Tag: guided
Our latest mtb tour format just went through its first iteration. Nine peaks in six different mountains, ranging from 1800 to 2500m. We've designed the Carpathian Peaks tour format having in mind those bikers who are looking for a true mountain experience: ready to sweat on the uphills (and push or carry bike sessions) in order to be immersed in some exquisite views, to feel the satisfaction of reaching a few summits, and - of course - to savour the thrill of the descents. Tom is exactly this kind of…
It was scheduled to happen in June 2020, but a tiny virus had other plans for the entire planet Earth. More than one year later our Belgian guests finally arrived in Romania for the week-long Transylvanian Alps tour, adding the South East Carpathian Mountains to their impressive list of mountain biking destinations. The menu was, as always, complex: long and demanding climbs, push and carry-bike sessions, epic descents on "Bonanza trails". Zero bears encounters, but a few shepherd dogs (honestly a bigger threat for the unaccustomed traveller). Lots of loughs,…
We started to ride with Tom in September 2020. He brought then with him a newly bought capable XC hardtail and a basic set of skills, the kind most of us get while simply riding a bike while playing as kids, and later on commuting in the urban jungle. But, most importantly, the will to push the limits on the uphills, and plenty of interest in tackling trickier descents. A few walk-the-trails sessions in Păltiniș, but also Piatra Craiului, Bucegi and Poiana Brașov made him realise heavier tools are required…
Starting with the 2021 season we are offering to our guests a new tour concept: Going for the peaks. Be it for a one-day ride, a weekend tour, a full-week program or a comprehensive ten-days adventure, the aim is to get up every day on a peak in the South-Transylvania Carpathian Mountains, and then bike all the way down to a cold beer, a nice meal and a good sleep. After a few good years of exploratory rides we proudly present a list of about 10 carefully selected peaks that…
With our classic, week-long tours put on hold by the global COVID pandemic, the summer of 2021 was mainly about short, custom made tours. We had a bunch of mountain bikers eager to have a taste of what mtb in the mountains looks like. And a taste they had, realising that mountain biking is (much) more than biking. Physically, technically, mentally. But also a lot of fun, especially for those who accept that enjoyment comes also with plenty of perspiration. We are looking forward to see them up the mountains…
Ski touring is the winter version of mountain biking, they say. And surely there are a lot of similarities. Like you need to work your way up the hard way (those of you who are already objecting with the e-bike argument, please read our manifesto on the matter), for a descent that is significantly shorter. It actually is more difficult in ski touring, because the fun factor of any descent is very dependent on the quality of the snow (and in the more inclined and exposed areas a good snow…
We love mountains at least as much as we like biking. In our book mountain biking should be a lot about mountains: majestic forests, alpine pastures, rocky ridges, and the assorted mountain trails. But the pinnacle of any mountain landscape is the peak. Obviously, not every peak is bikeable. And “bikeable” is like beauty: it’s in the eye (mind, legs, arms) of the beholder. Some peaks can be climbed on a bike. Others require push-bike, sometimes carry-bike. The descents, also. These mtb experiences are not for everyone, but those who…
Autumn offers the most dramatic landscapes, and the October 2019 three days tour with Ofir was no different. If you add the white of the winter's first snow to the myriad of shades of falling trees you get the ingredients of a beautiful, majestic, but also quite eerie world. No better time to relive those days but during the 2020 Covid-19 epidemic - and lock-down. Here's a gallery of images that, in the present-day context, seem terrifyingly close to an end-of-the-world scenario. One thing's for sure: if the end of…
One of the great things about mountain biking is that, with every new ride, you become a different mountain biker. With each new trail you've ridden, with each day spent on bike, you get better at it. You trust more your balance, you hone your skills a little bit more. You look at the same trail a little bit different. You see new lines, new options on sections of trails you thought were't holding no more secrets. Sometimes you do it on your own, sometimes you do it with your…
Our second instalment of the Carpat MTB Enduro program happened in July 2019, featuring a couple from Sweden enjoying a longer family trip to Romania, and three German friends on their routine mountain biking trip abroad. A great week as always, in spite of some rather tricky weather, unusually wet for mid summer, and a few technical and logistical problems with one of the bikes. Nothing that can't be solved with the appropriate clothing and a good set of toolbox - plus equipment to spare. We biked up on Bucegi…
