I had some unfinished businesses in the south, one free weekend and decided to go back again. The weather was very unpredictable, lot of rain all over the country, but as I always say, any weekend away from Bucharest riding my bike is a great weekend.
With this in mind, I loaded my stuff and my battle horse in the car again and headed south. First day I rode the usual trails of Mehedinti Enduroand meet Pufi on the trails. He was on a shovel day as his bike was in service. After a couple of rides, Eugen Kable came and we took another two rides and then call it a day.
In the evening and the next day in the morning I got to explore more the city center of Drobeta Turnu Severin. Man, this city has some good to great concrete, just perfect for some street sessions. I had my roller blades with me but I was just too tired. I have to come back another time to explore more the streets of Turnu Severin.
Second day I headed of with Eugen to Bahna trails, you can look them up on trail forks. What a pleasant surprise! The trails here are so different, so diverse and these ones are just a MTB gem. Technical stuff with some insane view over Bahna village. You have to look up the trails on trail forks, you have a description there, but let me ensure you they are freaking awesome. There are 4 trails, 3 with some black sections and one more of a blue one but don’t underestimate her because she has some nice curves that will make you howl like a wolf šš. You can combine the trails in the area for a couple of days ride and you will have a great vacation. Have in mind that the access is by pushbike or pedal so don’t except any shortcuts… earn your turns!
This county is just awesome, has so much to offer in terms of enduro mountain biking, all mountain and trail riding. You just have to move your ass from the couch and explore. Any part of this beautiful country has its charms for sure, but I always come back and find joy, peace and thrill in this place in a strange mixtureā¦ And yes, people still wear opinci here (traditional sandals) and not for touristic purposesā¦ They are made from recycled rubber but they look the sameā¦ a few years back, I was at Isverna and saw an old lady wearing some authentic ones made from pig skinā¦ itās a free entrance museum of any kind, you just have to pay attention.
This time we got to ride some fresh dirt, or rocks right in the heart of Cernei Mountains. We did one of the gnarliest descents right from the top of peak Vlascu and all the way down to Cernei Valley. In the middle we ran into the trail we did a few years back, you can find it in this articleĀ Mehedinti FTW.
The trail is still in pretty good shape because people from the villages use it for commute.Ā You can find some cow shit along the path but itās ok, makes the ride all more natural :))).
When we reached our tents we were exhausted after 40km with over 1800m elevation and quite some pushbike.
Totally worth it and having the tents at the bottom of the descent was such a joy. We jumped right into the river to revive our bodies and we shared the cold beers to everyone.
This trip is one to be repeated, but next time we have to end it up in a hot spring in BÄile Herculane, thatās a wish yet not fulfilled for me :))) so stay tuned because itās gonna happen one of these days X).
Next day the forecast kicked in and we had some fresh rain right in the morning. We gathered our tents and stuff, made a fire and cooked some eggs and potatoes but not after checking out a fresh trail, an easier alternative to the Tesnei descent. Worth the pushbike and it was a great way to end up a beautiful post pandemic trip
What do you take on for the ride?! essential stuff or waste of weight?!
Last year I helped writing an article about adventure bike packing and the things we should carry on a bike ride, depending on the type, place and length of the ride you are about to take.
The thing is that you have to be dynamic in everything you do, in how you ride, what decisions you make, and change your track if necessary and also in what you take with you on the ride. Yes, is good to have everything with you and don’t miss a thing when you camp but maybe you will not enjoy the trail that much with a 10kg backpack on you or with lots of stuff hanging from the bike. I for one don’t want to sacrifice the descent as much as possible, I like to enjoy every bit of it and ride it in almost normal conditions not being forced to take it to slowly because of the stuff I carry. That’s why I try not to take unnecessary things with me and I am very pleased when everything in my backpack (except first aid kit) is used and I did not carry anything useless with me :).
To help organize your backpack, you can use this website I find very simple and practical: lighterpack.com
With this in mind, I would split the bike luggage in 3 groups: super light, light and bike packing.
“Super light” luggage – for half-day or maximum 1-day ride
These are fun rides, for training in the bike park or on enduro trails. These are rides on routes that you already know and where no significant surprises can occur. These are rides in which you can leave later in the day and which you can finish without worries over a beer in the evening. In such rides the luggage is super minimal and many of the objects, such as tools, it is recommended not to be taken in duplicates. For example, a pump is enough for everyone or a single multi tool. The recommendation is also valid for the other two types of luggage.
