Media13.com is a source of free to republish or reprint articles, writers may submit your articles in our database as long so you agree that your article will be freely republish or reprint by other.

Submit Article

Search our database

Received article from us.

Name

Email Address

Friends

Bollywood News
Link building
Article submission service
Freelance Writers
Laser hair removal

We have been looking for freelance writers. Contact us

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 & bits - Bike set-up and Maintenance is much the same everywhere so I won’t bore you with details of what you already know, however pay attention to the following.

-Check for any play in wheel, steering and bottom bracket bearings. With a lot of fast descents and rocky ground it is worth a quick adjustment before any loose bits get worse.

-Chain needs regular attention in these dry, dusty conditions (every 2-3 rides). Run it through a cleaner, apply fine oil and then remove any excess lubricant, which only acts as a magnet to any dirt. Clean shocks and apply thin film of silicone-based lubricant

-Tyres, nice ‘n’ knobbly if you’re intending to be off-road 90 % of the time.

With a lot of climbing on loose surfaces and descents on rocky stuff I get more traction and comfort with wider tyres at a lower pressure.

-2 spare tubes ( at least) - There are some vicious plants in the campo, especially prominent in the summer months, with thorns like you wouldn’t believe. Check inside surface of tyre thoroughly before fitting new tube – where there is one thorn there could be many.

- Helmet and gloves - This should go without saying.

Water - I usually allow for 1L of water per hour of riding. In the winter on a leisurely low level ride you may drink less than this, during the summer months it can be double. When the weather is hot, I carry 2 bottles on the bike and 2 in my rucksack. Most villages and towns have a natural spring or potable water available somewhere, on longer routes it is worth knowing where the nearest habitations are.

Food - Unlike thirst, hunger pangs will pass. On a short ride in warm conditions you may not even feel like eating – the wet stuff is far more important. However it is not advisable to deplete energy reserves so always have some driedfruit/muesli bar with you – Newsagents are not a common feature of Spanish villages and café/bars may not be open all day.

First-aid kit – This doesn’t need to be bulky. A small well-packed container, including the following; Bandage, gauze pads, safety pins, plasters, antiseptic cream.

Clothing – for comfort and protection from exposure to the sun and cold.

-2 or more thin layers especially on upper body for better temperature regulation, increased insulation ( more air layers) and protection against grazing if you fall off.
- Bandanas one folded and tied around the forehead keeps sweat out of your eyes.

Another folded diagonally and tied loosely to keep sun off back of neck.

- Sunglasses
- High protection sun-cream on any exposed skin.

Safety on the trail:

Hazards such as loose surfaces, ditches, eroded gullies and the like will always be present – it’s something that appeals to us MTBers. Accidents occur when we are unfamiliar with these conditions, over confident in our ability or meet with something unexpected in our path. Good bike handling skills can prevent or help get you out of a sticky moment, however when taking on steep descents and tricky technical sections be prepared for the unexpected

Dogs - Some people are put off from biking and walking in Spain because of the dogs they may encounter. More often than not this will be when passing by/through a farmyard. In my experiences (which doesn’t include any nasty ones yet – touch wood) Spanish mutts come under the following categories;

1. Bark and run away
2. Bark and chase
3. Total disinterest in your presence.

In most cases it isn’t always clear whether the dog is of type 1 or 2 until you have committed yourself to entering its territory. If you are starting a long descent when they give chase, you can give a two-finger salute and go for it. If however you are grinding uphill in 1st gear and the blighter is loping at your side with plenty in reserve it can be a bit intimidating – and you probably won’t care much for my categorising.

When passing farm buildings, I always assume that dogs are present.

If they do appear but remain at a distance and bark, I stand on my pedals to make myself taller and ride slowly but confidently past.

If a dog/dogs begins to advance I shout “FUERA” the term often used to send a dog out or away. This will usually work and also bring your presence to the attention of the household. You can advance and repeat this procedure if the animal is reluctant to give way. Stooping as if to pick up a rock can also intimidate Spanish dogs.

If you feel at this stage that it is still too risky then trust your instinct and retreat to find an alternative route.

In my experience, dogs will not attack if you retreat in a calm but confident manner – DON’ T RUN.

In general
Plan your ride
Don’t ride alone on unfamiliar trails
Carry spares and sufficient water
Protect your body from falls and extreme weather conditions.

Then get out there and enjoy yourself

Author Info:

Steve Murray lives in Spain and runs an Adventure Sports company http://www.abdal-adventures.com

Latest 20 articles

A Christian Debt Relief Solution: Debt Settlement Christian families are impacted by difficulties with mounting credit card debt just like non-Christian families. Christians often can be particularly sensitive to finding themselves faced with a situation where they may not be able to meet their unsecured debt commitments. There are many types of Christian credit card debt help out there, and quickly becoming one of the most popular is Christian

Finding Affordable California Health Insurance If you reside in California, it is a strong bet that you need affordable California health insurance. There are many different insurance companies and different types of plans available. Deciding on which one is best for you and your family will require some research. It may be overwhelming but it is paramount to finding the right policy for your particular situation. California individual

IRS Tax Settlement: Could It Provide The IRS Tax Relief You Need? The IRS is coming after you! You owe them money and can’t hope to ever pay the debt! The IRS has threatened to seize your bank account or garnish your paycheck! Everything seems hopeless and there doesn’t seem to be any doubt that the IRS is going to ruthlessly take everything of value that you have. However, there are options to rolling over for the IRS. There are IRS tax relief solution

Credit Card Debt Reduction: Do it Yourself Tips Anyone who's ever owned a credit card, taken out a student loan, financed a car, or paid a mortgage has gathered debt. Debt can feel like a deep pool, but you don't have to drown in it. All you need is a little common sense and some solid budgeting. Remember, you own the debt – it doesn't own you. Here are a few tips that can help you get credit card debt relief you seek. It's like a “do it you

