Electric or mountain bike hire in Cornudella

What it is

In Cornudella de Montsant, the village at the foot of Siurana, Montsant Natura hires out bicycles by the day: mountain, electric mountain, road and gravel. It is the most comfortable way to get around this part of the Priorat without depending on the car or on Siurana's paid parking, and to link the village, the reservoir and the tracks among the vineyards in a single day.

The climb from Cornudella to Siurana by road is about 8.6 km, almost all uphill and with tight bends at the end, between rock walls. On an ordinary mountain bike it is a good effort; on an electric one you do it at a stroll and arrive with energy left to go down to the reservoir later or carry on along tracks towards the Muntanyes de Prades.

Which bikes there are and how much they cost

Montsant Natura publishes prices per day, "from":

• MTB (mountain bike without a motor): from €30 for the Coluer Sphera and from €35 for the Canyon Yellowstone.
• Electric mountain bike: from €70 for the Mondraker Prime 29 and from €95 for the dual-suspension Cannondale Moterra.
• Electric gravel or road bike: from €95.
• Road bike: between €60 and €80 depending on the model.
• Gravel: from €55 and from €75 for the carbon one.

When you collect the bike you leave a €100 deposit per bike on a card, which is returned when the workshop checks it. The website does not publish hourly or half-day prices: if you only want the morning, ask when you book. Nor does it say whether the helmet is included; confirm, and if you have your own, bring it.

Extra services

The company offers a taxi with a bike rack, delivery and collection of the bike wherever you say, GPS hire and a day insurance. They also prepare picnics from the LoRefugi Gastrobar, which is theirs and is in the same village. The taxi is useful if you want to go up to Siurana by car and come down by bike, or the other way round.

How to book and where to collect

The shop is at carrer Major 37, in Cornudella de Montsant. The website has no online booking for bikes: you ask by phone (977 821 313) or by email ([email protected]). In spring and autumn, when most people cycle in the area, book a few days ahead, especially electric ones.

Leave the car in Cornudella and start from there. That way you save yourself the Siurana car park, which costs €3 and fills up on Sundays.

A day by bike in the area

A plan that works: ride up the road to Siurana first thing, lock the bike at the entrance to the village and walk round the village, the castle and the church. Then go down towards Cornudella and turn off to the reservoir, about 2 km from the village, to eat beside the water or hire a kayak.

If you are looking for tracks, Turisme Siurana publishes MTB routes that leave the village towards Prades, along the old Prades path or in a circle via Morera de Montsant, Escaladei and Poboleda. They are mountain routes with serious climbs: with an electric bike they can be done, but check the battery before going far.

Who it is for

The electric bike opens up the route to anyone who does not train: teenagers, couples with different paces or anyone who just wants to see the scenery. Montsant Natura does not publish a minimum age or children's sizes; if you are going with children, ask what sizes they have. On the road you share the tarmac with cars going up to the village, so bring lights if you set out late and avoid the busiest Sunday hours.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the good seasons. In summer set out early: between 12 and 17 the climb in full sun gets hard even with a motor, and there is little shade on the Siurana road. The user is responsible for the use of the bike and for the traffic rules, as the company states.