In a “Super light” ride it is enough to have the things below. Luggage should not exceed 1-1.5 kg.
Helmet
Snacks (2-3 energy bars / chocolate, a sandwich, possibly 1 energy gel)
Spare tire tube, self-adhesive patches, levers, pump, multi tool (except for the tube, the others are enough to be in one for the entire group, spread to other friends in the brat pack :)))
Water bottle – with water š
Hip bag (optional), in which you carry tools and snacks
Knee pads (elbow pads are optional or depending on your experience)
2. “Light” luggage – for tours of 1 day or maximum 2.
The 1-2 days tours can be characterized as “short adventures”, in search of beautiful alpine trails. These are rides in which we do some exploration with an average level of “surprises”. It is not excluded to reach unknown areas from which we must get out safely. However, it is important to mention that having this luggage with you, rides should not exceed two days.
For safety we will have several items with us, such as a headlamp, first aid kit or change / sleeping clothes. If the ride involves sleeping in a shelter or a mountain refuge, we must also have a “light” sleeping bag. If we stay at a cottage, there is no need.
For such a ride, a backpack of 20-25 L is needed, and the weight should not exceed 3 kg (excluding the weight of the backpack). It is also important to say that the weight of the luggage is directly proportional to the accommodation comfort. The larger the luggage, the greater the comfort. I always sacrifice a little of the comfort side of the ride to have a lighter and more balanced luggage, to feel freer on the bike.
Helmet
Snacks – double the quantity from the “super light” luggage or keep the same number of energy bars if you can refuel on the route
The same tools (it is recommended to be fixed on the bike and not carried in the backpack)
Rain jacket
First aid kit
Sun lotion
Photo / video camera (or phone only)
Headlamp
1 liter of water (possibly with hydration powder if you know it helps)
3. “Bike packing” luggage – for rides that take more than 2 days
This baggage can be more complicated and certainly heavier, but it should not be discouraging. It depends a lot on how you evaluate yourself – whether you feel colder or not, whether you eat a lot or not, etc. And that’s because you don’t want to take with you things you won’t use, excluding tools, or first aid kits. During the multi-day tours, surprises can appear on the route, from bad weather to dead ends on the route and you have to make a U-turn or get stuck there. These are reasons why luggage gets bigger, with more food, spare clothes and extra equipment. The luggage must contain food for two meals (evening and morning) as well as snacks during the day, if you know that the route does not go near “civilization”. If you go down to the cottage or a mountain hut in the evening, you can lose food because you will eat there. But if the route is only on top, on ridges, then the self-assessment we were talking about matters a lot. As for the food, in the evening you can be satisfied with “gas station” type sandwiches that withstand a day of heat or you can add comfort if you have small burner and some quick cooking food. But keep in mind that luggage can be shared between members of the ride. The burner can be stored in someone’s backpack, the gas container can be carried by someone else, and the dishes can be carried by the third riding buddy.
Also, if there is an epic trip and you are going to wild camp, you should have more specific equipment like bivouac bag (in addition to sleeping bag), air mattress or tarp under which 3 people can sleep. The survival foil is very effective, put under the mattress, and does not weigh much. In addition, it is very useful in case of an accident. For a warm sleep don’t forget that the surviving foil must be put with the silver part towards your body.
Helmet
Knee pads (optional)
Food for two days – it is preferable for the route to pass through areas with villages, cottages from where you can resupply. Otherwise the luggage is a bit bigger
Tea or coffee – for relaxation in the evening and in the morning when you look at the mountain tops š
Tools (to be shared between members, taking care that the spare space remains in everyone’s backpack)
First aid kit
Sun lotion
Photo / video camera (or phone only)
External battery – for phone, video camera, GPS
GPS or cycling computer (preferably with navigation included)
Headlamp
Small burner (primus – 110-200g) and gas supply (capacity 100 g or more, 230 g if there are several riders in the lap)
Drinking cup for each rider
Spork (spoon, fork and knife integrated into a single object)
Lighter / flint (if you want a campfire or for the burner)
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Wet wipes for intimate care
Sleeping bag, bivouac bag, mattress
Change clothes, for wet or cold weather – it’s up to you how you can stand the cold
1-2 L of water – depends on whether you still find on the route for resupply (springs, cottages, villages)
Tent or tarp. The components of the tent (tent, tarp, sticks, nails) can be divided between ride members. There are also self-supporting tents. They no longer need the inner tent or nails because the upper tent is supporting itself using only the sticks.
