riding in costa rica?

[boomforeal]

my family has organized a trip to costa rica at the end of the month. lots kids going and plans for tourist, beach and resort time in the northwest corner of the country, so i should have some spots to sneak away to ride

any recommendations for rides and/or the type of bike i should bring? looks like there is some mountain biking but not much

thinking i would be better served with an off-road bike and just do some riding and exploring on the country's reputedly pretty ****ty roads

thanks!

[awdwon]

Definitely not a road bike. I've been to Tamarindo and Nosara and your assessment of the roads as being pretty sh**ty is an understatement. There are some main paved roads but they'd be pretty nuts for biking. I think there are some adventure tours offered by some tour companies but I've not had any experience myself with those. Afraid to say it but maybe a beach cruiser or a fat bike to ride on some of the beaches. It's an incredible place nonetheless.

[Jaybee]

I'm planning the same trip in April. I will be doing mostly off the bike fun stuff, but I do have a MTB day planned in Las Catalinas. Pura Vida Ride rents for reasonable rates and they are next door to the trail system.

[kppolich]

I've been to Costa Rica and they have the absolute worst drivers on the planet. Roads were awful also- can't remember seeing a single bike. Now- the rest of the country is awesome and there should be some great dirt riding.

[gdw]

I've never been but worked with some guys who were setting up a fat bike touring company in the region. Most of the routes they were looking at were along the coasts and avoided roads, the drivers are terrible, or technical terrain. A Google search on fat biking, mountain bikes rides or rentals in Costa Rica should bring up a good bit of info.

[R3awak3n]

I saw a few roadies, I was just there a couple of weeks ago.

However, MTB MTB MTB. I was there for a bachelor party so we did not do much exercise ah but I did go on some hikes and man some good mtb out there. There is a ton of MTB tours and such for a reason.

So if you have 1 I would say bring a MTB. As far as road biking go, I would not do it. Roads that I traveled had barely any shoulder and man do people drive like crazy.

Amazing place though, you will have a blast

[nighthawk]

I’m actually in Costa Rica now. Saw a few roadies on the way out of San Jose, but in general riding seemed unsafe in the city. Heavy traffic, lots of swerving cars and motorbikes, marginal roads, little shoulder. The small highways out to the Pacific coast didn’t seem much better. I just arrived in a small coastal town surfing for 10 days, and haven’t gotten out on many backroads yet... but my gut says MTB would be good for the back roads... main roads seem unfun.

[eddief]

glad I was in a car and even that was the sh*ts unless on main roads...and even some of those are surprisingly bumpy. Saw a few dedicated roadies doing climbs in heat and humidity and some in the mountains with steep climbs but with less traffic and less daunting weather.

Most smooth paved roads do not have any extra room for bikes. On the other hand, there is a lot of "middle of nowhere" in Costa Rica and both the main highways between tourist locations and the secondary paved roads do not have very much traffic. You'd probably be just fine with bright clothes and blinkies on the front and back.

Can't imagine there is not some great off road riding since the vast majority of roads in the country are in fact gravel.

The gravel road to Corcavado and the Osa Peninsula goes forever, is gorgeous, and includes a few shallow river crossings:

https://www.room2board.com/osa-penin...national-park/

[weisan]

[gomango]

My wife has family in Atenas and Playa Bandera, just up the coast from Manuel Antonio.

Along the coast, we occasionally see roadies, which is somewhat surprising as the roads are suspect at best.

Up in the mountains near Atenas, it's all mtbs.

I have an old Santa Cruz mtb that I just leave there for our visits. The mountain roads can be very narrow with steep drops on the side. Often, there is zero shoulder and there are frequent issues with landslides in this region, as well as into the roads to Monteverde and Santa Elena.

However, it is a gravel road paradise and I love riding up in the hills near the family property. Especially on the private roads and trails.

[gomango]

Originally Posted by weisan

That would be an ideal choice there.

[boomforeal]

thanks all

Originally Posted by weisan

that's too funny, i was totally debating buying one of these last week, in part for this trip! hmmm, maybe it's fate...

[buddybikes]

Enjoy hiking and snorkeling, leave bike at home.

[trener1]

I have been to CR a few times (I believe 4-5) though admittedly never in the part that you are going to, however I have rented a MTB on a number of occasions and just hit some deserted jeep roads that seem to just go straight up the side of a mountain without any regard for gradient etc... done some pretty epic rides, and I would say that by all means Ride if you can.
Rides like those are super fun, one road on was on was in such bad shape with such massive craters and so steel that I came a cross a couple in one of those small Suzuki suv's and they were having trouble getting up, haha that was something to remember.

[verticaldoug]

I'd skip the riding and just hang with family.

Plan a second trip and do the La Ruta.