Where is the end of the world? Your first thought might be “right here, at home”. And we’ll give a slight nod in recognition of all the god-forsaken, forgotten places we’ve been to in Germany, where it feels as though you really do live in the back-end of nowhere. But these places often have one similarity. The riding is hella’ good! And the same goes from where we just went! But, back to the question, where is the end of the world, if not there? There are at least 13 places around the world that claim this questionable heavyweight title that’s somewhat perversely drenched in adventure. For Germans, the closest geographical “end of the world” is somewhere amongst the deep trees on the banks of the River Rhein – according to its residents at least. Other Central Europeans are probably thinking of New Zealand, which is pretty much as far away as we can get. Or what about the Cape of Good Hope on the southernmost point of Africa, the coast of Tierra del Fuego, or even Fisterra in Spain, where pilgrims for whom the entire Way of St James isn’t enough, add onto their hike after Santiago de Compostela.

Patagonia – At the southern end of the world

We were travelling to another end of the world, which promised a welcome break from the grim European winter: Patagonia. Back in the 1500s, the Spanish explorers who landed here dubbed it the edge of the world. It has since become a must-visit for researchers, adventures, and artists. Even today, Patagonia is still swarming with myths and legends with unexplored corners that instil fear into those who dare to venture near them. For an E-MOUNTAINBIKE Adventure to the end of the world, it felt perfect!

The end of the world isn’t so far away after all

Luckily, times have moved on since the Spanish conquistadors spent months crossing the ocean. We are able to make it from Germany to Patagonia within 24 hours via quick landings in Paris and Santiago de Chile. For anyone looking to make the same journey, book a window seat on the left of the plane for an undisturbed 4-hour view of the snow-covered peaks and 300 km-long glaciers. The view will be first class, even if the leg room isn’t.

It briefly crosses our mind to question the validity of calling our trip an adventure when we get on board the aeroplane knowing there’s a tour guide and a legitimate bike park waiting for us when we land. However, we’re consoled by the thought that this trip isn’t about seeking out an adventure, instead, we want adventure to find and surprise us – quite the opposite. We didn’t even have to go to Patagonia. We could have gone to any out-of-the-way town or Podunk because all we needed was enthusiasm, an openness to opportunities and some imagination.

Travel tips with Patagonia MTB Trails – What’s on the must-ride list?

Before the trip, we sat down with the guiding company Patagonia MTB Trails for a digital meet-up. This team not only opened the world’s southernmost bike park but are essentially responsible for the entire enduro MTB scene in Punta Arena. Javier’s English is pitch-perfect and after he admitted to having read our ENDURO magazine since the beginning, we knew he was the right guy for our trip.

Numerous WhatsApp conversations and seven weeks later, we landed in Punto Arenas, Chile, one of the southernmost cities in the world. There was no fixed plan of what we’d be doing in this town of 125,000 residents. It felt like a very transitory place—a base for excursions, a quick pit-stop on your way to an adventure. But that suited us just fine for now.

We were also in a bit of a transitional phase, knowing that we didn’t only want to ride our bikes, but also explore a glacier, go horse-back riding, live the life of a local, and maybe even hike. Patagonia is the stuff of dreams, as well as myths, legends and even giants –at least, according to the European explorers who came across huge footprints in the wilderness. Turns out these footprints belonged to the Tehuelche people, who although physically bigger than Europeans, also happened to swaddle their feet and leave significantly bigger prints behind them. This reality-check didn’t come to light until centuries after Magellan’s return and subsequent naming of Patagonia. When we think about how vast the region is, we’d love to get ourselves some of those giant feet so that we can cover more ground!

Now we’re here, we come up with a more definite plan to follow the Ruta del Fin del Mundo, the route to the end of the world: We’ll drive a pick-up truck through the steppe, go ebiking in the bike park and on the Klippen trails, ride horses across the grasslands, and kayak across the glacial lake. There’s unanimous agreement that the most important thing is remembering that we can dip in and out. In Patagonia as in life, everything’s optional and nothing’s obligatory.

Where it all began: Patagon Bikepark Punta Arenas – From 4 to 100!

Javier is one of those riders who caught onto enduro mountain biking hype early, when people thought cross-country and endurance were as rough as it could get. His community started small with just 4 dedicated riders but has since grown to over 100 enduro enthusiasts. The Patagon Bikepark in Punta Arenas is Javier and his business partner Juan Pablo’s home base and something of a passion project with 11 enduro trails covering blue to black. But what makes it really special is that it’s the world’s southernmost bike park, covering around 90 hectares in the Nacional Magallanes Nature Reserve. As we start driving (having eventually got the ancient pick-up bump-started and adventure number one now truly ticked off), the sight of freighters in the strait and huge boats in our rear view mirror detract a little from our notion of being at the end of the world, but the civilisation gets balanced out by the drama of the pick-up, whose start motor hasn’t worked for years and whose wheel arches are absent. But who cares? We wanted raw and real so that’s what we’re getting.

Despite having a ski resort as a neighbour, the Patagon Bikepark Punta Arenas isn’t serviced by a lift. Luckily, it doesn’t matter as a proper downhill bike would be overkill here anyway. There’s minimal vertical metres and you can pedal comfortably up the access roads on a trail or enduro bike. However, a lightweight eMTB would be your best choice for a spot like this, which is exactly what we’ve got to enjoy the flow trails and perfect dirt. (Side note: We found the jumplines were too muddy and exposed to the winds, so we were reluctant to get blown away.) Patagonia’s summer season evidently has some similarities with the Northern European one! But were we getting enough adventure? Not quite, we decided. We had to get further away from the city.

Next Stop: Puerto Natales – The mecca for outdoorsy folk

We make a sensible decision to change vehicles for the next part of the trip and even the locals agree. We load the bikes and rejoin the legendary Ruta del Fin del Mundo on our way to Puerto Natalas, which we’re told is like the smaller and more charming sibling of Punta Arenas. It takes two hours of emptiness to get there. It feels promising and the sight of the Starlink base on the way out from Punta Arenas reminds us that we’re entering the middle of nowhere – this is the final telegraph station of the Instagram era, after all. The journey goes in a flash despite – or perhaps because of – this nothingness. The non-stop consumption of mate teas, the drink of choice around here, certainly helps too.

Puerto Natalas is a captivating, almost picture book perfect little town that radiates a mix of base camp charm, the promise of excitement and a touch of luxury. Think outdoor vibes alongside high-end hotels with four-star prices and hipster cafés with La Marzocco portafilters (envy!). There are still reasonably priced hostels, though, so we book two rooms for $ 80 and immediately go into the town to mingle with the hordes of tourists, meet the locals, and feast. Not only do we catch snippets of German conversations on every corner, which makes us feel weirdly at home, we also note that we’re fully acclimatized to the unspoken dress code. It appears there’s a genuine purpose for gorpcore if you’re in Patagonia, so it’s good that we’re all clad in GORE Wear, VAUDE, North Face and the likes. Javier smiles wryly as he charts how the region’s hiking culture has changed since the 1990s. These days it might seem like the staffed mountain huts in the Torres del Paine national park have extortionate prices (like $ 100 for a bed in a mixed dormitory), but it’s way on to combat mass tourism.

Mate gives you wings – Tea, eMTB and the Andes condor

In Javier’s eyes, no trip to Patagonia would be complete without a glimpse of the native Andean Condor, the largest of all the world’s birds of prey with a wingspan measuring over 3 metres. He tells us there’s a prime spot just 25 minutes away by car. We boil some water for another round of mate tea, prepare the road sodas, and head towards the rocky cliffs of Laguna Sofia, hoping to see the birds at eye level. Unfortunately, strong winds and cool temperatures mean the skies are empty of these majestic, feathered flight specialists.

Are we disappointed? Hell, no. This location is otherworldly and our eMTBs quickly lend us our own wings. They say the greatest trail is the one you’re on right now, so we went straight up a technical climb, got a jaw-dropping view in another direction, then dropped into a great descent that plastered a grin on our faces. Again! Again! To end, we rolled into Lagune for a refreshing Cerveza Austral and a front row seat of snow-capped mountains.

Afterparty – Last Hope Puerto Natales

The day is drawing to an end, but there’s still a surprise in store for us. It takes the form of a DIY roadside shrine, surrounded by sacrificial offerings like water, cigarettes and alcohol. Javier nods: “El Gauchito Gil,” he goes on to explain: “A sort of patron saint for the people of Patagonia, especially the Argentines, although he was never recognised by the Church.” According to legend, he’s a Robin Hood-type character that stole from the rich to give to the poor.

It’s late when we get back to Puerto Natales, but we’re too wired from the day’s excitement to sleep. Okay, and a little bit drunk, too. “There’s only one thing for it,” laughs Javier, leading us to a bar where we’re served llama. There’s some hesitation on our part when the menu is translated, but the food is exceptionally tasty. From here, we go to the Last Hope Bar, which has its own gin distillery. Later, fuelled on said gin, you may have spotted us keeled over with laughter having taken part in an impromptu shopping trolley rally. Yep, what a night.

And the following morning? Are you expecting us to complain of terrible hangovers and regrets? No way. This is the beauty of not having a plan. The agenda is limitless, and our trip to the end of the world (or rather, to one of the 13 ends) is far from over. There’s still time for us to ride across the prairie with dogs in tow and mate swilling around our mouths. There’s still time to taste pisco sour, Chile’s national drink, with hand-picked (by us, no less!) crushed ice from Lago Grey that’s fed by the 12,000-year-old, 21 km-long glacier. And to see the devastating effects of climate change up close, evident in the way that the glacier has so starkly retreated over recent decades. But this blunt reminder won’t be enough to stop us enjoying the following day’s stunning hike and awesome kayaking trip. We’ll admire the intricate natural sculptures in the iceberg graveyard, observe the awe-inspiring colours that the ice creates as surreal blue hues and a psychedelic aura swirl around us. But throughout it all, we’ll practice caution, because the steep edges and constantly shifting ice blocks can be dangerous. So even though adventure should always have a whiff of danger, you’ve still got to listen to reason.

Has our story sounded like a dream? It was. A dream of adventure, freedom and vastness that became reality. A dream of strangers that became friends. Of the unknown becoming familiar. Of life. Of experiences. A dream that you can take with you into the daily grind provided you’ve got your mind set on adventure. A dream that translates into a lesson: Have courage next time you see the unknown – don’t give it a wide berth.

The end of the world starts in your headf

So, we made it to what’s supposedly the end of the world (or one of them, at least), and it was a legitimate adventure that we won’t forget in a hurry. But did we have to travel halfway around the world to get there? Perhaps not. The end of the world can be the line in the head, the official border between how far you’re willing to push yourself and where the hard limit of your comfort zone lies. The extent of discovery that you can have on your doorstep relates to your spirit of adventure, rather than a specific place. But whether you want one adventure or an infinite number of them on repeat, it all comes down to having the courage to get outside. Fortunately, in 2024, you don’t have to be named Magellan or Columbus to experience something wild. You just have to go out there.

More information: patagoniamtbtrails.com

Der Beitrag Ebiking in Patagonia – Everything has an end – but the world has 13. erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

Khyber doesn’t bother acknowledging us with more than a sleepy look. Getting up to greet us is out of the question. Seb – his owner – on the other hand, is the exact opposite and can hardly contain his enthusiasm. The reason why Robin and I aren’t standing in the lift queue at Whistler Bike Park with downhill bikes early in the morning, but rather in Seb’s office, is eMTBs. We weren’t entirely convinced of the idea either, but Seb isn’t just the Global Marketing Director of Santa Cruz Bicycles and an ex-bike-journalist, but above all a long-time Whistler local with a wealth of insider knowledge.

While we make the final adjustments to our eMTBs, and traildog Khyber uses his best puppy-eyed look to get us to come to him, we notice the countless maps hanging on the wall. Seb sees us looking at the maps and proudly tells us how much untapped potential lies dormant in the mountains around Whistler, and all that’s left to discover. Far more than we could experience in a few days, but also far more ground than we could cover on our own. That’s the great advantage of riding eMTBs, letting you explore more trails in a lot less time. That way we can take full advantage of the time we’ve got in Canada, and Seb can show us all his favourite spots. Our schedule for the day includes endless wilderness, and amazing panoramas with views of the sea and trails until our eMTB batteries go flat and our thighs burn.

You won’t find the most amazing and freshest trails, the best flow, and the raddest, most iconic features in the bike park, but on the countless trails surrounding Whistler – Seb Kemp

Whistler Bike Park isn’t the real mountain bike mecca!

Let’s get the party started! While countless bike park visitors bake in the burning midday sun as they queue for the lift, we have lifts built into our bikes – no queueing required! No to mention the nice cool breeze and having complete freedom! We take another quick look at the map before disappearing into the cool shade and tackling the first uphill trail. The uphill trail on which we’re currently working our way towards the summit has been newly built to divert riders away from those monotonous service road climbs. However, it was heavily criticised soon after construction because the trail is damn steep and demanding even with an eMTB. We love it. The challenge injects a bit of fun into the climb, and you quickly learn that you can work up a sweat despite the motor. In Whistler, there is no such thing as simply leaning back and zooming up the mountain on a gravel highway. Berms, ledges, and the odd North Shore obstacle like those you’ll have seen in legendary freeride films of the late 90s and early 2000s demand your full attention, and a certain level of fitness, but are incredibly fun.

“I don’t get why everyone doesn’t ride an eMTB around here?” – Robin calls down to us, and we laugh for what feels like the hundredth time as we catch up to each other, before continuing along the trail, spiralling up the mountain. But the trail eventually ends and we reach the summit. While this is where the fun just starts for most, we’re already grinning from ear to ear. Our anticipation of the next uphill trail almost overshadows the brilliant single track descent before us.

We take a short breather as Seb refills his water bottle from a creek and tells us that many of the trails are extremely old and were originally built by motorcycle trials riders or the old freeride scene. Speaking of freeride, we were on the iconic North Shore of Vancouver with freeride legend Wade Simmons just a few days before our ride with Seb – this is where the wooden North Shore obstacles get their name. We rode eMTBs there too, of course. Even Wade has caught the eMTB bug. There is a lot to discover both on the Shore and here in Whistler. With an eMTB, you can get to regions that are difficult to reach without assistance. Allegedly, there are a lot of old paths and hiking trails in the region, which hardly get used because most hikers who come to Whistler aren’t adequately prepared. They’re mainly there to replenish their social media accounts. And you can do that right next to the gondola station… but that’s a different story!

Seb also tells us that eMTBs aren’t allowed everywhere, and some of the most popular trails around Whistler still have prohibition signs portraying a clown on an ebike. Pity! Some folks in North America are still prejudiced towards eMTB riders. They also want to minimise traffic in high alpine terrain because on analogue bikes an uphill trail with over 1,200 metres of climbing is usually reserved for fit and experienced riders. Aboard an eMTB, on the other hand, that wouldn’t be a problem. However, what doesn’t get mentioned is the fact that big tours with eMTBs are usually much safer because you get less fatigued on the climbs and you can save your energy for the looming and usually very technical descent. Many accidents and injuries occur in high alpine terrain simply because the riders are exhausted and unfocused! But that attitude is slowly changing, says Seb. There’s a rapidly growing interest in eMTBs as riders begin to understand the advantages and improved safety, especially since many cool locals and opinion leaders now ride eMTBs.

But enough with the philosophising. We’re not here to debate. We’ve got several trails – both up and down – ahead of us. As we roll off, Seb tells us that a good friend of his only recently finished building one of them. In the meantime, said friend has also made the switch to an eMTB. Ebikes let bike crews explore the trails together once more, no matter how old or (un)fit any of you’ve become – brilliant!

The threat to the locals!

Meanwhile, our buddy Dave has joined us. He’s also a long-time Whistler local and incredibly fit, but has never ridden an eMTB in his life. Of course, we couldn’t let that fly and wanted to check how much Dave enjoys his well-known home trails in turbo mode. After a few runs, we saw what Dave thinks of eMTBs written in his face, and he soon started drilling us about what a good eMTB costs and what he should look for – sorry, not sorry . Dave certainly won’t be the last local to catch the eMTB bug.

