Tips to climb Tips Altamonta up a PASS ELECTRIC BIKES Our best bike rental/bike Home-made 5 Mountain Don’t start until your bike is perfectly set up 4 No more clichés ! Rent a suitable bike, make an ajustment on your bike after Vérifiez que votre groupe transmission et vos vitesses fonc- Maintain a steady pace travelling, change the cassette of gear, f ind repair equipment, tionnent correctement et que la pression de vos pneus est bien No! The electric bike is not a bike «for shops Try to maintain the same steady pace during the cereal bar réglée. Sur un vélo, les changements de vitesse sont particu- old people» : many people are reluctant the bike rental and bike shop ALTAMONTA are the best check 1 entire ascent. A regular ascent should be 80 or 90 lièrement dépendants du type de montée que vous réalisez. Ingredients ide to try it. Did you know that members of R SAFE revolutions per minute. If you find that your pe- Un pédalier plus petit et une cassette à rapport plus large vous point of your safety. Meet them ! dalling pace slows down when going uphill, shift permettront d’augmenter la cadence de pédalage et de rendre professional bike/mountain bike teams are RECIPE to an easier gear and increase your pedalling rate. l’ascension plus confortable. training more and more on electricity to in- Lourdes 150 g whole almonds crease their training volume?! on the Pyrenean Standing up or sitting down? Shifting gears at the right time 5 BIKE AND PY Studies have proven that you are more efficient if When shifting gears on your bike, timing is especially im- No, the electric bike doesn’t allow you you sit on your saddle. You lose less energy and 16, Esplanade du Paradis 75 g cashew nuts or portant. Most cyclists wait too long before shifting gears. It to ride at top speed : the assistance cuts you are able to make a longer effort in an aerobic must be done before the need arises. You should do it when +33(0)5 62 41 44 26 out if you exceed 25km/h. And today, elec- other nuts such as Route zone (moderate-intensity) in this position. the pressure on the chain is low, ideally on a sharp turn or a www.bikeandpy.com ROC ET TRAIL Argeles-Gazost Autonomy The temptation to stand up can be significant hairpin turn. tric bikes (those adapted to the mountains) 46 avenue Alexandre hazelnuts, pecans, 2 In addition to the intrinsic capacity of the bikes, when the climbs are extreme, but you will then are very easy to use: powerful, fluid and CYCLES ARBES Marqui empty your energy and glucose stocks faster in this the autonomy will depend on several parameters: comfortable. L’ETAPE DES PYRENEES brazil nuts, ... position. However, studies show that the standing the total weight of the person equipped with the 10 avenue François Abadie +33(0)5 62 37 66 31 weight of the bike + the wind + the difference in +33(0)5 62 94 05 51 www.roc-trail.com 12 avenue des Pyrénées position is more efficient when the climb exceeds Yes, you can exercise on an electric Using a blender or mixer, mix the almonds and cashew 10%. Standing up, you develop 30% more power altitude + the physical level of the persons who will www.cycles-arbes.com +33(0)5 62 92 29 31 150 g dates and use other muscles in your legs. Just try to avoid bike.Some people think that you do not use the assistance, more or less according to their www.pyrenees-bike.com nuts until you get a powder with pieces (not too fine! bending your chest forward, you would then waste have to pedal or very little, but there are needs + the management of the gears (whether you want nice chunks:) 2 tablespoons water too much energy in this bad position. up to 4 levels of assistance and climbing a you pedal in a flexible or powerful way, the battery Luz Saint-Sauveur charge will decrease + or - quickly) + the quality of mountain pass just on the first ECO level is CYCL’IN PYRENEES Add the pitted dates, water, vanilla and cinnamon, mix tough; in addition to that, the bike is heavier the roads + if the tires are at the right pressure or ARDIDEN VELO not enough. Ask to your bike rental. 1 avenue Charles de Gaulle a few more minutes until you get a compact paste. 