MTB holidays/short breaks etc

[braddersm3]

A bit of free marketing advice really,if i could set up a poll i would but here's the question.
If arranging a group mtb or roadie break,what is most important to you all.
1 full catering,breakfast,evening meal,bike wash facilities,guided runs etc.
2 Just B&B,sort evening meal,beers out yourselves.
3 Self contained apartment/unit,left to own devices,cheap
4 Pod..cheap as chips.
5 Camping..cheap,damp,possibly miserable!

thanks for feedback in advance,hope will lead to new venture!

[Digga]

For me and they guys I've been away with over the last few years it is #1.

And you missed out van/trailer uplift. Critical for a good, fun mtb holiday IMHO.

[Rolls]

I think its rose cottage in cymmer near afan that has the perfect set-up..
2 bedrooms : 3 bunk beds that sleep 6. Self catering, near the trails, secure bike storage and cleaning area..
IMO, there is no need for more.. Oh - and its a 2 min walk to the pub for food after riding each day!

[Herman Toothrot]

Every year for the last 8 years or so a group varying between 15 and 26 blokes have organised an annual long weekend mountain biking interspersed by binge drinking to the extreme. We have it nailed to a T, everyone loves it.

1. Bunk house accommodation to sleep the group that year, must have kitchen and communal area to eat and drink.
2. Booze straight from the brewery it tastes so much better ( for 15 -20 people 3 X firkins ~220 pints)
3. Proper big beat box PA system style stereo with an aux in.
4. Fry up materials for each morning
5. One evening meal 1st night ( big pot of chilli for example) & cheese + rolls + chocolate bar for packed lunches.
6. Book a pub for 2nd evening meal.
7. Either researched suitable trail centre riding distance from bunkhouse or someone programs their garmin with a selection of routes before hand.

Ours this year is Abergavenny mid October can't wait :-)

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Tuesday 22 September 17:17

[C0ffin D0dger]

Herman Toothrot said:

interspersed by binge drinking to the extreme.

2. Booze straight from the brewery it tastes so much better ( for 15 -20 people 3 X firkins ~220 pints)

Does not compute as only 11 - 14.5 pints per head, that or you're a bunch of lightweights

[Herman Toothrot]

We do go to the pub too ;-)

In all seriousness if you are thinking of it as a business then you'd either have a high cost option and you guide but must be able to both be uber quick for the hardcore riders and patient as for the learners. Then a lower cost where you lend out garmins with routes programmed or provide gpx files for the garmin less.

Most people will want accommodation and food sorted and some booze especially if it's a group of lads only - everyone knows when free from the wife and out with buddies more is always drank than usual.

[braddersm3]

Thanks for the replies so far,seems to be a mixture of the first 3 options overall.The property I'm looking at is 10-15 mins from trail centre and i would be offering transport if deemed necessary.
Thinking of b & b in the main house (6 beds) and self catering in the 2 cottages (4 beds in each).Intersting stuff!

[paddy27]

We prefer options 2 or 3. We go to Spain for 2 with uplifts, Wales and the lakes we go option 3.

[Sargeant Orange]

Secure storage & close to a pub, nothing else matters to my mob

[Rolls]

this is the link for where we go...:

http://www.brynteghouse.com/rosecottage.html

[Digga]

C0ffin D0dger said:

Herman Toothrot said:

interspersed by binge drinking to the extreme.

2. Booze straight from the brewery it tastes so much better ( for 15 -20 people 3 X firkins ~220 pints)

Does not compute as only 11 - 14.5 pints per head, that or you're a bunch of lightweights

We did an mtb & BBQ for a mates birthday and got through a firkin between and embarrassingly small number of riders, but it was messy.

OP, do bear in mind that mtb groups tend to be blokes and also tend to like a good drink and post-ride banter, so whilst not necessarily badly behaved, will be a little noisy.

[missing the VR6]

From my group of MTB mates perspective, it needs to be near a curry house!

[Digga]

missing the VR6 said:

From my group of MTB mates perspective, it needs to be near a curry house!

Each to their own, but I can think of little less appealing than a day in the saddle with a 'ring of fire' and curry guts.

[richardxjr]

Rolls said:

this is the link for where we go...:

http://www.brynteghouse.com/rosecottage.html

thanks for that, off to Afan shortly so £30 in their B&B if they've got room, or £5 camping at the mtb centre if they haven't. For a group £250 for 6 in a s/c cottage for a 3 might weekend is great value.

Proximity to trails and a food pub is paramount, but happily go Indian if pub closed for food/ overbooked/ rubbish.

[Rolls]

Yeah - for the money it really is very good... : and literally across the bridge to the pub for dinner each day!
We do exactly as you say : 6 of us usually ride friday / sat, and sunday, and then come home sunday eve (wife clearance dependent of course...)

If there were to be another PH mtb meet, it would be very easy to book both places : they're literally round the corner from each other!

[P-Jay]

For a nice MTB holiday it's ideally 1 for me, but 3 is absolutely fine if there are nice restaurants / pubs in the area, I like Morzine for this as it's always easy to get some nice food and a drink after a day on the trails.

First and foremost through the quality and availability of decent trails trumps everything else, camping is out of the question for me, but I'll put up with almost any type of human accommodation if the trails are good, I don't mind a bit of a pedal up, but on Holiday I prefer to get on a lift, I don't mind a uplift bus, but it's not the same - especially I tend to go away in a big group of mixed levels of stupidity / skill and we break up into groups of similar speed and ride different stuff, not easy if you're all in a mini-bus, why oh why do they megadeath nutter crew have to always be the most vocal with the peer pressure.