Mountain Bike Guides

Winter Mountain Biking in Europe: 7 Sunny Places to Ride

Admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Winter mountain biking in Europe does not have to mean frozen fingers, muddy fire roads and a bike that lives in the garage until April. While the Alps disappear under snow, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic islands are just getting into their best riding season: cooler air, grippy dirt and far fewer crowds. Here are seven places where you can swap the ski rack for a bike bag this winter – with the weather to expect, the kind of trails you will find and the best town to base yourself in.

The short answer:

Gran Canaria is the warmest bet, with coastal highs of around 21°C in January.
Finale Ligure and Elba give you classic Italian enduro just a long drive from the Alps.
Girona and the Costa Brava have grippy trails and coastal hills that usually stay snow-free.
Sicily, the Algarve and Athens–Evia offer quiet trails, big views and mild days.
Days are short and the mountains can be cold – pack layers and start early.
A certified local guide knows which trails are dry, open and worth riding that week.

1. Why winter mountain biking in Europe is better than you think

Most of southern Europe is simply too hot for serious riding in July and August. In Girona, for example, the local riding season really starts in autumn, and the Algarve sees summer temperatures of around 30°C. Winter flips that around. The heat is gone, the tourists have gone home, and many trails are in their best shape of the year.

Autumn rain also helps. On dusty Mediterranean trails, a few wet weeks bind the dirt together and give you far better grip than in summer. Add cheap flights, quiet hotels and empty trailheads, and a winter riding trip starts to look less like a compromise and more like the smartest week of the year.

A few honest caveats: daylight is short, higher mountains can get snow, and some bike hotels and shuttle services close for a few weeks. That is exactly where a local guide earns their money – they know what is open.

2. Finale Ligure, Italy – the classic winter enduro escape

Why in winter: Finale is the place many Alpine riders head when their home trails are buried. It sits on the Italian Riviera, about an hour west of Genoa, and the trails run from the hills almost down to the sea.

Typical weather: January and February often see daytime temperatures around 15°C on the coast, but the wind can make it feel cooler and the highest trails can hold snow.

Trails: Up to a hundred enduro trails, from short rocky runs to long descents of around 800 m, with shuttles running from town so you can ride six to twelve trails a day.

Base town: Finale Ligure itself, or the old walled village of Finalborgo. Bike-friendly stays such as Hotel Florenz have secure storage and a wash area, and Trails Adventure runs private guided tours and private shuttle tours 1/2 day or full day.

3. Gran Canaria, Spain – the warmest winter riding in Europe

Why in winter: If you want shorts and sunscreen in January, this is it. The coast averages highs of around 21°C and only about three rainy days in the month.

Typical weather: Warm on the beach, but the island’s interior is a different world. Above about 1,500 m, night frost is normal and the summits feel cold even in sunshine, so bring a proper jacket for the top of the descents.

Trails: Volcanic rock gardens, ravines, pine forest and cactus-lined singletrack. Famous lines include El Diablo and the Camino de La Plata, which starts near Pico de las Nieves, the island’s high point at around 1,950 m.

Base town: Maspalomas or Meloneras in the sunny south. Gran Canaria Mountain Bike Tours shuttle riders into the mountains for long enduro descents.

4. Girona and the Costa Brava, Spain – grippy trails and coffee stops

Why in winter: Girona is famous among road cyclists, but the mountain biking around it is just as good, and the coastal hills usually stay free of snow.

Typical weather: Average daily highs of about 16–17°C in November and around 13–14°C in December. Rain from October onwards gives the dusty trails better grip, and they normally dry out again by December.

Trails: Sandstone slabs at the Santa Coloma de Farners trail park, cork-oak forest and sea views in Les Gavarres, rocky singletrack in the Guilleries and wild coastal riding on Cap de Creus.

Base town: Girona for variety, or the coast for Cap de Creus. Bike Camp Catalonia runs week-long all-mountain camps from El Port de la Selva.

5. Elba, Italy – a compact island of rocky enduro

Why in winter: Elba is a short ferry hop from Tuscany – around 45 minutes on the boat – and in December it is quiet, calm and refreshingly local.

Typical weather: December tends to bring stable high-pressure days. Snow occasionally dusts Monte Capanne, the highest peak at 1,019 m, but it is rare.

Trails: Rocky, stepped and loose – this is proper enduro terrain that rewards good suspension and good line choice. The Capoliveri bike park has six trails around an old mine, from smooth flow at the top to a tougher enduro finish.

Base town: Capoliveri. Ride with Elba MTB Experience or join a Capoliveri Bike Park tour.

6. Sicily's Madonie mountains – Italy's southern secret

Why in winter: Few riders think of Sicily, which is exactly the appeal. The Madonie park rises behind the coastal town of Cefalù, so you can ride mountain trails in the morning and eat by the sea in the evening.

Typical weather: Mild on the coast, but the high Madonie are a real mountain range. Pizzo Carbonara reaches 1,979 m and Piano Battaglia is a ski area in winter, so the highest trails may be under snow – stick to the lower hills when it is white up top.

Trails: Forest tracks, beech woods higher up and natural, often rocky singletrack around villages such as Castelbuono and Collesano – mostly unmarked, so local knowledge is gold.

Base town: Cefalù or Castelbuono. GuidaMTB Madonie knows which side of the range is rideable on the day.

7. The Algarve, Portugal – sea views and cork oaks

Why in winter: The Algarve is too hot for most riders in summer, but in winter it is pleasant, green and quiet.

Typical weather: January highs of around 16°C, about five hours of sunshine a day and roughly ten days with some rain. The Serra de Monchique is cooler and damper than the coast.

Trails: Fast, flowy trails with berms and jumps around Marmelete, plus technical sections with roots, rock gardens and tight switchbacks. You ride through eucalyptus, cork oak and orange groves, from Fóia (902 m) down towards the coast.

