By Bike

Mugello offers a network of secondary roads, gentle and easy dirt roads for lovers of cycle tourism and gravel, as well as routes more oriented to mountain bikers (All Mountain and Enduro).

The Mugello Apennines do not promise the heights of the Alps but silent and fascinating landscapes: the tall beech forests near the ridges, the centuries-old chestnut groves, the unexpected and very fresh streams, the meadows where roe deer and fallow deer often graze, the old drying houses, the ancient hermitages located at the top of remote valleys.

Pedaling in Mugello at a slow pace allows the biker to discover an unknown flower, a butterfly with particular colors, a plant of monumental dimensions, a forest road immersed among the chestnut trees or enjoy fun adrenaline-filled descents or climbs that put the legs to the test. You will be able to hear the voices of the forest, enjoy breathtaking views of the valley and the ridges, stop in bivouacs or in structures, admire every meter of this beautiful and varied territory.
You can free your mind from daily stress, immerse yourself in a "forest bath" where in a real meditative experience, free yourself from the stresses of daily life accompanied by the sounds of nature, by the rhythm of your breathing and your legs, by the sound of your tires flying on the forest roads, with immediate benefits on our psychophysical well-being.

There are many proposals for cycling/gravel/MTB enthusiasts: more than thirty are the itineraries of the SO.F.T. (Sorgenti di Firenze Trekking) hiking system which partly follows the famous G.E.A. (Grande Escursione Appenninica), many are the paths of the R.E.T. (Rete Escursionistica Toscana), recommended is frequenting the paths of the Monte Giovi Cultural Park, the Casentinesi Forests and Monte Falterona National Park or the now popular Via degli Dei, or trail networks organized by individual municipalities.

The two specific routes for Gravel and Cycle Tourism are more or less easy, without particular risks, and without technical sections and without long and challenging climbs. The other routes are designed for walkers but can be tackled, with a good dose of training and technique, even by more expert mountain bikers who want to immerse themselves in a varied territory full of points of interest.

Water sources are not always very frequent far from the valley floor and the villages so it is a good idea to equip yourself with water supplies (water bag or two large water bottles) and food and basic necessities. Consult the maps, the website or the web app carefully to orient yourself among the trails that are available. well marked by the CAI, but which requires attention, just as for road and urban routes it is still good to use our maps. Study the route carefully and plan your stages in advance with the help of navigation apps and use a navigator (cellular data coverage is not always guaranteed in remote areas).

Some suggestions for material not to forget when preparing your cycling experience, also given the variability of the weather and the big differences if you tackle these routes in early spring or late autumn. The two specific routes for Gravel/Cycle touring can also be ridden in winter (with appropriate equipment), while the others may be covered in snow at higher altitudes.

- If you opt for a backpack, it must be of good quality and designed for use on a bike. If you opt for bikepacking bags, we recommend using waterproof bags (or using waterproof bags inside non-waterproof ones).
- Shoes: on the two routes designed for gravel/cycle touring, no special footwear is required, while if you decide to go on the other more technical routes, you can wear them in winter. technical, we recommend the use of mountain bike shoes with a good grip sole (Vibram or similar) as you may have to walk on rocks or slippery ground.
- At least one windbreaker and in spring/autumn a waterproof jacket and related trousers and shoe covers (or winter shoes in Gore-Tex).
- For those who want to use refuges or bivouacs, a sleeping bag that covers 3/3.5 seasons. It must be sufficiently warm to allow the body to warm up at temperatures of 5° about at altitude in the spring/autumn periods.
- Obviously tires, brakes and components in good condition
- Multitool, first aid tools on the vehicle (tire levers, pliers to unscrew the tubeless valve, patches for inner tubes and/or tubeless, master link, spare fork suitable for your vehicle).
- Front and rear light (mandatory by the highway code) and a good front light for those who like to travel at night.

Other recommended items in the backpack/bags:

• Waterproof garbage bags (also shopping bags, excellent for isolating the various compartments of the backpack/bag and for storing dirty clothes or still damp clothes)
• Toilet paper (or even better, special wipes) and collection bags. Leave no trace of your passage.
• Cell phone with charger and power bank
• First aid kit and medicines

TIPS FOR PREPARING YOUR BACKPACK/BAGS

Always consider the weight of your equipment: riding a heavy bike makes it more challenging to tackle climbs and affects the handling of the vehicle. Try to distribute the weight on the bike so as not to overload the front or rear and maintain good balance.

It is advisable to follow the following steps to prepare the material:

1. make a detailed list of what you need;
2. prepare the material in waterproof bags (even with waterproof bags);
3. weigh everything;
4. realize with apprehension that you are "going over" 30 - 40% of the set weight;
5. leave at home the many useless things that you would like to bring
6. get used to riding the bike loaded and assembling/disassembling the equipment before leaving

REMEMBER TO BRING:

• Health card
• Identity card
• The Orme del Mugello Credential
• ATM or part of the money in cash if you need to stock up on supplies even at small shops in the village even if almost all of them now have a POS.