Backpack 25-30 L.
You can check the representation of the bike packing luggage on lighterpack here.
This one is from far back, I think 2 years back. An awesome trip near Sopot and Botev peak, in central Balkans, all thanks to our friends from Old Mountain Epic. It was the most hard core ride I have taken so far, an all day out trip! Our neighbors’ country is beautiful and we have to explore it more. A beautiful ride with a beautiful crew. You can find out more content about this trip in this article we wrote in the past: Old Mountain Epic trip in Veliko Tarnovo and Sopot, or more about Veliko Tarnovo and Old Mountain Epic in the article about our Halloween ride š VELIKO TARNOVO HALLOWEEN BIKERIDE PARTY
Last year in August, CiucaČ Enduro was revived in a new, not so competitive but pretty awesome form.
It was a friendly enduro contest, something more like a gathering, in which riders treated the so called contest as they wished. Some of them really battled but most of the riders present were only there to ride the trails with their friends and to somehow have a taste of how an enduro contest is held.
Itās a good thing because people get to see how an enduro mtb contest is like but have way more fun. Not everybody is prepared for racing enduro and this way you get a casual intro into riding enduro.
Besides this, you get some cleaned trails, music, food, great beer and lots of fun with your mates or get to know new people from the community.
Hope the contest will be held next year too, because we really enjoyed it and had a great time riding and having fun.
Thanks to all volunteers and organizers for making it possible. Cheers mates! šµāāšš»
Ok, so the season had to end with some quality bikepacking trip and all had gone down thanks to NevAcademy and their great bikes.
We wanted to go back to Cindrel mountains because last time we came here we had 48h of rainwhich made us cut short the track we wanted to do. This time, thanks to Adrian and his electric bikes, we managed to do the track in a record time and we had some great fun going uphill, not only downhill.
Let me tell you, itās something else with the electric bike, a totally different kind of ride, you have loads of fun going uphill, you cover a lot more ground, and you workout quite the same. As I see it so far, if you live next to a mountain, donāt hesitate to buy an electric bike, itās exactly what you need. The electric bike will not replace your old trusty non-electric bike but it will complete āthe rideā, trust me.
As we live in Bucharest, and have to go 2h minimum by car to reach any mountain, the electric bike is not yet an option but we shall talk in a few yearsā¦
Ok, so our trip was already planned from last year, we knew the track we wanted to do and where we wanted to sleep.
We wanted to reach Cindrel peak, then Frumoasa peak, descent on the rocky road down to the road that takes you to Gura RĆ¢ului and then go up to Cindrel mountain refuge. Only that, on the way up we stumbled upon a nice hut belonging to the forester in the area, and it had a room opened. It looked too good to be true and we decided to spend the night there. It was so warm and cozy that we didnāt even inflate our mattressesā¦ It was the best sleep I had in a while āŗ
Next day we did some inventory on our equipment (watch the movie below), and then up on the bikes and up the mountain, back to the ridge of Cindrel mountains. We passed Cindrel refuge and then did some electric push bike until we reached the ridge. From there we descended to Canaia refuge on the other side of the ridge and then back to PÄltiniČ on an awesome trail that goes from BÄtrĆ¢na Cole. Man it was fun, so fun that we were howling like wolves on the descend š¤š¤.
This weekend made me reconsider the possibility of owning an electric bike in the future and opened up some new ideas of rides in the future, some hybrid ones, just you wait š.
Thanks Adrian and NevAcademy for the ride, we had a great time and can’t wait to ride together again.
Until then, we leave you with the material below to take your own conclusions. Ride safe!
Yep, another superb one in MehedinČi county š, this time 3 new trails and some fun riding on the old ones.
We canāt get enough of this place, it has something different to it, something like aā¦ wonderland š and our buddies here are just cool to ride and hang out with, so no wonder we always come back here with great pleasure. And I have a feeling that it is not the last stop here for this year š š¤.