Debt Settlement: Know the Pros and Cons Many people who select a debt settlement program may have already tried credit card consolidation in an effort to resolve their financial difficulties, but may not have been satisfied with the arrangements or the amount of time it was taking to pay off what they owed. For these individuals, debt settlement may provide a faster way to eliminate their debts for the least possible amount of money, wh

Debt Settlement – How Does It Compare? Debt settlement has quickly become one of the preferred methods of reducing credit card debt and starting a new financial future that is free of the vicious cycle that credit card debt problems create! Why has debt settlement become so popular lately? The benefits of a debt settlement program can probably best be illustrated by comparing it to the other options available to consumers caught in th

LCD Wall Mounts and Brackets: WeMountU Offers Versatile Product Range TV wall mounts are undergoing a revolutionary phase of technological improvements. High- end technology has enabled manufacturers to design products for common consumption. Smaller size high- definition TVs have now filled the market stores and anyone with a desire can now afford such luxuries with entertainment.LCD technology based smaller screen size TVs are very common among the customers aro

TV Wall Mount and Brackets Best Buy Online with WeMountU If you have recently purchased a high definition TV based on LCD, TFT, or plasma technology then you must have thought of enjoying viewing digital media experience of the 21st century in its complete sense. Gone are the days when the digital media like the TVs used to be put on a wooden platform or a metallic stand. Wall mounting is the current trend and consumers across the world are enjoying thi

Cantilever TV Wall Mounting: A Revolutionary Concept in Viewing Digital Media with More Comfort Cantilever technology has entered in to a new phase with the incoming of wall mounting feature of the popular digital media. Variable screen sizes of these new age digital media such as the high definition LCD, Plasma, and TFT screen TVs are increasingly becoming popular among the users across the globe. Wall mounting feature of these entertainment hubs has made them even more flexible and people

Large TV Mounts and Brackets: Innovative WeMountU Technology for Large Size Digital Media Size matters and it matters a lot when it comes to TV viewing. The more is the size of TV screen the more it is convenient to view and enjoy with complete comfort. Oncoming of large screen size TVs is mainly because of the introduction of high end technology based LCD, Plasma, and TFT TVs. large size TV wall mounts and large size TV wall brackets are required to place the big screen TVs on the w

TV Wall Mounts and Brackets: Achieving Compatibility with High Definition TVs We are living in an age of high definition wall mounting TVs as the entertainment hubs inside our homes. Things around us have high technological standards and user friendly set ups. Entertainment has undergone a sea change during past few years. We do not view things as we used to view them on televisions .The digital world has changed the whole concept of television viewing. We now have high def

Large Digital Photo Frame: Best Option for Public Display Digital display technology is achieving new echelons with the digital photo frames. Displaying pictures and videos on a screen that can be placed as a simple frame on the shelf or can be fixed on a wall is such a comfortable viewing concept that it is gaining acceptance across the world among millions of users. Display and clear viewing is somewhat proportional to the screen size. It makes an eq

Pictorea-Pro: an exclusive Range of Digital Photo Frames from UDiggit Digital photo frame is an advance technology device that facilitates you with displaying your family photographs, images, presentations, videos, and movies. UDiggit brings a huge range of such digital picture frames for you. The company also enjoys a leading role in this segment across the UK markets There is an exclusive range of digital photo frames offered by UDiggit for customers who are

Best Buy Digital Photo Frames from UDiggit: Go For Something Unique and Elegant A specialist knows what and when to deliver in best way. Exponentially growing technology based market is becoming digital in all aspects very fast .Digital display technology has now achieved a new hallmark with the introduction of huge range of digital photo frames by UDiggit, a market leader in the United Kingdom. As a manufacturer and a retailer both, UDiggit has attained a level of digital ph

Boardroom Digital Photo Frames: A Customized Digital Display Device for Corporate ‘Screen’ is the keyword for present day digital media that propagates and disseminates information by all means. Whether it is a presentation, a discussion, a meeting, or a boardroom deliberation screen comes in the central role. Digital photo frames are actually an advance form of a simple screen. In corporate world the boardroom digital frames are actually the large size display screens. This

Digital Photo Frames: An Innovative Corporate Gift and Sale Concept While passing through a digital age everything around us is getting digitized fast. Corporate sales include substantial component of digital media and other related appliances. Corporate gifts are increasingly becoming popular these days and digital media items are being considered as preferred gift items. Many of the corporate gifts look similar quite often. It is simply because the digital produ

Free Software for Sending Bulk SMS Messages With an ever increasing and exponentially growing penetration rate of mobile phone users in India, the SMS text messages are becoming an essential mode of inter-personal communication. Sending SMS messages to a limited number of users may be convenient but sending bulk SMS messages through mobile phone would be a hilarious task. Following the cardinal principle”necessity is the mother of invent

Why choose Kerala for your vacation? Vacation is a time to fly to an unseen place and see beautiful things and charge your battery so that you can work continuously until the next vacation. When this is a correct definition for vacation, then you must choose a place that relaxes your mind and relieves you from stress of daily mechanical life. I can say, Kerala is the best place for your next vacation. Everybody is an ardent lover

Fixy the source for quality door and window hardware & Festool power tools For over the past one hundred and fifty years, Slingers Ironmongers has been serving the public with high quality accessories and tools amongst other things. Today, they offer their services online at http://www.fixy.co.uk/ . With their site neatly organized and appealing to the eye, Fixy.co.uk has so many door related accessories you couldn't see enough of them. From Emergency Exits to Door