Base town: Coastal resorts such as Albufeira are around 30–60 minutes by shuttle from the trails; Monchique village puts you right in the hills. TransAlgarve MTB Ride runs downhill tours from the Algarve’s highest peak as well as cross-country and multi-day trips.

8. Athens and Evia, Greece – city break meets mountain trails

Why in winter: Athens is surrounded by mountains, and the riding starts surprisingly close to the city. Mount Parnitha, a national park since the 1960s, is about an hour from the centre.

Typical weather: January highs of around 14°C in Athens, with snow in the city very rare. It is the wettest month, though, so keep a day or two spare.

Trails: Forest roads and natural trails through rocky scrubland, fir and black pine forest, with some properly steep climbs. A popular Parnitha loop is just over 16 km, with ramps of up to 35%. For a full riding holiday, the island of Evia has a riding camp in the village of Kymi.

Base town: Athens (south suburbs for the coast), or Kymi on Evia. Ride with MTB Rides in Athens and Greece or join Full On Riding Camp in Kymi.

Winter trip packing list (the honest version):

A windproof jacket – the sun is warm, the top of the descent is not.
Lights. Sunset comes early, and “one more run” always takes longer than you think.
Spare brake pads. Rocky Mediterranean trails eat them for breakfast.
Sunscreen, even in January. Goggle tan lines are not just for skiers.
Room in your bag for local olive oil. You will buy some.

Ride Europe's winter trails with a local guide

In winter, local knowledge matters more than ever: which trails are dry after rain, which shuttles are running, where the snow line is and where to find lunch when half the town is closed. Ride with Trails Adventure in Finale Ligure, Gran Canaria Mountain Bike Tours, Elba MTB Experience, GuidaMTB Madonie, TransAlgarve MTB Ride or MTB Rides in Athens and Greece – or search all certified guides on MTB Guides. No booking fees: you contact the guide directly.

Photos: Unsplash (Unsplash License).

Sources

The post Winter Mountain Biking in Europe: 7 Sunny Places to Ride appeared first on Mountain Bike Guides.

Mountain Biking Villages: 4 Hidden Places Trails Brought Back to Life

Admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Mountain biking villages are not on the glossy posters. There’s no gondola, no 300-bed hotel, no queue at the lift. Just a handful of stone houses, a café that reopened last spring, a grandmother selling honey at her door – and a web of hand-built singletrack disappearing into the hills behind the church. All over the world, small groups of young locals are building trails around half-empty mountain villages, and riders are following them. What they find at the end of the trail is something no tourist leaflet can sell: real places, real people and real food.

In a nutshell: In depopulated mountain areas, locals are rebuilding old mule paths and shepherd tracks into mountain bike trails. Riders arrive, stay a few nights, eat in local tavernas and sleep in old stone houses – and businesses that had closed open again. No lifts, no big investors: just shovels, volunteers and a lot of local pride. The best part for riders? History, legends, food and a way of life you won’t find in a big resort. Local guides are the key – they turn a ride into a story.

1. Why remote mountain villages need riders

Across Europe and beyond, mountain villages have been emptying for decades. Young people leave for the cities, schools close, the last shop shuts and the old terraces go back to forest. In the Spanish Pyrenees, in the mountains of central Greece, in the Welsh slate valleys and the old mining towns of Tasmania, the story is the same: beautiful places, rich history – and almost nobody left to tell it.

Big ski resorts and bike parks need lifts, investors and millions of euros. These villages have none of that. What they do have is something money can’t build: hundreds of kilometres of old paths. Mule tracks, shepherd trails, pilgrim routes and miners’ paths that connected every village to the next long before there were roads.

And that is exactly what mountain bikers love.

2. How young locals bring trails – and villages – back to life

The pattern is surprisingly similar everywhere. A small group of local riders starts clearing an old path. Then another. They build a few berms, add some signs, share a map online. Riders come for a weekend, then come back with friends. Someone opens a room for rent. The old café reopens. A bike shop appears in a former bakery. Someone starts running shuttles in a van.

None of this needs a chairlift. It needs time, shovels and local people who care. And because the trails are built by people who grew up there, they follow the land the way locals know it – past the spring where shepherds stopped, the chapel nobody visits any more, the ridge where the village used to harvest chestnuts.

3. Derby, Tasmania: from tin-mining ghost town to MTB legend

Derby, in north-east Tasmania, was a tin-mining boom town. Tin was found in the area in 1874, and by the late 1800s around 3,000 people lived in the district. Chinese miners were among the first pioneers and at the peak of the rush they outnumbered Europeans – the area had its own joss houses, three brass bands and lively dances in the town hall.

Then came the tragedy that every local still talks about. In April 1929 heavy rain burst the Briseis dam above the town, and the flood killed 14 people. The mine closed for good in 1948, and Derby slowly faded. By the 2021 census, only about 109 people lived there.

In February 2015, the Blue Derby trails opened with around 20 km of singletrack. Today there are more than 125 km of trails, the Enduro World Series has raced there three times, and tens of thousands of riders visit every year. Old shopfronts now house cafés, bike shops and craft beer, there’s a floating sauna on the lake, and the old miners’ cottages are full again. Locals still joke that Derby is “a bit of a ghost town” in the week – but it’s a ghost town with a waiting list for accommodation.

Ride and taste: after the trails, look for local Tasmanian produce – cool-climate wines, cheeses, apples and craft beer – and ask your guide to show you the remains of the old Briseis mine and dam. Local operators such as Into The Wild and Tasmanian Mountain Bike Adventures run guided trips here.

4. Aínsa and Zona Zero, Spanish Pyrenees: 1,000 km of trails between forgotten villages

Aínsa is a medieval walled town in Sobrarbe, high in the Aragonese Pyrenees. Around it lie dozens of villages that were emptied during the 20th century – some when reservoirs flooded the valley farmland, others simply when the young left. From 2005, local riders started reopening the old caminos that once linked these villages. The result is Zona Zero: more than 1,000 km of signed trails across the region, free to ride.

