Photo: Small circuit – Bariloche

San Carlos de Bariloche is located beside the Andes Mountains in Argentine Patagonia. The mountains of the West, and the lower, lands of the East, make this place a paradise for practicing almost all cycling disciplines. The best bicycle to explore Bariloche is a MTB or mountain bike. Some routes can also be enjoyed with gravel bikes or road bikes.

Discover single day mountain bike routes in Bariloche

Cross country or XC MTB is the most widespread discipline in mountain biking. The positive thing about these routes, is that they can be made with any mountain bike, no matter how basic it may be. The Patagonian steppe, in the eastern area of ​​Bariloche, offers beautiful routes of moderate difficulty that you can pedal if you are in good physical condition.

Discover XC MTB routes in Bariloche

Photo: Manso river suspensión bridge

Trail cycling is about riding a bike on mountain trails. Bariloche is one of the best places in Argentina to practice trail cycling. It has 2 areas with large number of trails and singletracks. Otto hill, meters from the city of Bariloche, and the area of ​​Mt. Catedral and Lake Gutiérrez. You will find trails of low, medium and high technical difficulty. South of Bariloche we can find the Pasarelas del Manso MTB trail.

Discover mountain bike trails and singletracks in Bariloche

The discipline with the greatest growth in recent years. It Is about climbing hills with a full suspension mountain bike, and then descending at full speed along trails, or in freeride mode down steep slopes. Thanks to all-mountain enduro electric bikes, this activity has gained popularity around the world and Bariloche has the best trails to enjoy enduro MTB.

Discover enduro MTB singletracks in Bariloche

Photo: Picada del 7 – Otto Hill

Also known as DH MTB, it is the cycling discipline with the most adrenaline and action. Riding downhill at full speed on a bike is what everyone wants, but few dare. Bariloche has world-class downhill trails. The best DH singletracks in Bariloche are located on Otto hill, San Martin hill and mount Catedral.

Discover downhill MTB trails in Bariloche

When you travel by bicycle, time or speed does not matter. Biketouring is about enjoying the landscapes and nature. Patagonia is one of the most famous regions in the world for long-distance cycling. The route of the 7 lakes is known throughout the world for its stunning natural beauty.

Discover bikeoturing routes near Bariloche.

Photo: Travesía del Manso

It is the most extreme version of biketouring. Bikepacking is about traveling by bike on complex and rarely traveled routes. Priority is given to trails, singletracks and gravel roads. The most famous bikepacking route in Patagonia is called “Patagonia Beer Trail”. My favorite bikepacking route near Bariloche is the Manso crossing.

Find bikepacking routes near Bariloche.

Electric bicycles considerably increase the physical performance of the cyclist. They allow us to go further and higher with less effort. E-bikes allow us to ride trails that were previously difficult to ride with normal mountain bikes. The mountains of Bariloche that you can explore with an e-bike are many. It is possible to conquer the summit of Otto, Catedral, San Martín, Bellavista, Goye, and López hills.

Discover e-bike guided tours in Bariloche

Photo: Circuito Chico – Bariloche

Riding a bicycle with children in Bariloche is extremely difficult. Most routes and circuits require a certain skill and the paved streets are very busy. Only trained children and parents will be able to enjoy family cycling in Bariloche. There are some sectors with little slope and low vehicular traffic that are safe for riding bikes with children in Bariloche. If you plan to carry a child on the bicycle, we recommend doing it with an e-bike.

Discover family cycling routes in Bariloche

Mountain bikes are the most popular bicycles in Bariloche. However, gravel bikes have gained popularity lately, and can be seen riding the roads of Patagonia. If you are a gravel bike lover, we recommend bringing your own bike, since there are no gravel bikes to rent in Bariloche (at least until Oct. 2024). Most biketouring routes in the area can be made with a gravel bike. Place tires of 2 inches or more if you are going to travel on gravel roads.

Discover gravel cycling routes near Bariloche

Photo: Gran Fondo 7 lakes – Neuquen

Road cycling is not too popular in Bariloche, and as in the case of gravel, there are no road bike rental shops in the city. The small number of paved roads and vehicular traffic mean that road cycling is not the best option in Bariloche. However, in the month of November each year, more than 2,000 road cyclists gather to ride the Gran Fondo 7 Lagos, which runs along Route 40, between the city of Villa la Angostura and San Martin de los Andes. In Bariloche, the most beautiful paved road to travel with a road bike is the Circuito Chico