Biking without a road book or map - already a reality in the Black Forest. 3000 kilometres of signposted routes show the way and the Swabian Alb will soon be one of them.
Mountain biking in the Black Forest
The Black Forest in Württemberg is the largest low mountain range in Germany: 160 kilometres long, around 50 kilometres wide on average and a maximum height of 1,493 metres on the Feldberg. In the south, the Black Forest meets the Rhine (Swiss border) between Waldshut and Lörrach, while in the north its wooded mountains extend between Pforzheim and Karlsruhe. A huge biking region with a glorious history.
The Mountain Bike World Championships were held in Kirchzarten back in 1995. And since 1998, the Black Forest Ultra Bike Marathon has enjoyed a legendary reputation in the scene. The bikers from Freiburg do their laps over the 1,284 metre high Schauinsland, which has an impressive altitude difference of 1,000 metres to the Rhine plain. The reward for the effort is one of the most beautiful singletrail descents in Germany.
The tourist importance of bikers has also been recognised in the Black Forest: In addition to the two bike parks in Todtnau and Bad Wildbad, you can let off steam for days on a huge network of signposted trails. Even travel and tour operators from neighbouring Switzerland have recognised this. The Black Forest has featured in their tour programmes for years.
Mountain biking in the Swabian Alb
Like Franconian Switzerland, the Swabian Alb is also a karst mountain range. As a geological continuation of the Swiss Jura, it runs diagonally from the High Rhine (western end of Lake Constance) through Württemberg to the Nördlinger Ries. The Alb can be imagined as a sloping plateau that breaks off abruptly at the northern edge along its entire length of almost 200 kilometres. The so-called Albtrauf has an altitude difference of around 400 metres. Bikers will find their Eldorado on this steep edge. Between bizarre karst rocks and peculiarly bare hilltops, the panorama opens up again and again into the flatlands. The highest mountain in the Alb, the Lemberg near Tuttlingen, reaches 1,015 metres.
The only fly in the ointment for touring bikers throughout the country is the firmly established two-metre rule, according to which riding on paths narrower than two metres is prohibited.
Adelegg
Small but beautiful, the Adelegg stretches upwards between Kempten and Isny. A striking forest ridge, the Schwarze Grat (1,118 m) marks the highest point in the Württemberg region. On a clear day, you can enjoy a view as far as Lake Constance from the observation tower and look forward to a thrilling downhill trail.
HOHENLOHE LEVEL
Flat, my arse: The Hohenlohe Plain in the Schwäbisch Hall region is actually a hilly region. Only from its various vantage points does it look like a plain to the observer. Mountain bikers have free rein on the Einkorn (510 m) and the wooded trail ridge of the Lemberg. But the trails through the Klingen, along the countless rivers and streams that have carved their way deep into the plain, are the most fun.
THE "LIFT" OPPORTUNITIES
Black Forest:
Bike-Erlebnis-Schwarzwald, Tel. 07224/993366, www.bike-erlebnis-schwarzwald.de
Bitou, Tel. 07633/808866, www.bitou.de
Black Forest Bike, Tel. 07661/9111515, www.bsb-hostel.de
Digo Adventure, Tel. 0761/8866609, www.digo-sport.de
Dreyeckland flying school (tours and flying technique with world and European champions),
Tel. 07661/627140, www.flugschule-dreyeckland.de
Mountainbike Adventure (Black Forest and Vosges), Tel. 07823/96977, www.mountainbike-adventure.de
Mountain bike school, Tel. 0761/475145, www.mtbschule.de
Schnellerbiken, Tel. 0761/45369980, www.schnellerbiken.de
Black Forest Bike Tours, Tel. 07641/9596464, www.schwarzwald-bike.com
Trail Finder, Tel. 0761/502141, www.trail-finder.de
Swabian Alb:
Con-la-natura Adventure, Tel. 07153/923564, www.con-la-natura.de
THE BEST SIGNPOSTS
Black Forest:
In the Upper and Southern Black Forest there is currently a signposted network of trails 2,100 kilometres long. Literature: Mountain Bike Guide - Black Forest South, ring binder with 18 tours. Bikespaß im Naturpark Schwarzwald Süd, www.mountainbiketouren.de , CD-ROM with 20 tours, road books etc. to print out. Mountainbike Aktiv, Volume: Black Forest, www.mountain-bike-aktiv.de , 50 tours. Black Forest/Vosges, crossing in 6 days, BIKE 9/04 as download at www.bike-magazin.de
Westweg: Crossing the Black Forest in 5 days, BIKE 11/01.
