Quality instead of quantity. In the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis Bike Park the preference is for beautiful, rather than numerous trails. A good choice, because while bike parks in Germany often want to impress with a large number of trails, in the Alps, due to the much greater difference in altitude, they prefer to build fewer but longer routes. The Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis Bike Park is no exception. There are four main routes - with a difference in altitude of more than 400 metres - with numerous branches and side routes. Practical by the way: the main routes often meet up again, opening up many possibilities for great combinations.
Blue routes: Milky Way, Vuelta and Morning Glory
We start with the main blue route, the most important route for beginners, the 3000 metre long Milky Way. The name says it all here: the route winds gently down the slope in countless berms and - as you would expect from a blue route - there are no tests of courage. The steep turns tend to be a little flatter so as not to intimidate beginners. Crushed sand ensures stable conditions, the braking grooves are probably removed regularly and sometimes even the loose gravel is swept off the track to prevent skidding. There are opportunities to get a taste of airtime in many places. However, all jumps can always be rolled.
After just a few metres, the Vuelta alternative route branches off from the Milky Way in the upper third. The track is only 170 metres long. Unlike the Milky Way, the focus here is obviously less on fun and more on technical training. The tight bends can only be negotiated at low speed. Not a track for absolute beginners, but rather for more confident beginners who want to work on their technique a little. In our opinion, this is the weakest piste in the park, but its somewhat low fun factor is forgivable given its short length.
The third blue course, the 750 metre long Morning Glory, makes up for all the shortcomings of the short Vuelta. It is a nice hybrid track between blue and red, the jumps can still be ridden without any problems, but the slightly higher berms allow higher speeds and significantly increase the fun factor compared to the Milky Way. In the last section, there is also a wide Northshore curve (wooden construction): Ride with a little more speed here! It's also a great route for pros to warm up in the morning, hence the name. Our recommendation for everyone except absolute bike newbies: Roll in on the Milky Way, then transfer to Morning Glory from the start of the downhill section.
Red routes: Strada del Sole, Supernatural, FREERIDE trail
However, it only gets really fun for more experienced bikers on the red routes. There are three of them here, the main route is the Strada del Sole, which is also impressive at a good 2800 metres. A jumptrail of the very finest calibre and a clear recommendation for anyone with a certain amount of experience. Nevertheless, it is still exciting even for hardened pros. Particularly successful here too: The jumps are almost all roll-over tables, but they are dimensioned in such a way that even experienced bikers with a lot of speed can still take off and enjoy plenty of airtime. There are some special obstacles, especially drops and doubles, which are easily recognisable even without prior knowledge and can be easily avoided by less experienced riders. The biggest obstacle is a really big drop about halfway down the course. A nice test of courage, the turn-off here is also clearly marked. Caution: Although the Strada del Sole is very fast, it is also somewhat steep in some places. Braking grooves therefore quickly appear here!
If the crushed sand track of the Strada del Sole is too slippery for you, you will find an alternative route in the Supernatural route. The trail starts shortly after the iconic wood/steel bridge and winds its way through the forest in tight bends. From time to time you have to pedal out of tight corners. Root sections have been skilfully combined with berms, waves and small edges that invite you to pull away. A nice change of pace with a more natural trail and yet not too demanding.
The third red route is the 370 metre long FREERIDE-track. So named because the readers of our sister magazine decided on the obstacles that were built here in a survey. And they made a good choice. A large step-up provides airtime, the whale tail is an unusual but successful obstacle with a rollercoaster feel. The giant table as the finale offers opportunities for big whips or challenging tricks. Our favourite combination of red tracks: Strada del Sole to Supernatural to Strada del Sole to FREERIDE. If you don't arrive in the valley with a big grin on your face, you're definitely doing something wrong.
Black tracks: Downhill and Hill Bill
For those who really want to challenge themselves, there are two longer black routes: the 1.5 kilometre downhill route and the 2.5 kilometre Hill Bill route. Positive here too: Not just labelled black, but really black. Only for experienced bikers with serious equipment. The Hill Bill is above all a challenging enduro piste. The iconic drop from the log cabin at the start sets the mood, followed by alternative medium-width or narrow North Shore sections. From the bridge onwards, you plunge into the root-covered forest, where the route takes you almost all the way to the valley station. There are frequent jumps, but you have to ride them with sufficient speed to actually reach the landing. However, these obstacles can easily be avoided.
The downhill course is similar in principle. Instead of a natural root trail, however, there are significantly more and significantly higher berms, some real tests of courage and the speed is generally higher. The roots are also the main enemy here, while the rock gardens are rather tame. But if you want to ride the off-camber passages smoothly, you need good equipment and a little sensitivity. The following applies to both tracks: challenging even in the dry. If you still want to ride in the wet, you should be prepared for unavoidable soil samples.
Conclusion on the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis bike park
Still a real recommendation! The park covers a wide range of trails, from the beginner's Milky Way and the fun Strada del Sole to the challenging Hill Bill and Downhill routes. We found the trails to be in good condition and well built. The cable car is fast enough, you only have to queue longer if there are a lot of visitors. An extensive practice course with large tables, doubles, drop battery and pump track complete the picture. The admission price of 36 euros for a day ticket for adults is not low, but still reasonable. However, bike hire is quite expensive at over 92.50 euros per day for sometimes very different equipment. Nevertheless, it is well worth a visit.
All information and prices on the Website of the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis bike park.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
