A Summer of Fun Across Europe's Bike Parks

PRESS RELEASE: GraVity Card

What is every mountain bikers first thought as soon as temperatures rise and the snow melts? Bikepark? Hell, yeah! With two new additions to the roster for 2018, GraVity Card now covers 150 trails in 6 countries in 18 of Europe’s leading bikeparks. Whether it’s downhill, freeride, enduro or flow trails, GraVity Card offers a season-long bikepark flat rate with just one card.

GraVity Card offers many advantages for mountain bikers and bikepark fans. No more need to calculate which lift ticket works out best or waiting in line at the ticket office, just grab your bike and go riding. GraVity Card offers the freedom of choice where to go and the opportunity for easy weekend trips to explore new places and bikeparks, whilst not missing any of the numerous event highlights. Getting a GraVity Card even makes sense financially. With adults paying €455, youths €345 and kids just €215, it only takes a few days in the bikepark until the card starts paying off. Finally, thanks to the addition of the two new regions Bikepark Innsbruck and 3-Länder Enduro Trails am Reschenpass (3-Country Enduro Trails at the Resia Pass), GraVity Card users can enjoy even more trails in 2018.

To get ready and stoked for the new season, here is a list of the highlights the 18 GraVity Card bikeparks have to offer in 2018!

Germany:

Starting with Bikepark Winterberg, which already opened its gates in April, rookies, kids and advanced riders can look forward to new trails created by legendary shaper Diddie Schneider. Apart from a brand-new flow line, Bikepark Winterberg also added a number of new tables and drops for advanced riders. The Northshore Area has also undergone several changes as trail builder Joscha Forstreuter added several new and creative elements over the last months. An event not to miss is the iXS Dirt Masters Freeride Festival from May 10 – 13, with a number of different contests in varying disciplines and the brand-new KENDA Enduro One.


Next up is the MTB Zone Bikepark Geisskopf, where riders of all abilities can look forward to a variety of freshly shaped trails. Be it downhill, slopestyle, jump, freeride or flow-country trails, you won’t get bored at Geisskopf. Furthermore, enduro riders can also look forward to the opening of a new enduro trail this Summer. Riders can already mark June 8-10 in their calendars, when the bike and music festival “Rock the Hill” returns to Bikepark Geisskopf.

Switzerland:

Bikepark Lenzerheide offers five trails with varying characteristics and degrees of difficulty. The FLOWline is perfect for families and rookies, whereas advanced riders can challenge themselves on the SHOREline, STYLEline and PRIMEline with plenty of berms, wallrides, Northshore elements and jumps. Keen to feel like a World Cup rider? Test yourself on the STRAIGHTline. Something that should not be missed in Lenzerheide is THE event highlight of the year: the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships presented by Mercedes-Benz from September 5 – 9.

Austria:

With 11 GraVity Bikeparks, mountain bikers are spoiled for choice in Austria. The level of adrenaline is sure to peak when Crankworx returns to the new GraVity Card addition Bikepark Innsbruck on June 13-17. With trails ranging from family-friendly to technical and challenging, Bikepark Innsbruck caters to every taste and during Crankworx Innsbruck, visitors can look forward to watching the fastest, most stylish and most creative mountain bikers on the planet as they battle each other for valuable points in the King and Queen of Crankworx ranking.

Bikepark Leogang, one of the oldest and largest bikeparks in Europe, offers everything MTB-fans could ask for on nine different trails. Challenge yourself and try the race track of 2020 UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Championships in Saalfelden Leogang, the “Speedster”. Bikepark Leogang doesn’t just cater to advanced and pro riders though. Beginners can look forward to the Riders Playground, Europe’s largest beginner bikepark. With several different mountain bike tours, singletrails, freeride and northshore trails, Bikepark Leogang has something in store for everyone. Furthermore, the Out of Bounds Festival including the Mercedes-Benz UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup from June 7-10 and the BIKE Festival Saalfelden Leogang from August 31 to September 2, should be marked in every rider’s calendar.


Remember the number four. In Bikepark Saalbach Hinterglemm four mountains, four lifts and the 400km-long trail network combine to form a mountain bike paradise. Adrenaline junkies can get their fix on freeride trails with large jumps, drops and northshore elements and challenge themselves on technical, rooty singletrails. Additionally, riders can enjoy the pumptrack and skills area, as well as a number of competent bike shops, traditional cuisine in the many huts and several exiting camps. The event highlights for 2018 include the GlemmRide Bike Festival from July 12-15, the Lake of Charity from July 27-29 and the World Games of Mountainbiking from September 6-9.


Bikepark Wagrain isn’t only easy to reach, but also offers something for everyone on 10 different trails with a total length of 9km and 937 vertical meters. A true highlight is the ‘Hard Trail’ with its berms, short pump sections and jumps before it turns into a rooty, natural singletrail.

Be it racers, freeriders or beginners – Bikepark Schladming has the right trail for everyone. ‘Rookie Trail’, ‘Flowline’ and ‘Fairy Trail’, to just name a few, provide plenty of entertainment and variety with different features. The Planai Gondola takes riders to 1,830m, from where they can enjoy the view of the famous Dachstein mountain range before heading down the mountain. The ride doesn’t end in the valley though. The WM-Park Planai invites riders with a pumptrack, dirt jump park, a supply point for riders and several restaurants and camping facilities. The following days should definitely not be missed: May 19 – Pump the Mountain/Austrian Pumptrack Series 2018, June 30 – GIANT Top 50 Downhill Challenge, August 18 – Shot in Thrill vs. Style4Dates and October 13 – Season Closing Party & 6th Shaper Games.

