INTRODUCTION

Bike Breaks SL operates “The Downhill Bike Ride” and “Guided Walks” for over 25 years in the Costa Blanca, Spain.

To guarantee a great experience during our excursions for all our clients, please, read and act upon the following guidelines.

THE DOWNHILL BIKE RIDE

We do our upmost to keep you safe during “The Downhill Bike Ride”. However, you are the one who is riding a bicycle on public roads.

For your own safety ride based on your own confidence and experience level. It’s not a race and if you don’t feel confident that you are able to manage an upcoming section, just stop and either push the bike through that section or wait for our support vehicle in the back which will give you a lift to the next safe stop from where you will be able to continue the ride happily.

Please, listen carefully to the safety instruction of our guides.

What to bring?

  • Closed shoes or sandals with a heel strap. FlipFlops and high heels are a “No-Go”.
  • Your E11 (EHIC) card and / or travel insurance information. We try our upmost to keep you safe on the road, however, you are riding on public roads– ride safely and carefully. If you follow our safety instructions incidents are rare, but can’t be eradicated completely.
  • A photo ID or at least a copy of it as by law you’ve to carry one on you all the time here in Spain.
  • Any medication you might need during the bike ride. Please, let the guides know about any health conditions or allergies BEFORE the ride.
  • During the winter months we recommend to bring a jumper and gloves. However, we provide as well extra layers, gloves, beanies and scarfs during the bike ride to keep you warm.
  • A packed lunch if you don’t want to eat at the restaurant en-route. The lunch at the restaurants we use is 7-14 € per person incl. one drink. We provide plenty of natural spring water during the ride.

Our bikes:

Our bikes are standard mountain bikes and cater for nearly all cycling abilities. They are maintained frequently to guarantee that you are able to cycle downhill safely.

Brakes:

The rear brake is on the right hand side – We recommend to have at least two fingers of your right hand all the time on the lever of your back (right) brake to make sure that you pull the right brake first.

Gears:

Again, it’s a downhill ride, you don’t need to change gears very often. Use mainly your right hand to change gears. Pressing the lever under the handlebar with your thumb makes it easier to pedal. Pulling the lever above the handlebar with your indicator makes it harder to pedal. The gears on the left will be set onto the correct sprocket which doesn’t need to be changed during the whole ride.

All bikes are fitted with a stand. If you don’t ride your bike park it on the side of the road on the stand. Remember as well before you start riding your bike to put the stand up again.

All bikes are labeled with a number and a letter. This combination identifies your bicycle for the day. Keep this combination in mind as we are loading the bikes a few times to shuttle you uphill and unload them again at the top.

Bicycle DO’s:

  • Do cycle at a speed which suits you.
  • Get to know your bicycle for the day during some test rounds on the Safari Aitana car park in a confined environment.
  • Mention any noise or problem with your bicycle for the day immediately to our guides. Don’t püt up with it. During the ride stop immediately on the right hand side of the road and wait for our support vehicle. We can either fix the problem directly or provide you with one of our spare bicycles on the trailer so that you are able t continue the ride.
  • If another cyclist points out to you that there might be something wrong with your bicycle listen to him/her and stop immediately as well.

Bicycle DON’Ts:

  • Don’t skid. A short moment of fun can destroy your day. If your bicycle gets damaged due to skidding, your bicycle will go back on the trailer and you will end the day as a passenger in our minibus.
  • Don’t change anything on the bicycle – brakes, gear changes etc.. All amendments of the bicycles HAVE to be done by one of our guides. If you’ve changed something on your bicycle which leads to an accident it’s purely your responsibility.

The Excursion:

“The Downhill Bike Ride” is split in three sections – two in the morning and one long one in the afternoon. It takes place on calm public mountain roads. There will be some traffic on the roads, but if you follow the advice of the guides you will be safe on those roads all the time.

There is always a lead vehicle or cycling guide with a group. The lead vehicle / guide knows the way and the right speed to take upcoming corners. The lead vehicle will carries water which you can ask for at any time on the ride and during stops.

Please, don’t overtake the lead vehicle / guide as this could lead to accidents. If you leave the designated area of the ride, i.e. between the lead vehicle / guide and rear vehicle, you are not part of our excursion anymore and therefore liable for all possible incidents.

There is always a rear vehicle which closes the group in the back. The rear vehicle makes sure that nobody is left behind. If you like to take a photo, follow a natural call or like to discover something off road feel free to do so by foot. Please, leave your bicycle parked on the right hand side on the road so that the guide in the back knows that you’re discovering the environment by foot. The guide will wait for you so that you won’t left behind. If anything is wrong with your bicycle, if you don’t want to cycle any more or in case of an incident, the rear vehicle is there for your support and as well first aid. It always carries a first aid kit as well.

