Once you have immersed yourself in the Wagrain bike park network, you will immediately realise how much passion shaper Tonio and mascot Lilly put into their work here. The freeride trails are superbly groomed, and in the berms and bumps you can sometimes still see the traces of the rake from the last finish. Riding ON AIR is also a lot of fun because the line is designed to be extra flowy. You can take it easy here without having to worry about a nasty surprise lurking behind the next banked curve. If that's too easy for you, you can always turn off onto a few obstacles. Or you can take the exit to the next more difficult trail, as the descents are linked together in such a way that you can combine them in a variety of ways. Quickly over to Lilly's Treat or continue on the ON AIR? Symphony, R'NB Northshore or would it be better to take the Memories? What seems like a "spoilt for choice" on the first ride soon turns out to be a playground of great possibilities. The branches are well signposted and their levels of difficulty are marked in blue, red and black.
The Bikepark Wagrain is well networked, both real and virtual. It is organised as part of the Gravity Card network, which grants access to twelve top addresses in Europe. The trail report on Facebook allows fans to experience first-hand what is happening on the trails. And YouTube is teeming with rides through the fun labyrinth. Wagrain has a firm place in the heart of the gravity scene and you can feel the vibes when you look around the bike park. The riders feel as at home here as Lilly the dog. The infrastructure with Bike World and Bike Wash also gives everyone a good feeling of being in the right place.
Roland Wiesbacher, head of the Active and Family Hotel Alpina and a bike guide himself, knows this feeling too. The local swears by the wide range of options available to guests in Wagrain and Kleinarl. The choice ranges from a family tour to the beautiful Jägersee lake near Kleinarl to a strenuous tour for ambitious bikers such as the one to the Hochgründeck. Not everything is a bike park in Wagrain and Kleinarl. However, the freeride scene provides a breath of fresh air and sets this area apart from the others with a special offer. Touring bikers can also practise and have fun in the bike park. Practically anything is possible in Wagrain-Kleinarl. And that's what makes this spot so exciting.
Interview Roland Wiesbacher, bike guide and hotelier in Wagrain
"Everything is possible in Wagrain-Kleinarl."
BIKE Magazine: Please describe the tours on offer in Wagrain-Kleinarl.
Roland Wiesbacher: There is everything your heart desires for mountain biking. Tours of every category, from 500 to 2500 metres in altitude, from 35 to 60 kilometres. Asphalt, forest roads, forest and meadow paths, single trails, root passages and the Wagrain Bike Park. Everything is possible here.
What is your favourite tour?
It leads via the Sauwaldstraße to the Grafenberg, to the Gernkogel (St. Johann), on via the Obergasser Alm and back halfway up to the Grafenberg. You return to Wagrain via easy single trails and cart tracks.
Are there other tours that are perhaps very popular with guests?
Of course! Here are some popular tour destinations starting in Wagrain, graded according to difficulty - challenging tours first: Hochgründeck, Hochgründeck via Eben, Frauenalm-Runde - optionally with Weißenhofalm, Grießenkar-Runde, Baierwald-Runde or the Flying Mozart-Runde with lift support. For special tips, ask local bikers or, even better, take a guide.
Wagrain: Lilly's bike park check
Tonio's little dog is the bike park's mascot. Nobody knows the trails like Lilly.
So! Let's shred through the bike park. Let's start with Lilly's Treat. This is of course right up my street, a treat of medium difficulty for all those who like flow. It is narrow and rides like a single trail. Over a length of one kilometre, berms, countless rollers and tables encourage the play instinct. Upper ON AIR is a well-rounded, solidly wide course, perfect for getting to grips with freeriding, as all obstacles can be bypassed with chickenways. And for those who can, there are roll-ins, table tops and, as a highlight, the legendary Monster Wallride. Continue to the Lower ON AIR in the style of the upper section, with wide berms for having fun. There is real music in the Symphonya dynamic masterpiece with "highs and lows" for ambitious freeriders. Airtime is guaranteed on step-ups, step-downs, tables and rainbows.
This is how our Sister magazine FREERIDE the Bikepark Wagrain rated: Bike park check Wagrain
However, there are bypasses for weaker drivers. Nail Games is a technically demanding "old school" single trail, peppered with root passages, ramps and bridges. Angry Ants lives up to its name. Nasty ants (in the belly) on nasty terrain, a crisp root trail in the fall line. A completely different kind of expert line is the R'NB Northshore. The narrow bridges through the forest require a lot of practice on such boards. Honestly, I always get scared of heights! Memories is a single trail in the lower section of the park. Fast, slow, technically difficult: it has everything that experienced riders enjoy. If you want to skip the technical difficulties in the lower section of the park, take the wide Fire Road at the end of the ON AIR back to the Flying Mozart. And practise a little at the top before the next ride. Skill centre NAZ with bends and logrides. There's no question about it, whoever Slopestyle Widmoos should trust. Airtime is everything here. See you in the bike park!
MTB information about Wagrain-Kleinarl
The precinct Wagrain and Kleinarl offer a variety of opportunities to explore the surrounding mountains by bike. There are tours for every level. Freeriders will find a top-class playground in the bike park.
Tour information On www.wagrain-kleinarl.at there is an interactive map with many route tips for tour riders - from family-friendly to sporty.
Bike park Everything you need to know about the freeride routes, park rules, the infrastructure with bike wash and showers as well as the prices and times of the "Flying Mozart" can be found at www.bikewagrain.com
Bike hotels Some businesses in the region are fully geared up for bikers. More information is available from Tourism Association.
Bike events 2 - 3 August: Symphony Jam Session Weekend. This is where the freeride community meets to ride and party. And to choose the best slopestylers and downhillers in exciting contests.
Bike shops Bike-World Wagrain, www.bike-world.at (freeride bikes, downhill bikes, touring bikes), Sport Obermoser, www.wagrain-sport.at (e-bikes), Mountain Sport Wagrain, www.mountain-sport.at
Bike guides Guided tours and riding technique courses are also available at Bike-World.
Have you already got to know one of these spots? Then let us know about your experiences in the comments box below.