The project is a real community effort. A local craft beer, La Tronzadora, gives part of every bottle sold to trail maintenance, and local guides like One Ride Pyrenees know the network inside out. In 2024, Aínsa was named one of UN Tourism’s “Best Tourism Villages”, and the trail project has been honoured by the Government of Aragón.

The legend: Aínsa is said to be the birthplace of the Kingdom of Aragon. According to legend, in the year 724 a small Christian army led by García Ximénez was facing a Moorish army near the town when a glowing cross appeared above an oak tree – and the vision gave them the courage to win. A small shrine, the Cruz Cubierta, still marks the spot on the edge of town. Every two years (in even years) around 250 locals re-enact the battle in the main square in La Morisma, a tradition dating back centuries.

The food: mountain cooking here is built for hungry riders – ternasco de Aragón (young lamb), migas (fried breadcrumbs with garlic and chorizo), local cured sausages and chiretas, a traditional Sobrarbe dish of rice and meat wrapped in lamb tripe.

5. Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales: a slate town that built its own bike park

Blaenau Ffestiniog, in the mountains of Snowdonia (Eryri), was once the slate capital of North Wales. At its peak around 12,000 people lived there, and slate from its quarries roofed houses all over the world. When the industry declined, the town shrank, and jobs disappeared.

In 2009, local people set up Antur Stiniog, a community enterprise. With European funding and a lot of local work, they built a downhill bike park on the slate mountainside, which opened in 2012. Today it has 14 downhill trails, uplift, bike hire and a café – and it employs and trains local people. Profits go back to the community.

The culture: this is one of the most Welsh-speaking towns in Wales – around 8 in 10 residents speak Welsh, so you’ll hear it in the café and on the trail. After riding, go underground in the Llechwedd slate caverns to see how the quarrymen worked by candlelight. And try the local food: Welsh lamb, cawl (a hearty lamb and vegetable stew) and bara brith, the spiced Welsh fruit bread – perfect with a cup of tea after the last run.

6. Kravara, Greece: hand-built trails in the mountains of Nafpaktia

Closer to home for many of our riders, the Kravara region in the mountains of Nafpaktia, central Greece, is a perfect example. Stone villages such as Ano Chora and Elatou sit at around 1,000 m among fir and chestnut forests, far from the beaches most visitors know. Here, a small local team has hand-built around 30 km of trails and runs shuttles between the villages – Kravara Bike Park.

The history: Kravara is an old region – its name appears in Ottoman records from 1454. Its rugged mountains were a hideout for klephts, the rebels of the Greek War of Independence, and the Varnakova monastery nearby was besieged during that war. Saint Cosmas of Aetolia studied for two years at the old school of Ano Chora. The village’s old colourful bus, “Karnavalos”, which linked Ano Chora with Nafpaktos until 1983, is still kept in the village.

The food: mountain cooking at its best – wild boar, slow-cooked casseroles, kontosouvli (spit-roasted pork), handmade pies and chestnut pie. In February the villages celebrate the Tsigarithra festival with free barbecued pork, and in October the Chestnut and Tsipouro festival, when the stills are fired up and chestnuts roast in the square.

7. More places where bikes are bringing villages back

Oakridge, Oregon (USA): a timber town that lost its mills. Today mountain bikers spend an estimated $2.4–4.9 million a year there – around 5% of the local economy.
The Sobrarbe villages around Aínsa: many abandoned hamlets are now linked by trails, and some old houses are being restored as guesthouses.
Your own mountains: almost every mountain region has an old network of mule tracks waiting to be ridden – and a local rider with a shovel who dreams of opening it up.

8. Not a resort – and that's the point

These places will never look like a big bike park, and they don’t want to. There are no razor-sharp machine-built lines with 500 riders a day. The trails are natural, the pace is relaxed and the evenings are long. You ride in the morning, eat a three-hour lunch at the only taverna in the village, and spend the afternoon visiting a chapel, a cheese maker or an old water mill.

For riders, it’s a different kind of trip: less adrenaline-per-euro, more stories-per-kilometre. You come home not with a Strava PR, but with a recipe, a legend and the phone number of a family who invited you in for coffee.

For the villages, every rider is a small vote for staying. A bed rented, a meal ordered, a bike repaired – that’s how a young person can make a living in the village where they grew up.

9. Why a local guide makes all the difference

In a big resort, you can follow signs and colour codes. In remote villages, a local guide is what turns a ride into an experience. A good guide knows which trails are rideable after rain, which taverna cooks today, where the old shepherd’s hut is and why the chapel on the ridge was built. They know the legends, the dialect words and the grandmother who makes the best pies. And they can make sure you ride safely on terrain where help is far away.

That’s why at MTB Guides we focus on certified local guides – people with real qualifications who know their mountains and their people. When you book a guide in a small village, your money stays in that village.

How to ride the villages like a local:

Say hello – in the local language if you can. “Kalimera”, “Bore dá” or “Buenos días” open doors.
Eat what’s on the table, not what’s on the menu.
Close every gate behind you – the sheep will thank you.
Buy something local: honey, cheese, olive oil or a bottle of homemade liqueur.
Ask about the old stories. Every village has a legend, a ghost or a hero.
Stay one night longer than you planned. You won’t regret it.

Find a guide and ride the real mountains

Looking for a mountain bike trip that feels like real travel? Explore Kravara Bike Park in Greece, browse community bike parks or find a certified local guide on MTB Guides – no booking fees, you contact the guide directly. And if you’re a guide building trails in a small village, list your business for free – we’d love to tell your story.

Sources

The post Mountain Biking Villages: 4 Hidden Places Trails Brought Back to Life appeared first on Mountain Bike Guides.