As you would expect in Whistler, you can also send it outside of the bike park, and Seb and Dave are on home turf, making it especially hard for us to keep up. Robin and I thank our motors that we’ve got some energy reserves left, which brings us back to the safety aspect. The climbs didn’t drain our legs, just the ebike batteries – hehe. So we get off the brakes and pursue the chase. The descent takes us just under 15 minutes, non-stop. Big rock rolls, soft forest loam, and an incredible number of roots, interspersed with short, steep climbs where even our motors could do with a little more power. Lost Lake awaits us at the bottom, letting us cool our bodies. As we drift in the water and enjoy the last rays of sunshine, Seb continues raving about a future eMTB paradise and lists a few tips and tricks for our remaining weeks in Canada.

Top tips and tricks for eMTBing in Whistler

• The best combination is going exploring aboard your eMTB in the morning, and taking your downhill bike to the bike park in the afternoon. Because the long lift queues will be gone by then, and the park is open until 8 PM.
• Remember, you may not use the trails of the bike park without a lift ticket, even if you ride your eMTB to the top.
• You can generally drink the water from any stream. However, the faster the flow and the higher up in the mountains you are, the better.
• You will encounter bears sooner or later, so don’t go looking for them. It’s important to always keep a safe distance.
• It’s worth taking a trip to Squamish and Vancouver in the summer because there are countless trails to discover there too. Pemberton is usually extremely dry and dusty during that time.
• Try to ride in groups because the mobile phone reception is usually poor. Three people is a good number, so that one person can call for help while the other stays with the injured rider in an emergency situation.
• The uphill trails use a bit more battery, of course, but depending on the bike, weight, and riding style, you can easily do 1,500 metres of climbing. We even rode a light eMTB and it didn’t lack range.

If you want to find out more about Whistler, the bike park, and the best way to prepare for your trip, then you should definitely check out the detailed Whistler Guide created by our sister magazine ENDURO.

There’s a hidden treasure in Whistler that many locals, businesses, and bike mecca pilgrims don’t (yet) know about. Accordingly, you’ll encounter few eMTB riders in the area. However, the uphill trails seem like they were built specifically for this purpose. And eMTBs make riding in Whistler even more fun, safer, and more varied. It’s only a matter of time before eMTBs conquer Whistler. Until then, those who already own one have the trails to themselves.

Der Beitrag Why Whistler is an insider tip for eMTBers! erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

What is the DOWNTOWN Urban Getaway series?

What do urban spaces of the future look like? What can the world’s most bike-friendly cities teach us? Insider spots, hidden corners, the must-sees minus the crowds, top tips and route guides – the DOWNTOWN Urban Getaway series powered by WINORA explores urban culture, going beneath the surface of the world’s most-hyped cities on a first-name basis with locals to scout inspiration and motivation for a better tomorrow.

Along with the local lingo, each guide includes the city’s dos and don’ts, as well as the A-B-C on where to find your flat whites, tuck into sensational food, or sip a fresh beverage. As each Urban Getaway is done by bike, we also unpick the best builds for the city. Ready? Let’s go. Read the full article in our sister magazine DOWNTOWN.

Der Beitrag Ebiking in Amsterdam – DOWNTOWN Urban Getaway powered by WINORA erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

If you are looking for a peerless sense of tranquility, you can’t go wrong with a visit to South-Tyrol’s Valdaora-Olang, tucked in the heart of the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park with just 3,200 residents. With picture-perfect landscapes, oh-so-silent forests and lush green meadows encircled by imposing mountains and distinctive Dolomite peaks, this German-speaking Italian spot is crying out to be explored. Like the theory of yin and yang that explains how seemingly opposite forces unite harmoniously, that’s the impression you get here in Valdaora-Olang – pitching sport alongside relaxation, vertical altitude metres against all the descending, heaven and earth. Without overselling this, it’s a magical holiday destination.

Lago di Braies – the myths, the legends and Instagram

According to textbooks, the Lago di Braies, or the Pragser Wildsee in German, is a reservoir dam sat at 1,500 metres above sea level formed by a mudslide many years ago. The legend, however, speaks of savages that scoured the mountainside for gold and precious stones. When local shepherds tried to steal their booty, the savages opened the underground springs to bury their wealth, letting the water level rise to form this lake. They say that you can take a boat to the underworld through a secret gateway allegedly found at the southern end of the lake in the shadow of the 3,000 metre tall Croda del Becco. These days, especially in the height of summer, the lake has become something of a magnet for treasure-seekers, families and, well, Instagrammers. While access for cars is strictly limited, bikes are the ideal choice for exploring – ride up here early to beat the rush or come in the late afternoon as the sun starts to dip and the shadows get longer. These are the best moments of the day to get first-hand experience of what you’ve seen under the lustworthy #lagodibraies hashtag.

Reaching for the sky – an unconventional bike tour

Sure, there are a multitude of ways to explore the picturebook landscape around Valdaora-Olang, but nothing beats a bicycle. What sort, you say? The choice is yours. With the Valparola and the route of the Maratona dles Dolomites on its doorstep, there’s no shortage of slick tarmac to get your roadie heart racing. The local climb – the Passo Furcia – is another big draw and you can extend the ride nicely by adding on a jaunt up the one-way road of Pederü. If airtime, gnar and shred are more your lexicon, the trails around Kronplatz should be your first stop. And for the rest of us, those who don’t ride at either end of the spectrum? We settled on a regular ride with a twist: a hybrid of gravel riders and eMTBers. Could an analogue-meets-digital hybrid work? Like everything else we’d discovered in Valdaora-Olang, we wondered if this ride would provide further confirmation of how seemingly contradictory elements can make a happy marriage.

The gravel-eMTB mixed team

Where – if not in this magnificent landscape – can you make the supposedly impossible possible? By bringing together gravel and eMTBs, so-called leisure riders with watt-obsessed road riders, riders in their 20s with those who are just entering retirement, we knew it would rely on the right choice of wheels: some take ebikes, others take gravel bikes and a route that goes up and up to Brunst Alm.

For those who joined us on this ride, this mélange reflected cycling culture in its purest and most uncontaminated form – a group of individuals united simply to embrace the sheer love of riding. Here is where we saw the trekking revolution unravel in full glory.

Gravel versus and emountainbike – go side-by-side in Valdaora-Olang

For gravel and eMTB, Brunico-Bruneck is the ideal starting point for the joint ride, which naturally begins with a quick aperitivo. (Aperol Spritz is clearly the drink of choice for our ride crew.) There’s 1,200 metres of climbing ahead, but no sense of competition or time restrictions – this ride is all about pleasure. Instead of having our eyes fixated on the bike computer watching the kilometres go by, our gaze is up – readily looking this way and that, taking in the beauty that surrounds us. We not only pique the curiosity of a Shetland pony and a donkey, who watch us eagerly, but also of people we pass who are keen to chat. Up high, with these extraordinary views, we come across farmers with free-range chickens and other animals, choosing to bring up their stock in harmony with nature. We later discover that this area is known lovingly as the Beverly Hills of Valdaora-Olang – it fits.

Postcards from our ride

EMTB and gravel: different concepts, one unified goal.

Once we’re on the climb, it’s clear that we’re onto a winner: the gravel bikes (with a fairly aggressive tread) ascend the rough access road with ease, so do the eMTBs. By halfway, as the forest continues to churn out hairpins as if on a conveyor belt, those on the eMTBs are embracing their assisted ride, but at the same time looking at those riding under their own power with awe. After two hours, we break the tree line and the sky opens up in front of us – we’ve reached the Brunst Alm and the sense of effort is replaced by wonder at the view over the Valdaora-Olang Dolomites: the Cima dei Colli Alti, the Munt de Fora, the Punta Tre Dita and the Pizzo delle Pietre are easy to spot. From here, you can continue onto Lago di Braies or stop for a bite of local South Tyrolean delicacies at the mountain hut. After a few photos to capture proof of just how well this gravel–eMTB hybrid has worked, we choose to keep pedalling before we lose the sun.

We’re true believers in active breaks and Valdaora-Olang gives plenty of opportunities for just that. From multi-generational holidays with your offspring to teaming up with friends, whether you’re brand new to biking or a life-long cyclist, Valdaora-Olang comes with all the right characteristics – provided you’re on the bikes suited to your riding styles. Once you’ve got your choice of wheels dialled in, it is a generous host, laying on a feast of activities for all tastes, including routes over road passes that let you hammer out high watts or leisurely loops that let young, fatigued or less-trained legs simply chill out. Instead of blowing hot and cold over what you want from a holiday, let Valdaora-Olang be that magical spot where exciting contradictions can come together.

For further information visit Olang.com

Der Beitrag Outdoor holidays in Valdaora-Olang: A charming spot to live out the biking version of yin and yang erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

What is the E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escape series?

With the E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escapes powered by Haibike we visit the world’s most exciting cities to bring you inspiration, insider info and the best tips and tours of the respective cities. Our goal is to offer inspiration for a new generation of riders and a new lifestyle together with Haibike. We open up new perspectives and show you exciting ways to experience the world’s metropolises – whether you’re a tourist or a local!

Each E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escape Guide aims to inspire in its own way. Get to know new facets of the world’s metropolises, interesting locals and the best insider tips: local slang, dos and don’ts, cafés, bars, restaurants and bike shops. As part of every City Escape, we also present the bikes that we used to explore the urban jungle.

Looking to take an alternative tour of Paris, Barcelona, Zurich, Vienna, Lisbon, Frankfurt, Rome or Berlin? Click here to find our previous E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escapes featuring a ton of insider tips, trail action and insights into each metropolis.

Enjoy the following 6 parts:

• 1/6 Motor City Stuttgart … has a bit of everything!
• 2/6 Where do you start, where do you stop? – If there’s one thing Stuttgart isn’t stingy with, it’s trails.
• 3/6 HP – It’s not where you are, it’s what you do!
• 4/6 Let’s roll! Stuttgarters don’t just love cars.
• 5/6 Escape essentials – Hotels, bars, restaurants, dos and don’ts in Stuttgart
• 6/6 Escape faster – Our Stuttgart rides in detail

1/6 Motor City Stuttgart
… has a bit of everything!

We could think of countless reasons not to portray the capital city of Baden-Württemberg. Its reputation of being indifferent and stuffy often precedes the city unchecked. But after being surprised negatively by some overhyped cities and positively by others during previous City Escapes, we wanted to give Stuttgart a chance and put our biases aside. Since our HQ is quite close to the city and most of our staff have lived here for years, we let our art director Julian fly in from abroad to explore the city from a neutral perspective.

Closed in and cool about it

Closed in by picturesque landscapes, Germany’s sixth largest city is gently nestled between green belts and vineyards. Unusual for large cities, Stuttgart’s urban landscape spans an altitude difference of almost 350 m. Some say it reminds them of San Francisco with all its ups and downs. Dotted across it are modest houses and steps, laboriously making their way up the hillsides. Museums, distinguished squares, parks and restored palaces from the 18th century line the city centre. The cityscape is dominated by bold post-war architecture, like the 217 metre high television tower (the world’s first made of concrete, by the way) as well as cars from Porsche and Mercedes.
With around 600,000 residents, the city seems more like a village, almost idyllic with its hills, squares and many green areas. There’s none of that anonymous city feeling here! It doesn’t have a charming old town to contrast the modern, either. It was completely bombed to ruins by 53 air raids during the Second World War. Today, you can enjoy the view and commemorate the victims from Monte Scherbelino, a mountain of fragments of the old town. But more on that later!

The guiding star

Other cities have church spires, but in Stuttgart, until recently you could use the Mercedes star on the central train station tower for orientation. Regardless of whether it’s switched on or off, it represents a city that’s built on engines and machines. Here, where Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach invented the first four-wheeled car in 1886 and Ferdinand Porsche created one of the most iconic cars of all time, the city’s DNA is rooted in mobility. Things don’t just work here – they roll.

That said, they used to gallop. Pointing to its origins, the horse in the original Porsche emblem was taken from the city’s coat of arms. The former stud farm, which long served as a residence for the counts, dukes and kings of Württemberg, became an innovative and world-leading economic, industrial, financial and IT hub at typical German motorway speed. One of each, please – thank you. Today, it’s the silicon valley of modern mobility, whether it’s ebike ABS, huge development centres for networked and autonomous driving or numerous ebike manufacturers – Stuttgart is home to some of the most important players in this market.

Always on the hustle

Stuttgart represents a culture of invention, doing and tinkering. The local crafts and trades sectors as well as high-tech industrial production, aka Industry 4.0, generate more than 227 billion Euros annually, making it one of the leading economic hubs in Europe, including the production of intellectual property. With the headquarters of global companies and more than 30,000 businesses from various industries, the city is one of the country’s most prosperous movers and shakers. Companies benefit from a wide range of qualified professionals, modern infrastructure and world-class research facilities. Fittingly, Stuttgart has a huge community of so-called “corporate kids”, whom it provides fertile grounds to come together, exchange ideas and inspire one another.

Employees earn more in Stuttgart than almost any other state capital. As a comparison, Stuggi was at the top of the salary ranking of comparable cities with an annual median income of 54,012 Euros, of which the frugal Swabians don’t throw a single penny into any wishing-well. But business isn’t everything.
Prosperity and quality of life – that’s what Stuttgart promises. Nonetheless, like other major German cities, its number of residents has been dropping since 2019. Certainly, some of the locals demand more from their city. If you talk to them, they’re looking for the kinds of things they end up moving to Berlin for: that big city feeling, for example! But if you’re looking for a big city with plenty of greenery, a temperate climate, lots of trails and peace and quiet, this is the place for you.

Young, cosmopolitan and no red carpet

Stuttgart’s residents seem to be naturally nonchalant yet confident. You don’t make a big fuss here, you just tinker. You take ownership and don’t blame others, you create. “No complaints is praise enough!” says a local proverb. This is all part of the typical Swabian understatement. Even the once-infamous Theodor-Heuss-Straße, known as a playground for boy-racers with modified cars, has now been re-paved with a cycle lane and speed cameras.

In comparison with other major German cities, Stuggi is ranked 4th in terms of the age of its residents, coming in just behind Hamburg. At an average age of around 42, it’s an even younger crowd than you’ll find in Berlin, but we doubt whether you’ll notice it. What strikes is the city’s cosmopolitan vibe, with people from over 185 different nations calling it home. The proportion of migrants is around 44 percent, and as many as every second person amongst the youth has foreign roots. More than half of the new citizens hail from other EU countries. This makes it one of the cities with the highest migration rates in Germany. It’s no wonder that Stuttgart also has Germany’s highest proportion of immigrant entrepreneurs. Stuttgart doesn’t relegate its new citizens into isolated suburbs as in Rome or Paris, integrating migrants into existing communities in the city centre and surrounds instead. You won’t find any ethnic enclaves in this city. While Stuttgart is future oriented, it doesn’t forget its traditions, such as the “Kehrwoche” (sweeping week), during which the hallway in your house must be swept.

Fun fact

Around 44 million litres of mineral water gush out of the ground here in Stuttgart every day. After Budapest, this city offers Europe’s largest supply of mineral water. The healing and mineral springs are mainly located in the districts of Bad Cannstatt and Berg. This certainly isn’t just news to you, but also a surprise for most of the city’s residents. Oh, and one more thing… The pretzel was also invented here.

Stuttgart has a lot to offer, much of which it invented: cars, pretzels, engines, wine, water and know-how. But with our City Escapes, we don’t just look at what the various cities have to offer in terms of culture, ingenuity and general quality of life, we also sample the dirt of the best local trails. So, let’s get on the bikes, turn on the motors, and fact check Stuttgart’s trail conditions! Read on to find out how this city fares as a trail mecca!

2/6 Where do you start, where do you stop?
If there’s one thing Stuttgart isn’t stingy with, it’s trails.

For a place nicknamed the motor city, we were surprised by a huge network of trails, unrivalled among other German cities. We ploughed through the ruins of the Second World War with the locals, revved our engines in the Black Forest and came together at Solitude Palace.

Big city feeling or not, at the end of the day, Stuttgart plays its trump cards – trails, trails, and trails, and all of them in the city’s immediate vicinity. After a few espressos and a pretzel, local Tanja shows us the best spots to get the wheels turning.

Not far from the E-MOUNTAINBIKE HQ, we mount our Haibike AllMtn ebikes and roll into a forest just a few minutes later. The heat is stifling under the blistering sun and there’s no breeze, so we take a short break in the shade and have a chat. Tanja rides the city’s trails pretty much every day. It helps her find the right work/life balance after a long day’s work at Bosch. What she likes most about the local trails is the variety, and that you can find yourself in nature with just a single spin of the cranks.

