[norbar]

I'm very decided that I'll try to spend as much of my hollidays training. I'm looking for a nice DH spot with some nice FR trails (preferably less ns and more jumps) to chill out. France and everything west/north is ruled out as I'm going from Poland by car and it would be just to far (well for this year at least).

For now i'm thinking about:
- Maribor (Nice dh track, ppl say it's not so overkill as others and supposedly there are some other trails for my less dh crazed friends - Any more info on the place would be nice. I know that some monkeys were there for WC )
- Livigno (supposedly it's closed this year due to some financial issues)
- This place - (http://www.pratobikeland.it/percorsi/percorsi.html) - No info about it
- Willingen (what other trails are there ?)
- Bad Wildbad (will it be more funn in terms of other trails than Maribor)

Saalbach is ruled out as I went there 2 years in a row. I'm already going for 1 week to winterberg so that also is out - I want diversity.

Any new places are welcome so is feedback on the mentioned spots.

 

[BlackElvis]

Slovenia:

Kranjska gora MTB park:
http://www.bikepark.si/www/index.php?lang=english
The whole park is more FR oriented although there's a DH track. Kranjska Gora is however organizator of 2009 DH European Championships.
Your friends have so much variety of trails. Mountains are nearby.
If you want to huck there is a new huge drop:

BikeParkJavornik:
True DH park. New 4x, slope style and DH tracks this season. There's new track, similar to A-line in whistler. Wicked
http://bikeparkjavornik.net/
It's not open every day so you have to check their site regularly.

Bike Park Maribor:
http://www.pohorje.org/poleti_ENG/default.asp?id=947
WC DH track, you dont need any more explanations i guess
There is a lot of AM tracks for your friends.

MTB park Kanin
http://www.mtbparkkanin.com./
It's the most technical park in Slovenia. About 600m of descending.
Rocky and very technical tracks. Cable car is working only during weekends!
Divided in 3 parts. Upper twos are less technical with some northshore elements, 3rd one is pure DH, fast and rocky.
For more info send email to outdoorfreaks@siol.net

Check Schladming, it's near your planned route.

Maybe you can catch some Slovenian Cup race.
Here's a schedule.
http://www.mtb.si/index.php?id=57&L=3

cheers

 

[norbar]

Wow I envy you bike spots. Heard sth about Kranjska but it seems like it has only 2 trails(from the map on the site) and I'm not much of a hucker (well not until I do sth with my air shock frame).
Maribor has only AM trails besides the DH track?

Schlad would be nice but I think that I'd first start on sth less steep (like Mari)

I'm planing to be there at least one week so weekend parks are not an option. Anyway it seems that sooner or later I'll do a Slovenia all around trip

 

[Kevin]

Dont go to willingen.
If you wanna train on a tech track go to Bad Wildbad...

 

[norbar]

Dont go to willingen.
If you wanna train on a tech track go to Bad Wildbad...

Is there anything to ride besides the DH track? How steep is it really?

Also have you tried Bischofmais or Semmering?

 

[RMboy]

Is there anything to ride besides the DH track? How steep is it really?

Also have you tried Bischofmais or Semmering?

Hey buddie, went to bischofmais last year, and it was EPIC!!!

Really good DH tracks and loads of jumps to play on in the evening, like there is a 6 pack of massive tables to session, and many others..

Just watch your self on the main dh track, its very very rocky and hard, proberly the hardest track i have ever riddin..but the 1 of the ohter DH tracks is the funnest i have ever ridden lol.!

 

[Santa Maria]

Is there anything to ride besides the DH track? How steep is it really?

Also have you tried Bischofmais or Semmering?

Semmering is not bad, the have a nice downhilltrack - not so steap than schladming or Saalbach/Leogang - but i like it.

 

[Kevin]

Bad Wildbad has 2 DH tracks but we only ride one of them, the iXS track. Theres also a slalom and a 4x track but im not really into those.
The DH is without a doubt one of the most tech DHs you will find in Europe (not counting recent WC tracks).
Its steep, has lots of rocks, not too big of jumps really but some fun and fast ones.
This is a pic of me from last year or something...

Bischofsmais is also very fast and very fun, allthough not nearly as hard or tech as BWB.

 

[norbar]

Well I've seen a movie from iXs cup and the trail rocks but how are other trails in bad wildbad?. Any1 been anywhere in italy? Bardonecchia ?

 

[xxFRESHxx]

if you are nearby anyway be sure to visit schadming.

is a hemet cam video of the WC part. the upper half of the track, which you can't see in the video is more singel trail style.
sure, it's kinda hard in the brakes in some places but there are only a couple of sections that are really rooty and steep (from 3:30 in the video), and those can all be avoided by alternative passages.
i love that track and i would recommend every DH rider to go there.

and it's in the mountains so there should also be a lot of freeride trails around.

