RIDE THE WORLD

without spending the earth

1 BOX CLEVER

You don’t need an expensive bike bag to safely transport your steed. Pop down to your local bike shop and see if you can nab a spare cardboard bike box for free (or the price of a pack of biscuits/beer). Failing that, you should be able to pick one up for under £30 online. Make sure you pack it well, though, so your pride and joy doesn’t get damaged in

transit.

2 GO TOOLED-UP

Take plenty of spares and tools with you. Bike parts can be expensive or hard to obtain abroad and you don’t want a small mechanical to ruin your trip. Be smart – think about what terrain you’ll be riding and how long you’re heading out for. Brake pads, a spare chain, inner tubes, tyre sealant, a few spokes and a replacement mech

hanger and rear derailleur are all worth taking. Tyres, too, if you have the space. Alpine rocks can destroy just about anything, even if you’re careful.

3 TRAVEL OFF-PEAK

Go out of season, if possible. Prices are hiked up whenever there’s a school holiday or the summer season kicks off. A late September or early spring holiday in Europe can be dreamy and cheap – the weather is generally warm but not scorching, and the light lasts long enough for a solid day’s riding. While mountain ski lifts may be closed, epic MTB spots like Finale Ligure in Italy and Madeira cater for biking year-round, so being flexible with when you travel can save a packet.

4 TAKE SOME MATES

It’s much cheaper travelling in numbers than going it alone. Splitting the cost of transport, accommodation, food and drink is the trick to keeping a ‘budget’ trip within budget.

5 HEAD OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

While the likes of Morzine and Finale offer worldrenowned trails and a thriving MTB scene, you can get just as much quality riding done in lesser-known spots, for a fraction of the cost. Check out Bulgaria or Slovenia for some epic mountain biking without a similarly jaw-dropping price tag.

6 GET CHATTING

Locals have the best trail knowledge, so save on the

cost of a guide by employing your wit and charm! Mountain bikers are a friendly bunch and are usually proud to show off the best spots.

7 TIME IT RIGHT

Catching a ferry early in the morning or late at night can save you money, if you don’t mind the inevitable grogginess due to lack of sleep. The same can be said for flights and train journeys. Have a good search for the cheapest fare you can find and, if you want to save money, be prepared to travel at unsocial hours.

8 STAY CLOSE

The world is full of amazing riding locations, but for us Brits, jetting off to the rugged mountains of New Zealand or the out-of-this-world landscape of Moab, Utah, isn’t cheap. Europe has riding that’s just as great, and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg to get there.