"Bike tour through the Harz Mountains?" - This suggestion will not even make your otherwise bike-motivated offspring look up from their games consoles. Why not try this for a change: "How about a bike scavenger hunt on Swiss flow trails, a nice test bike and a delicious barbecue in the evening?". It's almost certain that the time until the event won't pass quickly enough.
We have put together eight such family bike events and four family tickets for bike parks that will spark a love of mountain biking in the kids forever. We start with the Swiss Flow Schnitzel Trail Hunt:
Arosa: Family Bike Vibes
Three days in the Swiss "Bear Mountains" with a scavenger hunt along the flow trails in Arosa. There are riding technique exercises on new test bikes and chilled barbecues in the evening as a finale, reward or entertainment. And because it can get very hot in August, there's a swimming lake at the ready. Dates: 5 - 7 August. www.arosalenzerheide.swiss
Nauders am Reschenpass: Father & Son Days
After just four years, this event organised by Holger Meyer and his son Lois is already limited to 150 participants. And, contrary to what the name suggests, daughters are also welcome guests. The event takes place on the Dreiländereck trails with test bikes. Riding technique, BBQ and fun races are also included. Date: 5 - 7 August, price: 325 euros including lift. www.dierasenmaeher.de
Paganella Bike Park: Family Bike Derby
Another event organised by the "lawnmowers" from Garmisch-Partenkirchen: the Family Bike Derby. There are guided trail laps for the whole family (from 8 years) with a fun event "The best route choice" at the end. Great prizes are also up for grabs! Date: 17 - 19 June, price including tour programme, pizza evening and lift tickets: 325 euros. www.dierasenmaeher.de
Rhön-Trailcamp: One and a half man
The title certainly refers to the fun Charlie Sheen had with his "half man" (nephew Jake) in the TV series. However, the two-day trail camp on the Kreuzberg is equally suitable for father and son, mother and daughter or aunt and niece... In addition to trail fun, there is also a shuttle and riding technique courses for everyone on the longest trails in the region. Dates: April, June, August. Price: 139 euros. www.rhoentrail.com
Koblenz: Day courses for joint tours
The day courses have one major goal: to get children excited about biking. This is achieved here by parents and kids having fun together on the trails right from the start and surfing along on the same wavelength. A course comprises one parent plus child (6-10 years), lasts 4 hours and costs 79 euros, for example. www.trailacademy.de
Altmühltal: Heumödern trails from 4 years of age
Trained children's course guides playfully teach even the little ones a good feeling for the terrain. A weekend for the whole family with trails and riding technique from 325 euros. Information and dates at www.happytrails.de.
Kitzbühel Alps: Kids Bike Camp 2022
For more experienced bike youngsters (7-12 years), there are 4 days a week of single trail tours in the Kitzbühel Alps to develop a solid bike riding technique in an educational and fun way. At the end, the Bikeacademy Grand Prix takes place, a team technique competition followed by a certificate ceremony. There are three camps in August, dates at www.bikeacademy.com/kids-bike-camp-2022.
Transalp: guided MTB crossing of the Alps with children
Experience the supreme discipline of mountain biking together with your little cyclists: With BikeAlpin, parents can also take their children aged 14 and over on a booked Transalp tour. The routes are also available as self-guided tours so that you can organise your own time on the Alpine Cross (e.g. breaks at the ice cream parlour). www.bikealpin.de
Family tickets: bike parks with bargain prices
- Bavarian Forest / Bikepark GeißkopfFrom the undulating kids' course to a test of courage on the slopestyle line - holidays can never be boring in Germany's largest bike park. To make sure that families can afford it, there are some favourable package deals: On Wednesdays, families get a 30 per cent discount on rental bikes and equipment. The family day ticket (2 adults + 1 child) costs 85 euros. Riding technique courses in the summer holidays including a rental bike cost 100 euros. www.mtbzone-bikepark.com
- Nauders / Three-country enduro trailsThe three-day pass for all five mountain railways, bike transport and all public transport in the border triangle costs 85 euros. Children born in 2008 or younger even travel for free. The only requirement: the family must have booked accommodation in Nauders. www.3-laenderendurotrails.com
- Bavarian Alps / Oberammergau Bike Park: Kids-friendly practice course, flowline and root trails for the more experienced youngsters. There are also children's bikes (from the age of 10) for hire and a transferable day pass between mum and dad so that they can take turns on the trails with their offspring. If the parents want to go off on their own: There is a kindergarten at the bottom station of the drag lift to keep them entertained. www.bikepark-oberammergau.de
- Lenzerheide / ("Little") Bike KingdomSwitzerland is notoriously expensive, but the all-inclusive family offers at the top resort are fair and start at 25 CHF (approx. 24 euros) or cost 60 CHF (approx. 58 euros) for an afternoon on the "Staiböck Pro Träil". www.bikekingdom.ch
Marc Strucken
Editor
