I'm planning on spending my winters in the south for the next coming years and I was wondering if there are any xc biking meccas in the south, like islands, off the coast of Mexico, anywhere really that has a warm climate and beaches?

Have you considered the baja divide? I am taking a leave of absence from work for 2 months to do it in Jan and feb. I wonder why no thread in this forum for that route. I realize it' might be a "tour" but it sure looks like mountain biking.

Hmmm, never heard of it, but then i'm not the most versed as i'm asking for help!
Where is this "Aja divide"? I couldn't find much on the net.
Would you have a link?
Thanks!

Sorry it's baja divide. I corrected the error. Just google cycling baja divide.

Ah, no worries, gone to check it out! and thanks

Interesting looking tour. But now I need a 27.5 plus hard Tail!

Costa Rica is beautiful.

Not an island and not off the coast of Mexico but it is beautiful particularly along the Pacific coast.

Yeah that's what I'm looking for, beach access with lots of trails in the background. Maybe SoCal, but I was thinking maybe more south, but in Mexico there doesn't seem to be a lot of mtb activity down there.

Costa Rica might be a little safer .... I believe they have a big tourism economy and fewer revolutionaries/ drug cartels.

Are you trying to avoid Florida for some reason?

"xc biking meccas"

I hear Florida has some great mound-biking.

The OP also said "islands", not really any "cross country" meccas on islands.

Semantics? Really?

For MTB meccas on islands (Countries or merely country that you cross) see:

Australia
New Zealand
Mallorca
Vancouver
etc.

Regardless, suggesting Florida as a desirable mountain bike destination is laughable.

1. OP said XC (cross country) not MTB (mountain biking)
2. while Florida does not have any mountains, it has plenty of good off road and mountain bike trails. https://www.singletracks.com/bike-tr...tate-park.html https://www.singletracks.com/bike-tr...tate-park.html
3. Mallorca sounds great, but didn't get the impression the OP wanted to go that far away. Vancouver not a winter destination for biking. Australia (technically a continent) and New Zealand also great places (I have been there, have you? I mean you are recommending places you actually have been and know about, right?) but again farther away than I got the impression the OP was looking at.
4. You have been here a month or less, pretty quick to start being rude to people.
5. How long have you even been mountain biking? I started in 1971, when you had to build a mountain bike yourself, because the first company to actually sell mountain bikes wasn't until 1979.

Which part of "mountain biking" in this forum's name is confusing to you? for someone who claims to have been mountain biking for a while it's curious that you aren't familiar with what "XC" represents.

The "mountain biking" in Florida is a poor excuse for the real thing. Feeble even. "Good"? Not if you've ridden the truly good stuff.

Regardless, Florida just about as far from XC MTB mecca (see OP) status as you can get.

Semantics again - coupled with a false dichotomy this time. Lovely.

This internet stuff can be pretty upsetting for some folks. Here's a tip for you:

If you post a ridiculous answer to someone's question sometimes folks are going to point that out.

I've been riding off-road since I was a kid but only riding a MTB since 1987.

What does that have to do with your silly suggestion that the OP consider Florida in his search for a XC mecca?

People who know how amazingly fantastic Florida MTB riding is, are supposed to keep it quiet so it doesn't become another Moab or something. I think this poster is breaking the secret pact they make you sign before they show you the secret amazingly awesome trails ... trails that often feature more than Thirty Feet of elevation gain!!!!!!!!! Dizzying drops from death-defying heights!

My guess is that that poster will suddenly stop posting ... then we will hear that "Remains of a Florida mound-biker were found outside a local 7-11---the rider had apparently been shot with a curare-tipped blowgun dart." Those guys are serious about the security of their super-secret runs.

Bikeforums.net never disappoints! You guys rock!

A few comments compiled from above...

I thought Florida was as flat as a pancake.

XC/Trail Mountain biking, as in Moab, Fruita, The Colorado Trail, 130mm front suspension if that helps.

Kind of like this... leave in the morning with the dogs for a 4-5 hour ride, come back for a late lunch, and then a drink on the beach. Ahhhhhhhhhhh