Mountain bike trails

Mountain bike trails with friends in Guara: The fun of cycling in a group.

More and more groups of friends are heading to the Sierra y los Cañones de Guara Natural Park to go cycling together. For decades, it has been a common sight to see groups of road cyclists of varying sizes; but they are no longer the only ones forming ‘groupettes’. Thanks to the rise of electric bikes, you no longer need to be as fit as your ‘hardcore’ friends to enjoy one or more days of cycling together in the Sierra de Guara.

Preparar una salida en grupo

Organising a group ride, especially if it’s not your usual group, requires a bit more planning. First and foremost, you need to decide on the purpose of the ride: whether it’s going to be an intense training session, a leisurely ride with a group of friends who don’t usually cycle much, or whether you’re going to push yourself to the limit on every hill… All of this needs to be decided so that everyone can enjoy themselves to the full.

How many times have we found ourselves setting off on a ride, only to find ourselves 10 kilometres in, all on our own because the rest of the group are as fit as a fiddle? That’s why it’s important to set a clear goal for the ride, so that anyone joining in knows exactly what to expect. Once we’ve set the goal, the more experienced riders should choose a route that’s generally suited to the level of the least experienced rider. We don’t want to ‘trick’ a friend who, let’s say, isn’t very skilled and get them into a real mess. Bad for them and bad for the group.

Once you’ve chosen your objective and route, it’s essential to communicate all the details to the rest of the participants in the activity. If you’re coming to Guara, showing the routes won’t be a problem—just look at how many you have to choose from! https://bguara.com/rutas/

If someone doesn’t have a bike or isn’t as fit as the rest of the group, there are alternatives to ensure no one is left behind: from hiring an electric bike to booking a taxi so that anyone who falls behind can catch up with the group at the destination.

Extracurricular activities

When planning a cycling route, the most common additional activity is stopping for lunch, but there are many other options, whether sporting or cultural. After the bike ride, you could visit some wineries (staying hydrated is very important), an olive oil mill, the palaeontological museum, or go out to learn about prehistory, whether in Colungo or any of the caves with cave paintings.

Here are a few interesting suggestions for when you finish the route. It would be appreciated if you could have a shower before the additional activity. For your sake, and for everyone’s 😉

Cycling + a visit to a winery: you can book a guided tour and wine tasting at all these wineries: https://bguara.com/establecimientos/bodegas/

Cycling + gastronomy: are fried eggs with your bike parked on the pavement gastronomy? Well, I think so, but it won’t hurt to know which foods distinguish our region, so here are some great examples: https://bguara.com/establecimientos/restauracion/

Cycling + culture: If, after giving your body a good workout, you fancy feeding your mind, we’ve got museums to suit all tastes here too: https://guara.org/actividades/centros-museisticos/

And if you haven’t had your fill yet and fancy more sport, via ferrata, canyoning or rock climbing are all excellent options. I’d always recommend using our authorised active tourism operators, as you’ll have a much better time and discover the most interesting spots by letting them take the lead.

Before I wrap up this list of suggestions, here’s my list of the ten commandments for enjoying a group bike ride:

1. You shall love your bike above all else.

2. You won’t spend the whole day drafting behind others; you’ll let the wind hit you in the face every now and then.

3. Thou shalt not use the word beginning with ‘P’ in vain. I’ll say it quietly: “pinchazo”.

4. You shall make a point of stopping for coffee and snacks.

5. You shall observe the rule of riding in a tight group. No one stays, and no one gets carried away.

6. You shall not covet your friend’s bicycle.

7. Thou shalt not commit acts of sabotage. It’s not right to sabotage the good guy just to make him stop.

8. Thou shalt not bear false witness concerning thy cycling skills. We know each other…

9. You shall not beg for water just because you wanted to save yourself half a kilo on a jerrycan.

10. Enjoy your ride!