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Lake Garda cycling - any rental recommendations?

  • 16-05-2017 12:18pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 4,359 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    I'm going to lake garda for a few days and want to do some cycling. Wondering if anyone has recommendations for a decent road bike rental and perhaps route suggestions?

    cheers
    J


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,565 ✭✭✭Trekker09


    jon1981 wrote: »
    Hi,

    I'm going to lake garda for a few days and want to do some cycling. Wondering if anyone has recommendations for a decent road bike rental and perhaps route suggestions?

    cheers
    J

    There's a great bike shop in Sirmione that I'm sure does bike hire.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,107 ✭✭✭mr spuckler


    i didn't have time to cycle there (despite having my bike in the car :() as was only there for a couple of days for a wedding but stayed in Garda town and the hills rise pretty sharply from right beside it :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,257 ✭✭✭✭dastardly00


    jon1981 wrote: »
    Hi,

    I'm going to lake garda for a few days and want to do some cycling. Wondering if anyone has recommendations for a decent road bike rental and perhaps route suggestions?

    cheers
    J

    Probably best to specify what town you are staying in so people can suggest useful places... For example, Riva is quite a bit away from Sirmione :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 21 Kodos


    If you are anywhere near Salo, on the south west of the lake, then I recommend www.MataShop.it. The road bike I hired seemed to be one of their second-hand bikes, a Colnago with Dura-Ace Di2 and C24 wheelset! I emailed them a month or so in advance, gave them the size I wanted, and the bike was ready to pick up on the day. The shop is worth a look, they sell some high-end road and MTBs, and have their own brand framesets too.

    The road around the lake is really busy in July/August, so get off it as soon as you can, just turn up into the hills!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,991 ✭✭✭el tel


    I've bought stuff from this place when I was in Riva  https://www.pederzolli.it/

    They rent bikes, as do a couple of others in the town.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 24,937 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    Kodos wrote: »
    ...The road around the lake is really busy in July/August, so get off it as soon as you can, just turn up into the hills!
    +1 - excessively busy and narrow with constant close passing.

    If you're heading to the mountains, bring lights. There are many long unlit tunnels.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,359 ✭✭✭jon1981


    Thanks for the feedback, we are staying south end of the lakes, we will have a car so I don't mind driving to a good rental place if the bikes are good.

    However I'm starting to rethink this, as I'd also heard from other sources that cycling isn't great, mainly due to poor motorists and roads. Any thoughts from people who have been there, I'll be cycling alone, is this too much of a risk?

    J


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,257 ✭✭✭✭dastardly00


    jon1981 wrote: »
    Thanks for the feedback, we are staying south end of the lakes, we will have a car so I don't mind driving to a good rental place if the bikes are good.

    However I'm starting to rethink this, as I'd also heard from other sources that cycling isn't great, mainly due to poor motorists and roads. Any thoughts from people who have been there, I'll be cycling alone, is this too much of a risk?

    J

    I stayed in Peschiera for two weeks but it was during early September so the roads would have been less busy. And I only did a very small amount of cycling around Peschiera, Sirmione, and Garda. If it was me, I wouldn't let the motorists/busy roads put you off cycling. I think with some good route planning, you could avoid a lot of potential hassle.


  • Registered Users Posts: 295 ✭✭midonogh


    I stayed in Peschiera in August. Sure the road around the lake is busy, but once you get away from it the cycling is fantastic.

    I had two routes: Peschiera - Castle Nouvo - Palazzo- Pescantina to a beautiful valley at Mazzurega, complete with lengthy switch back climbing. I used map to find quiet back roads to Pescantina as the main road is very busy. Thereafter the roads were all fine
    https://www.strava.com/activities/687219614


    Second route followed the lake to Torre del Benaco and then it was switchbacks and beautiful gradual climbing to Prada. I went early to avoid peak traffic on the lake road to Torre del Benaco. Traffic was heavier on the way back, but nothing too bad.
    https://www.strava.com/activities/687219730

    You will kick yourself if you go there and do not take advantage of the cycling


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,359 ✭✭✭jon1981


    Thanks for those routes, that helps figure out what cycling i'm going to do :D

    Where did you rent your bike or did you bring your own?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 295 ✭✭midonogh


    jon1981 wrote: »
    Thanks for those routes, that helps figure out what cycling i'm going to do :D

    Where did you rent your bike or did you bring your own?

    I brought my own bike on Ryanair. Think it cost €70. I have team mates who have rented very good bikes from a place in Sirimone. There was a previous thread on Boards on this


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,063 ✭✭✭on_the_nickel


    I was there in 2013 and rented from the place in Sirmione. No complaints at all (except I forgot to take my bloody pedals off when I left it back!).