Look, no matter whether you’re looking for flow trails or big air, here around Stuttgart, you’ll find everything you want!
-Tanja

The number of trails is no surprise once you get to know the city. After all, it has one of Germany’s biggest mountain bike communities. As we ride, we meet more bikers than in all our other City Escapes combined. And there have been many – whether Zurich, Vienna, Paris, Berlin, Rome or Lisbon, you name it. There’s no denying the popularity of bikes in Stuttgart. Our route takes us to the Baroque Solitude Palace, which was built between 1763 and 1769 as a hunting retreat. However, there’s little solitude to be found. This is where Stuttgart residents come to take a break, enjoy the view, picnic and chill. We don’t stay long – the trails are calling! We take a selfie, strap our helmets on and go.

Surrounding Solitude Palace, you’ll find a lot of trails with funny names and tight switchback corners. Small jumps and sections of rollers take you down into the valley like a rollercoaster. It doesn’t get much more flowing than this. Looking for big doubles and drops? Here, you’ll find everything you’ve ever been looking for. Most of the routes have become well-established over the years. You shouldn’t have any problem finding them, and if you do, you can just ask an oncoming biker. The Swabians aren’t as uncommunicative as people like to think.

At an altitude of around 511 metres, you will find Monte Scherbelino (Shard Mountain), which is actually called Birkenkopf. It’s a piled-up memorial, consisting of the WW II remains of the heavily bombed Stuttgart, commemorating the victims and warning the living. Here and there you can see fragments of old buildings, churches and palaces sticking out of the ground, serving as a powerful reminder of the past. Around 15 million cubic metres of rubble make one of the best look-out points over the valley.

Before we roll back into town, we do one more run of the legal downhill track, Woodpecker, which is the first DH track run by a municipality in Germany. Here, Stuttgart’s bikers can pursue their beloved sport and slowly build their way up to big jumps. The trail has an elevation drop of 120 metres, has about 27 different features such as berms, doubles and drops, and is about one kilometre long. We found it lacked a little flow and fun.

Disillusioned with the previously hyped DH track, we treat ourselves to pizza, veggie kebabs and one drink too many on an empty stomach. Here, from the Marienplatz square, you can hitch a ride up the mountain with the cog railway “Zacke”, reaching a gradient of up to 17.8%. Can you take your bicycle along? Of course!

If the vast trail network around Stuttgart isn’t enough for you, you should make a detour to the nearby Black Forest. It’s got bigger mountains and vast expanses of unspoilt forest. You can either put on your full-face helmet and enjoy the tried and trusted downhill track in Bad Wildbad or you can flow along routes like the Monakkam trail at Bad Liebenzell. We hit the trails with our local friend Erik, hammering through rock gardens, railing tight corners and finding flow. Of course, we took the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid to get there, as befits Stuttgart.

If you’re looking for a city with lots of easily accessible trails and short distances into the nearest woods – look no further. With countless flow trails, Stuttgart offers an incredible amount of variety and fun. So, what are you waiting for? Charge your batteries and explore everything the motor city has to offer. Top it off with a post-ride beer in the city or the famous Bärenschlössle (Bear Castle), enjoy the easy life, and treat yourself to a meat- or veggie-filled dumpling.

3/6 HP
It’s not where you are, it’s what you do!

Nothing works in Stuttgart, it rolls, because the motor city has one passion and two engines. When you meet on the weekends, it can be with the combustion engine of your classic car or the electric motor of your eMTB. We met up with the HEIZR Club, a classic car club symbolising the city’s transformation and showing what’s long overdue.

Lowered suspension, flame decals and posers. I must admit, these are the things I used to associate with clubs made up of young petrol heads. But the HEIZR Club is different. Founded at the beginning of 2021, it has since met for casual post-work drives, excursions to the Black Forest, as well as bigger organised events with as many as 500 Classic Cars and 1000 visitors, all combined with barbecues, pour-over coffee and banana bread.

Many of the HEIZR members are very passionate about automobiles, but at least as important – if not more important – are the shared experiences, the community and the fun of driving. It’s not just about owning vintage cars, but also about driving them. Companies such as Porsche, Mercedes and BMW from Munich also take part – all of them exhibiting rare and special vehicles from their classic collections at the events. The 30-year-old founder of the HEIZR Club, Felix Bauermeister, who moved from Hamburg to Stuttgart because of his love of the automobile, collaborates with a wide variety of artists, creating cool collabs and shirts for the community. The success of the HEIZR Club shows that it took an outsider to get brands like Porsche, BMW and Mercedes to collaborate at an event and, above all, that Stuttgart’s residents need an open and modern community to exchange ideas.

There is no need for membership, just a good mood and showing up – you’ll rarely find posers with revving engines and squealing tires around here. The HEIZR Club also symbolises the gradual transformation of the city, which has made major improvements to the road network, such as updating the infamous Theodor-Heuss-Straße, once a hot-spot for fast cars, by adding a cycle path and imposing a speed limit with cameras.

“They see me rollin’, they hatin’…”: We’re sure we’re not the only ones who still get this song by Chamillionaire stuck in their head, but the poser times are gradually coming to an end. Incidentally, the Swabian capital played a vital role in laying the foundation for the German hip-hop scene in the 90s and was a stronghold of the subculture at the time.

We got to know Mitja and Nick, two developers from Porsche’s racing department, at the HEIZR Club – and quickly realised that we have more hobbies in common than cars. And that’s true not just for us – very many of the HEIZR Club members also share a love of bikes. So, we arrange a spontaneous ebike ride. How about strolling along to the backdrop of relaxed tunes at the HEIZR Art On Wheels event before grabbing two brand new Haibike LYKEs featuring the new FAZUA motor, packing them into a T2 van and heading out on a sunset shred in the Black Forest? Yes please!

Funny sidenote: Nick and Mitja just met at the HEIZR Club meeting for the first time, even though they’re work colleagues. Why didn’t they meet until now? We asked ourselves the same question. It turns out the racing department in Weissach already employs several hundred horsepower fanatics. There are just too many petrol heads tinkering on engines, chassis and driving experiences for all of them to know each other by name. It comes as no surprise that both do a lot of tinkering on their own cars in their spare time. For example, Nick built his own engine for his bright green VW beetle. The same applies to his T2 bus, which is our evening ride to the Black Forest. Obviously, we all have to check out Nick’s handiwork on the motor upon arrival. After that, the tech-talk segues over to the bikes. Time to get our helmets on and hit the trails.

Nick and Mitja chase each other down the trail into the valley. Anyone who has ever made new friends through their shared passion for biking will know the rest of this romantic fairy tale story. Big smiles for miles and relaxed conversations.

Of course, Stuttgart is made up of many different types of people. But we meet quite a few with dirty engine oil under their fingernails and stains from bike chains on their pant legs. Whether gravel, enduro, road bike or eMTB, whether Porsche or Mercedes, they all share a passion for mobility and the technology around it.

Be it bike, classic car, chess, boxing, gardening, cooking or dog yoga – you’ll find it all in Stuttgart. And while these used to be small minority groups, all that’s changing with rapidly growing communities. The HEIZR Club is a good example of this, and so is the Mountainbike-Verein Stuttgart e.V. eMTB club with well over 1400 members! There’s no denying, in the future, the automobile will have to learn to share the love with ebikes in the motor city.

4/6 Let’s roll!
Stuttgarters don’t just love cars.

If you don’t want to risk being stuck in a traffic jam or getting a speeding ticket, it’s best to travel Stuttgart by bike. There’s no better way to explore the valley city anyway. Local, Paulina, showed us the city in eMTB mode and we learned how pretzels can save lives.

We meet at the Schlossgarten (castle garden). It’s raining. Finally, the city cools down! Nevertheless, people seem unphased as they continue reclining on their picnic blankets beneath the trees, reading, chatting on the phone, thinking. The Stuttgart castle garden is over 600 year-old, spans 64 hectares, and has long served as a meeting point for city dwellers looking to clear their heads. On our way to find something to eat, we pass statues, magnificent buildings, vast green expanses, ducks and traffic jams.

We find what we’re looking for along the Neckar river, at the Neckar beer garden. Pretzel and Aperol spritz – why not?! Did you know that a pretzel once saved a baker’s life? In the year 477, he was sentenced to death for embezzlement. Count Eberhard von Urach promised to pardon the baker should he bake a bread through which the sun could shine three times, giving him just a few days to do so. Inspired by the entwined arms of his wife, the baker invented the shape of the pretzel and was pardoned. A pretzel might not be the healthiest, but it can save lives! That said, you can also get organic whole grain pretzels in Stuttgart, of course!

Despite the support of the motors, the sultry valley climate soon gets us sweating as we spin the cranks. The valley of the city is enclosed by the mountains of the Swabian Jura, the Black Forest, the Schurwald and the Swabian-Franconian Forest, keeping any wind from blowing through. This is what makes the slopes of Stuttgart and the Neckar such a good wine-growing region, with about 423 hectares of vineyards. And if you summit any of the peaks, you get rewarded with lookout points in all directions. Our favourite lookout point is at the tea house in Weißenburgpark, with an ice-cream parlour serving delicious ice-cream, relaxed sun-bathers sprawled all-around and far-reaching views.

We make a turn at the Mercedes-Benz Museum,but it’s closed! We’re too late. Nevertheless, it’s worth checking out. The modern building is like a gateway to the city, located right next to the plant in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim. The museum is one of Stuttgart’s cultural landmarks, uniting the past, present and future of this legendary brand with the star. There’s a spiralling pathway leading around a spectacular central atrium, taking visitors on a journey through time and the history of the automobile.

Incidentally, the city of Stuttgart has set itself the goal that Benztown will soon be a bicycle city, too. Some roads, such as Tübinger Straße, have already been converted into dedicated cycle paths and existing cycle routes have been improved. Soon, cyclists will account for more than 25% of the total traffic in Stuttgart. The youth of Stuttgart is already well equipped in this regard. As the world capital of the automobile and one of its birthplaces, the city’s wealth is also noticeable in the bicycles. Whether trekking, gravel, mountain, city or cargo bikes – you’ll find kids have two of each, in gold. Teenagers ride expensive ebikes here, AirPods in their ears, Lacoste slung over their shoulders, doing wheelies, taking selfies, forming cliques. That said, their bikes seem to be more than just status symbols, but also fast, comfortable and pragmatic compared to the otherwise stagnant city traffic.

Of course, the city’s lively castle square is a must see on our tour.
Here, in the middle of the city centre, and in the middle of the Königstraße shopping mile, is where lifestyle, history and young Stuttgart residents meet. With its historic buildings, as well as the New and Old Castle, it serves as the perfect backdrop to take some time out and make encounters. You can put your feet up, watch life pass by, meet new friends. Cheers!

A little tip: for an excellent view over the Schlossplatz, you should definitely visit the glass Kunstmuseum (art museum). However, don’t just go for the view, but treat yourself to one of the many interesting exhibitions with changing themes from Otto Dix to virtual reality. If you’re there in the summer, we also recommend visiting the “Palast”, full name: Palast der Republik (Palace of the Republic). Here, you’ll find half of Stuttgart lounging on benches, stone ledges and on the ground surrounding a former outhouse that was named after the pompous Palace of the Republic in Berlin as a parody. It also housed parliament during GDR times. The fact that people meet at an outhouse, of all places, in a city as privileged and wealthy as Stuttgart, says a lot. At moments like these, Stuttgart simply doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Stuffy, stingy, aloof? At the end of the day, it’s safe to say that the city of Stuttgart is far better than its reputation. It has a lot going for it! However, it’s a BYO city – you’ve got to bring your own to make the most of it. Bring your own bike, fun and ideas. And when you do, enjoy the freedoms that this city on the Neckar can offer everyone, but also enjoy its many traditions – whether it’s sweeping out the corridor, horsepower, dumplings, wine or pretzels.

5/6 Escape sssentials
Hotels, bars, restaurants, dos and don’ts in Stuttgart

Bike shops

Radsport Mayer Stuttgart
Where? Heilbronner Str. 389 | 70469 Stuttgart
Web radsport-mayer.de

Bikes’n Boards Stuttgart
Where? Tübinger Str. 53 | 70178 Stuttgart
Web bikesnboards.de

Where is the best place to sleep in Stuttgart?

Das Edith Hotel
Where? Heusteigstraße 34 | 70180 Stuttgart
Web dasedith.me

EmiLu Design Hotel
Where? Nadlerstraße 4 | 70173 Stuttgart
Web emilu-hotel.com

Der Zauberlehrling
Where? Rosenstr. 38 | 70182 Stuttgart
Web zauberlehrling.de

Where is the best place to eat in Stuttgart?

Weinstube Zur Kiste (Swabian Food)
Where? Kanalstraße 2 | 70182 Stuttgart
Web zur-kiste.de

N14 (Sushi)
Where? Nadlerstraße 14 | 70173 Stuttgart
Web n14-restaurant.de

YAFA (Israeli Food)
Where? Hauptstätter Straße 31 | 70173 Stuttgart
Web yafa-stuttgart.com

Vegi Stuttgart (Vegan Fast Food)
Where? Steinstraße 13 | 70173 Stuttgart
Web vegi-stuttgart.de

Speisemeisterei (2 Michelin Stars, for special occasions)
Where? Schloss Hohenheim 1b | 70599 Stuttgart
Web speisemeisterei.de

L.A. Signorina (Post-Ride-Pizza)
Where?Marienplatz 12 | 70178 Stuttgart
Web lasignorina.org

Die Metzgerei (International Food with Vegan and Vegetarian dishes)
Where? Elisabethenstraße 30 | 70197 Stuttgart
Web metzgereistuttgart.de

Fritz (Breakfast all day everyday)
Where? Nadlerstraße 4 | 70173 Stuttgart
Web fritz-str.com

Where is the best place to drink in Stuttgart?
Coffee, “Kessler Schorle” (Stuttgart local cocktail) and wine

Tatti Café & Bar
Where? Pierre-Pflimlin-Platz 3 | 70173 Stuttgart
Web instagram.com/tatti_stay_and_see

Mókuska Kaffeerösterei (coffee roastery)
Where? Johannesstraße 34 | 70176 Stuttgart
Web mokuska-caffe.de

Fietsen Radcafé
Where? Silberburgstraße 84 | 70176 Stuttgart
Web fietsen-stuttgart.de

Teehaus im Weißenburgpark
Where? Hohenheimer Str. 119 | 70184 Stuttgart
Web teehaus-stuttgart.de

Alf Bikes & Coffee
Where? Villastraße 14 | 70190 Stuttgart
Web instagram.com/alf.stuttgart

Fritz (Breakfast all day everyday)
Where? Nadlerstraße 4 | 70173 Stuttgart
Web fritz-str.com

Wine & beer & cocktails

Fou Fou
Where? Leonhardstr. 13 | 70182 Stuttgart
Web bar-foufou.de

Paul & George
Where? Weberstraße 3 | 70182 Stuttgart
Web paulandgeorge.de

Botanical Affairs
Where? Weberstraße 10 | 70182 Stuttgart
Web instagram.com/botanicalaffairsstuttgart

Palast der Republik
Where? Friedrichstraße 27 | 70174 Stuttgart
Web facebook.com/PalastStuttgart

Schwarz Weiß Bar
Where? Wilhelmstraße 8a | 70182 Stuttgart
Web schwarz-weiss-bar.de

Dos

• go biking (obviously!)
• take a city tour along the Neckar
• keep to the speed limit (lots of speed cameras)
• meet with friends at the Schlossplatz
• enjoy the views (Solitude Castle/Monte Scherbelino/Weißenburgpark viewpoint/TV Tower)
• visit the highly Instagramable city library
• visit the art museum at the Schlossplatz and enjoy the view from there
• drink a beer at the Kultur Kiosk
• get a falafel pita to go from Vegi
• end every word with -lè

Dont’s

• fail to comply with sweeping week
• get caught by the forester because of the 2-metre rule (a law from 1995 banning bikes from forest paths narrower than 2 metres)
• take your old, exhaust fume-spewing van into the city centre (environmental zone)
• get too close to the swans on the Feuersee lake (but you’ll also find turtles there!)
• attempt the Hasenbergsteige climb on an analogue bike
• line up at the Louis Vuitton shop (embarrassing)
• look forward to perfect bike infrastructure or continuous bike paths (unfortunately)
• discuss Stuttgart 21
• believe the prejudices
• pose in front of a Porsche like Kanye West (or is it Ye?)

