Bike Hire Argeles Sur Mer

kerryscoob

Can anyone advise on bike hire in or around Argeles Sur Mer in Southern France.

kk09

Hi, was just wondering if you got anywhere with bike hire in Argeles sur Mer?:)

Carawaystick

Road or mtb?

Kodos

There are a number of places that hire bike-shaped-objects to the general tourist, but there only 2 that hire reasonably decent MTBs and road bikes, and both shops are within 50m of each other...
guidon-fute.com
velocation.fr

The bikes and the groupsets are entry level, but if you don't want to bring your own bike over there, then they do the job. Both shops will fit SPD pedals so bring your shoes. I have hired from both places and they are friendly, helpful and I would recommend either shop. The MTB was a Lombardo 700 and the road bike was a Lombardo Monza, it seems that the same wholesaler sold to both shops because they both have Lombardo bikes!

Cycling is good in the area, the Pyrenees start there so you have a number of small climbs of around 400-500 meters right on your doorstep, but nothing over 1000m unless you go about 40km inland. I suggest that you go out early in the morning, it is cooler then and the winds tend to be light (the wind can pick up over the morning and it can catch you out in the hills). You can go south to Spain on a road bike over a few small hills in about an hour or two, west into larger hills both on and off road, but north will take you on flat, busy, hot and dusty roads so I would avoid that direction.

MugMugs

I am heading there myself this year and have pre ordered a bike from Velocation for two weeks. Nicely priced. His only demands were that I bring my own pedals and helmet. He will fit the pedals and I must fit my own helmet.

He will give me a lock etc just in case.

Kodos, your post about the area alone is the most helpful I've been able to find after a lot of Googling. I was hoping to be up and out at dawn and back before the rest of the family started to stir so that defnitley seems to be arunner. Thank you

mp31

We were there last year and used Guidon-Fute to hire a couple of BSO's which turned out to be quite good.

It's run by a husband/wife team who are very friendly and helpful. The wife did all the phone stuff whilst the husband delivered and collected the bikes from our campsite. They even gave us an pro rata hire charge since we only hired the bikes for 10 days (other places round up the charge to the nearest whole week which is a bit mean IMO)

Carawaystick

Is Albera Bike still on the go? Its beside the Brewery on the way to the supermarket.

The D86 is the nearest road up mountains, good surface gentle enough gradients
https://www.google.co.in/maps/@42.4928909,3.0837255,14z?hl=en

Col De Banyuls nearest route into Spain
https://www.google.co.in/maps/@42.450127,3.054174,3a,75y,28.26h,81.84t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1st7npxHaDHoYzctqGAVJvFA!2e0?hl=en

The D71 from le Perthus up to Col De Ullat or further up to the pic Neoleus is the nearest strava HC climb
https://www.google.co.in/maps/@42.473577,2.9108582,15z?hl=en
There is a Refuge at Col de Ullat that serves hot food and cold beer.

mountain bike routes
http://www.argeles-sur-mer-tourisme.com/vtt

Daveybaa

I'm currently in Argeles sur Merand on initial browsing around you definitely can't rent a carbon bike. As suggested previously in the thread there appears to be only 2 options for rental.
I'll scout around a bit more this week and I'll ipdaye the post if I strike gold!

Daveybaa

Rented an aluminium road bike from Velocation opposite the SuperMarche in the town. Aluminium bike with Sora group set but it's in great working order.
€70 for 5 days and they swapped over my own pedals.
Nice local climbs to Coll de Mollo and further up to De Madeloc at the top of the mountain.

Daveybaa

kk09 wrote: »

Hi, was just wondering if you got anywhere with bike hire in Argeles sur Mer?:)

Rented an aluminium road bike from Velocation opposite the SuperMarche in the town. Aluminium bike with Sora group set but it's in great working order.
€70 for 5 days and they swapped over my own pedals.
Nice local climbs to Coll de Mollo and further up to De Madeloc at the top of the mountain.

MugMugs

I am just back from my trip and must confess, didn't get as much biking in as I had anticipated for various reasons.

That said, I ended up going with Guidon Fute and got a "Team 300" Road bike for €100 for the 14 days. They put my own pedals on with little issue. Be warned though, they will request your passport or licence whilst you have the bike as a deposit. All well and good but I had to go to Barcelona one of the days and drive but they accepted a family members licence instead.

Some of the cycles around the are are just mind blowing.

My particular favourite being Colioure > Port Vendres > Cerbre > Portbou and back.

It goes without saying that you're best served jamming a 2 litre bottle of water into the water cage of the bike. You'd imagine that in 35 degrees that would be a given however I was not so wise initially.