San Sebastian, Spain - Bikes & Routes

[Dromen]

Are your experienced?

Heading here in late Sept with a couple buddies for 3-4 days of cycling. We are staying in a downtown hotel. If you have any recommendations for bikes and routes, 3 newbies to San Sebastian would be grateful.

Thank you,
John Jr
JohnIII
Steve

[VTCaraco]

But some of the best eats we've ever experienced happened in that town....
http://www.surfholidays.com/assets/images/blog/2016-09-19-Atari%20Gastroteka%20San%20Sebastian%20Surf%20Holi day%20Pintxos.jpg
You're gonna LOVE it there!!!

[54ny77]

ohmygosh. i'll take two please. of each.

But some of the best eats we've ever experienced happened in that town....
http://www.surfholidays.com/assets/images/blog/2016-09-19-Atari%20Gastroteka%20San%20Sebastian%20Surf%20Holi day%20Pintxos.jpg
You're gonna LOVE it there!!!

[Hindmost]

Monte Ulia/Jaizkibel.

Local cyclists were super friendly and helpful.

[VTCaraco]

ohmygosh. i'll take two please. of each.

And that's how you roll there...
Walk through, tell the staff what you want and how many and you fill a plate with tapas or pintxos.
As we were told, local convention is to stop at a number of establishments and just sample and sample and sample.

[holliscx]

I would research Clásica de San Sebastián routes and start there. The Basques select the best roads for that race. If you have the legs go whole hog for 220 kilometers.

Also look at Strava heat maps for the area you want to ride which should be more than enough.

I rode the Camino de Santiago starting in San Sebastian mostly off-road to Santiago de Compostela. I also finished here riding trans-Pyrenees from Cerbère. There aren't many roads so it shouldn't be tough to find the best and I think the heat maps will be almost foolproof. In Spain, roads with 4 numbers are usually can't miss idyllic roads. Your strategy should be to map the smallest roads and bring your climbing legs for the Basque Country ain't flat.

Be sure to have a pintxo Indurain which has 5 guindilla peppers (a Basque favorite) one for each Tour win.

Bodega Donostiarra is a good bar to start. I would highly recommend a tomato salad there for a relaxed sit-down casual lunch. This place is away from the old part with locals and low key. Their Pintxo Indurain is great btw.

Final bit of advice is to do as the locals do and order the smallest beer available with your pintxos. I know that seems counterintuitive and un-American but this paces you and portions correctly with pintxos. Otherwise you get ravenously hungry and try to gorge yourself which is against the art of pintxos. Look at the beers locals drink vs tourists. You may have to point at the smaller glass but I think you will find this strategy wise.

[Gurpil23]

For bike rentals (and also guided routes) you can check this shop: http://basquecountrycycling.com/. Never used them myself but heard good things about their service.

As for routes I love the road along the coast either East (towards Hondarribia) or West (towards Bilbao). The last Itzulia had a "flat" stage going through the coast to Bilbao:
https://www.itzulia.eus/en/2017/4/info/

There was also another stage arriving to San Sebastian from Vitoria:
https://www.itzulia.eus/en/2017/3/info/. If you go through Aia you should to check the insane slope or "muro" going into town (it is not the main road so you may want to ask locals or find a gps file to find the start of it).

Out of the bike enjoy the food and learn some basque http://www.athingforwords.com/basque-country/basque-language/, people will appreciate it!

[Mr. Pink]

Anthony Bourdain did a show this season all about San Sebastion, so look for it in your on demand library.

[Mr. Pink]

Just asking a favor for a TR if you do this trip. Totally intrigued with the town and region.

[cnighbor1]

www.crazyguyonabike.com and do a search for that area

like
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1mr&doc_id=11272&v=4v