An attempt to decipher the Swabian dialect

Okay, this will get more complicated than nuclear fission. A tip in advance: Swabians are a frugal bunch. They simply omit unnecessary syllables, letters and whole words and will occasionally repurpose the same word for different meanings. In turn, they use the time saved to extend a few words with “lè” or to confirm them with a ha. They add emphasis wherever they like, just not where it should be, and relative pronouns are replaced by “wo” (where), regardless of gender. Ah, and beware, they always turn an “s” into a “sh”.

A few examples:

• obe – oben (top)
• unde – unten (bottom)
• oagnehm – unangenehm (unpleasant)
• Regä – Regen (rain)
• i – ich (I)
• heben – halten (hold)
• heben – heben (lift)
• Flegga – Dorf (village)
• Flegge – Flecken (stains)
• schaffen – etwas schaffen, hinkriegen (to do something)
• schaffen – arbeiten (to work)
• trinkä – trinken (to drink)
• ässe – essen (to eat)
• gwä – gewesen (was)
• Machmor! – Machen wir! (we’ll do [it])
• Machetze – Machen Sie (you/they’ll do [it])
• gäschtern – gestern (yesterday)
• Heisle – Haus (house)
• Bürro – Büro (office)
• Das Fahrrad, wo… (the bicycle, where…) – Das Fahrrad, das … (the bicycle, that…)
• Weischt … – Weißt du … (you know)
• ha jo – ja (yes)
• Gsälz – Marmelade (jam)
• Grombira – Kartoffeln (potato)
• alde Bix – alte Frau (old woman)
• Besen (broom) – saisonal geöffnete Weinausschankbetriebe (seasonal wine bar)
• Viertele – Viertel Wein (a quart of wine)

6/6 Escape faster
Our Stuttgart rides in detail

The Haibike AllMtn CF SE

The Haibike AllMtn CF SE doesn’t correspond to the cliché of the stuffy Swabian. It’s aimed at fun-seeking ebikers who want to rock the trails both up and downhill. With a mixed wheel setup consisting of 29” wheel up front and a 27.5” on the rear, 160 mm travel RockShox controlled suspension at the rear and a high-end Lyrik Ultimate fork, it ticks all the right boxes to do so. The powerful and finely tuned Bosch Performance Line CX Smart System motor delivers 85 Nm of torque, offering carefully modulated assistance no matter how steep the climbs. To accommodate the large 750 Wh battery in the down tube, the motor has been rotated upwards inside the carbon frame, which is one of Haibike’s signature features. With its beefy proportions and square lines, the AllMtn CF SE is unmistakably a Haibike. Unusual for Haibike, on the other hand, is that only the cranks and grips are supplied in house. This time, its Race Face providing the handlebar, seat post and stem. For the shifting and braking, Haibike have reached for the top shelves of SRAM and MAGURA. The electronic SRAM Eagle X01 AXS derailleur shifts gears wirelessly and the MAGURA MT7 four-piston brakes provide the necessary stopping power.

The Haibike LYKE 11

Haibike are breaking new ground with the LYKE 11. Without a doubt, the German brand’s first light eMTB is an unusual sight for the tradition-loving Swabians, though not at all unpleasant. To make it look like a sporty analogue bike, Haibike’s developers decided to do away with many of the stylistic elements from their previous range of ebikes. For the first time, the Fox float DPS shock is installed horizontally instead of vertically in the frame. The down tube is nice and slender. Tucked away inside it is the removable 430 Wh battery. But instead of a large battery opening in the bottom of the downtube and the Modular Rail System on the top, the down tube remains completely intact. Even looking at the bottom bracket area, it’s hard to distinguish the LYKE from an analogue bike. This is mainly due to the fact that the compact FAZUA Ride 60 motor has been integrated vertically inside the seat tube. With its relatively moderate torque output of 60 Nm, it contributes to the natural ride feel of the LYKE 11. The remaining specs also hit the sweet spot of an agile and lively eMTB: 29” tires, 140 mm travel front and rear, and that at a total weight of just 18.8 kg in size L. #THEFREEDOMOFLIGHT

Fancy a tour through Barcelona, Zurich, Vienna, Lisbon, Frankfurt or Berlin? You can find our previous E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escapes and lots of insider tips and insights into each of the cities we’ve visited here.

Der Beitrag E-Biking in Stuttgart – E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escape powered by Haibike erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

To be clear, we know that some of you out there are working your butts off every day. Get up early, hardly any time for breakfast, bend over backwards at work, have dinner, watch some Netflix, go to bed. At the weekends, you might have two or three hours to spin the cranks and take a few deep breaths in the woods. You might even live in a metropolis and all you expect from your bike holiday – time permitting – is peace, quiet, nature and a handful of trails. But what if you could make even more of it?

• “The usual, please!”
• Discover the city, discover yourself
• “No more than a pretty facade.”
• Common knowledge
• City ≠ noise!
• A city can change your life

• Bon dia Barcelona– A change of perspective in explorer mode
• Viennese melange – In tension between tradition and modernity
• Zurich’s double life – An exciting blend of NYC and Berlin?
• Lisbon, the city of explorers – In Turbo mode between Vasco da Gama and overtourism
• Berlin Calling – So Berlin
• On a speed date with Frankfurt – A city with ups and downs
• A city that almost has it all – Paris, the brand
• „Roma non basta una vita“ – A lifetime isn’t enough to experience Rome

“The usual, please!”

First of all: we define ourselves as nature lovers, our vocabulary consists of whips, reach and doubles. Not too long ago, we still referred to cities as Mordor. The idea of holidaying in a metropolis wasn’t one we’d have even in our most drunken states. Enjoying a trip like that seemed completely absurd. It didn’t fit our image either. Who are we, some tourists? Besides, the traffic is too loud, the air is too polluted, there are far too many people, the distances are too far between, and we want to shred – sorry – ride green trails. Even the logistics of a city trip are way too much of a challenge. No way! So, for years we stuck to: “the usual, please.” That way, at least we knew what we were getting. The question always seemed: why experiment and possibly spoil our long-awaited and well-deserved holiday? What does a city have to offer, anyway?

Eventually, we noticed that we’d become so entangled in the web of our routine that we were stuck, unable to break free. Surrounded by tasks and caught in the same perspective. The mountain behind the house that we’d ridden so often was the highlight of our weekends, the cherry on top of our week, even though it had grown mouldy by now. When we did go on holiday, we went directly to Finale or a nearby trail centre with a very familiar view of the countryside. Do you recognise yourself in this description? Then it’s high time you do the same thing we did back then. That is to change things up a little, to break out and discover something new. Time to charge the batteries and just head out in any direction. Time to explore in Turbo mode.

Discover the city, discover yourself

Do you feel uninspired and urgently need a new perspective on things? If you visit the metropolises of this world with their very own sound and pace, you’ll also discover new sides to yourself. Take Frankfurt, for example. The first reaction of the editor in charge of this proposal was: “Frankfurt? No way!” Of all the City Escape destinations, none of us was very enthusiastic about visiting Germany’s financial capital. Red light district and the European Central Bank = no fun! But you’ll always walk away from a trip like this being smarter and more inspired. In addition to an infinite variety of long trails overlooking “Mainhattan”, what we found was a new place in ourselves. Frankfurt is the city of movers and shakers! The people here don’t just talk about projects, they get to work and make them a reality. In short, this is where things get done! We took this mentality and new perspective back home with us and immediately started an exciting, still secret project. Frankfurt provided the necessary motivation and the urge to start something new.

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-Florian Jöckel

“No more than a pretty facade.”

A city is rarely the way you expect it to be. Who would have thought, for example, that Paris is more than just a pretty facade, and that even its bicycle lanes are getting wider? When you visit a city, the prejudices often outweigh the anticipation. But every city will teach you to think differently. On our trip to the French capital, we kept having our prejudices proven to be wrong: we found well-built trails with relaxed locals who even spoke English within half an hour’s distance from the Eiffel Tower. A city of chaos and traffic jams? In the centre of the fashion capital, you’ll increasingly find people rolling up the sleeves of their haute couture and swinging their legs over a saddle – the traffic is easing, the air quality improving. Admittedly, we’ve been drinking even more wine and leaving more buttons open on our linen shirts since this trip. But expanding your horizons through travel never comes without risks and side effects.

In Berlin, we couldn’t stop the party. Wait a minute, isn’t that another one of those prejudices? It’s not because, while we did visit two or three clubs at night, we also celebrated some well-built trails, the capital’s diversity and our insights into new realities during the day. For some, it’s a city that’s kind of crazy and different, for others, it’s an overrated and annoying hype. And for others still, it’s a place to escape narrow-minded views, to be inspired and to live an alternative lifestyle. It also forced us to question old patterns of thinking and open up to new things. Since Berlin, we feel more tolerant and open-minded and somehow happier because of that. After all, we were confronted with ideas that we’d never encountered in the countryside or any other city.

Common knowledge

Of course, you can google everything, but first-hand experience is so much better. If you visit a city, you always learn something new. And, usually, it’s a whole lot more than just a few new words, which you can show off the next time you visit your local Italian restaurant. During our tour of Rome, we rode our eMTBs from Pontius to Pilate in Tour mode instead of a tour bus, and from the Trevi Fountain to the Pope with almost one pedal stroke. By the way, we also learned that honking your horn in Italy can mean much more than just “hey, you idiot!” and that ancient Rome continues to have a fundamental impact on our lives today. As early as 300 years before Christ, the Romans built the first concrete aqueducts (!), some of which still supply the city with water today – albeit restored. All Romance languages, such as Spanish, French and Romanian, are derived directly from Latin, and the same applies to many foreign words in German and English. Even motorways and roads originate from ancient Rome, some of which still get used today. So, a history lesson aboard bikes with knobby tires! We hoped to be able to use this newly gained knowledge at some point to just slip it in casually during a conversation. Or in a text about the benefits of City Escapes.

City ≠ noise!

How about surfing, biking or taking a stroll through the historic district? Lisbon proves that cities don’t always have to be a concrete jungle full of traffic jams and that you can find tranquillity in a metropolis. We were completely surprised by the wide range of trails on offer in this city, from whose port Vasco da Gama set out to discover India. Perfect trails through various kinds of vegetation with sea views and more than 7 minutes of descending despite being a stone’s throw from the city – who could help but grin in circumstances like these. On particularly hot days, we took a plunge into the refreshing waves after the descent with our bib shorts still on, ending the day by losing ourselves with a bottle of wine under our arms in one of the city’s small alleys. An absolute dream! One of our authors decided to stay right there.

A city can change your life

After reading City Escape Barcelona, a friend of ours ended a long-term relationship that hadn’t been working and moved to the iconic Catalonian capital two weeks later with nothing but his bike and a few bags. New city, new you. A change of scenery can provide an important impetus in life and free you from old habits. Finding your way around in a new environment in a foreign language lets the neglected neurons in your brain fire up and blaze new paths. Get out of your rut and into life!

A trip to the city offers the perfect break from the same old routine of everyday life. You’ll be hard-pushed to find anything as inspiring as a metropolis in which the world spins a bit faster than it does at home. And they’re easy to reach, too. Thanks to ebikes, you can explore a city on your own terms and rekindle that fire in your belly. So, pack your bags and go visit a metropolis! You will find some ideas of places to visit on the following pages.

Bon dia Barcelona – A change of perspective in explorer mode

Every year, millions of tourists visit Barcelona, some of whom know the city better than many locals. We are not talking about sangría buckets and the tourist traps on La Rambla, but above all about trendy cafés, creative boutiques, museums, architecture, culture and beautiful places to stay. The city is constantly changing and offering new things to discover. How unfortunate would it be if you remained trapped in your boring, everyday routine? So, it’s high time to look at Barcelona from a new perspective – from our Haibikes.

An eMTB is one of the best tools to gain new perspectives.

Aboard our eMTBs, we fly up the Carretera de les Aigües to Barcelona’s Tibidabo ridge. Every pedal stroke brings us a little closer to freedom. The narrow city streets turn into lonesome gravel roads – with or without pedestrians, depending on the time of day. There are a variety of trails in the nature reserve that lead either to Sant Cugat del Vallès or directly back to the city. We enjoy the mostly singletrack descent back to Barcelona. Our destination: Barceloneta, Barcelona’s famous beach, and a beer, of course!
If you don’t mind taking a short drive, you can escape the city centre in less than 30 minutes and discover the mountains of Alella or Cabrils: ocean views, typical Catalan restaurants and an incredible variety of trails, from flowing to rough, from easy to insane. And for those who want to take it easy, there are countless gravel roads that run along the entire Maresme.

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Viennese melange – In tension between tradition and modernity

Vienna is different – you can tell that not just from the city but above all from its inhabitants. On the surface, Vienna consists primarily of ever-present museums, the magnificent, historic buildings and imperial palaces as well as extensive green spaces and the Danube. Culture is everything here, some of it so stark that you can’t tell what is a tourist attraction and what is meant to be serious as visitors let themselves get ferried through the historic city centre on horse-drawn carriages. Speaking of serious: if you’ve ever heard of Viennese Schmäh, you’ll know that the Viennese have their own kind of black humour, and they don’t care too much if non-Viennese understand their jokes.

Cruise through the Prater park, relax on the old Danube, stop at the beach café – Vienna is bike-friendly and there’s a lot to discover! Especially if you want to let your hair down and unwind.

But it’s not just the city centre that’s big on culture but also the mountains and forests of the surrounding area, boasting a vibrant and committed bike culture with an ever-increasing number of legal trails and even a trail centre! We drive to the Vienna Woods at Mödling, which is less than 20 km south of Vienna. They’ve recently opened an official trail, which our friends have been raving about. The nature reserve is characterised by a special kind of vegetation, freshwater springs and cosy cabins. The trails turn out to be great and the forest has a fascinating history – though it looks completely natural, it’s actually man-made. In the 18th century, Empress Maria Theresa reforested the southern heathland of the Vienna Woods with black pines to prevent the landscape from turning into a desert.

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Zurich’s double life – An exciting blend of NYC and Berlin?

If you haven’t been to Zurich yet, it’s easy to get a biased and perhaps distorted view of this picturesque city on the northern end of Lake Zurich. The largest city in Switzerland is mainly known for its pretty old town and posh boutiques on the Bahnhofstrasse and is considered an important international banking and financial centre. Despite its population of “just” 400,000 people, Zurich ranks amongst some of the hippest places in the world, standing alongside Paris and New York. But the pretty town at the northern tip of the Swiss Alps leads a double life, split between parallel worlds which seem to coexist in peaceful harmony.

If we were to characterise Zurich in just one sentence, we could describe it as an expensive version of Berlin or a village-sized NYC.

The bike-friendly city lets the modern metropolitan person do everything they want aboard an eMTB, from sightseeing to secret escapes – in Turbo mode! So, we grab the Land Rover and drive to the area of Flims Laax Falera, about an hour and a half away by car, to shred Alpine trails. Less than 48 hours later, our heads are full of new experiences and memories: the fun Runca trail, the spectacular ride on the Vorab Glacier, the honey from the Segnesboden, marmots, a short visit to the gigantic waterfall, watching the sunrise in the Flimserwald, bathing in Lake Cresta. There’s more: campfire on the glamping grounds, sunbathing at the converted cowshed on the Alp Nagens, a cheese tour by Alpmeister Silvan… it’s a lot to process.

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The city of explorers – In Turbo mode between Vasco da Gama and overtourism

A ship’s horn blows in the distance. Seagulls circle in the sky. The warm sun dazzles us and covers the city in a warm glow. Where the Iberian Peninsula meets the sea, these are the scenes of a normal winter’s day. We’re in Lisbon! The city of seven hills. The city of light. Or, simply, currently the hippest capital in Europe. So, what exactly distinguishes Lisbon from other European capitals and what makes it such an unforgettable city escape?

In Lisbon, you’ll be hard-pushed to find anything you can’t do.

The mild weather, the extraordinary hills of the city, the varied trails and the sea offer something for everyone. You can do it all in Lisbon. Just outside (or even in) the city, you’ll find places to surf, kite, bike, skate, paraglide or just go hiking. Just take Monsanto park, which is easily accessible and full of short but sweet trails that the locals look after and maintain. A train ride to the Sintra nature reserve brings you to the westernmost point of the European mainland. It’s a labyrinth of mountains and valleys, and winding through it all you’ll find both beautifully shaped and natural singletrack, putting a smile on every rider’s face. Infinite switchbacks, rock gardens and small jumps all heading to Europe’s westernmost point with a magnificent view of the sea – we’ve found trail paradise!