Is Mountain Biking Replacing Skiing? How Bikes Are Taking Over the Ski Resorts

Admin — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 11:07:00 +0000

Same mountain, same chairlift, same mountain hut – but this time there’s a bike hanging off the chair instead of a pair of skis. If you ski in winter and ride in summer, you have probably noticed it too: every year there are a few more bikes on the chairlift, a few more trail builders on the slopes in June, and a few more ski towns calling themselves “four-season destinations”. So is mountain biking replacing skiing? The honest answer is more interesting than a simple yes or no – but the shift is real, and it is changing the mountains we love.

The short answer:

Winters are getting shorter and less reliable, especially at lower altitudes.
Ski resorts are investing in bike parks and trails to keep lifts, hotels and restaurants busy all year.
New trails are built for families and beginners, not just downhill racers.
E-MTBs are bringing a whole new crowd up the mountain.
Skiing isn’t dead – but in many places, mountain biking has become the second season, and in some it has already taken over.

1. Winter is getting shorter – and less predictable

Ski resorts were built on one promise: reliable snow. That promise is getting harder to keep, especially lower down. In Switzerland, a slope needs roughly 30 cm of snow for about 100 days to be worth grooming and running, and resorts below around 1,600 m are the most exposed. Swiss media count 167 ski areas that have already closed, with dozens of abandoned lifts left rusting on the hillsides. Some, like Monte Tamaro and Les Paccots, have stopped skiing altogether.

France has heard the same warning from the very top. In February 2024 the Cour des comptes – France’s national audit court – described the French ski model as “running out of steam”.

The court predicted that every resort will be affected by climate change by 2050, with only a few likely to keep going beyond that, and called on authorities to stop pouring public money mainly into snow cannons and to fund year-round, diversified mountain tourism instead.

Experts quoted around the report put the danger zone clearly: alpine skiing below about 1,500 m faces a very uncertain future, and slopes below about 1,800 m will become increasingly hard to run in the 2030s.

Around 150 French ski areas have already closed in the last 20 years, and low resorts such as Alpe du Grand Serre, Le Lioran and Ventron have struggled to find the money to keep their lifts turning.

The pattern is the same across the border: of 65 lifts that have closed in Switzerland, 26 were below 1,500 m – and only four were above 2,000 m.

The money isn’t disappearing from the mountains – it is moving. High, snow-sure resorts keep investing (Serre Chevalier has invested in a new gondola, with its operator insisting people will “still ski in 2050”), while lower resorts are pushed to find a future beyond snow. And that future very often has two wheels.

In the US, the story is similar at the small end of the market: well over 1,600 ski areas have closed since the 1960s, especially small, low-lying hills in the Northeast and Midwest. And even big resorts feel it in bad years – after a warm, thin winter in 2025/26, western North American resorts saw winter lodging occupancy fall 7%, with April almost 22% down in revenue.

Whole valleys depend on those visitors: the hotels, restaurants, ski schools, bike and ski shops, mountain huts and the families who run them. When the snow fails, the question is simple – what keeps the lifts turning and the beds full?

2. Summer is the new second season

More and more, the answer is summer – and mountain biking is at the heart of it. In North America, the number of ski areas running summer operations grew from 84 in 2014 to 109 in 2023, and average summer revenue per area rose about 71%. Around 80% of ski areas surveyed by the National Ski Areas Association now offer summer activities. In the US the shift is so clear that in 2026 the Forest Service dropped its old rule that a ski area must earn most of its money from snow sports, citing “significant fluctuations in seasonal snow conditions”.

The demand is there too. While winter 2025/26 struggled, summer 2026 bookings in the same western resorts were pacing ahead of last year, with projected summer revenue up about 11%. People who missed their mountain “fix” in winter came back in summer – many of them with a bike.

In the Alps it is the same picture. Les Gets in the Portes du Soleil now offers around 128 km of marked bike park trails and three lifts running all summer, linked to a network of roughly 650 km of MTB routes across France and Switzerland. Swiss destinations openly promote mountain bike holidays as part of their climate strategy. And in Australia, Mystic Bike Park in Bright is being transformed by trail builders Dirt Art’s operating company with plans for dozens of kilometres of new trails, bike hire, a bike school and a café.

3. Trail builders are thinking about families, not just DH riders

The early bike parks were built by and for gravity riders: steep, rooty, full-face-helmet terrain. That crowd is still there – and they still have World Cup tracks to chase – but resorts have realised that a mountain full of black runs will never replace a winter of family ski holidays.

So the trail-building playbook has changed. Today’s bike parks invest heavily in green and blue flow trails, skills areas, pump tracks and kids’ zones, beginner lessons and rental fleets. Mystic’s master plan explicitly includes new trails for families, kids and adaptive riders. In Serre Chevalier, a new green trail from the top of the mountain lets beginners enjoy a full descent. It is the same logic that made skiing a mass-market holiday: easy, progressive terrain, good teaching, and a reason for the whole family to come back next year.

4. The e-MTB effect: everyone can climb now

If one thing has accelerated the shift, it is the electric mountain bike. Climbing used to be the filter that kept many people out of mountain biking. E-MTBs remove that filter. Suddenly, the parent who hasn’t ridden in years, the skier who only wants a few hours out, or the group with mixed fitness can all ride the same trails together.

The numbers are striking. In Germany, Europe’s biggest bike market, around 741,000 e-MTBs were sold in 2025 – compared with only about 52,500 non-electric mountain bikes. That is roughly 14 electric mountain bikes for every analogue one. Resorts have noticed: e-bike rental, charging points, e-MTB tours and “uplift-free” trail networks are now part of almost every summer offer.

For guides, this is a huge opportunity. A guided e-MTB day lets a local guide take beginners, families and older riders to places they would never reach on their own – the high ridges, mountain huts and singletrack that used to be reserved for the fittest riders.