1 tablespoon vanilla Feed yourself than a regular one. Climbing a mountain pass requires a lot of ener- 3 Place du 8 mai +33(0)5 62 97 55 78 extract gy. During the climb, it’s best not to eat too much +33(0)6 09 55 31 02 GTBT - Olivier Jean www.cyclinpyrenees.fr An electric bike allows you to cycle be careful during the descent, because you can easily Form balls that you roll in coconut, spread thinly on as you won’t see the benefit once you reach the www.ardidenvelos.com 1 Place du Cotillon BIKING ADVICE ON THE route des cols with a family or friends and to erase the climb a pass but it is necessary to master the techni- 1/2cm of baking paper, and cut into bars! 3 summit. You should eat 15 or 20 minutes before +33(0)6 80 07 15 69 starting the climb. The energy gel can be consumed differences in levels with the management of cality of the descent on roads or paths. TOURMALET BIKE 1 teaspoon cinnamon www.gtbt.fr during the climb, in addition to the bar. the assistance. 18 Place du 8 mai The bars can be kept in the fridge for several days. www.pyrenees-cyclo.com +33(0)6 28 52 41 47 www.tourmalet-bikes.com helmet Cycling in group An approved helmet attached and properly EQUIPMENT Cycling in pairs is allowed, but single file SENSITIVE AREAS positioned GOOD... BEHAVIOUR passage is required: when a vehicle wants water - food to pass you or when traffic conditions re- TOURMALET repair kit quire it, such as on narrow mountain roads A repair kit and pump Obey traffic regulations and other RD 921 Roundabout Villelongue/Pont de la Plenty of water: climbing a pass requires a K at nightfall or when visibility is poor. road users ; now when to give up: on a bike Reine : gorges de Luz lot of physical effort. Remember that a 2% as well as in the mountains, if the loss of water is equivalent to a 20% loss in A mobile phone in the event of an accident: weather is bad, if you are not in If your peloton is too large, consider split- Control your speed ; ting into groups to make traffic flow smoo- SOULOR/AUBISQUE effort. Drink regularly during the effort, good physical condition, know how even if you are not thirsty. 18-fire service ther and make it easier for motor vehicles RD 918 Argelès-Gazost / Arras En Lavedan R to turn back or change your route ; to pass. Energy products or snacks to compensate 17 - police or gendarmenrie mobil phone espect the environment and do not throw anything on the road Behave in a gentle manner, always thinking CAUTERETS for any energy slump 15 - samu (ambulance) Bring a card with contact detail, sides. Take your gel tubes with you ; of the cyclist behind you. Indicate obstacles RD 920 Pierrefitte Nestalas / Cauterets Calypso 112 - emergency department medical treatments or allergies ; by pointing at them. (stone, hole...). Warm, suitable eand visible clothes. Do not forget that in the mountains and Cauterets / Pont d’ Espagne wam A pair of bike gloves protects against jolts and optimizes comfort, but Don’t overestimate yourself: clim- you generally lose 1°C every 100m of height difference, and this added to I To indicate a narrowing of the road, make bing a mountain pass on a bike is f you see cyclist on the side of the suitable the effort, perspiration and the effect of the wind (windchill: cold felt in the will be very useful in case of a fall to avoid scratching the palm of your a quick hand gesture to the cyclist behind LOURDES-BAGNERES DE BIGORRE gloves not an easy task if you are not used road, ask if you can help them ; wind), it is important to protect yourself from the cold and the wind at the hand. Similarly, goggles can protect you from the sun, but also protect you. Relay the information systematically. RD 937 Exit Lourdes / village of Arcizac clothes your eyes from splashes or insects while you cycle. to cycling or physical activity. Start Pay attention to the sound information top of the passes and during the descent. The fact that the weather is good B off gently and keep some gas left in e careful on the descent: Avoid given by the cyclists at the head of the pe- Some road sections reqire all your in the Argeles-Gazost valley does not necessarily mean that it will be mild COL DE SPANDELLES the tank as they say ! blowing up the Strava segments loton. attention, in summer especially. at Le Tourmalet. You may experience temperature differences of up to 15°C. during the descent. Road of Bergons downards to Col Spandelles/ Gez-Argelès Study your route carefully and be Support cars - Opt for less busy hours, if you can ; light S aware of the difficulties ; low down when crossing villages ; - Don’t ride head on ; Be informed of the current works on the main A fixed red front/rear light (a front If you are driving a support car for one or - Be visible with a flashing light ou light and a fixed red rear light are B several cyclists, choose to park on regular roads on the website http://inforoute.ha-py.fr/ Be aware of the weather conditions e careful on the road to the passes visible clothes compulsory for cycling at night).