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Berlin Calling – So Berlin

Lisbon has sunsets, Paris has the Eiffel Tower, but what about Berlin? Easy. Its underground scene, the creative community, the music. To find out what makes this controversial city tick, you’ve got to make your way into another world where parties are held underneath manhole covers where the thumping techno resonates. Berlin is loud, shrill, excessive and dirty. Or: political, cultural, diverse – a place of start-ups and artists of life. For some, it’s a crazy city that’s different somehow and that you visit once a year. For others, it’s nothing more than an overrated and annoying hype. And for others still, it’s a place to escape narrow-minded views, to be inspired and to live an alternative lifestyle.

Berlin is a city that thrives on the Currywurst-Champagne tug-of-war.

Berlin is also home to fixies and Dutch bikes, or so you think. However, its nightlife isn’t the only scene where you can let off the brakes – very few people know just how many cool trails you can find surrounding the city. Berlin is full of surprises, routes going in all directions. Since almost half of it is covered by forests, rivers and parks, it’s earned the title of Germany’s greenest city. In the north, lush forests with lakes and moors await, in Grunewald to the west, you’ll find a network of well-built trails on the Teufelsberg. In the south, there’s nothing but grass- and farmland, and in the east, you’ve got the Müggelberge with their official bike park route.

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On a speed date with Frankfurt – A city with ups and downs

Wealth in the skyscrapers towering above, poverty on the streets below. Opposites collide in this often-overlooked metropolis sitting on the River Main. We rode our ebikes through the city German kids get warned about – and were out of the urban canyons and onto the trails in just 30 minutes. A perfect city escape!

Frankfurt steps on the gas where others have already started braking. We’ve rarely experienced a city that is so hungry and determined.

If you don’t feel like the dizzying heights of Frankfurt’s buildings, it’s best to explore the city at ground level. A bike tour along the River Main is a great way to get to know some of the city’s most important spots and historical landmarks. We explored the city by bike, covering everything from the curb to the skyline. If the city centre and its glass-clad banks are too much for you, you can find an official singletrack network to the north of the city at an altitude of over 800 metres that is second to none. On the mountain trails, some of which are up to 3.6 km long, bikers of all skill levels will get their money’s worth and a good dose of flow. The signposts, like those you’ll find on ski slopes, guide you through corners, drops and tabletops. We roll out of the forest into nearby Kronberg im Taunus, only to drink our first Äppler of the day and try a few local specialities in the nearest restaurant.

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A city that almost has it all – Paris, the brand

When it comes to being a brand and depicting a certain lifestyle, Paris is in a league of its own. From cuisine to fashion and modern art, Paris is where it’s at. But how do you define the Paris brand and just how did it become so cosmopolitan? “Paris is everything one could wish for” the composer Frédéric Chopin swooned back in 1831. Does it hold true today? We shifted into gear to check out the city.

Paris is the city of lights, love, myths – and now bikes

Thanks to new laws that have been passed, the perpetual traffic jams that once dominated the cityscape are now being slowly substituted by a virtually constant stream of bike riders. We saddled up on ebikes to explore the new bike-friendlier lay of the land, scope out the execution of plan Vélo and take a ride with two Parisians to find out if cyclists, too, can fall in love with the city of love. It may not have long Alpine descents, but Paris is a do-it-all riding location. You’ll find scenic spots all around the city that are awash with classic woodland trails for riders of all skill levels. Whether you take the train north to forêt domaniale de Montmorency or go south to Fontainebleau – there’s something for everyone. Distributed throughout the area, you’ll find well-maintained trails that are a blast to ride with pedal assist. Without the help of locals or apps like Komoot or Trailforks, we would have been lost.

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„Roma non basta una vita“ – A lifetime isn’t enough to experience Rome

There aren’t many cities that can compete culturally or architecturally with Rome and its 3,000 plus years of history. But does its stronghold on the past mean that the city doesn’t have a future? In search of the answer, we took lessons from Caesar and met the Pope, gorged on Roman cuisine and hit some antiquated rocks on Tivoli’s trails.

The world’s biggest open-air museum

Rome represents the Pantheon, Pope and pasta. But can you go mountain biking here? We rambled across Rome and its outlying regions with a crew of locals to explore the trail riding credentials left by the Roman ancestry. We make the obvious decision to do our first trail check in Tivoli, one of the most popular haunts for Rome’s bike riding community that sits on the Aniene River. Just 50 minutes outside the capital, it’s a firm favourite with locals, known for being the coolest spot in the summer with steep climbs, techy descents and uninterrupted views of the urban sprawl. When we hit the trails in Formello, it’s a whole other ballgame: flowy, fast and fun in an area that’s less rocky, with trails that are built to be more like a rollercoaster. The local diggers have nailed it for beginners and experts alike. It also serves as the official base of the nearby Veio bike park where you’ll find the Pecora and Capra trails: first left, then right and a small kicker into a steep descent down into the next berms. It’s the sort of bike park that satisfies every ability, without any of the hair-raising, tight-rope stuff of Tivoli. A perfect escape from the urban jungle.

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Der Beitrag City Over Country – An open love letter to metropolises with a bicycle lane erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

Back when the world was still in order, or rather in the old order, much was taken for granted. For example, flying halfway around the world for a meeting instead of a quick Zoom call or wine tasting at a long table with friends instead of an online tasting with wines that came in the mail the day before, toasting each other via the webcam. It’s the same story here: you just don’t realise how much you take for granted.

Privileges taken for granted

In the early days of E-MOUNTAINBIKE, it was almost routine for us to meet up with our trusted beverage dealer Jens in Leonberg for a glass of good wine. As wine enthusiasts, we tasted everything we could get our hands on – preferably red wines from the famous wine-growing regions of Rioja, Bordeaux, Tuscany or Apulia. After years of searching, the small South African winery Stark Condé became a favourite. The fact that exotic fruits and vegetables and clothing, but also iPhones, laptops and fine wines from all over the world are lining the shelves of our local stores is the result of globalisation, and it’s a privilege that has become so self-evident that we no longer recognise it as such. In South Africa, you can’t help but be confronted with the fact that it all comes at a price.

We must admit, as bike journalists, we belong to a very privileged subset of people whose professions allow them to experience things that money can’t buy. As a mountain bike editor, what was perceived as extraordinary by regular bikers was ordinary to you and the extravagant was self-evident. Testing the latest products in the world’s best bike spots before anyone else got to lay their hands on them and meeting all the biggest local names over a short weekend was considered the norm. After all, a good story opens many doors!

The hamster wheel of the privileged

The world of bike media has been on hold for around two years – no product launches in Whistler, Moab, Auckland, Santa Cruz or Cape Town, for which a European magazine “had to” fly halfway around the world. Downsizing instead of upsizing, local instead of global, online instead of offline: these are the new mantras of the bike brands that previously tried to outdo each other and themselves year after year. While this jet-set journalism lifestyle might sound like every rider’s dream, it certainly wasn’t stress-free. The tightly packed schedules and embargoes, jet lag, too much work and too little time sometimes felt like being caught in a hamster wheel. Too much of a good thing is just that: too much! And though you get to travel the world on business, you don’t have the time to explore and get to know the amazing places that you visit.

Carpe occasionem – Recharge the ebikes

When we heard that Specialized would launch their then-new Levo SL in South Africa, we knew we had to extend the trip by a few days. Why not take the opportunity to explore Cape Town and enjoy a little break! The fact that the Specialized launch would be hosted near our favourite wine farm was a surprise and a good reason to change our plans. Long-time readers will know that we’re always up for spontaneous adventures: we love discovering new things and prefer seizing the opportunity rather than overthinking it and missing our chance. So, two quick talks later and we persuaded Specialized ambassador Hannah Barnes and Levo chief developers Marco and Jan to recharge the ebikes after the official launch for a bit of South African trail and wine tasting!

Stellenbosch – The South African wine and bike paradise

Technically, the geographic zone where Stellenbosch is located is too hot for viticulture, neighbouring the Tropic of Capricorn. Nevertheless, there are hundreds of wineries around Cape Town – above all in Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. Thanks to the fertile soil and the cool breeze blowing in over the Atlantic, creating a temperate maritime climate, the region is perfect for the cultivation of high-quality grape varieties despite its geographical zone. The harvest takes place between February and April, but, fortunately, they still had wine when we arrived in January.

Almost a fifth of South Africa’s wines are produced in Stellenbosch, so it’s no wonder the region is a wine lover’s paradise – though bikers also get their money’s worth! The region doesn’t just boast countless trail networks and bike spots, some of which are located on a winery, but it’s also world-renowned for the legendary Cape Epic stage race. The international bike scene is deeply rooted in Stellenbosch, having hosted UCI Downhill World Cups as early as 1997 and drawing numerous professionals to the region for winter training ever since.

Part I: Will you take the blue or the red pill?

“Firearms and knives prohibited on the trails” – a warning sign at the trailhead continues the narrative that we’ve experienced or at least heard about since arriving at the airport. The contrast between rich and poor, idyllic paradise and brutal crime is omnipresent. It’s not just the countless gated communities within sight of the townships, the green golf courses in the middle of otherwise arid vegetation, large wine farms that are run by whites and worked by blacks. However, it would be wrong to see it all in black and white. The social situation and social contrasts are a lot more complex and not much different than in the West, just more obvious. But more on that later.

Just like the warning sign at the trailhead, the locals also warn us about the dangers. Naturally, we get scared and ask ourselves if we’re safe. What if we get mugged? We’re told that we shouldn’t ride alone even on popular trails like G-Spot near the University of Stellenbosch. And that we shouldn’t walk without company at night – even in Stellenbosch. Although we had no scary encounters throughout our trip, it was evident that the whites and the rich live in fear, barricading themselves and not daring to roam freely in what seems like paradise. But it’s not just the whites and the rich that live in fear, but also the blacks and the poor on the other side of the spectrum. Notably, it’s the crime in the townships that’s responsible for the country’s high crime statistics. It’s largely safe for tourists if you simply stick to certain rules since the South African police and judicial system come down a lot harder on crimes committed against tourists.

G-Spot flow and Blaauwklippen Family Market – A heavenly combination!

In Stellenbosch, a 5-minute bike ride can be all it takes to escape from one world and immerse yourself in a completely different one. As soon as you start pedalling, you find yourself in singletrack heaven. During the Specialized event, we were guests at the Blaauwklippen winery, which is a good base camp for the flowing G-Spot trails, offering open terrain, the finest berms, jumps and rollers – perfect for trail surfers of all kinds! That’s not all, though! If you go riding at the weekend, you can visit the winery, which was founded in 1682 and doesn’t just produce its own wines, but also gins and brandies. Along with a dedicated restaurant, the Blaauwklippen Family Market opens every weekend, placing great value on local and organic food, products and goods. Since South Africa is a melting pot of cultures with a wide variety of nationalities and people from all over the world having gravitated there over the centuries, the market itself feels like a small American festival. We can’t recommend it enough!

Jonkershoek – Baboons and hellfire

If you plan to go riding in Jonkershoek on the southeastern edge of Stellenbosch, it’s best to get up early. Noon temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees Celsius, so you’ve got to plan your days well. The nature reserve covers about 11,000 hectares and is open to mountain bikers, offering countless hiking and biking trails, bordering directly on wineries – of course – and on the Balance Coffee Roastery.

The Ride In Cycling Café offers plenty of parking and makes for the ideal starting point for a bike ride in Jonkershoek, giving you direct access to the trail network. Converted, the trail pass costs less than 2 euros per person, giving you access to a total of 56 eMTB trails that cater to all skill levels. The trails are just as carefully composed as the local South African wine: balanced, often perfectly shaped and a real pleasure. From flat and flowing to rough and gnarly, you’ll find everything a biker’s heart desires. Depending on where you ride, you’re likely to encounter troops of baboons. There are snakes, leopards and even honey badgers, but you see them very rarely if at all…

Due to the climate and vegetation, there is a high risk of forest fires in this trail paradise, which you can see – many of the mountains are void of large trees because of the regular fires. Accordingly, there is little shade on most trails and it’s important to always have enough to drink and manage your fluid intake!

Speaking of rehydration: if you start riding early, you’ll still have half the day ahead of you, so why not make a change and treat yourself to a wine tasting instead of the obligatory post-ride beer?

A glass of Stark Condé and gratitude

Stark Condé is a small organic winery that’s been run by the self-taught cellar master José Condé since the early 2000s and is dedicated to the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery’s history began a generation earlier with his father-in-law Hans Schroder, who grew up in Stellenbosch, but spent much of his adult life abroad. He married a Japanese woman, which violated the apartheid law prohibiting intermarriage, forcing him into exile. By the late 1980s, the end of apartheid was drawing near and Nelson Mandela’s release was imminent. Hans and his wife Midori decided it was time to return to South Africa and bought the Oude Nektar farm in 1989, focusing on viticulture.

Midori’s oldest daughter Marie and her American husband José also moved to South Africa to support the family. José, who is a graphic designer by trade, originally wanted to open a studio in Cape Town, but his plans changed when he discovered his passion for wine. With an artisan’s attention to detail and a purist’s approach in the wine cellar, José has steadily developed the wines into what they are today: fine, no-frills wines, aged in French oak barrels. While José Condé initially only grew Cabernet Sauvignon, he now grows several grape varieties, from Syrah to Petite Syrah to Sauvignon Blanc, as well as Roussanne, Viognier, Chenin Blanc and Verdelho for his white wine creations. By the way, he designs the wine labels himself, which is no surprise considering his background!

We toast in the middle of an idyllic lake with a view of the mountains, which we traversed on our electric steeds earlier that day. As the wine flows, it brings up new feelings. Gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunities and privileges that we – by which we mean every biker on this planet – have to be able to pursue such an amazing hobby. To play outdoors, discover new places, laugh boisterously and shout for joy on the trail, have encounters with troops of baboons, all in the best of company – and slightly tipsy.

Part II: Will you take the blue or the red pill?

Returning to Stellenbosch, our fears resurface – what if we get mugged? Our conscience chimes in too: can I enjoy this luxury, this paradise, treat myself to the finest food and day-drinking, stroke tame cheetahs on wildlife farms and race through the incredibly beautiful landscape on a € 15,000 bike while so many people live below the poverty line?

VS

You could jump to the conclusion that the social contrasts in South Africa are reprehensible, but that would be too hasty. Yes, the social situation in South Africa is tough to swallow, but it’s honest to the bone. Anyone who visits South Africa with open eyes is bound to end up like Neo in The Matrix. You have to ask yourself whether you want to swallow the blue or red pill. Whether you want to hide from the truth or look straight in its ugly face. We took the red pill and faced the disturbing truth rather than remaining blissfully ignorant.

In many parts of the western world, we’ve mastered the art of blocking things out. Unlike in Europe, stark social contrasts are a normal part of everyday life in South Africa. In Europe, you’ll hardly find poverty like you do in the townships and we’ve practically outsourced cheap labour to other countries. We enjoy our riches and consumer goods in abundance while the production of these takes place at far below minimum wages in the Far East. We hardly have any gated communities, but invest millions to “secure” our European borders against “undesirable” refugees coming over the Mediterranean Sea. We’re committed to stopping climate change but only fight the symptoms instead of the causes, as we don’t want to inconvenience our comfortable lives. We think we’re morally superior, propagating democratic values, yet still act opportunistically whenever it suits us. At the end of the day, we tolerate the violation of human rights in poor countries if there are economic advantages or business to be made. We sure talk a lot, demand equal opportunities and equality in our countries, thinking of ourselves as do-gooders as we deal with LGBT+, all the while ignoring the massive contrast to poor countries and how our lifestyle and prosperity is built on them.

South Africa is a step ahead of us in this sense because it doesn’t try to hide this fact, confronting you with reality every day. Depending on the type of person – and the pill you want to take – this is difficult to swallow at first, but it also makes you aware of the other side of the privileges that many Westerners like us take for granted. It’s rarely as blatantly obvious in Europe.

The wine tastes different now

Our visit can’t change the conditions there. On the contrary, tourism is an important pillar of the local South African economy. Moreover, politicians have long been arguing about what a solution to the contrasts and a better world might look like, not just in theory, but also in practice. It’s a problem rooted in history that can’t be solved with a purely Western perspective. After all, it’s the colonialism of the West that created many of these tensions. However, it’s said that self-awareness is the first step to improvement and our perspective has changed since that pivotal experience. We’ve become much more aware of our privileges and what they actually cost.