Cycle on the ride hand side of the road. However, we recommend to stay about a meter away from the shoulder to avoid an encounter with gravel and / or pine needles on the road..

Please, be aware that you are not alone and take care of the person next to you and traffic approaching or overtaking you. Our leading minibus or guide will let you know by using the “horn” of the minibus or by shouting “car” if a vehicle approaches.

Slow down before bends. Brake before and / or after sharper bends to stay safe on the road. Stay on the ride hand side of the road as well in the bends. However, the guides will point out to you exactly how to manage more technical sections safely.

Ride at a speed which suits you, bearing in mind safety conditions and with consideration for other cyclists. Everybody’s ability and physical conditions is different. Please, listen to the advice of the guides.

Keep a safe distance between you and the rider in front of you. You should be able to stop in half the distance between you and the next hazard at any time of the ride.

If you don’t feel confident to manage the next section of the ride or if you just want to take a break from riding, just wait for our minibus in the back and take a ride in our van to the next stop. You can as well stay in the minivan for entire sections.

Children are allowed to ride if their parents accept responsibility for their behavior and ride with them. Young adults older than 14 years could come unaccompanied. However, we would like to meet their parents beforehand and get their ok for taking their child with us on the excursion.

Excursion DO’s:

  • Cycle at the speed that suits you and admire the beautiful scenery of the Costa Blanca. It’s not a race.
  • Stay between our lead vehicle / cycling guide and the rear support vehicle to ensure your own safety while gliding downhill.
  • Take as many photos you’d like to take. Stop where it’s safe to stop and park the bike on the right side on the road. You can as well leave your packs and cameras in the support vehicles as we stop anyways at the best viewpoints.
  • Stay clear of the shoulder – at least a meter away from it. If the road has two marked lanes stay in the middle of the right lane.
  • Let traffic from behind pass by. If necessary stop, let the traffic pass and continue cycling when the road is clear again.
  • Follow the instructions of the guides. They will explain every section and how to manage it safely.

Excursion DON’Ts:

  • Don’t race for your own safety. You are not alone on “The Downhill Bike Ride”. Racing can put in danger others as well. If you are an experience cyclist, please, stay with our lead vehicle / cycling guide. We are then able to evaluate your ability to cycle and adapt the speed during the day.
  • Don’t try to catch up when you’ve lost sight of the lead vehicle / cycling guide or the group. Stay within your abilities. As you don’t need to turn left or right during the three rides of the day, you’ll catch up on the next water break or by the next view point anyway.
  • Don’t take “selfies” while cycling. The attempt normally won’t work anyway. It can result in you coming off the bicycle and a broken phone. You can take as many “selfies” as you like when you’ve got two feet on the ground.

COSTA BLANCA GUIDED WALKS

We do our upmost to keep you safe during our guided walks.

For your own safety book on the guided walk which suits your experience and fitness level. The walks are all categorized as “easy”, “easy-moderate”, “moderate”, “moderate-strenuous” and “strenuous”. If in doubt, please, contact us before hand and we try to recommend the best walk(s) for your experience level.

Our guides will as well help you to manage technical sections on our walks and will give you detailed information about the walk before we start. If by the description of the walk during the guides briefing you don’t feel confident that the walk is the right one for you, please, let the guide know. Our guide will then consult with the group and a change of route can be done.

Please, listen carefully to the safety instruction of our guides.

What to bring?

  • Trainers – for the “easy” and “easy – moderate” walks. For all other walks we recommend walking shoes or walking boots. Don’t use shoes you’ve not worn before as this can cause blisters.
  • A light jacket and / or rain jacket. A further warm layer, a beanie and / or gloves for the winter months.
  • Your E11 (EHIC) card and / or travel insurance information. We try our upmost to keep you safe. If you follow our safety instructions incidents are rare, but can’t be eradicated completely.
  • A photo ID or at least a copy of it as by law you’ve to carry one on you all the time here in Spain.
  • Any medication you might need during the walk. Please, let the guides know about any health conditions, allergies and vertigo BEFORE the walk.

The Excursion

Our walks are mostly in remote areas of the Costa Blanca. We’ve got walks where you might not see anybody else during the whole day.

All walks are categorized and will be altered based on the experience level of the group.

If you book a walking package with us we’ll always will do the easiest walk first to get to know you and your abilities. All walks are subject for change, and we are able to adapt the walks based on your experience and fitness level as well.

The walks are not a race. Just keep it steady and walk in a pace which suits you. Our guide sets a pace which suits the level of the group. We want you to enjoy the day out in Costa Blanca’s mountains and, therefore, our guide will stop for plenty of water breaks and photo stops.

Our guide always carries a first aid kit and additional water for you. However, we provide 1 ½ liter of water for every client on the walk.

If you don’t feel confident on a section of the walk, please, let the guide know immediately and our guide will help you to manage the section safely.

Please, listen as well to the advice of the guide during the walk.