This success was made possible by the local mountain bike club Saarbrücken e. V., which was only founded in 2020 and now has 230 members. A figure that puts the forestry and environment ministries on an equal footing. It took just two years to agree on this wide-ranging network of trails in the forest hills around the university. There was also support from the Saarland Cycling Association, expertise from the Leipzig-based cycling agency Absolut GPS and financial support from the Trek Trail Advocacy Programme, with which the US bicycle manufacturer to build MTB trails supported.
It goes without saying that with so much professional help, the MTB trails in Saarbrücken have not only been opened up, but also enhanced with a few new features. If you want to fly through the forest on flow trails in particular, you shouldn't immediately turn off onto the black-marked mountain bike trails, but first try out the easier flow lines. We have put together a mountain bike tour that connects many of Saarbrücken's MTB trails. This 2.5-hour tour threads together six of these easier trail sections. Although there are also a few kickers, drops and rock rolls, these can be easily avoided on chickenways:
MTB trail tour to follow: Saarbrücken's Finest
- Length: 23.5 kilometres
- Altitude performance: 725 metres altitude
- journey time: 2.5 hours
- Condition: 2 from 5
- Driving technique: 3 from 5
- Landscape: 2 from 5
Starting point of the trail tour from Saarbrücken: the Hermann Neuberger Sports School on the Meerwiestertalweg. From here, a forest path climbs around 130 metres up to the Schwarzenberg and leads past its observation tower to the start of the "Zimmel" trail. The path winds its way through the forest in velvety-soft bends before dropping a little more steeply in the second section, tightening the bends and throwing a few roots in front of the tyres. More than a kilometre of pure riding fun, which provides momentum for the forest path ascent to Scheidter Berg that soon follows (100 m elevation gain). This is where the "Paulaner" branches off. Although this trail is only short, it is very popular with the locals: tight bends, well-dosed root ramps and a rock roll with a small drop right at the start to give you a boost. A quick shake of the legs and arms on the main road from Scheidt, then it's up the longest climb of the tour to the Großer Stiefel (397 m). A summit that you rarely have to yourself because of its sandstone formations and the hut, which is open on Sundays. But where there is a long ascent, there is also a descent of almost two kilometres and 180 metres on the other side towards Rentrisch.
Downhill on the "Sailor Moon" and "Shooter" MTB trails
This naturally inspired the trail builders who were at work here. The sporty version of the "Schwarze 5" therefore also features a rock roll, stepdown and small, gapped kickers. Having happily landed in Rentrisch, you take the main road back to the end of the village in the direction of Scheidt, but then turn right "Zur Blecherdell", where the gravel road takes you up to the Bartenberg. The climb has a few tricky ramps, but if you know what you're fighting for: the "Sailor Moon" with its kickers and tables offers a touch of airtime. If you don't want that, you can bypass the last section on the intersecting forest path before you reach the start of the "Shooter" 500 metres further on. The trail shoots into an old bomb crater, rattles over roots and ends with a jump that can also be bypassed. The route then leads past the university and heads towards the final climb to the Großer Homburg. At the top, there is a small practice course "Am Homburg" with three different levels of difficulty, where you can let off steam again before the route leads back to the Hermann Neuberger Sports School via the high ropes course and wildlife park.
Mountain biking information about Saarbrücken
The bike area
Saarbrücken, the state capital of Saarland, also had to contend with high user pressure in the surrounding forests at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Here, too, a few bikers caused great displeasure among hikers, foresters and the environmental agency by shovelling lines on their own authority. However, instead of categorically excluding mountain bikers from all trails, they sat down with the newly founded MTB association and negotiated the legalisation of a total of 15 trails. 14 of these, with a total length of almost 40 kilometres, were finally given the official go-ahead in February. And with the option that these trails could also be attractively redesigned for bikers. With what was finally realised in collaboration with the professionals from the Trek Trail Advocacy Programme it's easy to get over the fact that the other illegally created trails are now taboo for bikers. All authorised MTB trails can also be found in the Trailforks app.
Mountain Bike Club Saarbrücken e.V.
With its 230 members, the MTB-Verein Saarbrücken e. V. has achieved a lot in terms of trail legalisation and trail building. To this end, riding technique courses and youth training sessions are offered, summer festivals are organised and trainers are trained. However, maintaining the MTB trails in Saarbrücken is labour and cost-intensive, so donations are always welcome! On its homepage, the association also makes its entire success story available for download, from its foundation to the opening of the legal trail network: www.mv-sb.de
Events
Children's and youth training every Monday at 5 pm. Trail grooming dates and summer festivals are published on the club's news pages.
General information
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Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