 

[norbar]

if you are nearby anyway be sure to visit schadming.

is a hemet cam video of the WC part. the upper half of the track, which you can't see in the video is more singel trail style.
sure, it's kinda hard in the brakes in some places but there are only a couple of sections that are really rooty and steep (from 3:30 in the video), and those can all be avoided by alternative passages.
i love that track and i would recommend every DH rider to go there.

and it's in the mountains so there should also be a lot of freeride trails around.

Is there any other trail around Planai to ride? Cuz the thing I'm looking for is a DH trail that will beat my ass to the ground and sth to chill after that

BTW. What's trail is that? Cuz it's not looking like the WC course.

 

[Kevin]

The other DH in BWB is not worth it imo.

 

[norbar]

How about Wagrain ?

BTW. Still looking for italians and sb who tried their trails

 

[Santa Maria]

Is there any other trail around Planai to ride? Cuz the thing I'm looking for is a DH trail that will beat my ass to the ground and sth to chill after that

BTW. What's trail is that? Cuz it's not looking like the WC course.

Wagrain Bikepark is 20 Minutes away from schladming. Schaldming will definitly kick your ass, sometimes fast, sometimes steep and sometimes very technical.

The upper section has more flow und from the middle you can rock the complete WC track which is by the way sam' s track of joice....

 

[Santa Maria]

How about Wagrain ?

BTW. Still looking for italians and sb who tried their trails

Wagrain has one easy track with a lot of tables, it' s fun sometimes and there ist also one medium natural dH-track.

 

[xxFRESHxx]

Is there any other trail around Planai to ride? Cuz the thing I'm looking for is a DH trail that will beat my ass to the ground and sth to chill after that

BTW. What's trail is that? Cuz it's not looking like the WC course.

i have never been trail riding in schladming so far but judging by the mountains there should be some great trails around. i just know they got some awesome valleys there with nice waterfalls and stuff...

in the video that's indeed the actual WC DH track, it is just missing the last passage on the ski slope down to the finishing area. but other than that it's the complete WC track.
tech wise it's nothing compared to the mayhem that was going on in val di sole for example but it gets pretty hard and demanding with increasing speed.

 

[norbar]

i have never been trail riding in schladming so far but judging by the mountains there should be some great trails around. i just know they got some awesome valleys there with nice waterfalls and stuff...

in the video that's indeed the actual WC DH track, it is just missing the last passage on the ski slope down to the finishing area. but other than that it's the complete WC track.
tech wise it's nothing compared to the mayhem that was going on in val di sole for example but it gets pretty hard and demanding with increasing speed.

Not really trail riding. Was thinking about some FR stuff.
I guest that profesional movies seem a bit different to helmet cam

 

[xxFRESHxx]

freerie has become such a wide term nowadays...

you mean FR stuff i.e. woodden ladders, drops and stuff? nothing of that stuff in schladming but as someone mentioned before, wagrain is only a couple minutes away and they have plenty of that.

or do you mean by FR pedalling up by yourself and than cruising down on 1 foot wide trails? i'm pretty sure you would find that in schladming.

 

[wil_e123]

Switzerland has some sick trails, really underrated in general. Although it probably is more expensive to stay and ride in Switzerland rather than Austria, the trails are definitely worth it...

Whether it's Engadin region (that's swiss-italian border) or Valais region (west) with places like Verbier and Crans-Montana, you get some sick trails and they're definitely worth a few hours drive. What's cool is that most resorts in those previously named regions also have bike parks and proper lift-serviced downhill race runs (and the level is usually pretty nuts in Switzerland).

Hit me up with a PM if you wanna know more!

 

[norbar]

freerie has become such a wide term nowadays...

you mean FR stuff i.e. woodden ladders, drops and stuff? nothing of that stuff in schladming but as someone mentioned before, wagrain is only a couple minutes away and they have plenty of that.

or do you mean by FR pedalling up by yourself and than cruising down on 1 foot wide trails? i'm pretty sure you would find that in schladming.

No wooden stuff. I'm on a DH bike. My friends would like it but it's not my thing. Jump tracks are nice and I was thinking about something similar.


@wil_e123 Well Switzerland has 2 problems.
1st. It's almost as far away as France
2nd. It's friggin expensive. It's not like it's my only trip of the year.

For now Maribor seems like the nicest place as I've found a Vid of one of their FR tracks >

So there will be a place to chill after a DH session.

 

[norbar]

It's Decided - Going To Maribor and maybe if time allows I'll try something on the Road (ie. Schladming). Expect a ride report in august