Essential information and extras
Equipment recommendations: for gravel riding with 700c wheels, a minimum tyre width of 35mm is recommended with the ideal being 38-42. Suitable gearing would be an 38-42 front chainring and 11-42 or 11-46 rear cassette. Tubeless tyres are preferable but not necessary, just bring spare tubes. For MTB a full suspension or hardtail trail bike will be perfect though a dropper post is recommended for some of the steeper technical descents. Whilst unlikely, it’s possible to come across a wild boar hunt so for safety it’s advisable to wear something bright orange.
Equipment checklist: 2 x tubes, tyre levers, multitool, pump, 2 water bottles, snacks.
Terrain: The trails and dirt roads around Girona offer a huge variety of terrain and riding surfaces. From 15 km climbs to flat gravel roads, with an extensive network of singletrack, there is something to suit all abilities. The surfaces range from rocky and rooty to sandy and muddy. Within one ride it’s common to encounter a dozen surfaces and grip levels. You may have to walk up and down sections of trails with steep and loose surfaces. You may get scratched by thorns and have to pet a donkey!
And of course the region offers amazing road rides, so if you want to escape the dirt (why would you) Grit | Girona can also offer road guiding on beautiful roads with light traffic with great coffee and cake stops.
Climate: The climate in Girona is something special for cyclists. It can be cold on winter mornings hovering around freezing even, but warms up by noon and the sky is as blue as you can get. Sometimes it rains, a lot, but only for a day or so, which makes the trails lovely and grippy. And mud is fun right? Spring and Autumn and magical, shorts and short sleeves, endless blue sky and lazy evenings with a beer. Summer can be on the warm side, up to 42c, but we have rivers, lakes and sea to jump into, and cold beers. The trails are dusty and delicious and we know where to find the drinking water fountains.
Bike Rental: If you wish to avoid introducing your treasured bike to airline baggage handlers and taxis, why not rent a top of the range gravel or MTB bike from one of our local partners?
Contact us for a great deal on high end rental bikes: road, gravel, or MTB.
Accommodation
If you require accommodation, please contact Grit | Girona partners Bravissimo, who can not only find you a great base in Girona old town for your stay here but are also aficionados of gravel.
To stay away from the bustle of town, check out La Bruguera de Pubol, a stunning eco-friendly estate tucked away in the forest near Pubol village, 15 km from Girona. It’s a remarkable location with exceptional vegetarian food (yum) and the trails start at the gate.
Articles By Grit Girona
The ‘Dirty Hincapie Reach-around Switcheroo’, for Gravel Union - a fantastic free route for you to download. Our fully guided version is much better though!
Valued Partners
Coefficient Handlebar: We use the innovative beautifully ergonomic handlebar from Coefficient Cycling on his road and gravel bikes. The ergonomic top section and unique thumb notch on the drops, makes off road climbing and descending a much less tiring activity than with a regular flat topped bar. These are seriously game changing and are worth checking out.
Castelli Girona: As you can imagine, we spend a lot of time in the saddle and performance clothing is essential. The shorts from Castelli in particular offer amazing comfort for hour after hour, and we rely on their rain jackets when Girona climate turns nasty. If you’re in Girona on Thursdays, why not jon the free social rides, leaving the store at 10.30am, with coffee and pastries before.