5. So – is mountain biking replacing skiing?

Not yet – and probably not everywhere. Winter is still the most profitable season for most ski resorts, and in a good year skiing is booming: US ski areas recorded 61.6 million visits in winter 2024/25, the second-highest on record, and operators keep investing billions in lifts and snowmaking. High-altitude, snow-sure resorts will keep skiing for a long time. And summer is not a magic fix: summer guests spend less per day, and in North America summer still makes up only around 12% of ski-area revenue.

Mountain biking can’t save every resort either. In the Vosges, the lift operator at Lac Blanc decided in 2026 to stop running its lifts after the season, closing a much-loved bike park along with the skiing. Bikes help, but they need lifts, trail crews, insurance and investment – exactly what struggling resorts often don’t have.

What is happening is a rebalancing. For lower and mid-altitude resorts, mountain biking is becoming the second pillar that keeps the valley alive: the reason the gondola runs in July, the hotel opens in September and the ski instructor works as a bike guide in summer. In some places – former ski hills in New Hampshire, Michigan or Wisconsin that now live entirely from bikes – mountain biking has already replaced skiing completely. Highland Mountain Bike Park in New Hampshire, once a small ski hill, is now one of the best-known bike parks on the East Coast.

Skier or rider? Spot the difference:

Skiers check the snow report. Riders check the trail report.
Skiers queue for the chairlift with boots that won’t bend. Riders queue with knee pads that won’t stop squeaking.
Both end the day at the same mountain hut – and both say “one more run” at least three times.

6. What it means for riders – and for the mountains

For those of us who love both, it is good news: more trails, better lifts in summer, more places to learn, and more local guides who know these mountains in every season. But it also brings responsibility. Busy summer trails need good design, respect for walkers and wildlife, and riders who stay on the trails and support the people who build them.

The mountains are not choosing between skis and bikes. They are learning to live from both. And with every new flow trail, every e-MTB rental fleet and every ski instructor who becomes a summer bike guide, mountain biking is taking a bigger share of the mountain.

Ride the mountains with a local guide

Want to explore the summer side of your favourite ski resort? Find bike parks such as Les Gets Bike Park, Serre Chevalier Bike Park or Mystic Bike Park, or book a certified local guide on MTB Guides – no booking fees, you contact the guide directly.

Photos: Unsplash (Unsplash License).

Sources

The post Is Mountain Biking Replacing Skiing? How Bikes Are Taking Over the Ski Resorts appeared first on Mountain Bike Guides.

Why You Should Hire a Certified Mountain Bike Guide (Instead of Riding with a Local)

Admin — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:04:48 +0000

If you’re planning a mountain biking trip or exploring new trails, one of the smartest decisions you can make is to hire a certified mountain bike guide. While riding with a local enthusiast might seem convenient or cheaper, certified guides offer a level of safety, expertise, and overall experience that is hard to match.

In this article, we’ll break down why choosing a certified mountain bike guide is essential for a safe, enjoyable, and high-quality riding experience.

What Is a Certified Mountain Bike Guide?

A certified mountain bike guide is a trained professional who has completed official courses in areas such as:

Risk management and trail safety
First aid and emergency response
Navigation and route planning
Rider coaching and skill development

These certifications ensure that guides meet industry standards and can safely lead riders through a variety of terrains and conditions.

1. Safety Comes First on Every Ride

When riding unfamiliar trails, safety should always be your top priority. Certified guides are trained to:

Handle emergencies and injuries
Perform trail-side bike repairs
Assess weather and trail conditions
Choose routes appropriate for your skill level

In contrast, a non-certified guide may lack the training to respond effectively in critical situations. Hiring a certified MTB guide significantly reduces risk and gives you peace of mind.

2. Expert Local Knowledge You Can Trust

A certified mountain bike guide doesn’t just know the trails—they know how to create the best possible experience for you.

They will:

Select trails based on your ability and fitness level
Avoid overcrowded or unsuitable routes
Plan rides around optimal trail conditions
Introduce you to hidden gems you might never find alone

This level of planning ensures you get the most out of your mountain biking trip.

3. Improve Your Skills While You Ride

Many certified guides are also trained instructors. This means you’re not just riding—you’re improving.

A professional MTB guide can help you:

Master technical descents
Improve cornering and braking
Build confidence on challenging terrain
Choose better lines on the trail

This added value is something you rarely get from non-certified riders.

4. Legal Protection and Insurance Coverage

One of the biggest advantages of hiring a certified mountain bike guide is legal and financial protection.

Certified guides typically:

Carry liability insurance
Follow local laws and trail regulations
Operate under professional standards

Riding with an uncertified guide could leave you exposed if something goes wrong, especially in more regulated destinations.

5. Access to Exclusive and Better Trails

Many certified guides have:

Partnerships with local trail networks
Access to restricted or regulated areas
Insider knowledge of the best routes

This means you can enjoy a more unique and premium riding experience compared to navigating on your own or with an informal guide.

6. Support Sustainable Mountain Biking

Choosing a certified MTB guide also supports responsible riding practices.

Certified professionals are trained in:

Trail preservation and environmental awareness
Leave No Trace principles
Respect for local communities

By hiring certified guides, you contribute to the long-term sustainability of mountain biking destinations.

Certified Mountain Bike Guide FAQ

What does a certified mountain bike guide do?

A certified mountain bike guide plans and leads rides that match your group’s level and goals. They manage risk on the trail, carry first aid and repair kits, deal with mechanical problems and know what to do if someone gets hurt. Most guides also share local knowledge about the area and give tips to improve your riding technique.

How can I check if a guide is certified?

Ask which qualification they hold and when they last renewed their first aid training. Common qualifications include MIAS in the UK and Ireland, and national mountain bike guide or instructor diplomas in countries such as France, Italy and Switzerland. On MTB Guides, every guide’s certification is checked before their listing goes live, so you only see qualified professionals.

How much does a mountain bike guide cost?

