Mountain Biking in Chamonix

Weather permitting, June, September and up to the end of October are good months to mountain bike as trails are quieter and the temperature a bit more ambient. Too early in June or too late in October and a number of the higher passes maybe covered in snow and are therefore unsafe to traverse. The lifts serving the valley tend to open during the second week of June and close mid-September, so if you're not fond of the uphill or long ascents, you should consider the busy summer months of July and August; when the summer lift system is fully functioning. However this is high season where prices are high and trails extremely busy. There are also restrictions placed on certain trails and tracks during these months.

Whenever you choose please remember to respect others users of the mountain, especially walkers, and control your speed of descent...

The decision on whether to go Full Suspension or Hardtail is a difficult one.... A full suspension (FS) bike is one with both front and rear suspension that is effective at absorbing many bumps thus providing better performance and smoother ride. A hardtail refers to a bike with no rear suspension. Suspension forks may be added to the front of the bike but its back post is rigid. There are numerous makes and models of both types available to the potential buyer so when deciding on which type of bike is best, it is important to consider the following:

• Your budget !!
• The type of riding you and your bike will be undertaking; and
• The typical terrain and angle you will be riding.

In general, hardtail bikes tend to require less maintenance and perform better on steep uphill climbs and sprints to the finish line, whereas full suspension mountain bikes are much more comfortable and arguably have more control over the rough stuff. Sadly, along with an increase comfort, FS bikes increase in price quite significantly.

Whether to go full suspension or hardtail is one which can create a lot of healthy debate amongst the mountain biking community. Inexperienced or beginner riders may prefer to start with a hardtail complete with front, lockable suspension; progressing to a full suspension bike after they have got a feel for their preferred type of riding. Although a full suspension bike will give you more options to adjust to suit the terrain, it can be more energy intensive on the uphill as unless you have a ‘lock out’ facility on the rear suspension as energy can be lost through ‘suspension bobbing' as you climb. Furthermore, you could potentially have more moving parts to repair should anything go wrong. On the positive side, it is worth remembering though you can make a full suspension bike ‘lock out’ so the experience is like riding a hard tail, but it is difficult, if not impossible, to make a hard-tail ride like a full suspension bike!

Different areas within Chamonix are suited to different types of mountain bikes so if you’re an experienced rider then you’ll undoubtedly be bringing your own mountain bike with you and you'll already know your preferred terrain. However, if this is your first mountain biking experience and you’re not familiar with the lingo or sure between a cross country (XC), trail, freestyle or downhill bike; or whether to take the hardtail or full suspension option, then here’s a few thoughts for you to consider:

These days different bikes are designed built for different terrains and uses.

Cross country bikes offer only a small amount of suspension movement. Whilst they can handle most trails they are not as effective on the rocks and roots that come with rugged terrain as seen in Chamonix.

"All Mountain" Bikes are generally heavier than their XC relatives, and provide more suspension travel at the front and possibly rear. They are generally designed to ascend and descent the mountains, integrating some of the cross country bike’s climbing attributes with the strengths of a downhill/freeride bike.

Freestyle bikes are heavy and designed for hardcore abuse by the rider. They’re most suited to riders who enjoy big drops, rough terrain and park jumps so they therefore have a significant degree of suspension travel.

Downhill bikes are the biggest of the ‘bad boy’ bikes out there. Designed for the experienced and highly technical downhill rider, they are generally the heaviest of full suspension (FS) bikes and are capable of high speeds whilst absorbing most obstacles (within reason!) thrown at them. They are most definitely not good for ascending Alpine trails – that’s what the lifts are for!

Going gets rough at times

If you don’t own your own mountain bike and plan on renting equipment then there are plenty of rental shops in Chamonix hiring out both full suspension and hard tail mountain bikes. The cost of daily rental varies from store to store and on the type of bike you choose to rent. On average you can expect to pay between €16 - €80 euros for a days hire. Prices vary depending on whether you select a basic bike without suspension, or a full on free ride descent bike. (It is also possible to hire mountain bikes for children from around €15 a day.)

If you bring your own bike then there's no point loading up your excess baggage with spare bike parts either (unless your bike requires specific specialist component parts). Chamonix has some excellent biking shops that sell plenty of spare parts and components for your bike. However, remember the spares list does not extend to some obscure pivot in your one off special downhill rig. We are talking rear mechs, pedals, cranks, chains, cassettes, brakes, brake pads, cables etc from the more popular manufacturers. The exception to this rule is the rear gear hanger; bring one with you for your bike, especially if it’s of the super funky alternative/rare type. The bike shops do not carry this part for all the different bike manufacturers and the models they make and it is probable the most frequently damaged part in the event of a crash. Even a relatively innocuous fall can damage this part and although they can often be bent back into shape, it would be a shame to ruin your holiday if this were not the case. (Most of the rental shops will also do a good line in helmets, body protectors, repairs and servicing.)

It is highly advisable to ensure your own bike is in tip top condition before lugging it all the way over to France. A days riding in the Alps equates to many rides out in the UK and the wear and tear on your bike reflects this. If you start the week with your bike in a poor to average state of repair it will let you down at some point and spoil the day, if not the weeks enjoyment. If you are not a competent mechanic then your local independent bike shop will provide a service for your pride and joy to ensure you and it remain friends for the week. It is money well spent to upgrade your tires if they are of the lighter weight cross country variety and purchase some free ride tyres with a 2.3 section to smooth your way and avoid the punctures. There is every chance a set of brake pads will disappear in a week so bring a spare pair and carry them with you on the trail to avoid that metal on metal effect! If you run out of time before you come away, Chamonix's local bike shops will be able to carry out a service for you. Charges are approximately €40 per hour on a pro-rata basis depending on how serious a service your bike requires!

