Shops like www.clubdivertite.com.ar or www.gravitymtb.com.ar are the best equipped and will rent you a bike for a reasonable price. I rented a Zenith Saka (a local bike brand from Argentina) from Gravity when I went down there on last March. The bikes were used, but not beaten. Club Divertite has a broader selection of bikes (Giant Faith, Scott Voltage FR, UMF Freddy), but their bikes looked like they have taken some serious abuse.

Depending on the weather, and how fast the winter comes, you may or may not find snow on the slopes and trails. Take into account March would be almost the end of the season down there... If you hire a guide at any of the local shops I mentioned, you might end doing the very same excursion the guys at the Rocky Mountain Team did! (Martín "Cepi" Raffo works at Gravity, he's the guy who put the whole trip together for the RM crew).

You will have to make a stop at Buenos Aires when flying to Bariloche. The scene at Buenos Aires makes it worth of one or two nights of clubbing (if you are into it) and I believe it's worth a day of sightseeing.

I don't know how long you plan to stay in Argentina, but you could take Bariloche as your base and then take a couple of trips to San Martin de los Andes, El Bolsón, Lago Puelo... All of those small places have a wonderful MTB scene, and the locals are more than eager to share it. I could hook you up with a friend who runs a hotel at San Martín de los Andes, and is also an active downhill racer and trail builder.

And BTW, Bolivia is FAR AWAY from the Patagonian Andes...