Prices depend on the country, the length of the ride, the group size and what is included, such as bike rental, uplift or lunch. A private guide costs more than joining a small group, but you get a ride planned completely around you. Many guides show a starting price on their profile, and you can contact them directly to ask for a quote. MTB Guides never adds booking fees.

Do I need to be an experienced rider to hire a guide?

No. Guides work with everyone from first-timers to expert riders. Tell them honestly about your fitness, your experience and the kind of trails you enjoy, and they will choose routes that are fun and safe for you. Beginners often get the most out of a guided ride, because they learn good habits from day one.

Is a certified guide better than riding with a local friend?

Riding with friends is great, but a certified mountain bike guide brings training that most local riders do not have: first aid, group management, route planning and coaching skills. On unfamiliar trails, in remote areas or in changing mountain weather, that difference matters. You can learn more about the sport itself on Wikipedia’s mountain biking page.

Conclusion: Is Hiring a Certified Mountain Bike Guide Worth It?

Absolutely. Hiring a certified mountain bike guide is one of the most valuable investments you can make in your riding experience.

Certified guides combine safety, expertise, and local knowledge to create a ride that is not only more enjoyable but also significantly more secure. Their training allows them to assess risks, adapt to conditions, and guide riders confidently through unfamiliar terrain—something that is especially important in mountain environments where conditions can change quickly .

Beyond safety, guides elevate the entire experience:

You spend more time riding and less time planning routes
You discover better, often hidden trails
You improve your skills with real-time coaching
You ride with confidence knowing you’re in capable hands

Even experienced riders benefit from hiring a professional. A qualified guide brings structure, insight, and efficiency that can turn a good ride into a truly memorable one.

The Bottom Line

If you want your mountain biking experience to be:

Safer
More efficient
More rewarding

Then hiring a certified guide is not just worth it—it’s the smarter choice.

For riders exploring new destinations, especially, the difference between riding alone and riding with a certified guide can define the entire trip.

Find Certified Mountain Bike Guides Near You

Looking for a trusted professional to guide your next adventure? On MTB Guides you can search certified mountain bike guides by place, or press “Near me” to see who rides close to you. Every guide is checked before going live, and you contact them directly with no booking fees.

Planning a trip to a bike park? Browse bike parks across Europe, or start with popular regions like Italy, Austria and Greece.

The post Why You Should Hire a Certified Mountain Bike Guide (Instead of Riding with a Local) appeared first on Mountain Bike Guides.

Why Austria’s “Harsh” Laws About Mountain Biking Are About To Change

Admin — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 07:00:22 +0000

Mountain biking in Austria is hugely popular, but the rules for riding in the forest are some of the strictest in the Alps.

The government has acknowledged the importance of trails for tourism.

Though Austria is home to some of the best bike parks in Europe, it has an old law on the books hindering trail development in other parts of the country.

Thankfully the Austrian government has seen the value of mountain biking and set out to change that. Watch Youtuber Dieter explain the Changes in the Central European country below.

It is a huge step that the Government of Austria has recognized mountain biking’s important role in tourism.

With that in mind, the government created an official strategy to bring bike trails to more parts of the country and catch up with their neighbors France and Switzerland. This is a welcome step after years of a 1975 environmental protection law, getting in the way of bike access.

Though it is a coincidence, it is notable that this decision came around the same time that Fabio Wibmer made it onto the Forbes 30 under 30 list. A pro rider getting recognized in the business world is certainly a stamp of approval for the sport.

Trail access is the most important thing for the sport of mountain biking. Without trails, there is no sport. Props to the Austrian government for committing to create more access.

Source: Bikemag By Zander Lingelbach-Pierce

Credits to ALL MOUNTAIN & TRAIL youtube channel

Why mountain biking in Austria is so restricted

Austria’s Forest Act (Forstgesetz) dates back to 1975. It gives everyone the right to walk in the forest, but cycling on forest roads and trails is only allowed where the landowner agrees. In practice, that means mountain biking in Austria is limited to signed routes and bike parks where tourism boards have made agreements with landowners. Riding anywhere else can lead to fines.

For a country with so many mountains, that is a big limitation. It is also one reason why riders and tourism regions have been asking for clearer rules.

What could change for riders

In recent years, mountain bike groups and some politicians have pushed to open more forest roads and trails to bikes. There has been a citizens’ initiative (Volksbegehren) to legalise cycling in the forest, and a draft for a new forest law has been widely discussed in the bike world, for example in this article from BIKE magazine.

Laws take time, so always check the current rules and local signs before you ride. Until things change, the safest way to enjoy mountain biking in Austria is to stick to official routes, bike parks and trails recommended by local experts.

Tips for mountain biking in Austria today

Until the law changes, a few simple habits keep you on the right side of the rules and of the people who live and work in the mountains:

Look for the signs. Official mountain bike routes are signposted, and regional tourism websites publish maps of the roads and trails that are open to bikes.
Respect closures. Forest roads can be closed for logging or hunting, and some trails are shared with hikers or cattle. Slow down, give way and close every gate.
Use the bike parks. Lift-served parks are the easiest place to ride technical trails legally, and most rent bikes and protection.
Ask a local. Guides, bike schools and bike hotels know exactly which routes are permitted in their valley, and can show you trails you would never find alone.

Where to ride legally in Austria

Austria already has some of the best lift-served riding in Europe:

EPIC Bikepark Leogang in Salzburg, with World Cup history and a huge beginner zone
Bikepark Saalbach Hinterglemm, with long descents across several mountains
Bike Republic Sölden in Tyrol’s Ötztal valley
Bikepark Schladming on the Planai, with a long and easy flow trail

Want to explore beyond the bike parks? A certified local guide knows which routes are open to bikes. See all mountain bike guides and bike parks in Austria.

The post Why Austria’s “Harsh” Laws About Mountain Biking Are About To Change appeared first on Mountain Bike Guides.

