 Poster: A snowHead
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We are heading over to the Alps this summer and plan on spending a week in Morzine to do some mountain biking, via ferrata, hiking etc.
I’ve only ever ski’d Morzine before so have a few questions about the summer season.
The web site says the Pleney lift will be shut but is a bit ambiguous. My take on it is that it sounds like normally they always use the gondola for MTB but this is out of action. On another site it says they will run the chairlifts from 08:30 to 10:30am.
On the map it only shows the chairlifts, so read in conjunction with the statement you might assume it’s these that are shut and there is no uplift at all. They talk about bus replacement services for this.
If they only run the chairs (and only in the mornings) does this seriously restrict your options? Would it be fine to get the bus to Les Gets and then spend the day there?
Or would it be easier to just go up Super Morzine and do the runs there instead? Not knowing what the terrain is like It would be good to know where would be best based on the closed lifts.
We will have a car so could always drive round to Les Get if needed.
Also, I’ve heard mixed opinions on bike rental, some friends say it’s better to rent and use their bikes as a) you can get a really decent downhill bike and b) you burn up their brakes instead of your own.
On the flip side others have said the rental bikes are all pretty hammered and it’s better to take your own.
My bike is not a full on downhill bike and has 130mm of travel front and back. I’m not exactly planning on jumping gorges and hitting 10ft drop offs but am unsure if it would be up to it and whether to rent or not. I’m looking for a bit more advice on this as it would be way easier not to take the bike, but rental costs do seem to be pretty steep, so for 2 days for 2 people it looks like you would be paying about 320euros!!
All advice/opinions welcome!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Only the Pleney lift that's shut. All of the usual summer chairs are open afaik (edit: and all chairs that run, also have bike rack, i believe)
For Les Gets, I'd get the replacement bus to go there, but you can ride back - it's mostly downhill all the way. Various options for that, depending on where you've been riding. We mostly rode the PdS XC tour on the way back (has burgundy coloured signs), or were descending from above Pleney.
Chairs run all day.
I think Super Morzine (and Zore chairlift) open earlier than normal because most of the Morzine MTBers will go up that way, and presumably head towards Chatel Bike Park.
We did uplift assisted XC on hard tails, and survived. 130mm FS ought to be fine.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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We normally stay in Chatel, I think it's better than and I don't really get why most people seem only to go to Morzine. Chatel is a little quieter than morz and that means cheaper too... 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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hmm have you got decent brakes, not been to Morzine but have done DH in Austria and the runs are long. If you don't have decent brakes they can overheat and stop working and you have to stop halfway down. There is also a lot more to bikes than just suspension, the geometry of a DH bike will be completely different and will give you more confidence on the steeper descents. If you fancy having a go at some of the DH trails I would hire a proper DH bike, no idea what the lift assisted xc would be like though.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Decision on the bike front may have been made for us, can't get any space on the tunnel for a bike rack now 
To be honest I had no idea that it would make a difference until booking.
Can anyone recommend good bike hire places or are they all pretty much similar bikes for similar money?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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try torico in morzine but you might get a shock when you see rental prices (and they may be booked out already)
fit bikes in the car for the crossing? or go on the ferry (1 extra hour is hardly a massive delay on a 10 hour journey)
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ish303, assuming you have a roof bike carrier, probably cheaper to by a rear bike carrier than hire
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Yeah, I'm starting to think that. I read the detail on the tunnel and its only roof boxes or "high" back bike racks that make the difference, as in total you can't be over 1.85m high.
Only problems is it looks like if you have one that's just off the back of the car you need to have a light board on it and I don't have electrics plumbed in for that. Unless you can get away with just hanging a number plate only on the back of the bikes rather than a full light board?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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full light board if the lights and reg. plate are obstructed in any way. thought it's a pretty quick job in halfrauds or wherever to install the towbar mount and electrics, on most modern cars.
tunnel has restricted height and only so many spaces for vans, roofracks etc.
ferry has no such restrictions (but probably do charge more)
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