Our Services
Trip Planning - create your own experience
You’re a biker or a cyclist, right? So you’re probably pretty self-sufficient, and looking to experience the real wind-in-your-face, gravel under your tires Méxcio. No problem – in addition to the Sierra Sur and Sierra Norte routes, we can offer support if you just want to get out there and explore:
- La Cañada is a world unto itself, semi-desert in the dry season, with an opportunity to see rare macaws in their native habitat.
- The route down to Istmo and beyond is another treat, passing through a wide range of ecosystems to end up in the hot-and-steamy tropical lowlands.
- For the intrepid, we can also offer support for longer trips on into Chiapas. Why not aim for Volcán El Chichonál? It was the site the most recent and devastating eruption in México, and now features a spectacular green lake hidden away inside the remote crater…
Accommodation
Oaxaca Bike Hostal offers a variety of options in an authentic Mexican setting, in the heart of the indigenous pueblo of Tlalixtac de Cabrera:
- Double west-facing ground-floor rooms with spacious corridor $100 cdn / night for couples ($75 for single occupancy). Choice of king- or queen-size beds.
- Dormitory space on ground floor for groups of 3 or more. Beautifully restored adobe structure, single or double mattresses as required. $50 cdn / person / night.
- Luxury airbnb style first floor apartment with large private patio, exclusive rooftop terrace with extensive views of Oaxaca de Juárez and the Valle de Tlacolula. Sleeps 2-4 persons, self-catering options. Price available on request (varies according to season).
Yoga classes in our “El Oasis” studio can also be arranged by request.
Motorbike Rentals
In our experience, Mexican “Italika” bikes are ideal for the rugged and extremely varied terrain of Oaxaca, and can be fixed in any town (or even village) for minimal cost, should you encounter problems out on the road.
Once you get away from the Valle Centrales, there’s very few open highways, so there’s no need for large-capacity crusing hogs. Especially in the mountains, the vast majority of the roads you’ll encounter are “terracería” (dirt roads), often crossing rivers or transforming without much notice into “senderos” (paths) or even “veredas” (winding pathways). Under these conditions, larger and heavier bikes would be a hinderance, which is why we recommend the following two options:
- Italika FT 150. Oaxaca’s workhorse, by far the most common bike you’ll see on the road. Utility suspension and brakes mean this is in no way a high-performance capacity, although the 150ccc is surprising strong, and the simplicity and lightness of the bike is a major plus on muddy or rocky slopes, especially when you’re deep in the rainforest. Our machines are modified with super-knobbly tires, giving incredible versatility in tight, off-road situations.
$75 cdn / day, plus insurance (obligatory, we can arrange on your behalf). - Italika DM 300 “doble propósito” (trail bikes) are the cream of the Mexican-assembled crop. Twin-calliper brakes front and rear, six-speed gearbox, fully floating suspension, fog lights… These machines are ideal for longer trips, especially if you’ll be mostly on surfaced (read ‘semi-surfaced) roads. The payoff, of course, is that these bikes are significantly larger and heavier than the FT 150, meaning that although you’ll have the power, you will need more strength to manhandle them on the narrower senderos and veredas. Your choice…
$150 cdn / day, plus insurance (obligatory, we can arrange on your behalf).
Bicycle Rentals
We have a very wide selection of rental bikes, to suit virtually any size or preference. Hard tails or full-suspension available. We update our bikes very regularly so the stock is almost all new, featuring a variety of brands including Specialized, Trek and Giant.
- Detailed pricing on request (depending on availability). Typical prices start around $40 cdn / day, more for bikes with more features.
- Bikepacking equipment including front and rear carrier racks can also be rented, on request. Prices depending on availability.
Trip Support
We support bikers and cyclists seeking a full-on Mexican experience, rather than a molly-coddled, highly mediated ‘vacation’.
However, while we’re pretty committed to enabling your wildest adventure dreams, we also believe that you might be able to go further and experience more with some support.
Ways we can help include:
- Hotel and hostel bookings – if your Spanish is still a little shaky, or you’re new to the incredible simplicity and diversity of rural Oaxaca, you may find yourself limited to the less interesting (and more expensive) commercially-oriented hotels in the main cities. We have fluent Spanish-speakers on staff, and have travelled widely and used small hotels throughout the mountains of Oaxaca, opening up an enormous variety of family-run accommodations.
- Baggage delivery – we can carry your heavier items and drop them each day at your accommodation or campsite