Pike 29 Memorial Track | Sneak Preview of the $12 Million MTB Trail

Admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 11:44:53 +0000

The Pike 29 Memorial Track was built by mountain bikers for mountain bikers. It is the first ever dedicated mountain bike track to pass through a national park in New Zealand and is the country’s first ever “Great Ride”. As well as an MTB trail, it accommodates walkers and forms the 10th addition to New Zealand’s “Great Walks” trail system and is the first to be built in a generation.

Passing through the rugged and storm battered Paparoa Mountains on New Zealand’s West Coast, it connects with the Paparoa Track and descends down to the Pike River Mine which was the scene of the 2010 mining disaster which killed 29 men.

From the highest point on the track there is an uninterrupted and flowing 8.5km descent down a well formed track to the Pike River at its base. Not a single peddle needs to be put in the whole way down.

This video is a sneak preview by the trail builders showing off our creation with the first ever ride through of the track. The video also documents a few of the secret features that we snuck in during the build.

Building the Pike 29 Memorial Track video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlfNc…

Follow Milty on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/graded_earth/

Follow Tom on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/tom.woodwar…

Pike Hit List:
1. No Peddle Challenge (7.8km)
2. Ridge Wall Ride (6.2km)
3. Small Jump (4.5km)
4. Bigger Jump (4.5km)
5. Small Hip (4.3km)
6. Fuchsia Gully & Small Wall Ride (3.8km)
7. Small Hip (3.5km)
8. Rock Roll (3.3km)
9. Hip Jump (3.1km)
10. Berm to Berm Jump (2.7km)
11. No Peddle Challenge (2.6km)
12. Double Berm Wall Ride (3.2km)
14. Wall Ride (2km)
15. Rock Roll (1.9km)
16. No Brake Challenge (1.8km)

More Information: Article about building the track: https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-co…

Article about making the video: https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-co…

Trail proposal document: https://dcon01mstr0c21wprod.azurewebs…

Riding the Pike 29 Memorial Track

The Pike 29 Memorial Track links up with the Paparoa Track, so you can turn it into a multi-day ride across the Paparoa Range on New Zealand’s West Coast. Huts on the Paparoa Track must be booked in advance with the Department of Conservation (DOC), and it is worth checking DOC’s website for track conditions and any closures before you go, as the West Coast weather changes fast.

Planning a mountain bike trip and want a local to show you the best trails? Find a mountain bike guide, bike park or MTB school on our map – you contact them directly, with no booking fees.

Visiting the trail? Here is the start of the Pike29 Memorial Track on Google Maps: Pike29 Memorial Track start.

Curious how it was made? See how the Pike 29 Memorial Track was built by the Bush Walruses crew.

The post Pike 29 Memorial Track | Sneak Preview of the $12 Million MTB Trail appeared first on Mountain Bike Guides.

Building a $12MD Bike Trail | The Pike 29 Track

Admin — Sun, 02 Aug 2020 22:14:02 +0000

The Pike 29 Memorial Track was built as a living memorial to the men who died in the 2010 Pike mining disaster. It was sculpted into the landscape by passionate mountain bikers and track builders and is a world-class and first-of-its-kind mountain bike track which doubles and New Zealand’s 10th Great Walk. This video shows some of the exploits of the team who built it called the Bush Walruses. MTB track designer and digger operator Milty Coultas, explosives specialist and track shaper Tom Woodward, and tree fellers Logan and Felix. We cut the track through the bush over three long years while exposed, battered and frost bitten by the elements on the West Coast. It was the most extreme construction site that any of us had worked at. This video featured in the 2020 New Zealand Mountain Film Festival.

For track building services follow Milty on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/graded_earth/

Follow Tom on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/tom.woodwar…

See my Cook Islands video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c15uq…

More Information: Article about building the track: https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-co…

Article about making the video: https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-co… #Pike29 #Paparoa #MTB

Ride the Pike 29 Memorial Track

Want to see the finished trail? Watch the riders’ first descent in Pike 29 Memorial Track: sneak preview of the $12 million MTB trail.

Visiting the trail? Here is the start of the Pike29 Memorial Track on Google Maps: Pike29 Memorial Track start. Planning a mountain bike trip? Find a mountain bike guide, bike park or MTB school on our map – you contact them directly, with no booking fees.

The post Building a $12MD Bike Trail | The Pike 29 Track appeared first on Mountain Bike Guides.

Trail Days 2019 / May 30 – June 02

Admin — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 10:51:29 +0000

TRAIL DAYS 2019 / 30. MAI - 02. JUNI MOLVENOSEE/ ITALY The popular mountain bike and music festival changes the location: Next year we bike and party at Lake Molveno/Dolomiti Paganella Bike!

Every trail buddy is welcome and invited to ride the new trails of the bike region Dolomiti Paganella Bike. The focus remains the same: it is all about friends and good vibes, test bikes, guided tours and of course great music and party. Are you Rookie or Pro, Youngster or Oldstar? We promise, you are going to love the beautiful landscape of Trentino.

We look forward to seeing you and your friends!

Your Trail Days Crew!

REGISTRATION
The registration for the raffle of the Trail Days tickets is closed.

In the next days, the winners of the tickets will be notified by e-mail. The lucky participants will receive a registration link via e-mail, which must be confirmed within 2 weeks. Otherwise the link / ticket expires.

All others who do not receive a ticket are automatically on the waiting list!

CONTACT

http://www.trail-days.com/
kontakt@trail-days.com

About Trail Days 2019

Trail Days is a relaxed mountain bike and music festival where the focus is on riding together, not racing. After the 2018 edition in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, the organisers moved the festival to Italy: Trail Days 2019 took place from 30 May to 2 June 2019 at Lake Molveno, in the Dolomiti Paganella area of Trentino.

The programme followed the same easy-going formula as earlier years: guided group rides on local trails during the day, and food, drinks and live music in the evening. It is the kind of event where beginners and experienced riders share the same trails and the same tables.