So, this time we did Domogled descent with Feregari descent, and afterwards we went to Tasnei valley and did some hardcore riding, and when I say hardcore, I really mean it. That trail made you look very hard for the word flow in it ā¦ But it worked out ok šŖš¤.
After this totally hardcore Saturday, we did the MehedinČi Enduro trails on Sunday, but with a surprising one, the old but new Priest trail which is pretty awesome let me say :D, just check out the video bellow.
Here you can find the videos and some pics from that great weekend. Aaaa, and don’t let me forget, Thanks Jan and Alex for the great pictures and for the great riding, it was a pleasure riding with you and follow you on the trail šš».
Another epic one in Bucegi Mountains, Omu peak ā ČigÄneČti ā Clincea ā Bran descent.
This one was pure gold! Glad I listened to Petre Paraschiv on this one because it was so epic. Itās been a while since Iāve been to Omu peak in Bucegi mountains, classic route, pretty crowdedā¦. thatās why I donāt look so eager to go there. The scenery is just breathtaking but I kind of like less crowded trails.
But the descent was just so good and met up just 2 groups of hikers.
The weather was almost perfect, at Omu peak it was looking like itās about to snow, we had our hands and feet cold as ice, and pretty hard to brake in these conditionsā¦ But after we passed Scara peak, the temperature was better. And thatās where the fun part begun!
A trail with lots of flow, but also some steep technical parts that challenged us.
Be careful because you have some carry bike to do, and some chains in sight, almost like via ferrata :P. But after that part, that is also very amazing, the fun part begins.
Check out the track HERE, and the video also. On youtube channel if you look it up you will find the extended version of the video ;). Enjoy and ride safe!
5th national cup race, second time at Harghita Enduro, and it was uberfine!
All things lined up for a perfect weekend, the crew, the accommodation, the weather, the weekend (with world cup dh finals in line) just perfect. We had lots of fun hanging out together, catching up with the boys from other areas of the country and just riding perfect trails.
At these events itās not all about the racing. Maybe for the top places it is but for middle riders itās more about hanging together and about the atmosphere that creates around the event.
Last year it rained like crazy and this year it was dry like desert. Totally different conditions and the trails are too. In dry conditions I think you really get to see the harder part of Harghita trails. When trying to ride them fast, they really bite you š
There are 3 different trails here, one harder than the other, the last PS being the dh course with a hard-steep part at the top and a flow line at the bottom.
All specials decents around 300m elevation and have almost 2km in length. The transfer is on a fire road that is used for reaching all PS starts. For exact map of the contest trails, check out trailforks here ;).
There are a lot of options for accommodation in the area all with great stuff, clean spaces and good food. This year we stayed at Vitus Pension with more of a mountain hut feel, and all we can say is that the food was just GREAT! Sugo pension, where the race office was, is a great option to ;).
Madaras peak is near, around 30min hike, and is a great peak to reach because of the view and the unique appearance.
Year of firsts ;), Semenic Enduro. I think all riders that didnāt know the area, were very surprised of Semenic trails, we for sure were. Man, the dirt, the rocks, the linesā¦ just sick!
This one is not to be missed next year, you must trust us on this. Or better, check out the clip above and the pics bellow and we are sure it will be enough š¤£š¤.
The trails are technical, with rocks and different lines, loam and dirt. All of these make it quite difficult and challenging to ride at a higher speed. Donāt get us wrong, they have a lot of flow, but you have to pay attention and work a bit to get back from the trails safe ;).
One second of distraction and you will pay for it :)). The stages are demanding and long and you will feel it, for sure on ps2. When you think you finished it, bam! the hard part begins :D.
The top of the mountain has some different feel to it, the view, the abandoned mountain hotels make it that way. We enjoy riding here a lot, and being so close to Resita, makes this place a destination to visit even beside the contest ;).
And it happened. The contest was way earlier than this article š¤£š It was the second stage of the Romanian National Enduro Cup 2019, back in June, organized with the help of the crew from Bike Attack Resita that took the whole cup under their wing.
They picked up in each location a local organizer and here at Ciocanu MTB Trails they found us and Geo Simion,Ā the godfather behind the trails here! It was a bit of a struggle to understand all that it involved, but looking back, it aināt such a hard job. You need some planning, a week off from work and a good welded crew to help out. The trails did gain some customization for the contest but otherwise they were the same good old trusty trails that Geo built ;).
