Since 2020 · Villa O'Higgins
Why ride with us
We're where the road ends. Since 2020 we've been renting e-Bikes in remote Patagonia and putting trips together with the people who live along the route.
We'll confirm availability by WhatsApp or email.
Javi and Nacho on the crossing, in 2018
We make the remote accessible.
So anyone can get all the way out here and live it with no filters. We want to give you that extra little push to get out and ride with confidence, go farther and explore remote places at your own pace.
E-Bikes level the field: couples, families and friends of different levels can ride together, with the wind in their faces. And when you get all the way out here, you feel like you made it.
We do it with the people who live on the road. We owe a lot to this land and its people, and we want to give a little of that help back.
A small team, at the end of the road.
ridingSURí was born from Javi's trip with his son Nacho, in 2018. Today we're a team in Villa O'Higgins and a network of families who host you along the route.
- 2018Javi and Nacho ride into Villa O'Higgins and cross to El Chaltén.
- 2020The first e-Bike rental in remote Patagonia, in Candelario Mancilla.
- TodayE-Bikes in Villa O'Higgins, drop-off at four points up to Balmaceda and a network of micro-refuges along the route.
That every rider heads out safe and confident.
We designed it step by step in 2022 and follow it on every ride, whether it's two hours or two weeks.
- Before you arriveWe check the weather and the day's route, and every e-Bike: battery, lights, brakes and gear.
- We welcome youUnhurried, and if you're the first of the day, with a freshly picked mint tea.
- We get to know youYour height and weight, to give you the bike that fits, and how much you ride.
- You read and signThe risk acknowledgment form and the cyclist's code. It helps you get the measure of the ride.
- We talk you through the routeWhere to go, what the terrain is like, what the weather says and how to use the pedal assist.
- We check togetherThe bike, the safety gear and the pedal assist, with you right there.
- A test rideIn the street, before you leave. It's what helps most to build confidence.
- When you get backWe welcome you, check the bike and offer you a tea.
What can happen, and what we do about it.
Riding in a remote area carries risks that can't be fully eliminated. We know them, we've written them into a plan since 2019 and we tell you about them before you set off.
- Falls on gravel
- Before you set off we tell you how to handle descents and loose gravel. You ride with a helmet, gloves and elbow and knee pads. Where it's slippery, we ask you to get off and push.
- Cars on the road
- The Carretera Austral is a shared road. We ask you to stay visible, ride single file and stick with your group.
- The weather changes
- We check the forecast every morning. If it isn't safe, we change the route or the ride.
- Getting lost or separated
- We talk you through the route before you set off and ask you not to split from the group.
- The bike breaks down
- Every bike is checked before and after every ride. You carry a repair kit. On a long trip, you take it to a workshop for a basic repair: there's no e-Bike service along the Carretera Austral, only a basic one in Coyhaique.
- The battery runs out
- That's why no stage goes over 70 km and the battery gets charged every night. We don't have spare batteries.
- There's no signal
- There isn't on long stretches. Before you set off, we save the emergency numbers on your phone.
- You get hurt
- You activate your travel and health insurance, which you need before setting off. We give you the information and phone support to contact health services.
Out here, weather still sets the rules. If it changes, so do we.
The wind comes down off the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and changes the day in minutes. That's why we don't promise you a sunny day: we promise you a plan.
If the boat doesn't sail, you wait in Villa O'Higgins or Candelario Mancilla and leave on the next sailing. That night is planned into your proposal.
If the day isn't fit for riding, we change the route or the date. On rentals, we refund what you paid or reschedule.
People waiting for you on the road.
You don't ride alone, even without a guide. All along the route there are people who know the road and welcome you.
- 8 familiesat 8 points on the Carretera Austral Sur, with 24 micro-refuges from SURí Refugios.
- 4 pointsto leave the e-Bike: Villa O'Higgins, Cochrane, Cerro Castillo and Balmaceda.
- Ruedas de la Patagoniaour partners on Lake O'Higgins. Two friendly companies, one crossing.
The same ones we ride.
- Fleet
- 8 e-Bikes: Kona, Orbea, Giant and Trek
- Motor
- Bosch or Yamaha
- Sizes
- S, M and L
- Battery
- 40 to 70 km per charge
- Spare
- No spare battery; charger, yes
- Brakes
- Hydraulic
Depending on your build and availability, you'll get one of our SURís, and they'll look after you as well as you look after them.
Our e-Bikes, in detail
"This was the first time we used e-Bikes, and I found it really comfortable the whole way."
Shall we ride together?
Tell us who's coming and how many days you have. That's enough for us to get started.
We'll confirm availability by WhatsApp or email.