Bad Rippoldsau:
6 new fun trails for riding technique training. Guided tours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 6 pm at the Alisehof campsite, www.bad-rippoldsau.de .
Westweg:
Signposted Trans-Black Forest route from Karlsruhe to Lörrach (354 km, 4,760 m elevation gain).
Black Forest Bike Crossing:
Newly signposted: from Pforzheim to Bad Säckingen (500 km, 10,000 m elevation gain). Plus GPS data and organised tours with luggage transport. Info: www.mountainbike-schwarzwald.info.
Northern Black Forest:
800 kilometres of signposted routes in the Murg and Enz Valley Bike Arena with GPS data and GPS devices for hire in all seven valley towns. Info: www.bikearena-murgenz.de .
Swabian Alb:
Signposted from summer 2006: Route along the northern Albrand (350 km, 10,000 metres altitude). Start: Tuttlingen/Danube, finish: in Aalen am Kocher. There is also a connection to the Black Forest Mountain Bike Crossing. The total route then measures 850 km and 20,000 metres in altitude. Info www.schwaebischealb.de . Literature: 3 tours around Reutlingen, BIKE 7/04 for download at www.bike-magazin.de
A tour near Bad Urach, BIKE 3/00.
Lake Constance:
3 tours near Radolfzell, BIKE 12/02.
Hohenlohe plain:
3 tours around Schwäbisch Hall, BIKE 10/04 as download at www.bike-magazin.de
Stuttgart:
2 tours near the city centre, BIKE 7/00. Literature: Bin Radeln - Mountainbike-Touren im Rems-Murr-Kreis, www.rauch-zeichen.com, 20 tours in the Stuttgart area, roadbooks to take away.
Heidelberg:
2 tours near the city centre, BIKE 1/02 as download at www.bike-magazin.de
THE TOP FIVE
There are only two real low mountain ranges in Baden-Württemberg. But the ridges around Lake Constance and the Klingen in Haller-Land are in the same trail league!
Crossing the Black Forest (Pforzheim - Bad Säckingen)
Multi-day tour over the highest peaks of the Black Forest (500 kilometres, 10,000 metres in altitude). The route will be signposted from summer 2006.
Schauinsland (Black Forest/Freiburg)
The classic in the Freiburg region (34 kilometres, 1,020 metres in altitude). In a nutshell: a long ascent and a long trail descent. Roadbook in BIKE 11/05 as download at www.bike-magazin.de
Höllenlöcher (Swabian Alb/Reutlingen)
Wonderful ride along the edge of the Alb (32 kilometres, 760 metres in altitude). Water has gnawed away at the hell holes for thousands of years. Roadbook at www.bike-magazin.de
Schiener Berg (Lake Constance/Radolfzell)
The best trails in the south, close to the Swiss border (53 kilometres, 890 metres in altitude). Great views of the Hegau castles and Lake Constance. Roadbook in BIKE 12/02.
Lemberg trails (Hohenloher Ebene/Schwäbisch Hall)
Favourite tour of the Schwäbisch Hall locals (28 kilometres, 473 metres in altitude). Pleasure trails around the former building society metropolis. Roadbook in BIKE 10/04 as download at www.bike-magazin.de