No one returns from a journey the same person and it certainly was the case here. Stellenbosch is a biker’s and wine lover’s paradise – there’s no doubt about that. There are plenty of well-built trails and equally excellent wines. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, you’re sure to find a trail that suits your style and skill level. If you stick to the rules and follow the locals’ tips, you can travel the country safely and enjoy the overwhelming landscape and hospitality. Whether you want to swallow the red or blue pill is up to you. You can do both in South Africa – here, heaven and hell are next-door neighbours.

We wouldn’t hesitate to visit South Africa again. It has changed the way we see ourselves. Even our favourite wine tastes different now – more intense, richer in contrast and somehow more complex. Because we were there, the wine has been given a face that reminds us of paradise and the price that others pay for our privileges.

What to avoid in South Africa

• Heat – fortunately, the cool ocean and mountain breeze temper the climate. However, it can still get very hot, occasionally
  reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius at midday. If that’s too much for you, plan to ride early in the morning or in the late
  afternoon.
• Risks – locals advise not to venture out alone, but to ride in groups.
• Snakes – yes, you read that right. South Africa has a lot of snakes, including extremely poisonous specimens such as the
  Cape Cobra, which likes sunbathing on the trails.
• No-go areas – South Africa has a stark divide between the rich and the poor. It’s best to ask the hotel staff which areas
  to steer clear of to avoid dicey situations.
• Traffic – in South Africa, you drive on the left side of the road, which cyclists should also keep in mind. Always remember
  to drive or ride on the other side, especially at roundabouts.

What to enjoy in South Africa

• Fantastic nature – South Africa is famous for its fauna and flora.
• Well-developed trails – beautiful landscapes and endless trails: South Africa is an Eldorado for mountain bikers.
• World-famous wineries – visiting the attractive wineries is a must. No wonder the wines from Stellenbosch are among the
  best in the world.
• Baboons – the cheeky baboons are an attraction in and of themselves and lots of fun to watch. But be careful, troops of
  baboons can occasionally get aggressive, and you should never feed them.
• No jet lag – the flight time from Germany to Cape Town is around 12 hours. The good thing about it is there is little to no time difference to Germany – one hour in winter.

Der Beitrag Between heaven and hell – Trail and wine tasting in the bike paradise of Stellenbosch, South Africa erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

What is the E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escape series?

With the E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escapes powered by Haibike, we visit the most exciting cities in the world and bring you inspiration, insider knowledge and the best tips and tours for each city. Our goal is to offer inspiration for a new generation of bikers and open up the possibility of a new lifestyle, all in cooperation with Haibike. We discover new perspectives and show you exciting ways to experience cities around the world, whether you’re a tourist or a local!

Each E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escape Guide inspires in its own unique way. Get to know new facets of global cities, meet interesting locals and get the best insider tips, including local phrases, dos and don’ts, cafés, bars, restaurants and bike shops. In every City Escape, we also introduce you to the bikes on which we explored the city.

Fancy a tour through Barcelona, Zurich, Vienna, Lisbon, Frankfurt or Berlin? You can find our previous E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escapes and lots of insider tips and insights into each of the cities we’ve visited here.

Enjoy the following six chapters:

• 1/6 “Roma non basta una vita” – A lifetime isn’t enough to experience Rome.
• 2/6 Tempus fugit – How to compress 2,775 years into a day.
• 3/6 What would Caesar do?
• 4/6 Mountain biking in Rome – Flow trails that trace Roman history
• 5/6 Escape essentials – Cafés, bars, restaurants, dos and don’ts in Rome
• 6/6 Escape faster – Our electric whips in detail

1. „Roma non basta una vita“ – A lifetime isn’t enough to experience Rome

There aren’t many cities that can compete culturally or architecturally with Rome and its 3,000 plus years of history. But does its stronghold on the past mean that the city doesn’t have a future? In search of the answer, we took lessons from Caesar and met the Pope, gorged on Roman cuisine and hit some antiquated rocks on Tivoli’s trails.

Once the political, social and cultural hub of the west, even at a distance of millennia, Rome still eats out on accounts of its long-lasting empire, historical exploits, breathtaking spectacles, Gods and wild orgies. Ancient Rome has had probably the biggest impact on how we live today – they’re basically a version of ourselves. Unconvinced? They were expert engineers and built the first aqueducts in concrete as early as 300 years before Christ and some of these, while admittedly restored, still function for Rome’s water supply. Then there’s the influence they had on language – yours, ours, almost half of the words in English, and many well-used ones in German, as they’re all part of the Latin family and shape how we understand the world. The Roman alphabet – the most widespread of all – was created in ancient Rome and spread to the rest of the world. What’s more, the Romans pioneered journalism with the Acta Diurna, a daily report carved on stone or metal that informed and involved the population in decisions, introduced subsidised groceries (particularly grains), education and clothing. Even the existence of motorways and roads, including the concept of congestion, goes back to ancient Rome.

Riding through the Italian capital is like travelling into the past that can still be very much seen today. But on its way to the present-day, what went amiss in the story of this exciting city with its heady zest for life and invention? The heroized version of ancient Rome that was multicultural, progressive and capable of setting standards in so many facets of life, is one you only encounter these days in history books and guided tours, which ends up making today’s version of Rome almost seem old-fashioned.

The truth is that despite the blood spilled during the building of Rome – the slavery, exploitation and brutal imperialism that aren’t up for debate – the ancient Roman’s societal sophistication and philosophies that have stood for over 2,000 years are nothing short of admirable.

Tourists throw more than 1 million euros over their shoulder for good luck.

People used to flock to the centre of this cosmopolitan city for spectacular gladiator duels, staged naval battles and wild races, but today it’s mostly for a plate of cacio e pepe, a selfie with the Pope and the remnants of the glory days. But despite all its pomp and circumstance and the fact that Rome’s golden age appears to be over, the city still sparkles in the evening sun like no other. Is it just because of the shimmering gold coins that tourists chuck into the Trevi Fountain?

Unlike other capitals, Rome isn’t the place for frothy oat milk flat whites, Macbooks, fast food and hip co-working spaces. The reasons are two-fold: firstly, it’s Italian; and secondly, for better or worse, it spins on a historical axis that is flexed furiously as its Unique Selling Proposition. Without tourism, Rome would have a hard time surviving. It has more than 10 million visitors annually and ranks fourth on the hottest destinations in Europe. Most people come to gorge on history and end up leaving with full stomachs and full memory cards to boot.

Being a tourism powerhouse often has pitfalls, like ‘selling out’ or gentrification – something which is most evident in the trendy district of Monti. As tourism strangles the city even more with big business, pavement cafés scramble for space and flashy signs try to grab your attention in a consumer-driven craze. The phenomenon that Barcelona went through with wealthy foreign investors laying claim to the property market for Airbnb is happening in Rome right now, and there’s a fear that long-standing businesses don’t have much of a chance against more lucrative ventures.

Then there’s Rome’s status as the world-leading economy and trade nation. Well, that didn’t last long: up until today, the city hasn’t really been able to establish an international competitive industry, other than fashion. With close to 3,000,000 residents spread over 22 districts, the Italian capital relies on its reputation for art and culture and is home to big fashion houses like Valentino and Fendi.

As you’re perhaps reading between the lines, Rome clings to the ‘why change a winning team’ approach, seeing it play all its cards in the field of tourism. And it pays off: there’s no doubt you’re seeing an original. But we get the sense there’s something missing, like the avant-garde and cosmopolitan elements that we appreciate so much in other capitals.

Even with arguably brilliant universities, a great location and a decent size, Rome hasn’t managed to draw in a younger crowd – yet. As a city, it’s more the preserve of politicians, lovers of arts and culture, and those into religion. You’d look in vain for Rome’s once hip and forward-thinking spirit. Its two underground metros heave and there are reportedly only 21 taxis per 10,000 residents. We learn there’s a crippling fear rampant in Rome: when it comes to doing or building something new, you’re bound to stumble over some archaeological ruins.

There are only two metro lines in Rome because each time construction work begins, you’re almost guaranteed to land on something of historical importance. That brings the end to the construction and eventually everything gets packed away.

From a myth to a world power

In various corners of the city, you’ll find the cast-iron landmark depicting the main characters in Rome’s foundation myth: the demigods Romulus and Remus suckling on their mother, a she-wolf. Legend has it that Romulus founded Rome in 753 BC after killing his brother over an argument about the city walls. Believed to be the sons of Mars (the god of war) and a priestess, the brothers were allegedly abandoned in the River Tiber and raised by the she-wolf and a woodpecker. The fact that the Latin word for she-wolf – lupa – can also refer to a prostitute is often absent in history books. There’s a less dramatic creation story that seems more plausible, which goes like this: two and half millennia ago, a collection of small villages on the banks of the Tiber formed a city, whose influence spread across the Mediterranean and even as far away as the British Isles. It reads like a success story that marries well-executed military campaigns and conquests with the art of politically unifying far-away provinces. Back when Christ was born, Rome already counted one million inhabitants and by the second century had expanded to three continents with a population of 50 million. Talk about a boom!

This introduction may sound harsh on the Italian capital, but it’s like any visit to your grandparents: there are highs and lows. In search of an answer as to what a visit to the Eternal City entails, we left no stone unturned as we sought to see the true appeal of Rome. Keep reading for the ultimate guide on where to dig up its intoxicating energy.

2. Tempus fugit How to compress 2,775 years into a day

One thing we can all agree on is that to truly explore a city – and that means going beyond a tick list of tourist sites – you need to hop on a bike. Away from the mythical sanctuaries and palaces, it’s in the saddle, riding next to locals, that you’ll get to know the true side of Rome.

Rome is big, verging on overwhelming. It’s not clean like Copenhagen. It’s messier, a bit chaotic, a bit grubby, but no less impressive. The Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Vatican. We’ve all seen them, but did you expect horses and goats to roam around the city and more green spaces than in any other capital? It’s true: 67% of its surface area is green, giving each resident 166 square metres of free space each (if they didn’t live in flats, of course). That greenery serves riders well, too, and it’s fair to say that trail riders are well catered for across Rome’s seven hills.

Having signed up for the task of showing us around, Alberto Martinelli, who has lived in Rome for over 25 years, proved better than any guidebook. Alberto is in the process of setting up an ebike rental and guiding business, so we volunteered to be his first guests. With a contagious energy and sense of adventure, we weren’t surprised when the well-spoken, deeply knowledgeable rider whipped out an itinerary promising the best of Rome’s hidden gems alongside the obligatory history spots. We were stoked. Dai, Andiamo.

See you on the other side!

We arrange to meet Alberto in Trastevere, which means on the other side of the Tiber. A vibrant district (with a high density of grumpy teenagers trailing after enthusiastic parents), these tightly knitted alleyways are where once the labourers, immigrants and fishermen’s families lived – a subsection of society that went largely ignored after the Romans came into power. It spawned a subculture that has left its mark on the architecture, distinguishing this district that’s lovingly referred to as ‘the village in the city’ from others with its little cafés, restaurants, students and creatives. Al fresco dining and outdoor aperitivos are the order of the day. Above our heads, laundry is hung out to dry, while the soundscape is pierced by Vespas whining through the little lanes and the shrieks of Italian gulls overhead.

Tooting your car horn in Italy can mean a multitude of things. It could be more of a question: ‘hey, what’s going on up there’ or ‘watch out, coming through!’ or ‘**** you, you ****head

From Trastevere’s romantic cobbled alleys, we weave into the traffic, which manages to squeeze four lanes-worth into just two. We ride towards the centre of Rome in a manner that’s best described as threading a needle through gaps. Second stop is the former Roman Ghetto, established in 1555 to house Rome’s Jewish population and still home to the biggest synagogue in Europe. Stars of David adorn the crumbling walls of a few houses, restaurants, and bakeries. We grab a snack and cruise through the ruins of the Marcellus Theatre and the Temple of Apollo, which was built in his honour after he allegedly rid the city of a plague that was sweeping across it. Speaking of plagues, do you think Apollo could be the guy for the Corona? Anyone got him on speedial?

The purr of our ebikes is suddenly interrupted by yells: ‘Wow, wow wow’ and ‘Mate!’. The reason: the Victor Emmanuel monument has just come into sight between the buildings. It’s the symbol of the Italian Republic, and basically the altar for the entire country. It leaves us speechless. Mutely, we circle the monument, picturing a young Julius Caesar on this very marble, dressed in a bathing robe, slurping from a mug that reads ‘I’m the Boss’. Our imagination, we’re informed by Alberto, is a few centuries off: it wasn’t built until 1911, which meant there was no chance for Caesar to rub sleep out of his eyes here. Oh well, that explains why the building is in such good condition.

The world’s biggest open-air museum

Significant ancient monuments and memorials are routine in Rome, and there are only a nominal number of things that weren’t painted by a certain Michelangelo or designed by Nicola Salvi. Every house, stairwell, even roof tile, appears to have played a role in Rome’s history and therefore lends itself to paying homage to some ruler or other. And with good reason: every single important ruler in Rome has endeavoured to immortalise themselves in the cityscape. Romans, we discover, had a different relationship with architecture and buildings than we have today, where the focus is more user- or purpose-orientated. Back then, it was an art form, deployed as a way to celebrate victories, give a gift, or out of simple hedonism – and by that, we refer your gaze to lavish arches, absurdly large thermal baths, obelisks, and mind bogglingly intricate designs. Even with today’s advanced technology, is it even possible to emulate the richness of detailing that went into these impeccably fashioned ancient buildings? Just look at the Pantheon, for example, one of the best-preserved buildings from antiquity.

Rome builds on its history. Literally: Mussolini inadvertently excavated the Imperial Forums (in his words ‘liberating’ Roman antiquities) by bulldozing the Via dei Fori Imperiali to create his dream boulevard for pompous parades that went straight from his balcony to the Colosseum. The example of the fascist Il Duce is not an uncommon one in terms of town planning for Rome, which has often repurposed its history to shape something new – especially in terms of architecture, where building materials from ancient ruins have found a new home elsewhere. St Peters and the renaissance Palazzo Farnese, where bullfights and festivals used to take place, contain stones from the Colosseum, while ancient marble statues were repurposed for Baroque buildings, and the Pantheon’s bronze panelling was melted down to become a lavish baldacchino at the St. Peter’s Basilica.

Our jaw stays permanently dropped in awe as we ride down the Via dei Fori Imperiali past the ruins of the Imperial Forums to the gigantic Colosseum. These days it’s very shabby-chic, but it’s not hard to picture the pomp of the past 2,000 years.

It’s at about this moment that we bump into the man himself, Julius Caesar on his Haibike AllMtn 12, who immediately catches the attention of nearby police officers. It must be his blatant disregard for wearing a helmet. We invite him for a chat in our hotel lobby that same evening, and he points us wordlessly in the direction of the Vatican.

If the Pope is your cousin, are you destined to become a Cardinal?

On a short detour into the heart of Christian faith, we pedal through the world’s smallest country in the middle of a capital city. The Vatican is a place of a higher order, even higher than other nations maybe. Just 44 hectares in size, the influence wielded by one of the oldest institutions in the world is often underestimated. Presidents and heads of state collect their blessings here after taking office, and the Vatican even has observer status within the UN. We ring the bell several times, but the Pope doesn’t appear. He’d have enjoyed a spin on our Haibikes; they even had half a battery left. Divine sensations, guaranteed!

It doesn’t get any greener than Rome!

As we meander through the city, we note the number of parks and green spaces in Rome, including huge fields where dogs are going wild, groups of children picnicking and celebrating, and gatherings of outdoor yoga. Space is clearly a luxury that Rome’s residents relish. When we do a lap of the Park Villa Borghese with its 17th-century gardens, we know where you’d find us if we were here on the daily.

The Italian capital is making inroads into becoming a bike-friendly city and redesigning the layout of a few roads. It’s a slow process, but the Corona virus helped speed it up: during the peak of the pandemic, the city added almost 200 km of bike paths into its existing road infrastructure – it includes some marked bike lanes that finish in dead-ends, but also others that are new, impeccably designed and segregated from cars to keep cyclists safe as they cross the city. There’s another 45 km in the pipeline, which will loop around the centre of the city as part of an EU-subsidized project called GRAB. This will incorporate broken roads, which go back to the era of Ancient Rome, green spaces, the Baths of Caracalla, horses that roam freely and a few of those still functioning aqueducts, which stand with a passive dominance above the runners, joggers and leisure-seekers that want to escape the city for a moment.

