French & Swiss Alps 2012

[patches]

3 Months until Peach and myself will be riding ski lifts.

 

time.can't.go.fast.enough

[DJR]

Can we start a fight about whether it is allowed to ride up all those lovely berms, please? The hub has been too quiet lately.

[patches]

Can we start a fight about whether it is allowed to ride up all those lovely berms, please? The hub has been too quiet lately.

 

haha! I think any fool willing to ride up those will punish himself sufficiently. No need for further abuse...

 

although... the question begs to be asked... will he have right of way

[Peach.]

So I have read up on brake pads on a few forums and this is what i have found out.

 

Organic - Better breaking, wear out faster, less brake fade as they dont get as hot, wear out extremely fast in wet weather.

 

Sintered - longer lasting, heat up breaking system more due to metal in pads, designed for cold climates.

 

Most guys recommend Organic for the Alps to keep the temp of the brakes down and not to cook your rotors.

 

so im thinking 3 sets Organic, 1 Sintered.

 

 

Whats your guys experience?

[Guest Omega Man]

Can we start a fight about whether it is allowed to ride up all those lovely berms, please? The hub has been too quiet lately.

 

Hahaha. If you get caught riding up a downhill track there the take your ski pass away. And that will ruin your day.

[patches]

Travel Insurance... check!

 

Silly me didn't buy the ticket with my credit card (used my cheque card savings) so I had to purchase travel insurance (R975 for R25 000 000 cover).

 

But I guess it beats being bankrupted by a swiss hospital.

[Guest Omega Man]

Travel Insurance... check!

 

Silly me didn't buy the ticket with my credit card (used my cheque card savings) so I had to purchase travel insurance (R975 for R25 000 000 cover).

 

But I guess it beats being bankrupted by a swiss hospital.

 

The cover from your credit card is a waste anyway. I checked and they don't cover so called "extreme" (god I hate that word) sports. So if you ended yourself on an Alp you'd end up paying anyway.

 

I bought insurance from Flight Centre that covers all leisure activities for R50 bar so that should work out. You MUST make sure that your insurance covers you properly. You DO NOT want to have to cough up in a swiss hospital after being airlifted off the mountain. We saw an ambulance at least once a day collecting a broken guy off the hill so people do get hurt. And I know for a fact the rescue copter costs 20000 euro. Just to come fetch you.

[Guest Omega Man]

So I have read up on brake pads on a few forums and this is what i have found out.

 

Organic - Better breaking, wear out faster, less brake fade as they dont get as hot, wear out extremely fast in wet weather.

 

Sintered - longer lasting, heat up breaking system more due to metal in pads, designed for cold climates.

 

Most guys recommend Organic for the Alps to keep the temp of the brakes down and not to cook your rotors.

 

so im thinking 3 sets Organic, 1 Sintered.

 

 

Whats your guys experience?

Um. ja that's fine. You want max braking power. Longevity is very much a secondary consideration. If it's raining you will go through brakes at a ridiculous rate. But hey. It's all part of the fun.

 

On the rain. I bought a rain jacket last week and rode in it in the driving rain. When i got back to the car i was soaking wet. With sweat. I guess it's a lose lose when it comes to riding in the rain.

 

I'm also not gonna bother with buying rain tires. If it does rain i'll buy there. The shops are expensive but they have range. I've never even seen a rain tire in a shop here.

[patches]

The cover from your credit card is a waste anyway. I checked and they don't cover so called "extreme" (god I hate that word) sports. So if you ended yourself on an Alp you'd end up paying anyway.

 

I bought insurance from Flight Centre that covers all leisure activities for R50 bar so that should work out. You MUST make sure that your insurance covers you properly. You DO NOT want to have to cough up in a swiss hospital after being airlifted off the mountain. We saw an ambulance at least once a day collecting a broken guy off the hill so people do get hurt. And I know for a fact the rescue copter costs 20000 euro. Just to come fetch you.

 

Yeah, I made sure to mention that I was there to mountainbike for leasure purposes, and double checked that any injuries resulting from that, would be covered,

[covie]

This in on my bucket list!

 

I'm just concerned over costs...and the time to save that amount of money!

 

Which areas are best or most popular?

'

 

Its cheaper than doing a flippen SA bike holiday, flight costs aside and those you can pickup cheap cheap if you book well in advance. Everything is supplied so dont need much extra cash unless you want to stay a couple of extra days, but Switzerland and France is not that entertaining "off the bike" I am going next year. 8 days 3 countries

[Guest Omega Man]

'

 

Its cheaper than doing a flippen SA bike holiday, flight costs aside and those you can pickup cheap cheap if you book well in advance. Everything is supplied so dont need much extra cash unless you want to stay a couple of extra days, but Switzerland and France is not that entertaining "off the bike" I am going next year. 8 days 3 countries

 

Nice one. How are you doing it? Are you basing yourself somewhere and going out from there or moving about? You also said everything is supplied. are you going the semi catered route?

 

I totally agree with you on it being cheap. If you stay away from the bars and restaurants it's cheaper than here. And accommodation was dirt cheap for us. (Summer is out of season for the Alps)

 

As for the "off the bike" stuff. Yeah. We are staying in Morzine. The poms call it Manzine. But hey. I have a hot wife already so it's all good.

 

My absolute dream trip would be to rent a motor home and follow the TDF for a week. Then trade in the motor home for a lift pass in the Portes Du Soleil for 2 weeks. With the wife. She is NOT keen.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Omega Man

[covie]

going two routes with two diff companies, eveyrthing is supplied excpet you pay for your booze,

 

Trip 1 is three days around chamonix mont blank, so you basically start off in swtizerland, (pickup from airport in geneva included) and then its a chilled 3 days of riding about 50km each day with around 1000-1500m of climbing depending on the day. Day 2 you hit france, day three through italy, and back to switzerland, The other 5 days is basically a tour exploring bike parks in the alps, one day at 5 diff parks.

[Guest Omega Man]

going two routes with two diff companies, eveyrthing is supplied excpet you pay for your booze,

 

Trip 1 is three days around chamonix mont blank, so you basically start off in swtizerland, (pickup from airport in geneva included) and then its a chilled 3 days of riding about 50km each day with around 1000-1500m of climbing depending on the day. Day 2 you hit france, day three through italy, and back to switzerland, The other 5 days is basically a tour exploring bike parks in the alps, one day at 5 diff parks.

 

Oh Awesome. We are thinking of doing a more All Mountain trip for 2013. Maybe basing ourselves at Tignes or Les Du Alp rather than Morzine. What company you using if you don't mind me asking?

[Guest Omega Man]

The other 5 days is basically a tour exploring bike parks in the alps, one day at 5 diff parks.

What parks?

[covie]

all the details at home will post tomorrow

[Guest Omega Man]

Morzine this morning.