The majority of us ride within our capabilities almost all of the time, riding in hot weather conditions and on different terrain sometimes requires a new set of bike handling skills and a little more thought and preparation about your route.

Since moving to Montecorto in the Malaga province of Andalucia Southern Spain, I have spent a lot of time riding in warm and dry conditions, on gravel, sand, loose rocks, large boulders and shale, having said that I’ve also ridden in the pouring rain too. The tracks and trails are in isolated areas, at medium to high altitude (1200 – 4500 ft). By isolated I mean that I rarely see other bikers, hikers or, come to think about it, anyone else. So as I said earlier you must be prepared for anything and everything including having an accident and knowing how to patch yourself up and the quickest/safest way of getting yourself off the mountainside.

Prepare yourself. Unfortunately you can’t buy the energy for your mountain bike trip over the net! You should have a good level of fitness for your trip, so get on your bike as often as you can in the months before your mountain bike adventure, the more you do beforehand the more you’ll enjoy the riding once you’re here. Also before you come get use to drinking water and lots of it, you should be drinking the standard 8 glasses of water per day before you come.

Keeping hydrated, means drinking plenty of water, if you feel thirsty you have already started to dehydrate - I would recommend 500ml of water per 20 minutes of riding for the first hour and then the same every half out after that. Obviously, the time of year would have an impact on the amount of water you require, during the winter on an easy, low level ride you may drink less than this, during the summer months it can be double. I strongly recommend the use of a 3L camelback especially during the summer, with a spare on the bike. Again it’s all about being prepared for all eventualities. Most villages and towns have a natural spring or potable water available, so it’s worth planning into your route a few village stops.

Food is the fuel of the mountain bike rider. Eat a hearty breakfast, mainly carbohydrates, cereals, toast, eggs and fruit for example. Eat regularly during the ride too, it is not advisable to deplete energy reserves so always have some of your favourite snacks in the camelback. Fruit and muesli bars are best, chocolate is a no no during the summer months (sticky mess), you can stock up in Bars and Cafes in the villages en route, however, always over estimate what you’ll need as it’s best to have too much than not enough.

Warm up before you leave and spin in a low gear for about 5-10 minutes when you start riding. This is equally important at the end of the ride too, especially if you’re planning several days of back to back riding, so whilst you’re at the bar ordering that well earned post ride Cruzcampo…. do a few stretches.

First-aid. Have a basic knowledge of first aid so that you can patch yourself and others up, for example dealing with serious grazes and cuts.

Prepare your bike. Have your bike serviced before you come and a bit of bike maintenance knowledge would get you out of a few tricky situations should they arise. Set-up and maintenance is much the same the world over, however, it’s worth paying attention to the following:-

1) Hubs, headsets, steering and bottom bracket bearings all need regular checking. With a lot of fast descents and rocky ground it is worth a quick adjustment before any loose bits get worse.

2) Chain. In these dry, dusty conditions check your chain every 2-3 rides. I find it’s best to clean it, re-apply a fine oil and then remove any excess lubricant, as this acts as a magnet to any dirt.

3) Tyres, the knobblier and wider the better. Run your tyres at a lower pressure as this gives more traction when climbing on the loose stuff and also on rocky descents. Carry, as a minimum, 2 spare tubes. There are plenty of spiky plants in the campo, especially prominent in the summer months, with big nasty thorns like you’ve never seen. If you do have a puncture check inside surface of tyre thoroughly, for more thorns, before fitting new tube

In the wet months the soil in Andalucia, turns into thick clay and sticks to everything, quite often the bike becomes unridable due to the clay clogging up the brakes, gears and rear mech. It’s well worth having a spare rear mech hanger in your pocket just in case this snaps!! It may just save you a long walk.

Helmet and gloves. As always should be worn, long fingered gloves are still worth wearing in the summer, to prevent some rather painful thorn injuries.

Clothing. At altitude the weather and temperature can change very quickly, therefore for comfort and protection from the sun and cold I would recommend the following:-

Wear thin layers, 2 or more, especially on upper body for better temperature regulation and increased insulation.

A cotton scarf to protect the back of your neck from the sun and if you are prone to sunburn a long sleeved top will offer further protection for your arms.

Sunglasses

High factor sun-cream and after sun.

First-aid kit. A small well-packed first aid kit, including the following; bandages, gauze pads, safety pins, plasters, antiseptic cream, scissors and a couple of slings fits nicely into the camelback.

When planning routes get hold of a map first, I use the 1:25,000 topographical maps published by the Centro Nacional De Informacion Geografica (CNIG). They are about the best there is and show most vehicle tracks, forestry access roads and some single track/footpaths. Not all trails are shown on these maps and some that are, no longer exist.

If possible, let somebody know where you are going, roughly how long it will take and again if possible call them at a convenient point e.g. a village to update them of your progress. Then should you not return on time or are substantially late your point of contact (route manager) can call the emergency services and let them know your last known position. This could, if you have had a serious accident help finding you a lot easier. For this reason alone I always carry a whistle to help people locate my exact position in isolated mountainous countryside should the need arise.

Alternatively, contact a local mountain bike company, of which there are many in Spain and go riding with a guide who knows the area and can take you to all the best tracks and trails.

Terrain and time of year -Taking into account the distance, terrain, altitude, gradients and vegetation you can plan a suitable route for the time of year.

Mid-summer. Early morning riding is advisable as the heat tends to stay in the day until sunset. Look for shaded trails, low gradients and not too much climbing. Take plenty of water and schedule in some pit stops to refill.

Mid-winter. This time of year the daily temperatures are between 15-20 degrees C and great for riding in, however, this can change all too quickly in mountainous terrain so carry extra layers. When climbing you are generating a lot of body heat, but coming down the mountain side at 40Kph+ the wind chill factor can make you feel very cold very quickly especially if you have worked up a sweat on the climb.

All the usual hazards such as ditches, gullies and loose gravel/rocks are in abundance and accidents occur when we are unfamiliar with the route and conditions, over confident in our ability or meet with an unexpected obstacle in our path. Good bike handling skills can prevent or help get you out of a sticky moment, however, when riding unfamiliar tracks, tricky technical sections or steep descents always be prepared for the unexpected.

Dogs. Don’t let them put you off biking or walking in Spain. In my experience they are all bark and no bite! Thank goodness. Most of the dogs are attached, literally by chain, to a property so even if they try to chase, its only for a few metres……still gets the heart racing though. If a dog does approach, stooping as if to pick up a rock will usually holt their advance as the Spanish aren’t averse to throwing said rock at the dogs head, if this fails shout ‘’FUERA’’ (get out/away) and pedal like stink