This is the discussion thread for tours posted in the Mountain Bike Tours thread. If you have any questions or comments about the information given in that thread please feel free to post them here. If you want to post a new tour do it in the tours thread.

Thanks for setting this up, Eire, I will certainly contribute a couple of rides that I have found.

A couple of comments:
First, the link in the main thread to this discussion thread does not work.
Second, the definition of how to rate technical difficulty needs a little refinement. When reading that level 2 means "not very steep", I wondered why this belonged here rather than in the physical fitness rating. Then I realized that you were probably referring to the downhill sections not being very steep. So, if this is not clarified then I think that some people may use the scale wrongly. I'm thinking of submitting a route that is not very technical, but has a long, steep climb. I think it should be rated it as a 2 for technical difficulty, but this statement that level 2 should be "not very steep" would dissuade me from doing so. So, my main point is that not every steep climb warrants a technical rating of 3 or above.

Hi Chris,
Thanks for the feedback. I have fixed the link now (I hope!!!)

As for the gradings, I have added the word downhill in brackets where I refer to steep descents. I would imagine that the steep climb would bump up the physical fitness element of the tour but not necessarily the technical difficulty. I tried to put the gradings and descriptions in there as a guideline and realise they can't cover every situation. A short tour that has a long and steep climb that might be less then 700m may be (physically) moderately demanding in that it requires someone with good physical fitness to complete it even though it falls short of the guidelines I set for a grade 3 tour. In these cases the person posting will have to use a little judgment and maybe explain this in their summary.

My goal is that by reading the posts people can determine if a tour is suitable for them or not. My thought behind the gradings is that people who want to do a day tour with some good technical sections don't end up doing an hour long tour on paved streets, and vica versa that a novice doesn't end up trying to cope with 2000m of climbing only to be faced with a super technical decent that is far beyond them.

[quote:My goal is that by reading the posts people can determine if a tour is suitable for them or not. My thought behind the gradings is that people who want to do a day tour with some good technical sections don't end up doing an hour long tour on paved streets, and vica versa that a novice doesn't end up trying to cope with 2000m of climbing only to be faced with a super technical decent that is far beyond them.[/quote]

Nothing worse than trying to descend a steep rocky path and having to get off the bike and walking in cycling shoes with clips!

I've got the scars to prove that!!!

Hey Woodsie,

Any chance you can add the time of year that the Lenzerheide tours are doable. The gondela/Cable car is open to bikers from June to Start/Mid October as far as I know, but there is more information available on http://www.lenzerheide.ch/de/navpage-BikingLH.html

The route you described down from Rothorn is part of the bike attack freeride race route. http://www.bike-attack.ch/index.php?inc=bilder.php

Also, the other route you talked about going from Rothorn down to the middle station is of similar standard to the one you described. Just leave the cable car station and keep to the right. About 50m past the the left turn that takes you down to the moon landscape plateau you can take a right that brings you down a loose rocky trail to the middle station. This trail meets the one you have already described where they enter the same single trail above the middle station.

Oh... and a tip for these tours... Pack many spare tubes... We had so many pinch flats the day we did the runs down from the top that we were patching the old tubes on the way back up the cablecar!!!

Cheers for the good work man.

Cool Dave, I've added that in.

When I get a chance I can add Filzbach in aswell, and that will pretty much exhaust my knowledge of Swiss mountainbiking.

Cool,

I'm writing up another tour at the moment and I'll add it... Hopefully then more people will start to take the torch and give their input. I think its a fairly good start then. Time of year isn't on our side for this particular thread, but hopefully it will take off properly when the snow starts to melt (if it falls in the first place!).

I'm thinking about going for a last bike spin of the season on Sunday(I'll be away for the rest of the month after that), you or anyone else reading this interested in getting a group together to go ride the trail I described in Aegeri on Sunday?

Count me in for Sunday. We should probably talk to the mods about getting the thread stickied in the Spring when people will be more interested in it again. Hopefully it will gain more momentum then too.

Maaaate. Just had a look at your photos of Scuol. I am so looking forward to spring when I can check that trail out in person. It looks spectacular!

Can you include a bit more info on the maps you are using there, the Bike Explorer and Single Track. Maybe you could put that in the first thread.

For Scuol I didn't actually use either the Bike Explorer or SingleTrail maps. I looked at both for the area, but to be honest they didn't look worth the money. Instead we bought a cheap map for 5CHF that was available in the tourist office and the bike shop there.

The tour I described is really easy to find, find Sur En, and start riding uphill... You can't go wrong. Its a lot of climbing though!!!

I should have a bike that can climb by springtime. Now all I need is to find a body that can climb.

New bikes.... Hmmmm.

I should be ordering my new ride for next season in December. Everything going well I will be picking up a sub 12.5kg bike with 140mm of travel front and back by mid March.

Should be perfect for anything that Switzerland can throw at it. Marathons...Tours... Downhill... the works.

Then I just have to learn how to ride!

Now... what did I do with my credit card again!!!!

Did someone say New Bikes??! Looks like a really nice setup, Eire.

Thanks to both of you for posting all that great info for MTB tours. I would add the only ride I've done here so far - the (long) climb up to Wildspitz and then singletrack down - but I didn't take enough notes to have that much detail to share - but I will next time!
This is a useful website on local tours: http://www.trail.ch/mtb-tour.htm
(although I like your descriptions better, since it's in a language I can actually comprehend).

Would it be okay if my husband and I joined you for the ride this Sunday? It sounds like a good one, and I could at least hang with you all on the uphill part ...Then if/when I'm slower going downhill, Jeff could wait on me so you wouldn't have to...

Hi Hillseeker,

If Sunday works out the more the merrier as far as I am concerned. I wouldn't worry too much about the pace on the decent. there are a few sections where people naturally tend to to stop and regroup and my girlfriend will be probably there too.

Sean should be joining us aswell. Weather looks like it won't be too shabby on Sunday either.

ditto hillseekers comments. I have a toggenburg route that I'll right up soon, it's doable for awhile yet, in fact is better now as less walkers about.
Been meaning to do the Aegri one for awhile so might join you all on sunday.

I have another friend that would like to join us on Sunday as well. She (unlike me) is a good mountain biker.

Do you have a plan on where and what time to meet? Anything works for me (but not too early would be nice!).

Like I said the more the merrier!

I suggest that we meet at the car park by the lake just past Oberaegeri at 10:30am on sunday. It is the start finish point on the map I put in the tours thread for the Aegeri tour.

Mind you if someone has any other suggestions I am open to them too.

For those of you going biking this afternoon enjoy it. I work one tram stop down from Rehalp so I may be passing at about your meeting time, if I see a group of bikers I'll stop and say hello.

Otherwise, see you all on sunday.

Hi Guys,

If you are looking to do other rides, it may be worth checking out the following sites.

In English

http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/hbFi....cfm#resultset ( English )

In German

http://touren.topin.travel/ Really good. Many of the rides include google overlays and GPS data
http://www.mountainbiker.ch/touren/

Have fun on Sunday