We had a bit of bad luck with the weather, I think it was the only contest that received some rain. The bottom part of the trails was full of mud, but what can you do about it?
The feedback was great, I think it was the first contest to reach 150 riders, full number of chips that we had for the contest.
The local people from Bughea de Jos were for sure impressed by the event and the number of riders that came in the area.
Next year we will make it bigger, better and maybe with less pedal sections š¤£š public demand š¤.
So, for some more exact information about Ciocanu enduro, it has 4 special stages and a transfer segment that will be used to reach the starting area of āāeach route. Each special stage will have between 2 and 3 km and an elevation of about 300m.
First one is a speedway, low difficulty, for the riders to enter their paces and prepare for the next 3.
Second one, technical route, with many rhythm breaks and spectacular ramps. There will be exposed areas, with wide openings near the path.
Third one, similar to route 2 as difficulty, but the positioning is in a wooded area, especially beautiful, welcoming for tourists and spectators.
Forth one, it has common parts with route 2, which alternates fast and technical areas with lighter points, this is the latest route built in the area.
The main characteristic of the routes is their fluidity, making them accessible for any level of preparation. āBE FAST OR BE LAST!ā
Also, check out the trail forks maps for the contest here. Ā This year, all contests have maps like this. Itās a smart thing because this way, you shoot two rabbits with one fire, the contest and putting Romania on Trail forks with some great trails ;).
We also had a donation box, where riders could donate used equipment to be given to the local kids in the area. I think next year we will put more thought into this idea :).
This year will be a year of firsts. First Mehedinti Enduro, first Ciocanu Enduro, first Semenic Enduro, first Ebike enduro contest and the list will go on.
The whole Romanian cup is looking pretty good and it’s all thanks to this people, Bike Attack Resita and the ones that they engaged in their youthful ambitions :D.
In this short movie you can see a glimpse of MehedinČi Enduro and whatās to come. Things are happening, good things.
MehedinČi is an area that deserves much more attention. If you pay some attention to this county you will find a place of tales not long forgotten and you will ride trails that tell storiesā¦
For us is one of those magic places that we want to visit each year, a peaceful and friendly place. Good memories were built here and that made our bond with this place strong :).
Okay, now back to some more accurate information :D.
The contest was awesome, and all thanks to Alexandu Pufan and the guys from Bike Attack Resita! Cheers mates for making it happen, not just Mehedinti but the hole cup!
The 5 special stages from the first edition of Mehedinti Enduro are located on the Topolnite Valley, a very varied area from a geographical point of view, this aspect making each route quite different from the others.
The first route is the rockiest and longest (and also the hardest to reach, with a transfer of almost 7km), with several exposed and loose areas. Completely natural, this is in fact an old tourist trail brought to life on the occasion of the event.
On the other hand, the second special stage will be the shortest, but especially interesting. It will pass through the ruins of a fortress and descend along a natural roller coaster, and at the end a rocky and open area will be crossed.
The next two routes have the same starting point, being built from scratch over the last 3 years. Much easier from a technical point of view, they will probably be to the liking of bike parkers. Thus, the route no. 3 will test the skills of riders with several tens of berms, while the next one will show us who is best in the air, here being built the biggest gaps in the entire competition.
The last route, completed this month, is actually a combination of everything you have encountered so far. The technical areas alternate with the flow areas, including particularly tight switchbacks, straight portions of speed, drops and gaps, on unpredictable terrain.
The total distance to be traveled is somewhere at 28km, of which 8 are downhill, along the special stages :D. That sounds like fun right! For exact map of the contest trails, check out trail forks here :D.With this new format cup, Romania will appear on the map with some awesome trails ;).
This be said, make sure you don’t miss it next year because it will be better :D.
Ok, so we haven’t posted for ages, that’s true, but we hope to make a recovery this fall.
Somehow, the plans didn’t go exactly as we wanted and we sacrificed the writing for riding and working :P, but we have a lots of stories to tell and a lot more going on. Mainly we wanted to make an article about each stage of Romanian Enduro Cup, that was just sick as so far. This weekend is Harghita Enduro, you can read more here, and then final stop, Metal Enduro Resita.
