MTB Caribbean?

[woody]

Anybody done any mountain biking in Dominica? (not Dominican Republic...different island.) I'll soon be going there for vacation, and I'm hoping to get in some quality MTB time if at all possible. There are companies that offer mountain bike tours, but they seem to be lame dirt road rides geared more toward non-bikers. The island has almost 5000 ft elevation, and lots of hiking trails, so there is certainly potential, but I don't know if any of that is bikeable.
Any advice?

Also, gotta decide whether to bring my bike or rent something there. Any words of wisdom on that?

 

[kush]

I did a bunch of riding in Puerto Rico this past August

Ahead of the trip, I spoke for a long time to a local bike shop owner. Through that conversation I learned
- lots of great roads with lots of elevation
- not a lot of MTB that is local to where I was staying.

Said another way, I can ride out of the door where I was staying each day and hit a lot of different routes, which is highly efficient for getting lots of saddle time and not piss off the family which is there on vacation. Or, I can drive 15 mins or so and get even more variety. Not so with MTB.

So based on that information, I brought my road bike (cross bike).

That would be a good starting place, to talk to a local bike outfit, if there are any.

The issue with hauling your case is the $100 or so each way freight charge (your airline may vary), and the bulk of it requiring additional trransportation considerations.

However, if you plan to ride almost every day, like I did, then it's for sure worth it.

Have fun.

 

[KenS]

I did a lot of riding in St. Lucia this summer, which is two islands away from Dominica. The only true mt biking I found was at a resort, but they had really amazing trails. http://www.bikestlucia.com Just getting to the resort was most of the adventure, so you should have fun no matter what. The best way to see the islands (and about anywhere) is by bike, so you cant lose.

Your bike or rent? I had mine and was super stoked I did. If you have the means, get your bike there, just dont let it out of your sight.

 

[KenS]

A cross bike is great advice btw. The roads can sometimes be a huge adventure down there. Why does this guy have his underwear hanging from his camelback? Adventure.