Bikepark Brandnertal is situated at the border of four countries (Switzerland, Germany, Lichtenstein and Austria) and attracts riders with a multifaceted program. Eight different trails and variants provide fun and entertainment for riders of all abilities. Highlights include the Whip-Off Kicker at the top station, the legendary “Tschak Norris” Downhill trail as well as several freeride features like the GoPro Road Gap and the “Tschim Beam” jump line, which provides plenty of air time. Events like the Testdays from June 9-10, the Bike Festival from June 29-July 1 and the iXS European Downhill Cup from August 31-September 2, add even more fun to the line-up.


Bikepark Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis will open its gates on June 8 with a new landing bag and the brand-new Supernatural 2.0 trail. Whether it’s a chilled cruise through alpine forests or full throttle on freeride lines with numerous jumps, the bikepark will make your heart beat faster. The family region Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis also specifically caters to the young ones with events like the MTB-Festival Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis & Rookie Camp from July 30 to August 5 and the Kona Rookie Games from August 3-5.

Next up is the Bike Republic Sölden, where mountain bikers can order anything that suits their pallet from a stacked menu. Smooth flow lines, natural trails, two pumptracks with a skill-center and a large variety of enduro tours, await fresh tire tracks. New in the line-up for 2018 is the 6-person chairlift Langeggbahn which, acting as “Bikeschaukel Hin & Heä”, provides an easier connection between the Gaislochkogel and Giggijoch areas. Another highlight is the new “Ollweite Line”, which provides a ton of variety and will test rider’s stamina with its length of 7km and 700m of vertical descent. The Bike Republic Sölden opening on June 15 and the celebration of the Bike Republic Sölden National Day from June 14-16, should definitely be marked in every mountain bikers calendar.


In the heart of Tirol’s beautiful mountains, Bikepark Tirol promises pure adrenaline. downhill and freeride trails like “Red Devil” and “Crazy Heart” provide plenty of stoke for those who dare.

Families, beginners and advanced riders alike can look forward to the season opening of Bikepark Wurbauerkogel. As the name already suggests, the “Blue Lollipop” with its many berms and rollers is ideal for beginners and those looking for flow. The legendary “Big Red” trail on the other hand features Austria’s largest wallride as well as numerous tables, jumps and Northshore drops for advanced mountain bikers. Downhill fans can look forward to getting rowdy on “Red Root-Carpet” and “Black Widow”. New for 2018 is the 4.5km-long singletrail “Wurzleralm”. Don’t miss the Austrian Gravity Series on June 2-3, the Biker Solstice on June 23 and the Enduro Race on September 22-23.

Bikepark Semmering with its various trails spanning 12km opens its gates on May 10. Next to downhill lines, singletrails, a pumptrack and, for beginners, the “Easy Line”, mountain bikers can look forward to the flow trail “Sweet & Sexy”.

Austria, Switzerland, Italy:

New GraVity Card member 3 Country Enduro Trails at Resia Pass is really packing some heat. As the name suggests, this park is an Eldorado for enduro riders. Mountain bikers can look forward to four lifts and 22 trails with a total length of 44km and 2,500m of vertical descent. Challenging, but not too steep and left as natural as possible, is what the summer at the 3 Country Enduro Trails promises to be. New for this year is the 5.5km-long “Bergkastltrail”. Uniquely, mountain bikers routinely cross one or even two borders whilst riding along the 22 trails. Additionally, the area hosts numerous events, that should not be missed: Green Days - MTB Freeride Testival (May 31-June 3), Women’s Bike Camp (June 14-17), Rasenmäher Camp (June 28-July 1), Tina´s Backyard Trail Jam (July 5-8 ), YT Rolling Circus (July 28-29) and the 3-Länder Enduro Bike Race (August 24-26).

Slovenia:

The bikepark tour of Europe continues in Slovenia. With 30km of trails Bikepark Krvavec features Slovenia’s largest network of trails and highest vertical descent. The Slovenian bikepark has long, fun and playful lines for all abilities. The “Rock’n’Flow Trail” has everything advanced riders could want, whereas beginners and kids feel at home on the Bambino and Panorama trails as well as in the Bike Fun Park. The famous “Muci” trail has been extended by another 3km through the connection with the new Jezerca trail and will put a smile on the face of everyone, who enjoys long, natural singletrails. The Girls only MTB Camp from July 7-8 and the 1. XCO BAM.BI Krvavec National Championship on July 22 are two events, that should not be missed.

With 20km of trails dedicated to adrenaline and having fun, Bikepark Kranjska Gora should not be missed. Families should try the “Family Business” trail, Northshore lovers will enjoy “Morning Wood” and Enduro fans will find pleasure on “Funky Jazz”. “Luft-Waffe(l)” with its many jumps is the perfect trail for those who prefer to collect air miles and fans of downhill can challenge themselves on the race-proven “DH-Veetranz” (iXS DH CUP, Unior DH CUP). In the event line-up once again: The Specialized Trail Days from May 31 to June 3 and the second stop of the iXS European Downhill Cup on June 15-17.

Czech Republic:

The only bikepark in the Czech Republic, Bikepark Špičák, is characterised by its natural, flowy trails. Adventurous riders will find plenty of roots, rocks, drops and jumps on the aptly named downhill track “Struggle”. “Black Friday” and “Forest Virgin” should be remembered by those looking for flow, whereas “Air&Stone” awaits those who enjoy Northshore elements. The iXS European Downhill Cup will take place in Špičák from June 20-22 and is followed by the Central European Enduro on September 16.


Further information can be found on www.gravity-card.com or facebook.com/gravitycard.