The Birth of a MTB Holiday Company
We have all thought at some point... ‘HEY, I would love to be a mountain bike guide...consistently riding the best trails I know with like minded, enthusiastic peers’... but is that all there is to it?
![MTB Spain Images]()
Two years ago while drinking copious amounts of lager and talking bikes with a mate (like you do), an idea was born, a mountain bike guiding company in sunny Spain.
Spanish Sun
Things always seem easier while drinking lager in front of a log fire and this was no exception. However, come the morning we reigned in the lager induced enthusiasm and again approached the subject, confirming that yes, this may be feasible. We quickly made a list of things in our favour and things that may prove difficult. Surprisingly enough, both lists were roughly equal. Jay had family presently living in the Alicante area which could help with questions about legalities, the airport is only 20 minutes away from where we would be located and we had previously ridden in the surrounding mountains, hence a little knowledge of them was already stored in our memory banks. Naively, riding the crest of enthusiasm, we thought this was a strong start and the rest would just drop into place. Things like transportation of bikes, insurances, guest accommodation, meals....just didn’t seem as important....HELL, we were riding our bikes in the Spanish sun! The reality of the hard work to come, getting all the other, not so fun bits in place, was soon to become apparent.
The Logistics
Over the next 12 months we proceeded to find transport, build a trailer for uplifting the bikes, source several quality villas to use as accommodation, understand Spanish working laws and predominantly build an arsenal of trails with a wide range of technical difficulties to suit various abilities. Simple things like the quantity of food and the purchasing of food for different guest tastes all became logistical nightmares that needed surmounting. As you can imagine our bank balances and relationships simultaneously came under pressure.
![MTB Spain Images]()
Recce
Finally we reached a point where we needed to try our conceived package out on willing guests. o at a reduced rate we took out 6 of our best riding buddies. We worked on the theory that people book their own flights into Alicante airport and we take care of them from there, dropping them back off a week later for their return flights.
6 days of guided, lift assisted riding
Over 180km of trails
12,500 Metres of descent
![MTB Spain Images]()
Feedback
Now you have to realise that these guys have rode all over the world, Whistler, Morzine, Scotland, Les Arcs just to name a few. Any feedback from them would be of the highest quality and being close riding mates we knew they wouldn’t pull their punches. As we expected, certain things at this stage we had gotten right and other things needed more attention. A few of the very positive comments made by the, ‘hard to please group members’ were:
- in reference to our signature trail Viven’s Main, (video on web site)
"Cannot fault the accommodation and evening meals" - reference to our 5 star villa with pool
"Lots of room in the mini-bus"
"I can’t feel my hands, take me home" - in reference to the amount of descent done each day
Details
There were also little things they suggested to help add to the experience, like a cooler in the mini bus to wash down the Spanish dust at the end of each descent, possibly returning to the villa a little earlier to enjoy the pool and evening sunshine. Someone even suggested that we take longer for lunch at one of the many picturesque locations or eating establishments we frequent. All good advice but obviously governed by the group we are riding with at the time.
![MTB Spain Images]()
We’ve done it
Two years have now passed and although we are still learning we believe we have a winning package. Mistakes will still be made; lessons will still be learnt but... "HEY, were mountain bike guides, riding the best trails we know, in the Spanish sun!"
For more information visit www.MTBSpain.com
Two years ago while drinking copious amounts of lager and talking bikes with a mate (like you do), an idea was born, a mountain bike guiding company in sunny Spain.
Spanish Sun
Things always seem easier while drinking lager in front of a log fire and this was no exception. However, come the morning we reigned in the lager induced enthusiasm and again approached the subject, confirming that yes, this may be feasible. We quickly made a list of things in our favour and things that may prove difficult. Surprisingly enough, both lists were roughly equal. Jay had family presently living in the Alicante area which could help with questions about legalities, the airport is only 20 minutes away from where we would be located and we had previously ridden in the surrounding mountains, hence a little knowledge of them was already stored in our memory banks. Naively, riding the crest of enthusiasm, we thought this was a strong start and the rest would just drop into place. Things like transportation of bikes, insurances, guest accommodation, meals....just didn’t seem as important....HELL, we were riding our bikes in the Spanish sun! The reality of the hard work to come, getting all the other, not so fun bits in place, was soon to become apparent.
The Logistics
Over the next 12 months we proceeded to find transport, build a trailer for uplifting the bikes, source several quality villas to use as accommodation, understand Spanish working laws and predominantly build an arsenal of trails with a wide range of technical difficulties to suit various abilities. Simple things like the quantity of food and the purchasing of food for different guest tastes all became logistical nightmares that needed surmounting. As you can imagine our bank balances and relationships simultaneously came under pressure.
Recce
Finally we reached a point where we needed to try our conceived package out on willing guests. o at a reduced rate we took out 6 of our best riding buddies. We worked on the theory that people book their own flights into Alicante airport and we take care of them from there, dropping them back off a week later for their return flights.
6 days of guided, lift assisted riding
Over 180km of trails
12,500 Metres of descent
Feedback
Now you have to realise that these guys have rode all over the world, Whistler, Morzine, Scotland, Les Arcs just to name a few. Any feedback from them would be of the highest quality and being close riding mates we knew they wouldn’t pull their punches. As we expected, certain things at this stage we had gotten right and other things needed more attention. A few of the very positive comments made by the, ‘hard to please group members’ were:
- in reference to our signature trail Viven’s Main, (video on web site)
"Cannot fault the accommodation and evening meals" - reference to our 5 star villa with pool
"Lots of room in the mini-bus"
"I can’t feel my hands, take me home" - in reference to the amount of descent done each day
Details
There were also little things they suggested to help add to the experience, like a cooler in the mini bus to wash down the Spanish dust at the end of each descent, possibly returning to the villa a little earlier to enjoy the pool and evening sunshine. Someone even suggested that we take longer for lunch at one of the many picturesque locations or eating establishments we frequent. All good advice but obviously governed by the group we are riding with at the time.
We’ve done it
Two years have now passed and although we are still learning we believe we have a winning package. Mistakes will still be made; lessons will still be learnt but... "HEY, were mountain bike guides, riding the best trails we know, in the Spanish sun!"
For more information visit www.MTBSpain.com
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Prices?
Options?
Bike hire?
Not convinced when there's so much (very professional) competition about already.... they really could have sold it better.
All the best, anyway, and I wish you luck!