Mountain biking around Lake Molveno

Lake Molveno sits below the Brenta Dolomites, one of the most dramatic mountain ranges in the Alps. The area around Molveno and nearby Andalo has a wide mix of riding: forest singletrack, flowing trails, gravel roads for easy tours and long enduro descents with lake views.

Trentino is also home to some of Italy’s best-known gravity riding. About an hour to the north, Bike Park Val di Sole is famous for its Black Snake World Cup downhill track.

Plan your own trip to the Dolomites

Even without a festival, the Dolomites make a great mountain bike holiday:

When to go: June to September, when most lifts and mountain huts are open.
Where to stay: villages like Molveno and Andalo have bike-friendly hotels with bike storage and wash areas.
Who to ride with: a certified local guide knows which trails are open to bikes and which ones suit your level.

Browse mountain bike guides and bike parks in Italy, or look back at Trail Days 2018 in Kranjska Gora.

The post Trail Days 2019 / May 30 – June 02 appeared first on Mountain Bike Guides.

Perspectives // India featuring Micayla Gatto

Admin — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 16:55:34 +0000

Perspectives // India featuring Micayla Gatto from Freehub Magazine on Vimeo.

Everyone views the world differently. As an artist and professional mountain biker, Micayla Gatto finds inspiration in her surroundings, be it at home in British Columbia, Canada or somewhere as distant as India. The chaotic cities, the surreal mountains, the kind people; each provide a beautiful and unique experience. On her journey to ride in the Himalaya, the unfamiliar environment is amplified with every pedal-stroke, taking her further into the unknown, closer to connection and toward the realization that perspective is everything.

Source: Freehub Magazine

About the film: Micayla Gatto in India

Perspectives // India is a short film from Freehub Magazine featuring Micayla Gatto, a Canadian professional mountain biker who is also an artist. Instead of a race or a bike park, the film follows her into the Indian Himalaya, where the trails, the altitude and the culture are all very different from what she knows at home.

That is what makes it worth watching. Micayla Gatto looks at the landscape the way a painter would, and the film shows how travelling by bike lets you see a place slowly, meet the people who live there and ride trails that very few visitors ever find. You can also read about the film on Singletracks.

Mountain biking in the Himalaya: what to know

Riding in the Himalaya is a dream trip for many mountain bikers, but it needs more planning than a weekend in a bike park:

Altitude. Many routes climb well above 3,000 m. Plan rest days to acclimatise, drink plenty of water and descend if you feel unwell.
Season. In much of the Himalaya the best riding is in spring and autumn. Summer brings the monsoon to many areas, while high, dry regions have a shorter summer season.
Permits and local rules. Some border and protected areas need permits. A local operator will know what is required.
Spares and repairs. Bike shops can be far apart. Bring spare brake pads, a derailleur hanger, tubes and the tools to fix them.
Respect. Ride slowly through villages, give way to animals and walkers, and ask before taking photos of people.

Ride the Himalaya with a local guide

A local guide makes a Himalayan trip safer and much richer: they know the trails, the weather, where to sleep and how to handle permits. Browse mountain bike guides in Asia, including guides in Nepal, or search all certified mountain bike guides on MTB Guides and contact them directly with no booking fees.

The post Perspectives // India featuring Micayla Gatto appeared first on Mountain Bike Guides.

The Creation of Windrock Bike Park

Admin — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 12:29:03 +0000

A short documentary about the creation of Windrock Bike Park. Owners/Operators Neko Mulally and Sean Leader tell the story of how they built a shuttle access downhill mountain bike park in the Southeastern United States.

Click here to find out more about the park
https://windrockbikepark.com/
Source: Suspended Productions

About Windrock Bike Park

Windrock Bike Park is a downhill mountain bike park near Oliver Springs, in the hills of East Tennessee in the United States. It opened in 2016, and it was created by professional downhill racer Neko Mulally together with co-owner Sean Leader. In the short documentary above, the two explain how they turned a mountain known for off-road driving into a place built for gravity riding.

Windrock Bike Park does not use chairlifts. Riders and bikes are carried to the top in shuttle trucks, and then everyone rides back down on purpose-built trails. The park is known for steep, rocky downhill tracks, but there are also flowing trails for riders who are still building their skills. You can read more about the opening in this local news story from 2016.

Shuttle bike parks and lift bike parks

Most European bike parks use gondolas or chairlifts to carry bikes uphill. Shuttle parks like Windrock Bike Park work differently: a truck or minibus takes you to the top, which suits hills where a lift would be too expensive to build. In Europe, BikePark Wales runs a similar minibus uplift, while parks such as EPIC Bikepark Leogang and Les Gets BikePark are served by lifts.

Looking for your next park? Browse all bike parks on MTB Guides, with lift info, trail grades and day-pass prices in one place.

Tips for your first day at a downhill bike park

Whether you ride Windrock Bike Park or a lift-served park in the Alps, a few simple habits make your first gravity day safer and a lot more fun:

Wear the right gear. A full-face helmet, goggles, gloves and knee pads are the minimum on most downhill trails. Many parks rent protection if you do not own it.
Start easy. Ride the easiest trail first, even if you are an experienced rider. It helps you get used to the dirt, the speed and your bike setup.
Look before you leap. Stop and look at big jumps, drops and rock gardens before you ride them. Trails change during the season.
Check your bike. Brakes, tyre pressure and suspension settings matter much more on steep terrain than on your local loop.
Take breaks. Most crashes happen late in the day when arms and legs are tired. Stop before you are exhausted.

Riding with a coach or guide on your first day is one of the quickest ways to build confidence. They know which lines suit your level and can give you instant feedback on your riding position, braking and cornering.

Ride a new bike park with a local guide

Your first day at a big bike park can be a lot to take in. A certified local guide or coach can show you which trails match your level, help you with jumps and steep sections, and make sure you get the most laps out of your day. Find a certified mountain bike guide near the park you want to ride, and contact them directly with no booking fees.

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