Ok, that’s it for now with apologies, let’s say something more meaningful. This weekend we went to a short trip to Valcan mountains (Straja resort on trailforks) and Parang mountains, 2 places that we have never ridden on.
Man, it was a good choice because we found out some serious trails here.
At Straja, we knew the terrain from last year, from Straja Enduro, but we have only been there as photographers. This year we got to ride the place. Still sorry we didn’t manage to reach the contest but next year for sure we will not miss it.
Straja has mainly 4 trails, 2 at the top of the mountains, a bit more alpine and you can reach them with a chairlift or by peddling out, and 2 long descents at the bottom where you have a gondola to help you out. The gondola and the chairlift do not always work so is good to check it out before you head there.
There is also shuttle service but it has a minimum number of riders that gets it started, at least 5 so check this out too.
The 2 main trails, the ones that run both sides of the gondola, Lupilor and Baloo by their names are just sick! you really feel that you are alive when you ride them. Your arms to :))))
For accommodation if you enjoy a basic mountain hut with cozy beds, shower, a great view and oh yeah, a great host, please check Allma Pension ;).
After a fuzzy evening with the fellas, next morning we headed out to ParĆ¢ng mountains after a quick breakfast at a Medieval restaurant in the center of PetroČani (P.S. very good omelet there :D)
In ParĆ¢ng we took the chairlift up. Itās an old chairlift with no support for bikes. Itās something improvised so please take care of your bikes. Check out the way they put them on the chairs and put some protections for the frame, just below the saddle because they will hang out by the saddle. We used our knee pads for this :).
From where the chairlift lets you off, we headed for ParĆ¢ngul Mare peak. Itās only pushbike from here, or, if your name is Ludo May, you might be able to ride it outā¦ not us.
After 3 hours of pushbike, carrying or hiking it, we gave up and headed back. It was a bit late, so we decided to head back early. It was a bummer but the descent from CĆ¢rja peak was awesome. Steep, rough, loose technical, a real jam :D.
Form where the chairlifts let us, we rode fox trail, that takes you back to the base of the chairlift, you can find it on trailforks.
Man, thatās a very nice trail, with a lot of flow! it is a bit obscured in the middle or at the end but itās ok, just ask the locals for directions.
Overall, it was a nice weekend, really funny with quality riding. Check the videos and photos bellow to convince yourself :D. Ride safe!
This year is the first edition of Mehedinti enduro, courtesy of Alexandru Pufan aka The Pufalot who has worked his ass off for us to have an awesome contest on the 12th of May here in TopolniČei Valley, MehedinČi county.
Yep, this guy has shaped some awesome trails here and took the time to show us around. It is the second time coming here and we had the same feeling, being amazed of what this place has to offer.
The contest itself has around 27.5 km with and elevation of 1350m and 5 downhill stages varying between 1 and 2 km long. Here’s a description of them made by The Pufalot, on which we agree š.
The 5 specials from Enduroās first MehedinČi edition are located on the TopolniČa Valley, a diverse area geographically, making the trails quite different from each other.
The first trail, La Muerte Peluda, is the rockiest and the longest (and the most difficult to reach, with a transfer of nearly 7km), with several exposed and inadequate areas. Completely natural, this is in fact an old touristic trail brought back to life with the occasion of the contest.
On the other hand, the second special PS2, Imagination land, will be the shortest but most interesting. It will pass through the ruins of a fortress and will descend along a natural carousel, so that in the end it will pass through a rocky and open area.
The following two, PS3 and PS4 have the same starting point, being constructed from scratch over the past 3 years. Much easier from a technical point of view, they will probably please those who prefer more of a bike park type of trail with lots of berms and jumps.
PS3, Stevie Nicks will actually be a berm skill test for the riders, having a dozen of berms, while the next one, PS4, Blame Canada, will show us who is best in the air, building the biggest gap in the competition. And yes, this guy’s a South Park die hard fan š¤£š¤.
The last trail, Taming Strange, completed this month, is actually a combination of everything we’ve ever met. Technical areas alternate with flow paths, including very tight switchbacks, straight-forward portions, drops and gaps, on unforeseeable terrain š³.
Hope these words made you an image of what to expect, and if not check up this edit that we made from our first day of riding here.
