After a few cool rides slogging it up to the top of Üetliberg for one downhill run, I'm feeling the need for some outnout, lift assisted, gravity powered downhillin action.

Found this place which is pretty close to Zürich http://filzbach.traildevils.ch/. Their rental bikes look very good too, for those who don't own full bore downhill rigs. Though I'm open to other suggestions.

I'm busy the next two weekends, so Sunday September 2nd is looking good.

I have room for up five sweaty, smelly riders in my car (including myself) and three big bikes, and theoretically five may be possible, maybe, if a couple of them are smaller, lighter and easily disassembled. So if anybody wants a lift on the day we can sort something out.


I've given a couple of weeks notice here so that people can sort out their schedules. I'll bump the thread again nearer the time. And if you can't make it on this day, I'm pretty sure that I'll be heading down a couple more times before the parks close for the winter.

Now to go and order some downhill tyres and find some good body armour.

Might be game... If I ever get my in' bike back!!!

Another option for a Saturday trip would be go to Gurten

One of the blokes I work with goes to both fairly regularly. From what I hear Gurten is a bit better (depending on what you prefer!), more dirt trails, whereas Filzbach is more gravel type stuff...

But then again I want to do this so I shouldn't be thinking of too much lift assisted mountain biking... especially now with pretty much 2 weeks off my bike behind me!!!

I dig the idea of gravity....when I'm on top of the bike anyway...

Is the armor a necessity?

Can the gravity rides be done at different levels? I can ride, I just seem to have adopted a case of chickensh!tedness in my old age so while I enjoy a bit of speed, quick single track, some dips, hops and stream crossing, I'm not sure I need to spend any time in the air.

I haven't been to Filbach or Gurten personally, but I know that some cross country (XC) boys go up there to train the downhill sections. They certainly do it without armour and in most cases with their saddle up in XC mode too!!!

I think the necessity for armour (and to a certain extent the skill required) is governed by you... A few of us went and did the downhill course in Scuol a few weekends ago and only one had armour. I rode it quite cautiously and managed to avoid injury but did end up having a few... ...incidents!

If you realise your limitations and take the chicken line or walk around stuff that you can't handle you should be ok.

From what I hear, both Filzbach and Gurten can get a little crowded at the weekends with some pretty hardcore and overly talented guys coming down the hill at stupid km/h and generally flying over anything that looks like it may cause airtime so you'd certainly need to be aware of faster traffic catching up, and let it past.

So... summary... ...unless your a lobe short of the full shilling then don't worry about the armour, make sure you have a helmet and preferably some gloves too, ride within your ability and you'll be fine!

Disclaimer: No responsibility taken for anyone who happens to hurt themselves on my advice... We're all grown ups here and take responsibility for our own actions when we go and play.

Heres a vid of the Gurten from a previous post : Mountain Biking Trail with "boardwalk"

enjoy

Yeah, armour is personal choice. Some guys love it some guys hate it. The rental shop probably has some very basic stuff too. Also, the risk level of commercial downhill tracks is entirely up to the rider. If you take it easy and take the easy lines then it is about the same risk level as an XC downhill. Obviously as you pick up the speed and start taking the more insane lines, the risk increases.

For protective gear, I reckon the priorities are:
1. Helmet, full face is nice for downhill but not necessary for non competition.
2. Eye protection, sunnies or goggles. Eyes are very important.
2. Gloves, try typing with even a little graze on the palms of your hands.
3. Knee guards, more of an issue on tracks with big rocks, or when running flat pedals with long, sharp pins.
4. Elbow guards, nice for tight sections through trees.
5. Back protector, a camel back full of water can do this job to a limited degree.
6. Upper body armour, so nice when take a spill, land on your back and don't even get a little bruise.
7. Shorts with padded hips and stuff, never tried them myself.
8. Full body armour, Bloody hot, very expensive and a pain for going to the toilet.

I personally like armour for downhill, but don't always bother with it. I just give trees a slightly wider berth when I'm not wearing armour.

Oh, and I'm not a bit fan of spending a lot of time in the air either, like to play it safe in that area.

Woodsie,
You trying to scare people off?
My personal body armour of choice is skin!!!

Oh and as for airtime... I don't do it unless there is water underneath me... preferably the liquid type too, not the frozen type they have over here!!!

I was only trying show what the options are, not saying that you needed to get the full suit, 'onest guv.

Really keen for this Woodsie, although I think I would need to rent a rig- from the look of the website this would be a step to far for my borrowed hardtail. Unfortunately my presence has been "requested" at a family get together next weekend so i can't come to the first 'gravity day.' However, whenever the next one is I'm there.

Colin

I'm definitely up for a bit of gravity this Sunday. I'm going to head down to Filzbach for this trip and probably try Gurten on the next trip.

I'll be driving down and have room for three more bods if anybody wants a lift.

If you can't make it this time, I will definitely be squeazing in a couple more trips before everything shuts down. So let me know if you want a lift, or to meet down there and we'll organise the details.

Can't make it this week, have a guest over from the motherland who doesn't do the two wheel thing...

Why

Hey Woodsie any chance of doing some lift assisted biking this weekend- I haven't done anything but ride to work for this last week and a half.

Colin

Had an awsome day down at Filzbach and Sean joined me for his first attempt at downhilling. He had a few small spills but alway came up smiling, and some of them rank in my list of funniest stacks of all time. But by the end of the day he got it together and managed to pull off a few clean runs.

The perfect weather just put the icing on a spiffing day.

Moved the family to zurich and interested in meeting up with someone to see some trails around these parts. Costed me $500 to get my hard tail and downhill bike here sucked so bad. But there apart of me.

I was here about a month ago and found some dirt jumps and cant wait to hit them up after I get over the jet lag.

So stoked already and can't wait to meet some new MTBers.

Welcome to Zürich.

You might want to check out these threads:
Mountain Bike (MTB) Tours/Trails in Switzerland
[Zurich] Mountain Bike Meet Ups (2008)

Also keep an eye on the calendar, we tend to organise a spin up Uetliberg every Tuesday. Though we tend not to get it posted till Monday sometime. Most of the crew on these rides seem to be into the whole pedaling up the hill idea. Lunatics. But I try and get out and do some lift assisted runs as many weekends as I can.

A few of us will be out of town this weekend doing this http://www.bike-attack.ch/. So recovery from that could determine our participation in a ride next Tuesday.

But look forward to meeting up with you in the near future.

Next weeks ride is posted here.

Woodsie what are you on about recovery, its downhill nearly all the way. Short of a broken bone there is no recovery excuse!

I still havn't forgiven you for the last time you said that mate...

We're in the same boat this weekend. Same course... If I'm recovered after it you should be too!





Talk about tempting fate.... ....I'm asking for a stack now!