# Riding in Ecuador



## GT Fatty (May 19, 2006)

Rode for 4 days in Ecuador last year and had a blast! A great and inexpensive place to visit!!! Here's my write-up. Anyone else ridden in Ecuador?


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## expat42451 (Aug 2, 2011)

Hey GT
Left the US in 2012 sold all of my bikes. Traveled via backpack in the northern part of South America, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Knew Peru and Colombia from earlier, ended up deciding to live in Ecuador. I live in Cotacachi, 2.5 hours north of Quito. I have been in Ecuador 5 years doing some camping, some hiking and some climbing. I moved here, between Imbabura and Cotacachi volcanoes 2 years go. Last week, a new bike shop opened in town and I ended up riding several of their bikes...ended up buying a new Trek XCaliber 8 from them. 

Since 2012, lots has changed, single front chain rings, completely different tires and a whole lot more. We have a lot of interesting hills and places to ride locally plus a lot of trails only known to the local Quechua Indians and mountain bikers. There are a LOT of downhill people here, something I tried at 59 when I was still in the US but at 69 I dont think so. got the bike Thursday afternoon, out on it for several hours Friday between rain showers and burned my legs down pretty good-I walk about 5 miles a day but the muscle groups are different...... today have spent adjusting seat height, handle bars, shifter (wheres the front derailleur ???!!!!) and a few short rides to prove the adjustments. At 69 I dont bounce back as quickly but I am going to do some more street riding tomorrow to get accustomed to the new machine and then in another week or two start the trails.....

Great to see you got to ride around Quito and Cotopaxi. Looks like you had an excellent time down here, When are you coming back?? There is a LOT to see here not only in the central part of the country but in the south and over in the Amazon Basin. Thanks for the great writeup, enjoyed it a lot. I have hiked and done a lot of camping but only started riding again so......great to be back on 2 wheels....

Expat42451
Cotacachi Ecuador


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## GT Fatty (May 19, 2006)

expat42451 said:


> Hey GT
> When are you coming back??
> Cotacachi Ecuador


Would love to! Broke my collarbone on day 2 of a mountain bike vacation last year and now have had two more vacations cancelled already and my next two are in the process of being cancelled. Now I'll likely wait til our kids are old enough to join us and participate.


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## spleeft (May 2, 2017)

Ive been researching a post retirement Surf/ kiteboarding / mountainbike / trip to Peru for 2022. Glad to see you'all livin the dream !!! Thanks for the incite !


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## expat42451 (Aug 2, 2011)

Make sure you bring your wetsuit. I surfed Lima couple years ago for me was very cold, one other place in Peru-- Trujillo, was great...., a couple around Esmeraldas in Ecuador, Canoa and one other place I dont remember. Best waves I have found is in a little almost unknown bay just south of Esmeraldas called Estero de Platanos. Nice left break, head high some days, stays open a nice amount of time when its workin.....

Since my last post on June 6th. Changed the SX derailleur for a GX --huge difference in the way the bike shifts....had the front bearings replaced once, back bearings twice, freewheel went out its Bontrager original so I replaced the hub with a Shimano and put a new tubeless ready rim on the back when I did that. When I left the US I sold all the bike tools --have been through 3 shops here locally and am using one in Ibarra now that is only fair....they build nice wheels, one thing I have not learned to do yet. As of the ride yesterday, I have put 2206 Km on the bike since I bought it, been keeping track of everything with an Android program called Sportractive. Since I have a partial back wheel I may build it back up with another casette and Shimano hub -its the original Bontrager that came on the bike.....and build another front wheel as well and have it where I can change to road tires. Where I ride I have to have pretty aggressive tread otherwise forget it. Front has the XR2 that came with the bike, back has a Maxxis Icon. Icon was fair when it was new but lately its not been doing well as a back tire on steep places....and there are a LOT of steep places here, 90% of em arent on pavement either....rather than build another wheel set for the mountain bike..... I really should build a gravel bike in addition to the Xcaliber....
Sorta rattled on there for a bit, enjoy the vacation Spleeft....GTFatty how are you holding up through all of this??


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