Sardinia & Confrentes

[rideswithmoobs]

Hi,
In July I have two jobs, one is in Sardinia. Southern part of the island around Pula and sarroc and the second job is in Confrentes, Spain, just west of Valencia.
Does anyone know of good cycle hire and more importantly areas to ride around these places. I could take my own Cube cyclocross but I already have 30kilo of tooling I have to take on jobs so hoping to get something whilst there

Thanks in advance for anyones help

Paul

 

[Blue Hills]

There's a decent place in Cagliari for bike hire (and another one maybe a bit out of the centre) - is that any good for you?
Nice job you've got there - not sure what you're doing at Sarroch with your 30k of tools but any chance you can fix the stink from that place? Questions have been asked about it and I wouldn't want to do too much heavy breathing near it.

 

[rideswithmoobs]

Ahh the refinery. I am working on the steam turbine from the Sarlux refinery but in a workshop further up the road. I was there in March for a month. Fortunately I don't have to enter the refinery. I would rather be there though than on a man camp in India . I will look the one in Cagliari up, rather cycle to and from work than hire car and can explore a bit on days off. Thanks for the help Blue Hills.

 

[Blue Hills]

I can save you the looking up and point you at the Cagliari place if you like - I didn't give it before as I wasn't certain if Cagliari was handy for you - whether you can get the bike from Cagliari to Pula easily etc etc.

The other possible place I was thinking of is about 6 miles N of Cagliari (well in its suburbs) and is an excellent bike shop. They have hired bikes to folk in the past.

What sort of bike is it you are looking for?

Sardinia is beautiful as you already know.

but:

One point - might be worth considering the temperature if you are thinking of getting a lot of use out of a hire bike in July - much of the time during the day (tho you will be at work for lots of this I suppose) it is very very often way too hot to cycle for any time.

 

[Blue Hills]

PS - I don't know any bike hire places in Pula but if it's a general type bike you are after it is of course very probable that there is bike hire there - as you know it is uber touristy (somewhat too much for my liking)

 

[rideswithmoobs]

Thanks blue hills that would be great. I fly into Cagliari and have hire cars so can divert to collect a bike. I work from 8am till around 6pm so will miss most of the hottest weather. Will take a look at Pula too.
Road bike or cyclocross would be preferred type

 

[Blue Hills]

This might be handy for ideas - paper copies are available but thin on the ground:

http://www.sardegnadigitallibrary.it/index.php?xsl=626&id=202368

Rental - these folk are in Cagliari main railway station yard:

http://www.ichnusabike.it/en/bike-rent

These folks in Quartucciu, approx 5 miles from centre:

Excellent shop - lots of racing bikes - have hired bikes to folk in the past I think - boss is a racer himself - his pic used to be up in Cagliari main airport - maybe still is.

http://www.bicicenter.com/

 

[rideswithmoobs]

Brilliant and the map is good for Sunday day off. I'm now really intrigued as to how you know so much about Sardinia

 

[Blue Hills]

Have PMed you

 

[rich p]

I have a plan, deferred from this year, to cycle the length of Corsica and Sardinia next summer so I'm interested to know of what you think of Sardinia in particular. Must see places and must-not see places.

 

[Blue Hills]

In short Sardinia is beautiful. It might not appeal to some Brit types who maybe like things a bit more lush and expect Italy to be all kinda Renaissance - this would have been particularly true 20 years ago before a lot of money (a fair lot of it European co-funding) was spent on improving villages and the like.

Must see? - I'd just get a map and guide book (a lot available now - there used to be none/1 in English) and go according to your particular fancy.

Must not see? - well maybe the refinery near rideswithmobs.

Also, though it's kinda interesting to see it once, I would avoid the Costa Smerelda, haunt of the super-rich international yachting set, the ghost of Lady Di maybe, and Berlusconi - although I'm not criticising the development as such it isn't remotely typical of Sardinia.

And I'd avoid summer - July and August - far too hot for all but the shortest ride during the day, fllghts far more expensive than you need to pay. Outside peak season camp sites will be closed though.

Of course after you'd done the length of Corsica and Sardinia you could hop on the direct ferry in Cagliari with the bike to Sicily or even Africa

 

[rich p]

Cheers BH, I'll do my fuller research in the winter months as a therapeutic exercise! The intention is to cross over to S Italy and meet some relations in Puglia and fly back from Bari.

 

[ankaradan]

Cala Gonone, on the east coast, is a beautiful place, much frequented by rock climbers; and inland from there is the Gennargenntu massive. In that connection, there is (or was) a UK guy in that area running MTB holidays, who would have loads of local knowledge.

 

[Blue Hills]

Cheers BH, I'll do my fuller research in the winter months as a therapeutic exercise!

OK - hope my reply didn't sound rude as in "naff off and do some reading" - twas just that it was a bit of a big general question - if you have any more specific Qs, feel free to ask on here or PM me.

 

[rich p]

OK - hope my reply didn't sound rude as in "naff off and do some reading" - twas just that it was a bit of a big general question - if you have any more specific Qs, feel free to ask on here or PM me.

Not at all. A few pointers can be useful from those in the know! Given my age it may be the only time I get to anywhere new from here on in and I might as well do it well!