Second day we took a short trip to Herculane baths to check up some sick exposed trails that we will be uploading soon on youtube. Besides this we will upload all 5 contest trails in the next days so stay tuned on VRR youtube channel š¤.
Yes, it was a sick weekend and all we have to say is that we can hardly wait for the contest and to come back here to check out more trails. For sure in autumn we plan another trip here, there are so much more trails to be ridden.
This guy is actually shaping the south of this country! Cheers mate! š»
P.S.: Remember 12 mai 2019 – Valea Topolnitei.Ā Photo credits: Alexandru Pufan.
You can also check out this article about Mehedinti county: MEHEDINTI FTW
This video is from a few months back when we did an awesome descent in Iezer-Papusa mountains, probably the coolest there is there. There are lots of trails but this one is the best here and its very long, over 10km and over 1000m of descent :D. For more info about this trail or other trails in Iezer-Papusa mountains, also check out this:Iezer-Papusa Enduro Singletrack or this Enduro bikepacking in Iezer-Papusa:D. Enjoy the video and ride safe! Link to track here!
This year we swapped the EuroBikeTrip for an EnduroBikeTrip and the destination to conquer was Finale Ligure, Italy.
Known for its white sand beaches and its views, but more important for its infinite trail possibilities, Finale Ligure is located near the Rock of Caprazoppa, a steep limestone mountain on the southwest, and much of the town extends up hill slopes.
We find out about Finale from EWS, the enduro world series and after some quick search and some quality content that is out there, it wasn’t too hard to chose this year Eurobiketrip destination :D.
Itās flat out mtb trails are starting way up high in the mountains above Finale Ligure at around 1200m elevation and descending all the way down to the Ligurian Sea.
There are endless possibilities to descent (over exaggerating here but you wont be dissapointed), and the terrain is changing with the same speed that you are descending with :D.
In the upper part of the trails, where the shuttle lets you off, you have more grippy trails, with lots of berms and a bit more handmade work put into them. There you have the best of flow and you can carry speed on each corner. As you go down the terrain changes and also the vegetation so you have more rocky terrain, with sharper and more loose ground, a bit more natural and technical.
In less words, you have it all, maybe not much mud but who wants that :))).
And also you get lots of sun in this period so I wont call it the best period for riding those trails but if you want to combine a nice sea and beach vacation with a bit of awesome trail riding, this is the perfect location and time. If you only are interested in riding, you can go there in the off season, it will be cooler and you can do some nice climbs if you want.
We tried first 2 days to do the trails on our own power but the heath killed us so starting with day 3 we took some shuttles up the mountain. We did around 4-5 different trails per day and only in last day we repeat some of the trails we liked most.
We stayed there 6 days and spend another 2 on the road. We traveld by car, a group of four people from Romania to Finale Ligure and back. Its over 4000km trip and a bit hard to do it in one piece without an intermediate stop. Next time if we go back there by car I think we will make a stop in Sloveia to visit some bike trails there.
We initially wanted to go also to Sospel, France, which is 1.5h drive from Finale, and is another trail and enduro bike paradise but after we’ve seen what it’s in Finale, we decided too remain here and ride more trails, and do another dedicated trip to Sospel in the future.
So, the best trails we ridden in the exact order of awesomeness will be:
Extasy & Isallo extasy;
Iginerere;
Toboga trail;
Rollercoaster;
Maria della guardia;
DH men;
Crestino;
Sentiero H;
Nato base;
the others š
In terms of expenses, we could say that we spend around 500-550 EUR/person from witch we can detail the following:
600 EUR for gas and car insurance;
535 EUR for accommodation thru AIR BNB in Finale;
150 EUR road taxes;
500 EUR food and bavarage;
120 EUR shuttle services;
80 EUR our insurances.
In terms of riding, we probably ridden around 200 km of trails :D, but that is not even half of the amount of trail you will find there, so if you have second thoughts, we hope this argument killed them :))).
So much for the details and talk, we leave you bellow some evidences, video and photos so you could convince yourself. We will definitely go back there some day! For tracks and trails, just look up Trail forks by region Finale Ligure and you will find everything you need. For shuttle, just ask around Finale, there are lots of shuttle services all having the same prices ;).
Vertical Riding Romania 