Why hire a mountain bike guide in Zona Zero?
Imagine arriving to a place were there are more than 1.000 kms of amazing mountain bike trails. All the trails have something to please all the biking tastes, rocky, fast, flowy, technical, forest…you name it we have it here. The views, the trails, the experience will have you wanting for more! If you want to have the best mountain biking experience in this paradise, getting the maximum out of a day… riding with a guide is a smart and fun decision.
A mountain bike guide can show you the best trails suited for your needs, your ride will be enchanted by the history of the trails and you will learn more about the local customs. As a bonus, you will see the best views and get all the tips about food and drinks!
Where to go?
Why should you hire me or any other guide? There is enough apps and physical maps that can tell you where to go. Why pay between 50 and 150 euro’s for a day of guiding? What are the benefits? These are all questions I come across on daily basis. I will give you 5 reasons why you could benefit from hiring a guide.
1. Where to start riding?
Zona Zero has about a 1000 km of enduro trails. Which are the best trails to ride? Where to start riding? I felt the same when I just moved to Ainsa, Spain at the end of 2017. I had a bunch of maps in my hand…and no clue where to start discovering first.
By now I have ridden quiet some Zona Zero trails and I know what kind of terrain and trails to expect when I explore new spots. Not every trail is useful for guiding, if you just have one or a few days time to explore Zona Zero. I connect all the best parts of different trails to one full day of mountain biking fun. A guide knows which trails are ok, which ones are good and which trail is unforgettable!
2. Which trail fits my ability?
I get guiding requests from people all over the world. To give you the right experience, I have to asses what your ability is via e-mail/phone and in the first hour of guiding. Not every trail is suited for every level of riding. It is my job to find the right trails that fit your level of fitness and skill. If necessary use a shuttle service. Again to give you an epic day on the bike.
Tomi loving the trails in Zona Zero.
3. Just enjoy the ride.
With a guide you don’t have to worry which trail to choose, because I tell you where to go. You just have to enjoy the epic riding of Zona Zero. You spent the maximum amount of time on your bike. You don’t have to plan ahead about which trail to ride. The guide already did that for you.
4. All the extras.
I am interested in the culture, in the history of Sobrarbe the area in which Zona Zero is located, and the amazing nature the foothills of the Spanish Pyrenees have to offer. I know where you can eat the best tapas, the best meat, where you can eat vegetarian (hard to find) I can tell you which beer to drink. A good mountain bike guide knows much more than just the mountain biking trails.
5. Making new friends.
Because guides meet so many people they can tell you which other places to go mountain biking. You become part of a the international biking community. For example I can refer you to friends in Peru, Scotland, Italy, France, Canada etc. You don’t only book a guiding day with one mountain bike guide. You invest in future mountain biking experiences.
Here you have it 5 tips why you should hire a guide and of course there is one last thing… If you are novice in (enduro) mountain biking or you want to improve your skills, a good guide is always happy to give you plenty of tips and tricks that help you become a better rider.
Mountain biking in Ainsa comes with the local culture.
Author: Jeroen Spoelstra
Pictures: Jeroen Spoelstra & Sanne Willemsen