By the time the sun dips lower in the sky, our legs are as empty as the batteries on the Haibikes. We order our first red wine in a small restaurant on the edge of the city. Having hastened through the history of the Eternal City in turbo mode, we had fallen in love with its crumbling, charismatic and somewhat frenzied identity. And while Rome isn’t truly cosmopolitan in 2022’s western understanding of the word, that’s probably the reason we are even more excited about a plateful of traditional, tasty food in a tavern.

3. A fictional interview about orgies, Rome and ebikes with the city’s arguably most famous resident ever

Submitting an official interview request would have taken too long, but we grabbed the opportunity when it arose to catch some words with Gaius Julius Caesar about modern day Rome, the misinterpretation of orgies, eMTBing, and his relationship with Asterix and Obelix.

Caesar, where do you go to kick back in the evenings? – I should begin by saying how Rome has changed more than you’d have expected in the past 2,000 years. The Roman Empire is no more, Rome is now just a part of Italy, and it’s definitely not a world leader anymore. All of the once great things like epic gladiator duels, elephants and naval battles have fallen out of fashion. It used to be a wild place. You never knew what topics of conversation would come up at the thermal baths or communal toilets. Life was different. We lived it with an intensity that’s rare nowadays. It could be because we were so acutely aware of our mortality – each time I’d be on my way to the consulate I’d have to walk over at least three corpses who’d surrendered to the Antonine Plague. We also had different values back then, like orgies – they were something sacred, just look at the etymology of the Greek word orgia. At times, it was an excessive act, but there was a sense of ecstasy in meeting new people and reaching a different state of consciousness.

Caesar, what do you think of Rome today? – There’s a big part of me that’s thrilled at how our architectural heritage from 2,000 years ago is largely still standing. Perhaps if I’d taken the matches away from that old pyromaniac Nero, then there’d certainly be even more to see today. I’d like to see the Romans bring more of our heritage back to life, but I get the feeling that the conservative branch of the city and the church like to keep a firm hold on things. In my day, it was much more multicultural and progressive, whereas today’s Rome focuses on tradition and almost overlooks the art of being that is essential to life. So many millions of tourists march past me each year and stare at the ruins of our great buildings, but that’s only one part of our story. Our existence isn’t based on statues and buildings; they were just part of the shell of our lives. We were the beating heart of the world – our architecture, culture and openness were on a level that basically no society has any hope of matching today.

Rome wasn’t just a city – it was more of an idea. We wanted to spread our knowledge all over the world and gather all the greatest elements right here. Rome thrived on cultural exchanges and curiosity. It was thirsty for new things. It was our incredible wealth of knowledge that created a gravitational pull and attracted the brightest minds in the world back then.

Veni vidi vici – once your mantra and now a common tattoo – do you have any advice for society today? – During my victory parades, I always had a servant in the chariot who’d whisper ‘memento mori’ in my ear. I needed to hear it: everything passes, everything dies. It’s like this – no matter how successful you are as a general or how great you are as a statesman – the end will come. The purpose of time is to teach us impermanence. It teaches us to seize the moment. Once you’re aware of your mortality, you can truly start to live, without making compromises or putting off your dreams and hopes. The first time I laid eyes on Cleopatra I went up to her directly. I didn’t entertain the thought of hesitating or wondering whether I’d meet her in my next life. Although that did come to pass. After my foster son killed me and I crossed Styx into the underworld like a dolphin, I was able to see her once more and I counted myself lucky that we’d already broken the ice.

I get the feeling that the Romans have forgotten how to evolve. Does the Eternal City not care about being the home of the zeitgeist any longer? Perhaps not. In order to stay at the top, you’ve got to keep at it. You can’t coast.

If you’d had an ebike back then, what would you have used it for? – I used to have pretty long commutes before I was a proper statesman. I was back and forth between the northern provinces of Illyria, Gallia Cis and Transalpine, so an ebike would have been a massive asset and probably a lot of fun. My family wasn’t wealthy, so I was very conscious about budgeting in order to finance my political career. Now that I’ve got the title of Caesar, I shouldn’t scrimp on style really. I’d have to have the bike in carbon, for sure. In fact, perhaps my next victory parade should be on an ebike rather than a chariot? Better yet, echariot! That’d stir up the crowds nicely.

The great thing about ebikes is their versatility. Like Cleopatra’s camels, they don’t need water either. I’d invite her on an e-ride around the Sphinx as I’m sure she’d love it. Bread and games were the backbone of the Empire and that’s where we and the people would get our adrenaline kicks. When I think about the rush you get from ebiking and imagine that spreading across the entire Roman Empire, it’s mind-blowing. I reckon we’d have built the world’s biggest trail network that’d outsize Whistler, Finale Ligure and co. ten times over!

Bike-to-work schemes are massive, aren’t they? It took us 13 years to round up the army in the Roman Empire to its biggest formation, but if everyone had had ebikes, we could have done the whole thing in half the time. Of course, it would have depended on us having the charging infrastructure set up smoothly – not like Bosch, who decide to change the plugs from one model to the next. Imagine how jealous Asterix and Obelix would have been to see my army on rolling carbon stallions. Thinking aloud now, having eMTBs would have also solved a few supply issues – I remember what a nightmare we had last time we set up a spare parts store for our chariots. The wheel manufacturer raised the standard dimensions from 27.5″ to 29″, claiming that they rolled better over sand. Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t modern eMTBs a bit more loyal to their standards?

I’d certainly have loaned my bike to Brutus frequently as a way for him to clear his head. He’s been a bit out of sorts recently, constantly applying ointment to his nether regions and playing with a knife while I’m round at his mum’s place.

4. Mountain biking in Rome -Flow trails that trace Roman history

Other than the Pantheon, Pope and pasta, can Rome also deliver the pace and flow to satisfy a mountain biker? We rambled across Rome and its outlying regions with a crew of locals to explore the trail riding credentials left by the Roman ancestry.

We make the obvious decision to do our first trail check in Tivoli, one of the most popular haunts for Rome’s bike riding community that sits on the Aniene River. Just 50 minutes outside the capital, it’s a firm favourite with locals, known for being the coolest spot in the summer with steep climbs, techy descents and uninterrupted views of the urban sprawl.

What’s the best pre-ride preparation in Rome? Probably not what you’d expect. Lasagne and red wine, so they say. We’re served such generous portions at lunch in the L’Ape 50 restaurant, that we reason our own consumption is basically as essential as charging the batteries on the bike. Alberto, our local contact and tour guide, hypes up the riding in Tivoli before we are even in the saddle, giving us the inside line on the trails – of which he assures us there are many.

Let’s take it steep!

From the kooky little lanes of Tivoli, we set off with full stomachs towards the mountainside, feeling like the ancient Romans must have done after a feast. Already in the first few metres of the dirt track into the woods it dawns on us that eco mode won’t cut it today. Who said lasagne and wine was a good idea? Oh, that’s right: the locals.

Fortunately, the Yamaha motors power us up the steep ramps. We self-shuttle up the first incline and soak up the views. The ground beneath us is scorched and we keep climbing, passing a number of horses out on a trek. The silhouette of the distant city gets even smaller and it feels like we’ve been transported to another world, but if we squint hard enough, we can make out some of the sights.

To the disbelief of the onlooking bulls, we’re almost at the summit and still completely uninformed as to what we’ll find there. We turn the bikes to drop into the descent and within metres we’re ready for the games to begin.

Our pedals scrape on rocks and at times we’re forced to dab a foot to stay upright. Knee pads wouldn’t be out of place here. We navigate chutes carved by water gullies to get through sections of the trail blocked by where the local limestone rock has blocked it. There’s not much flow in those sections. Alberto, who knows the trails like the back of his hand, finds it amusing as we struggle with the rubber in the dirt. We give it a whirl and after that short stint, the trail turns into a mellow singletrack down towards the valley. For skilled eMTB riders, we reckon this trail will be a riot, a quest that pitches adventure against awesome views. What else justifies a visit to Tivoli is its naturalness, totally without glitz and glamour. Passionate locals ride here – not tourists with wheelie cases – which makes it the perfect day trip. There are a few technical spots, so Tivoli isn’t ideal for first-timers.

Rome still has the flow!

When we hit the trails in Formello, it’s a whole other ballgame: flowy, fast and fun in an area that’s less rocky, with trails that are built to be more like a rollercoaster. The local diggers have nailed it for beginners and experts alike. In terms of the town, it’s pretty sparse on culture and charm, but there’s an inconspicuous-looking restaurant with a large car park that appears to be the official unloading zone for the bike park here. Want to do some laps of Veio Bike Park? You bet. It’s just 40 minutes outside the town with quick climbs and rapid descents. We make tracks quickly, aware that the sun is threateningly low in the sky. We pedal up the climb in turbo mode for the quickest access to the good stuff, listening to nothing but the sound of our tyres crunching over the ground and the whirr of the motors. The city still feels a million miles away.

Top to bottom, the Veio Bike Park is quick. We shred down Pecora and Capra in quick succession, letting out whoops that echo through the woods. It’s addictive riding with beautifully made berms, first left, then right, then a kicker drop, and into the next berm. It’s the sort of bike park that satisfies every ability, without any of the hair-raising, can-you-keep-it-uprightness of Tivoli. If you’re after a reputable spot for flow and quick laps to get your heart racing, it’s worth putting this on your list.

Want to ride in our traces? Here are the trails:

Tivoli:

• komoot
• trailforks

Formello:

• komoot
• trailforks

5. Escape Essentials – Cafés, bars, restaurants, dos and don’ts in Rome

Bike-Shops

Bikeroma EBIKE Rental & Tours
Where? Via Val Sassina 70/72, 00141 Rome
Web bikeroma.shop

BICIFICIO DINAMO
Where? Piazza della Marina 15, 00196 Roma RM
Web bicificiodinamo.com

4Mello Bike
Where? Via Nazario Sauro 35, 00060 Formello
Web 4mellobike.it/

Where to sleep?

As you’ll be worn out from exploring the Eternal City or getting cramp in your calves from hot laps on the trails, you’re going to want somewhere welcoming to unwind. Here’s our edit of E-MOUNTAINBIKE approved residences to use as a base and retreat to in the evenings after more red wine and pasta.

Damaso
Where? Piazza della Cancelleria 62, 00186 Rom
Web hoteldamaso.it

The Hoxton, Rome
Where? Largo Benedetto Marcello 220, 00198 Roma
Web thehoxton.com

Where we ate!

Taverna Trilussa Trastevere
Where? Via del Politeama 23/25, 00153 Roma RM, Italien
Web tavernatrilussa.com

Tonnarello
Where? Via della Paglia 1/2/3, 00153 Roma RM, Italien
Web tonnarello.it

The Hoxton, Rome
Where? Largo Benedetto Marcello 220, 00198 Roma
Web thehoxton.com

Fra Diavolo Pizzeria
Where? Via Po 29a, 00198 Roma RM, Italien
Web fradiavolopizzeria.com

La Renella Forno Antico Trastevere (Pizza auf die Hand)
Where? Via del Moro 15, 00153 Roma RM, Italien
Web www.fradiavolopizzeria.com

L’Ape 50 (Tivoli)
Where? Via Ponte Gregoriano 5, 00019 Tivoli RM, Italien
Web lape50.eatbu.com

Where we enjoyed an Aperol Spritz!

Salotto42
Where? Piazza di Pietra, 42, 00186 Roma RM
Web salotto42.it

Pimm’S Good
Where? Via di Santa Dorotea, 8/9, 00100 Roma RM, Italien
Web www.pimmsgood.it

Jerry Thomas Speakeasy
Where? Vicolo Cellini, 30, 00186 Roma
Web thejerrythomasproject.it

Dos

• Sightsee by bike, that’s mandatory
• Traditional taverns have earned their place in the Eternal City, respect them and seek out the best ones for food
• Take your bike bottle with you everywhere you go! Refill regularly from water fountains, which are supplied by those historical aqueducts. (Rome has enough issues with rubbish collection, don’t add to it)
• Eat pizza slices by hand
• Visit the Pantheon before the crowds
• Admire the Trevi Fountain in the evening
• Lay out a picnic rug for a doze in the Villa Borghese Park
• Stroll through the Trastevere district on the weekend
• Lock your bike (obviously)
• Book a table in advance for dinner
• Flirt with the serving staff
• Shred the trails in Tivoli and at the Veio Bike Park
• Involve your hands in everything you’re saying, gestures are everything
• Ride along the River Tiber

Dont’s

• Lend Caesar your bike
• Book a city guide with a street-seller
• Overindulge in pizza and/or pasta
• Order a cappuccino (we were not impressed, not once)
• Leave your bike unattended
• Lean your bike against a wall (we have never had so many run-ins with the police about this)
• Think about using a car
• Be tempted by a restaurant offering a ‘family price’
• Whip out your camera while on a tour. People take thousands of photos of ruins, but is anyone actually seeing them?
• Expect hip cafés (a rarity)
• Sleep in Trastevere on the weekends – it’s a big nightlife zone and Italian windows are notoriously un-soundproof

Italiano for beginners

It’s a completely phonetic language, so once you’ve got the hang of some sounds, you can essentially read any word in front of you and sound like a native. Don’t be afraid to go all-in with emphasis and gestures – the more pronounced, the better.

C – When a ‘c’ is followed by an ‘e’ or an ‘i’, pronounce it like ‘ch’ in ‘cheese’. When it’s a ‘c’ followed by an ‘h’ or an ‘o’ or ‘a’, it’s more like the ‘c’ in ‘cut’.
Example: come stai = How are you? Cane / Dog, Cioccolato / Chocolate

When a ‘g’ is followed by certain vowels, pronounce it like the ‘j’ in ‘jumble’.
Example: gelato = „dschelato” ( ice cream)

GL:

It’s like the ‘lli’ in million.
Example: aglio e olio = „aljo e olio“ (garlic and olive oil)

h:

Double consonants, like ‘cc’ or ‘zz’. Emphasise these. Make a distinction in your pronunciation between the two.

Yes – sì („si“)
Non – nò („no“)
Hi /Tschüss – ciao („tschau“)
Good morning/hello – Buongiorno! („Bondschorno“)
Good eveningGuten Abend – Buonasera! („Bonasera“)
Have a good weekend – Buon fine settimana! („buon fine settimana“)
How are you? – Come stai? („kome s-tai“)
I’m well, thanks – Sto bene. („sto bene“)
Please – per favore („per fawore“)
Thanks – grazie („grazi-e“)
Sorry! – Scusa! („skusa“)
My name is… – Mi chiamo/a… („me kiamo/a“)
Cheers! – Salute! („salute“)
Enjoy your meal! – Buon appetito! („Buon apetitto“)
How much does it cost? – Quanto costa? („kuanto kosta“)
The bill, please! – Il conto, per favore! („il konto, per fawore“)
C’mon! – dai!
I (don’t) understand – (Non) capisco (non)(capisko)

6. Escape faster – Our electric whips for Rome, in detail

Haibike AllMtn SE

This jaw-dropping, tenth-anniversary edition bike for Haibike’s ePerformance sector would certainly have been Caesar’s whip of choice. With a beefy full carbon frame that’s specced from front to rear with hand-selected components, it’s the Öhlins suspension and the high-tech SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS groupset that captured our attention most. But the Haibike AllMtn SE is more than just the sum of its parts: it’s the pinnacle of a decade of pioneering research, development and innovation into ebikes that have led to this piece of beauty. Running on the powerful, highly responsive Yamaha PW-X2 motor and delivering the ultimate traction, it climbs like a well-tamed beast and once you turn for the downhill, it shines with style and capability, so you aren’t short of thrills.

The Haibike AllMtn 12

For Tivoli’s rock gardens and the flowy trails in Veio Bike Park, we opted for the Haibike AllMtn 12, knowing that the raw power of the Yamaha PW-X2 motor with its 600 Wh battery would rocket up the steepest climbs in Tivoli, so we would reach the trails without breaking a sweat. On descents, we were digging the eMTB’s FOX 38 Factory fork and RockShox Super Deluxe Select rear shock, both keeping us glued to the ground in a good way with 160 mm travel each. The high front end and serious stopping power from the Shimano XT four-piston brakes when you drop the anchor have all the credentials to instill confidence in newer riders.

Fancy a tour through Barcelona, Zurich, Vienna, Lisbon, Frankfurt or Berlin? You can find our previous E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escapes and lots of insider tips and insights into each of the cities we’ve visited here.

