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Jo Pauly : Mountain Biking in Morzine with Rideability

Review of 2012 summer mountain biking season and interseason tips from local MTB instructor

featured in Meet the locals Author Sophie Nicholson, Morzine Editor Updated

The mountain biking season may have only just finished but with snow lying up high on the mountains around Morzine, the dizzy, dusty, downhill days of summer already seem a bit of a distant memory.

Here at Morznet HQ, we're not quite ready to replace our bikes with skis and boards just yet so we thought it would be fun to have a post summer season chat with local rider Jo Pauly. Jo is the owner of Rideability, a Morzine based mountain biking company offering instruction and guiding on local trails and further beyond. We sat down with Jo to get an insider's view on all things two wheeled in Morzine and further afield.....

Jo, what were your highlights of the 2012 summer MTB season in the Portes du Soleil? 

The Pass'portes du Soleil is always a big one, especially this year as it was extended to 3 days and Morzine hosted the show. It is always a massive event as it is the non official start of the mountain biking season. On a personal level, the biggest highlight was the incredibly hot, sunny and dusty conditions, especially early in August, it was awesome!

Do you have any particular standout memories of the season just gone? 

Coming back from a big injury (I snapped my ACLin 2011), this summer has been all about getting my fitness and confidence back, so clearing some big jumps in the Châtel bikepark felt particularly good. I also managed to discover some new trails even after 6 years of constant riding and exploring here which really demonstrates the extent and potential of the area.
Lastly, seeing the kids from the Châtel MTB club that I've been coaching for 2 seasons now improving so quickly is just amazing.

How do you feel that Morzine is doing in terms of its position as one of the world’s premier MTB destinations - are the trails up to scratch?

That's a tough one ! For the people involved in the world of mountainbiking, it can be pretty frustrating at times as we see the potential of the area and things don't always improve as quickly as we'd like. But it is important to remember that Morzine is much more than a MTB destination and there are other people with different issues and motivations that also need to be accommodated - it's also the charm of it!

When the trails are busy and you’re not at work, where do you like to ride in the Portes du Soleil?

When it comes to downhilling specifically, I prefer the more natural tracks and SuperMorzine is definitely a favorite. If I'm on my enduro/trail bike, I like to explore new trails or ride some of the secret ones which are preciously kept by locals... and I'm not going to give them away!

Where do you think are the best places in Morzine for riders to grab a bite to eat and a beer after a day on the trail?

Bar wise, my favourites are Chez Roger, which is ideal for aprés ride and there is a party at least once a week. Roger is a rider himself and a great character. Another one is Le Crepu with a nice ambiance and the bar staff, Rose and Jérome, are very good riders too. When it comes to food, Morzine is full of very good places to be honest so my advice would be to explore a bit. A place I really like is l'Atray des Neiges - a small 200 year old chalet halfway down the Pleney with the best crepes in Morzine!

Aside from Morzine, what areas in the Alps or further afield do you really rate as MTB destinations?

There are so many... I've heard so much about Italy and I guess it is top of my list of new places to explore. The problem is, as soon as the season is over I rush back to the Pyrénées (med side), where I grew up. It's a place I really love and can't really get enough of it! The riding there is amazing - if wild and technical singletracks are your thing - and I've been offering interseason guiding there for a few years now. In fact, I'm just about to guide a group from the mountains down to the sea over 4 days and I can't wait!

The season is sadly over now - do you have any tips for how best to look after your bike in the interseason?

I usually strip down my bike completely to have a close looks at all the parts and check all the bearings. Usually a few of them need changing if they haven't already been changed during the season: headset, bottom bracket and hubs are the usual suspects. I also send my suspensions to the specialist company Fast Suspension for a complete overhaul. I usually do this during the winter when I'm not in a hurry and when they have more time to take care of my stuff. It's definitely not a good idea to wait until springtime!

How do you maintain your fitness in the interseason and what sports do you think are the best complement to MTB specific fitness?

As a ski instructor, the choice is pretty straight forward! I also go to the swimming pool, do a few weights at home, and do a few sessions on the turbo trainer to keep a decent pedal stroke. I would ride outside in the winter if there wasn't snow everywhere! I've also started doing a bit of slacklining to help with the rehab of my knee - it's a great activity to improve balance and concentration.
I think mountainbiking is such a complete sport that you would find something beneficial for it in any other sport and, as long as you are not a racer looking for specific training, the most important thing is to enjoy yourself, so have a few different activities you mix up to make sure you don't get bored.
As for mountainbiking itself, I'm a firm believer that the best way to get better at it is to get out there and ride! If you want to improve, then go for a x country ride rather than spending hours on a road bike. Again, the important thing is not to get bored, so be clever about it and mix up the kind of rides you do - something with technical climbs one day, downhill specific the next, spinning x country ride, half a day on the BMX track... there are so many things you can do, you just need a bit of imagination.

How would you like to see the sport of mountainbiking develop over the next few years?

I'd like MTB to become even more accessible which basically means more decent bikes and gear at a better price, more trails suitable for beginners, and more professional coaches of course!

Finally, what are Rideability’s goals for next season - any developments or plans for 2013 that you can tell us about?

We have a few ideas up our sleeves but it's a bit early to talk about it yet, we'll keep you posted!
What I can tell you though is that we are teaming up with MoreMountain in Morzine to offer some top notch MTB holidays, combining great accommodation and MTB coaching. So keep a look out for the MoreAbility weeks! 

Rideability are supported by Turner Bikes, Hope Technology, Fiveten, Nema, Fast Suspension and DM3.

For more information on mountain biking in Morzine and the Portes du Soleil, visit our dedicated MTB section, trail maps and our Morzine summer reports.