Mountain Biking in Spain - Road Trip ´Braapzelona`

To escape the rain, snow and bad weather of southern Germany in February the four of us - Louis, Robert, Jakob and Luca - rented a camper from Off and drove to Spain - the country of winter mountain biking.

Our first destination was Barcelona. The city lies directly on the Mediterranean Sea and we've already heard a lot about many small and one very special spot - and the city did not disappoint. Countless street spots and trails, camping in close proximity to the beach and the incredible nature park ´La Poma`.

The second destination was a Spanish desert landscape of Spain where we visited the bike park La Fensossa. We were staying longer than initially planned because the driving, the new acquaintances and the atmosphere were simply incredible.

The last destination were the Red Hills where you can find a lot of freerides. Afterwards, we went back to Barcelona and the four weeks were over already - faster than expected but with lots of experiences and fun.

When it gets uncomfortable, rainy and cold in Germany, many of us long for sun, good weather and dusty trails for mountain biking, which become a paradise with mild temperatures and a fresh breeze.

Spain offers just that and so much more. The landscape is incomparable and different depending on the region. So there are cities with dirt bike and street spots on the coasts of the country, mountains for enduro and nature trails in the Sierra Nevada and almost tropical conditions in Andalusia.

Let's start with our first stop in Barcelona. We arrived late in the evening after a good 17-hour drive by camper. Since there are no campsites in the immediate proximity to our actual destination La Poma, we've struggled a bit to find a pitch, because a lot of people are looking for relaxation even in the offseason. I would recommend to book a pitch in advance.

The following morning, we first grabbed the enduro MTBs and drove along the coast north to the center of Barcelona. Just for the mountain bike tour in one direction you should certainly plan half a day, because there are countless small spots to jib and try around. Skate parks and natural steet spots are located on the MTB routes. Among other things, there are the ´Sea Walls of Barcelona` - made famous by many professionals - where you can certainly spend a few hours and jump right into to the sea or just enjoy the view.

The bike park ´La Poma` was on our agenda on the second day. There's a separate line and trail for each level, as well as a foam pit, a huge airbag and a Resi jump where new tricks can be tested and tried out. However, the trail is partly in the wind, so I would definitely advise you to check the wind report in the morning to be safe. It's no fun to be worried in the middle of a jump due to a gust of wind.

Our second and definitely the most impressive spot is the bike park La Fenasosa about four hours from Barcelona. It's located in nature, which speaks a bit for the ´do whatever you like` attitude. Here, camping is straightforward. You just stand on the site and can use the cold sanitary facilities for a small fee. Electricity is only available on Fridays and weekends.

It should be noted that the park is a single track, which the average rider can only ride with a lot of confidence and skill. If you're someone who is not super experienced and especially not into massive airtime, then this is not the place for you to go biking. The trails require great skill and - unlike many parks in Germany and Austria - have no buffer zones for riding mistakes and therefore a high degree of difficulty.

However, if you're a rider looking for a challenge and have mastered the riding technique, then this is the absolute dream. All mountain bikers will do massive trains with you on the jump trails and have nothing else on their minds all day but flying higher and further through the air on their bikes and looking for the mountain bike adventure. An absolute must-do in my eyes.

For the ultimate camp & bike feeling we have captured all the highlights in our Youtube videos.

Since we're in the winter off-season, you should think about where you can get spare parts for your bike in advance. There are a lot of sharp rocks and rough corners especially in the bike park ´La Fenasoss`. It's better to take an extra supply of tubes and also some coats. The probability that you'll need them is quite high.

If you want to know more about the tour, feel free to check out our Instagram channels. We've documented our whole tour here.

@louiiiseder @k.robert.r @lucadaumueller @jakob.m.r