Bike park operators love extreme stunts. After all, blatant stunts polish up the image and fuel the gossip on the scene. The result: as soon as a trail curves through the park, a so-called "widowmaker" has to be performed, a stunt that only a few dare to do and that has to work if you don't want to end up in the operating theatre. Fancy a nervous flutter? Here are five scary drops:
1 - Saalbach (X-Line)
The dimensions of the final gap on the Schattberg are shocking. It is clearly visible on the slope and seems to shout to every freerider: "Got balls or what?" Those who jump here fly long. And far. Don't be scared of the airtime! The wooden frame alone rises 4.5 metres above the ground. At the landing point, this can quickly become 5 metres. Then there's the 6.5 metre distance. Anyone who manages to control their breathing and heart rate here can call themselves a drop expert. Good: the steep, wide landing!
GRUSEL-FAKTOR +++++ (5 out of 6)
2 - Leogang (Flying Gangster)
This horror drop gained dubious fame thanks to a YouTube clip. In it, a freerider dropped so unfavourably that he landed on the biker who jumped the smaller drop next to him. If you want to be scared, this is the place to be, because you have to approach the drop very slowly and still plummet down like a dead pig, no matter how you do it. If you take more momentum, you will explode 9 metres lower in the flat. In short: the stunt is so old-school and sketchy that hardly anyone dares to do it. We say: do it once, it's enough for a lifetime of freeriding. At least that's how we felt. A classic one-hit wonder. Height: 6 metres. Width: 1.5 metres.
GRUSEL-FAKTOR ++++++ (6 of 6)
3 - Samerberg (Gap)
The Gap in the Bavarian Bikepark Samerberg is a real chamber of horrors. The jump has all the ingredients to kick your pulse into overdrive. The approach is choppy and leads over roots onto a narrow wooden beam. The wooden walkway only widens after the balancing act. The scaffolding rises (gulp!) 5.5 metres into the air - impressive! The jump is blind. So you can only see where you're going once you're in the air. Namely downwards (3.7 metres to the landing point), but also 6.5 metres into the distance. So it's better to accelerate again! If you hit the landing, everything is easy because it's nice and steep. You don't need much suspension travel. You don't hit it? Uh, don't even think about it!
GRUSEL-FAKTOR +++++ (5 out of 6)
4 - Lac Blanc (La Nuts)
"Anything over two metres in height is a serious drop," says freeride pioneer Wade Simmons. This also applies to the road gap in the Vosges Lac Blanc park. The highest drop in the park is on the black downhill track La Nuts. It is easy to ride over the 3.5 metre high wooden bridge because it is wide and flat. Here too: Pedal in twice for the necessary speed, because it not only goes down about 4 metres, but also 5.5 metres into the distance. Important: Be ready to brake, as there is a bend to the right that you don't want to overshoot. If you hit the landing well, you will land fairly gently. Our verdict: safely built, but looks significantly higher.
GRUSEL-FAKTOR ++++ (4 of 6)
5 - SFL (Strada del Sole)
Strada del Sole is the name of the popular jumpline in the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis bike park. The highest gap drop in the park has been skilfully incorporated into the route as a variation: If you want to, turn off - if you don't want to, go round the outside. Here, too, you roll over a slightly sloping board structure. The trail sets the speed, you don't need much momentum because the stunt is more of a drop than a gap (3.2 metres high, 3.3 metres wide). Jumping too short is hardly possible. Nevertheless, your heart rate accelerates because the jump is blind and that's always a bit scary. The safe approach and a good, steep landing make the stunt a pretty safe and, above all, fun act.
GRUSEL-FAKTOR ++ (2 of 6)
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
