Last autumn, I meet a friend from Bavaria at the lake who comes here five to eight times a year, previously for biking, now for e-biking. "What tour are you going on?" I ask. "Oh, I'll probably go up to the Tremalzo again." He has already conquered the classic around 35 times, I learn. I sigh. How new, how exciting, how fascinating the e-MTB experience on Lake Garda would be if my eyes were open to something new. Over the past five years, I have spent months travelling around Lake Garda on an e-MTB, studying old military maps and aerial photographs, asking farmers, hunters and experts. The most productive source, however, was the trial motorcyclists - they really know every trail. This extensive research was the basis for my book project, which aims to show a new, fascinating side of the lake.
The most important realisation: you just have to move a little away from the classics around Riva, Torbole and Arco. You'll find completely new, unknown super tours - not those typical scree gullies with a jackhammer feeling, but unrivalled flow combined with spectacular panoramas. And you can combine all this with the familiar Lago atmosphere right by the lake. They have set up a counter on the Ponale trail up towards Lake Ledro. 350,000 bikers last year - a big city on wheels. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle, take one of the tours we present here. Yes, you will have to take a second battery with you or alternatively drive 15 to 30 minutes by car to the starting point. But the effort is worth it.
You can find the GPS data for the tours here:
Strada dei Castioni:
http://tourenplaner.bike-gps.com/TOUR/Gardasee/GardaseeNord/StradadeiCastioni
Info new trails on Lake Garda
Starting points of the tours
For the tours presented, you have to move a little away from the centres in Riva and Torbole (central location for all tours), be it with your own car, with the shuttle or with a second battery, even if this sometimes means a few extra metres. The starting point for the Funamboli and Monte Caplone tours is Tiarno di Sotto in the Ledro Valley. The journey from Riva takes about 30 minutes. The Ultra-Marocche can be started either in Torbole or in Drena (see Bike-GPS tour planner). Car park below Castel Drena. Two batteries are required for the start in Torbole. For Trincerone you can also start either in Torbole or in Marco south of Rovereto. It takes about 30 minutes by car to Marco. Two batteries are advisable for both starting points, and mandatory for Torbole. The Strada dei Castioni starts in Torbole, just about doable with a 500 Wh battery.
Best time to travel
It is usually said that you can bike on the lake between March and October. That's right. In dry winters like 2018/19, year-round biking is no problem.
Battery management
With the exception of Monte Caplone or Ultra-Marocche and Trincerone from Torbole, all tours are feasible for lighter bikers (under 75 kilos) with a 500 to 650 Wh battery. But only if you are travelling very economically. A spare battery in your rucksack makes the tour much easier.
Riding technique / Trails
All tours have been deliberately selected so that they can be ridden by reasonably experienced touring bikers. Compared to the classic Lake Garda trails, they are rather easy in terms of riding technique, but trail experience is still required. Only Funamboli and Trincerone have more difficult sections.
Infrastructure
Happy Bike Riva (Bosch service station, e-MTB hire): www.happy-bike.it
Shuttle to the starting points: www.bikeshuttletorbole.com
More new tours on Lake Garda
You can already find all 162 new Lake Garda tours in the tour planner of www.bike-gps.com under Tours / Pre-planned tours / Lake Garda. In spring 2020, the new book "Bike Traumtouren Gardasee" with all tours and many variants will be published by Delius Klasing Verlag.
BIKE Festival Riva del Garda
Test the latest e-MTBs and drives, talk shop with experts and like-minded people and try out the new dream tours around the lake at the same time? The BIKE Festival will take place in Riva from 3 to 5 May 2019. A large expo area with the latest innovations from around 300 exhibitors, workshops and guided tours, Bosch eMTB Challenge: e-mountain bike enthusiasts should definitely not miss the traditional start to the season.