    There's a nice HC climb not far from there, quiet roads once you get away from the lake. (No tunnel either if memory serves) https://www.strava.com/segments/4328108


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    jon1981 wrote: »
    Thanks for the feedback, we are staying south end of the lakes, we will have a car so I don't mind driving to a good rental place if the bikes are good.

    However I'm starting to rethink this, as I'd also heard from other sources that cycling isn't great, mainly due to poor motorists and roads. Any thoughts from people who have been there, I'll be cycling alone, is this too much of a risk?

    J
    If it's mountain biking you're after Malcesine is a good spot. Cable car up into the mountains. Beautiful
    Wouldn't cycle around the roads, it's pretty unnerving


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,338 ✭✭✭Lusk_Doyle


    There is a bicyle hotel is Peschiera. I rented a bike from them. I'll get the name for you shortly.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,338 ✭✭✭Lusk_Doyle




  • Registered Users Posts: 26 Redfence74


    High Road bike shop it's outside pesheria near the Bella Italia campsite...


  • Registered Users Posts: 26 Redfence74


    As for cycling you will kick yourself if you don't...it's brilliant


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,338 ✭✭✭Lusk_Doyle


    If you go along the right hand side of the lake from Peschiera as far as Brenzone and then turn inland there is a nice (hard) climb with loads of switch backs. A bit further up the road along the side of the lake gives access to the climb up mount Baldo which was tackled in the Giro in previous years. No tunnels along this part of the lake.


  • Registered Users Posts: 384 ✭✭Welshkev


    Would anyone have any recommendations for rental places around Peschiera del Garda / Verona (i.e. South side of the lake)?


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,338 ✭✭✭Lusk_Doyle


    Welshkev wrote: »
    Would anyone have any recommendations for rental places around Peschiera del Garda / Verona (i.e. South side of the lake)?

    See above for gardabikehotel. It's right there in Peschiera and very good to correspond with by email and in person in English.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,359 ✭✭✭jon1981


    Thanks for all the recommendations folks, hired a bike for 3 days around North Lake Garda, scenery (and climbing) was jaw dropping! I totally would have regretted had I not done it.

    I was tempted to do a full lap of the lakes but was a little nervous due to the traffic, bendy roads and very long dark tunnels around the lakes, while I noticed on Strava some cyclists each day did the full lap, though they did start before 6am when it's less busy, I wasn't brave enough. Highly recommended as a location to go cycling.

    Also had no problem renting a decent road bike, a lot of the mountain bike rental places tend to stock some, they just don't advertise it very well.


  • Registered Users Posts: 384 ✭✭Welshkev


    Just back from Lake Garda. Rented a bike from Garda Bike Hotel - highly recommended. €40 per day (for a Pinarello which was set up for me when picking it up).

    Rode up and around Monte Baldo. Found it tough, but a great, scenic spin all the same. Strava route is below. It seems most do it the other way around to my route, so probably worth bearing in mind.
    https://www.strava.com/routes/10407735

    If anyone's after routes, I took a photo of some the hotel had up on the wall of their garage / workshop. See attached, which I'm sure some will find useful.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,338 ✭✭✭Lusk_Doyle


    Do they still have the cool bike painting in the lobby?


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,338 ✭✭✭Lusk_Doyle


    This one. Lovely bike art.

    428197.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,836 ✭✭✭De Bhál


    ****resurrecting old thread alert****


    I'm off to Lake Garda - I've never rented a bike on holidays before so a quick question

    Do you bring your own pedals or will they give you the pedals to suit your cleats?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,442 ✭✭✭TheBlaaMan


    De Bhál wrote: »
    ****resurrecting old thread alert****


    I'm off to Lake Garda - I've never rented a bike on holidays before so a quick question

    Do you bring your own pedals or will they give you the pedals to suit your cleats?

    Bring your own, and a spanner to remove before you leave back (you might be rushed and forget to remove them) but airline security can be a bit funny about carrying spanners in the cabin luggage......:cool:


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,359 ✭✭✭jon1981


    This was my thread :)

    I brought my pedals and they fit them and then removed them for me when i left it back.

    I used bike xtreme in Malcesine


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,257 ✭✭✭✭dastardly00


    TheBlaaMan wrote: »
    Bring your own, and a spanner to remove before you leave back (you might be rushed and forget to remove them) but airline security can be a bit funny about carrying spanners in the cabin luggage......:cool:

    Yeah I got asked a few questions in DUB T2 security when I had one pedal spanner. Security worker had to ask supervisor whether I was allowed bring it with me in cabin luggage.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,961 ✭✭✭Plastik


    Few years on, but any updates from recent road bike rental places?


    Will be staying in Limone on the NW of the lake. Pity to see on previous thread that doing a lap of the lake is a bit of PIA with many unlit tunnels, are things any better now a few years later?



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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,121 ✭✭✭daragh_


    Talk to Matteo Cigala? That's his neck of the woods I believe.



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