There are numerous options for getting your sports equipment to resort, be it flying, train or coach. Most travel companies have their own individual policy terms and conditions depending on the type of sporting equipment you are transporting. Here's a snap shot of the different transport options and a guide to their restrictions:

Several airlines from around Europe will get you to the Alps without too heavy a hit on the old purse strings, check here for further airline information. Low-cost carriers such as Easyjet or Flybe regularly fly between Geneva, Lyon, Grenoble and the UK. You then have a number of options to get you from the airport to your resort, all of which are explained further in the following sections. A review of airlines terms and conditions in relation to sports equipment baggage indicates that it is highly likely that you will be subjected to a standard charge for taking your sporting equipment on board. Leisure 'Equipment' that will require additional handling can include bikes, golf clubs, parachutes, mountaineering equipment or skis/snowboards. If you like your skis, it is imperative that you pack them in a ski or board bag for protection! Most airlines will still take your skis if they are not in a ski bag; just don’t be surprised at the condition they arrive in at the other end of your flight. A ski or snowboard bag can also be packed with soft items (ski trousers, jumpers etc) around your skis or board to give them added protection. Just be careful if the equipment is covered in storage wax. Recently we decided to test the airlines by taking our mountain bike over from the UK to Geneva. ; bmibaby; Aer Lingus; and KLM indicated that there was an average additional charge of between £15 (€22.50) and £25 (€36) to take your mountain bike, one-way.

However, having recently travelled from the UK to Geneva with our mountain bikes on a low cost carrier we feel the need to clarify this minor detail as we ended up getting stung at check in for 'excess baggage'!! Having duly paid the £15 for bike carriage, and with our luggage weighing in at about 20kgs, we were informed that even though we'd paid to take the bike on board, the combined weight permitted for all luggage was 32kgs. Anything over and above that would be subjected to 'excess baggage' charges. Full suspension bikes although light are generally not below 12kgs so our excess baggage payment ended up costing us another £35!

Our bike was carried in its original cardboard box so who knows what the charges would have been had it been transported in a plastic case! Interestingly though we had to get a connecting flight from Belfast to Geneva on the same day, not wanting to pay another £35 we cleverly selected our check-in staff, a few cheeky smiles and bit of banter all proved to be a winner, no excess baggage charges, so we guess that's the random lottery that is excess baggage charges and check-in staff!

The more conventional airlines such as British Airways its code share partner Swiss airlines permit free transport of bikes providing they fit within the free baggage allowance, and are packed in a hard shelled container.

Airport Transfer companies - If you choose to take a mountain biking holiday most holiday firms will collect you from the airport where the hours drive from the airport is included within your holiday price. However, should you choose to book your transfer independently most airport transfer companies will still permit you to take your mountain bike in the vehicle provided you give advance warning at the time of booking. By

Car or Hire car from the airport - If you prefer the use of your own car you can drive down the autoroutes to Chamonix. It’s approximately an 8-10 hour drive (895kms/550 miles) from Calais and will cost around €70 in road tolls. Check out Viamichelin for exact route information. The most convenient way to travel with skis is a roof "coffin" style box that will carry several pairs of skis/boards, boots and poles. A roof rack is also a handy alternative and can be retned from many ski shops. If using a roof rack, try to cover the bindings over to prevent them getting covered in grit and salt. Roof boxes and roof racks should be lockable and therefore fairly secure from thiefs.

By Train - If you choose to take a train all the way to your ski resort it may involve a couple of changes and cost slightly more than a cheap flight. Eurostar recommends using its registered luggage service for your bike if you’re travelling from London, Paris, Brussels or Lille and charges approximately £20 for carriage of your bike. If travelling by France's national rail system check here for further train and route timetables.

There are a few options available in transporting your bike. Hard bike boxes tend to cost in the region of £300 and like a hard case suitcase it will minimise the risk of damage occurring to the your bike. A soft bike bag is the cheaper option, costing around £100. Whilst this will provide your bike with a little more padded protection it is not as reliable as the hard box. On our recent trip from the UK to Geneva, we transported our bike in its original cardboard box, protected the key areas with bubble wrap and cardboard and it arrived safely and undamaged. Most airlines stipulate the following:

• Bikes should be contained within a protective box or appropriate bike bag;
• Only one bike should be carried per box/bag, and no other items (except protective padding) should be included within the box/bag;
• Handlebars and pedals must be fixed sideways against the frame or removed; and
• Tyres should be deflated slightly to reduce the risk of damage.

If you are transporting your bike, you should also check out your travel insurance arrangements. A lot of travel insurance companies will not cover your expensive mountain bike without an additional excess payment, and a lot of airlines will not be held responsible for any damage sustained whilst the bike is in their care. Check out your household insurance policy to see whether it can be covered as 'contents away from home'. There may be a slight surcharge for this option, but it's potentially better than having to fork out for a new bit of suspension, or a brand new bike!! We travelled using this option, paying an additional £50 to Direct Line for our £1000 bike. This option offered us up to 60 days European coverage which is plenty for a week's break or month touring the Alps.