{"id":561,"date":"2021-03-08T18:06:39","date_gmt":"2021-03-08T17:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/uk\/?p=561"},"modified":"2021-03-08T18:07:20","modified_gmt":"2021-03-08T17:07:20","slug":"skoda-karoq-sportline-test-drive-the-car-that-gave-us-freedom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/uk\/2021\/03\/08\/skoda-karoq-sportline-test-drive-the-car-that-gave-us-freedom\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0160koda KAROQ SPORTLINE Test Drive: The Car That Gave Us Freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"

Not even five minutes have passed by and all our bicycles are mounted on the roof. Besides bikes, we won’t need much else: helmets, cycling gear, a change of clothes, food and a tent in which we will spend the night. To reach the hills, we need a larger car but not entirely large; all-terrain but not entirely off-road. Thus, the obvious choice fell on the \u0160koda KAROQ.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Ultimately, four people mean a solid pile of luggage after all but the boot of the \u0160koda KAROQ SPORTLINE can accommodate it effortlessly. After the workweek, we are all looking forward to riding in the hills, places full of trails, and, above all, a few days of freedom and unwinding.<\/p>\n

\"\u0160koda<\/a>
\u0160koda KAROQ is in a permanent connection with the outside world. In case of a malfunction, the vehicle itself would contact a repair service, and emergency services should you have an accident. \u00a9 Jakub Frey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Friday Afternoon<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It’s a nice and sunny Friday afternoon and none of us can help the excitement about the adventure ahead of us. We make these little trips of ours regularly. They give us a chance to reconnect, breathe freely for a while, and immerse in the irreplaceable mountain ride sensation. No work, no worries, just the four of us surrounded by nature.<\/p>\n

Anna, who will be driving, is setting our destination on the large dashboard display. A one-hour drive from Prague and we’ll reach a hilly area in Czechia I have always loved coming back to. I’m not alone \u2013 Sofie and David are passionate cyclists themselves and just like me, they cannot wait for the trails of the highlands we picked this weekend. Anna, on the other hand, is more of a car enthusiast and she finds \u0160koda KAROQ to be the perfect partner to safely deliver us to a weekend of pure joy.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CL_2bEAqJ5U\/<\/p>\n

The landscape passes by behind the windows and, now and then, we check the bikes fastened to the roof rack. We have a great view of them during the entire ride granted by the magnificent glass-topped roof.<\/p>\n

We exit the highway onto a common road with many turns and Anna is visibly excited about turning the sporty wheel. Up until this moment, we would manage with just a regular car but the asphalt road is ending and the last six kilometres on dirt roads await us. At first, it is just gravel but even that gradually makes way for large flat stones with tufts of wet grass growing through, covering deep cracks. The sizeable tyres of the KAROQ roll easily over those.<\/p>\n

Finally, Anna stops the car. We’re here!<\/p>\n

Friday evening<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Step number one: setting up a camp. We find the best spot to pitch a tent. David is looking for a nice, flat spot: after all the riding we have planned, good sleep is a must. Me and David lay down on the ground a try out a few test rollovers. All good! Our fort is built, basecamp ready. It\u2019s time for a bonfire!<\/p>\n

The evening plays out in the name of catching up. We all live in the same city but daily life makes finding a date to meet a bit harder than when we were kids at the same school. On the other hand, sharing all the news in bulk has its magic. We go to sleep around midnight.<\/p>\n

\"Camping\"<\/a>
We’ve got a lot of catching up to do. \u00a9 Jakub Frey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Saturday morning<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A fantastic smell of freshly brewed coffee lures me out of sleep. Sofie is the first to be awake and, as she notes, ‘you won’t make me go anywhere until I’ve had my two cups of coffee’. Luckily, we brought a big moka that satisfies the coffee needs of all four of us. Oatmeal, nuts, honey, and some fruits should fuel us sufficiently.<\/p>\n

While we’re changing into cycling clothes and gathering some supplies and tools, Anna puts on walking shoes and packs her own backpack. As I mentioned, Anna’s not such a cycling aficionado but she does enjoy a good hike. I cannot help but tease her about her pilgrim plans. The only answer I get is Anna’s back and a short wave goodbye.<\/p>\n

The rest of us hop on our bikes. The area is no place for a roadie and our pant through a couple of kilometres is solid proof. This part of the trail is pretty steep but the knowledge of a reward ahead keeps us pedalling. The first stop of our day is at an outlook tower overlooking the hills. I volunteer to watch the bikes \u2013 I’ve climbed the tower many times before. Also, I need a few minutes to catch my breath but I don’t mention that.<\/p>\n

\"MTB\"<\/a>
Time to hit the trail. \u00a9 Jakub Frey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n