Der Beitrag E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escape Rome powered by Haibike erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

Last autumn, former enduro racer Jérôme Clementz asked his friends Pauline Dieffenthaler, Hugo Pigeon and Damien Oton to join him on an exciting singletrack adventure in the Queyras region in the south of France, with local guide Cyril Ac’h showing them around this stunning area! The aim and purpose of this trip was to ride as many trails as possible, enjoy the breath-taking views and spend some quality time with good friends while leaving behind the stresses of day-to-day life.

During this trip, Jerome and his troupe also helped local riders maintain the trails – a project backed by the local council of Guillestrois-Queyras. Needless to say, all user groups have an influence on our trails and it’s crucial that we all do our fair share of maintenance work to make mountain biking sustainable – there’s no way around it if we want to keep using our trails in the long run! And remember, enjoy and respect the trails!

Der Beitrag Jérôme Clementz – end of season bash with good friends in Queyras, southern France erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

Specialized is back with a new clothing and cycling accessory collaboration. This time they draw on the experience of outdoor giant Fjällräven, which stands for technical innovation, style-conscious sustainability and a typically Swedish outdoor ethos. Find out what the hype is all about in our sister magazine Gran Fondo.

Der Beitrag Fjällräven and Specialized come together for the ultimate outdoor adventures – Don’t call it a collab erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

What is the E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escape series?

With the E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escapes powered by Haibike, we visit the most exciting cities in the world and bring you inspiration, insider knowledge and the best tips and tours for each city. Our goal is to offer inspiration for a new generation of bikers and open up the possibility of a new lifestyle, all in cooperation with Haibike. We discover new perspectives and show you exciting ways to experience cities around the world, whether you’re a tourist or a local!

Each E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escape Guide inspires in its own unique way. Get to know new facets of global cities, meet interesting locals and get the best insider tips, including local phrases, dos and don’ts, cafés, bars, restaurants and bike shops. In every City Escape, we also introduce you to the bikes on which we explored the city.

Fancy a tour through Barcelona, Zurich, Vienna, Lisbon, Frankfurt or Berlin? You can find our previous E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escapes and lots of insider tips and insights into each of the cities we’ve visited here.

Enjoy the following 6 parts:

• 1/6 A city that almost has it all – Paris, the brand
• 2/6 The next French Revolution – Paris rediscovers the bike
• 3/6 Paris as seen from the saddle – Test ride and sightseeing in the city of love
• 4/6 Shredding in Paris – A handful of trails
• 5/6 Escape essentials – Cafés, bars, restaurants, dos and don’ts in Paris
• 6/6 Escape faster – Our electric whips in detail

1. A city that almost has it all – Paris, the brand

When it comes to branding, Paris is in a league of its own. From cuisine to fashion and modern art, Paris is where it’s at. But how is it possible to define Paris’ own brand and just how did it become so cosmopolitan?

Show me your house and I can tell you which city you live in – Parisian architecture is unmistakable and unarguably charming. Picture a narrow line of cafés with wrought iron balconies that stretch up to mansard roofs, and you know you are in Paris. Long, manicured avenues that escort you from historic site to historic site, and monuments that litter the cityscape, perfectly positioned to set the tone for each neighbourhood. Unlike cities such as Barcelona where each district has its own definite style, Paris appears to have been cut from one single block. It’s no coincidence either: throughout history, the city has had to rebuild itself from the ground up more than once.

To understand the roots of its uniform image, you have to take a short trip back in time to when Louis XIV was around. A pivotal figure in French history, Louis was all about adding pomp and splendour to Paris, ambitiously plotting to turn it into the most influential city in the world in the Middle Ages. It was already the capital of France and one of Europe’s biggest cities, but it lacked wide, opulent boulevards, so he pulled down the once-imposing city walls to create more space for these thoroughfares. After the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century, Napoleon took over the reins, steering Paris down a course of rapid industrialization. From a picturesque labyrinth of historic houses and courtyards, it morphed into an underworld-like city with tight, dark, dangerous lanes. Modernisation was brought back to the table by Napoleon III, who pursued a vision of prosperity that would feature fresh air, liveability and wealth. With George-Eugène Haussmann by his side in the role of Prefect of the Seine, Paris would undergo a ‘gutting’ over the next two decades. The city was razed to the ground, with entire neighbourhoods demolished and reimagined – more space, more greenery and more affluence. It involved planting trees, building canals, bridges, residences, and a new citywide sewage system (less glamorous, but arguably necessary). A vision of uniformity was brought to the city, with the systemic building of decently proportioned neoclassical apartment blocks in creamy stone, while benches, road lighting, columns and even fences were positioned around the newly planted trees. Infrastructure got an overhaul too, with the creation of new avenues – like the Champs-Élysées – that fed uniformly in and out of the city. Each gap in the traffic would lend itself to the grand reveal of a monument, a church, a train station or other historic site. If it sounds like an expensive undertaking, that’s because it was, sinking Paris heavily into debt. Wondering whether it paid off? Judging by the hordes of sightseers that swoon over the aesthetic of Paris, we’d lean towards the affirmative.

Sure, Paris can rely on more than just its own good looks – it has those of all its residents too. As what is probably the world’s most famous catwalk, each person is a billboard for high fashion. The last time I remember having my clothes so minutely examined was during my military service (which I never did). Fashion is a full-time job here. Whether grabbing breakfast, nipping to the pharmacy, or taking the bus, a Parisian will rarely be seen in scruffy jogging bottoms and with unkempt hair. From colours to textures, an outfit should match – but it doesn’t have to come with a remortgage. Your choice of clothes and accessories is simply a reflection of your personality – Parisian chic is at times classy, at times modern, and every so often a little bit sporty. Our scuffed up sneakers immediately singled us out as tourists, and while you can argue it’s all a bit superficial, the desire to capture a certain aesthetic runs deeper – we’d go as far as to say it’s a philosophy. Paris thrives on a sort of citywide etiquette that feels like a way to explore all the senses – something to appease the eyes here, the palate here, an audio delight here, then something for your mood. It can be exhausting, but mainly fascinating. And that’s what makes Paris so, well, like Paris.

Every second person we have ever spoken to in Paris has said the same thing: je suis parisien/parisienne. While factually this could be disputed (19% of the French population live in the metropolitan area of Paris), it’s clear there’s an innate sense of Parisian pride regardless of how many kilometres outside of the city you live. There are more than 2 million living in the heart of the city, and more than 11 million in the region of Île-de-France. It’s the city with the highest living costs in the world and the highest population density in Europe. For comparison: Berlin is eight times bigger, but home to only one fifth of the population. Paris is also wholly multicultural: after France, the bulk of the 11 million Paris residents come predominantly from Algeria, Spain and Portugal, with another 40 nationalities represented. And the tourists? You’re talking more than 16 million each year, making Paris the world’s preeminent city destination.

On a cultural stage, Paris sings from its own songbook. Known for its avant-garde cuisine, the hedonism of shows at the Moulin Rouge and Lido, admired for its sights and 130+ museums, and what’s worn at Paris Fashion Week – it’s a big hitter. Western culture would not be what it is today without Paris. Wondering if it is still as relevant today? Look at the number of artists, writers and current-day intellectuals that roam its streets and there’s your answer.

‘Paris is everything one could wish for’ swooned the composer Frédéric Chopin back in 1831. Does it hold true today? We shifted into gear to check out the city.

2. The next French Revolution – Paris rediscovers the bike

Strictly 30 km/h, Paris wants to cut the number of accidents, decrease the volume, and protect the planet. By doing so, its bike friendly credentials are rocketing, but not everyone is on board. Armed with baguettes under our arm, we saddle up on our ebikes for a cruise around the romantic city. Eiffel Tower stop, mandatory. On y va!

There used to be something embittered about those who voluntarily chose to ride around Paris. A sense of apprehension each time you closed the door behind you, a sense of going into battle through les couloirs de la mort – alleyways of death – that sandwich you, the poor rider, between buses and lorries. Fortunately, tides are changing with mayor Anne Hidalgo’s five-year Plan Vélo initiative, which has encouraged thousands of residents to get on their bikes.

Since August 2021, speed limits have been cut to 30 km/h across almost all of Paris. Rolled out with some leniency at first, the speed limit is taking hold and shiny new road signs adorn the landscape. Clearly, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo is sticking to her principles in her second six-year term in office. In one of her speeches, she proclaimed the need to rid the city of cars and reclaim the space. So what’s she doing about it? Reducing car parking space by more than 60,000 spots and making the remaining ones more expensive, plus the creation of new bike lanes, including one along the banks of the Seine River, meaning you can in theory enjoy a relaxed ride across the whole city. In 2020 alone more than 52 km of pop-up bike paths appeared alongside designated bike parking zones and brand new green spaces. It’s an ongoing project and new bike routes are continually being hastily drafted, altered then discarded. On some streets, like the Rue de Rivoli that passes the Louvre, cars must give total priority to cyclists and pedestrians. The citywide roll-out of 30 km/h speed limit is the jewel on Hidalgo’s project (although we should mention there are certain exceptions, including the Champs-Élysées, which keeps its 50 km/h limit). And it’s not an original idea either – cities like Grenoble and Lille have been France’s pioneers on this front.

Word has it that around 60% of central Parisians are in agreement with the new speed limit, with the majority of its two million residents (of which only one third even own a car) seeing it as a sign of progress for the capital. It’s only outside the city limits that opinions start to differ: in the Greater Paris Area more than 50% of the 10 million residents oppose the new speed limits, arguing that it will make it more difficult for them to reach the city and therefore leave them excluded. But at the end of the day, the question arises of which of the two groups suffers most from the traffic and associated consequences?

The project’s goals were clearly defined: 50% less noise, 25% fewer accidents, and more space for cycling. According to city officials, the 30 km/h speed limit has brought noise down by three decibels, which residents should perceive as half of what it was previously. There’s naturally opposition to Hidalgo’s work, with many calling the plan thoughtless and unrealistic, arguing that the infrastructure is more akin to spaghetti than sense. If you take statistics from the environmental research institute Cerema as gospel, CO2 emissions at 30 km/h are more than 20% higher than at 50 km/h and the traffic jams remain the same with average speeds still being measured in the city at 11 km/h. Is the 30 km/h speed limit purely symbolic? Not at all. Average speeds are not indicative of the speed spectrum and the extremes – for those on bikes, the lower speed limit defuses the danger of critical traffic junctions. It’s just a shame that ebikes with their Europewide 25 km/h limit are still set to pull the short straw as the rest of the traffic flows at 30.

While Parisians get used to the new status quo, they’ve got some learning to do when it comes to harmoniously coexisting with other road users. As we pedalled through on our ebikes, we noticed the occasional lack of empathy from riders and e-scooters, or trottinettes, with many of these more vulnerable road users unsettling the traffic with a slalom approach and disregard for red lights. As bike couriers sped by at a hair’s breadth from pedestrians at crossing, they responded with clenched fists and French passion.

At the busiest times of the day, we count more bikes than cars on the roads. Thanks to the rise of ebikes, long commutes to work, school or university are no longer out of the question. As the city’s identity shifts, so, too, does that of the typical bike commuter: Paris used to be the reserve of hardcore fixie riders who braved the traffic, but now there’s a more functional, utilitarian approach thanks to the work of the mayor. When speaking to locals, you pick up on how the increase in cycling has connected them to their city, the environment and the people. After a stressful day, they choose to go and ride their bikes to clear their head. This aspect, especially in a city like Paris, which is known for its disgruntled residents, definitely should not be undervalued. If bikes allow people to let off steam instead of barking at neighbours and scowling at strangers, please, ride your bikes. For Parisians, the word velo would work just as well as its anagram love #Velosophie.

We bump into many Parisians for whom cycling has simply become part of their day to day. Not (just) a hip pastime anymore, it’s a welcome way to escape the everyday grind of metro, boulot, dodo, or tube, work, sleep. Clocking our bikes as she takes our order, Elise, a waitress, tells us excitedly how she rides at least 10 km each day to clear her head. Later, when we ask for directions, someone else points out their favourite route – the one that they always ride with friends when they visit from out of town. You set off from Montmartre, follow the Seine and picnic in one of the many parks before pulling up at one of the open air events in the city. With each conversation, it becomes clear that two wheels are cementing themselves in the psyche of Paris for both young and old. After years of roadblocks, it’s finally starting to flow. Hidalgo, keep it up.

As a city that’s known for its past, Paris is rolling towards the future with aplomb. Plan Vélo is still largely a plan and battling with some teething trouble, but unlike other global cities, Paris is making clear, decisive steps towards a future with better urban mobility and shaping up into a livable, human-centred city. In the next chapter, we explore Paris from the luxury of its new bike lanes.

3. Paris as seen from the saddle – Test-rides and sightseeing in the city of love

The city of lights, love, myths – and now bikes. Thanks to new laws that have passed, the perpetual traffic jams that once dominated the cityscape are now being slowly substituted by a virtually constant stream of bike riders. We saddled up on ebikes to explore the new bike-friendlier lay of the land, scope out the execution of the Plan Vélo and take a ride with two Parisians in a study of the city’s swoon-worthiness.

It’s 9 am on a clear, fresh morning with very little traffic and even less smog. For a city of this size, it feels remarkably clean. Little cafés receive the first of their daily baguette deliveries and people begin to tuck into breakfast. Nostalgic French classics like Édith Piaf’s La Vie En Rose play gently in the background. This is the Paris of picture books, right in front of us. Tour guide and local resident Stéphanie fits the bill, with the requisite penchant for gold jewellery, fine cuts of meat and wine, and a mesmeric French twang to her English. A food blogger and startup wunderkind, she’s keen to share her expertise and show us the unmissable spots in her beloved city.

We meet at her first recommendation: Hoxton, a laidback hotel that’s become the go-to for breakfast, lunch or dinner, business meets in the courtyard or catching up with friends in the cosy interior. Our bikes take their place in the bike cellar while we breakfast. The sun floods the room, which hums smoothly with well-selected tunes and the noise of the barista grinding and tamping our coffees. The croissants are still fresh. This is exactly the right place to start the day.

The roads are virtually empty as we ride through them, staying alert to absent-minded pedestrians who stroll unawares onto the streets. Stéph’s list of must-visits makes for a great ride and features the Marché des Enfants Rouges, one of the oldest markets in Paris, which she says is ideal for a quick lunch with friends or colleagues. A covered market with a host of traders, the North African food is amongst the best you’ll find and despite having just finished breakfast we find some space for a plate of Moroccan food in our stomachs. We lap up the flavours as well as the friendliness as more locals appear keen to give us tips for the city.

A visit to Paris wouldn’t be complete without some art and 2.5 million visitors a year cannot be wrong. For us, it’s the Pompidou, which is more of a cultural complex than one single traditional museum as it houses the Musée National d’Art Moderne, the Bibliothèque publique d’information, the IRCAM institute of research into music and sound, as well as cinemas, lecture theatres and theatre. Even today its unconventional architecture splits opinion, looking more like a factory with eye-capturing coloured pipes and technical fittings on the façade. Inside, there’s a vibrant, arresting colour scheme with red stairways, white air vents, blue air conditioning pipes, green water pipes and yellow electrical fittings.

Stéph is adamant that our ride must feature a stop on the Pont Notre-Dame bridge, looking out over history. This 22-hectare inner city island is the birthplace of Paris. There are nine bridges that link the Île de la Cité in the middle of the Seine River with history and the rest of the city. You’ll find the famous Cathedral of Notre-Dame here, which is back in scaffolding since more renovations began in 2019. There’s also the former royal residence, the Palais de la Cité, the former royal chapel, Sainte-Chapelle, as well the police headquarters and the former city prison, Conciergerie, whose most famous inmate was Marie-Antoinette.

Whatever the time of day, navigate from here onto the newly laid bike paths towards the Parc des Buttes Chaumont. There’s an insider tip that’s not so hidden these days, but still worth a visit: Pavillon Puebla. It’s Stéph’s favourite place to ride with friends and escape the grey of the city. Grab a place in a hammock and order a pizza or wait until later to enjoy the Pavillon’s cool tunes each evening under the colourful light bulbs. For us, it’s lunch number two and a promise to come back later.

Not seen enough? Nor have we. We get a second opinion and call Sokat, an old friend who has the day off to show us the western part of the city. Breaking up her daily routine, this outdoor lover excitedly leads us out through the city’s most recognizable sight – the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile – and onto a bike on the 70-metre-wide Champs-Élysées that whisks us safely towards the Bois de Boulogne park. Two and half times bigger than Central Park in New York, here’s where Parisians get their hit of fresh air – picnic rugs and slacklines positively encouraged.

While arguably a bit cliché, Sokat is unashamedly pro-Eiffel Tower for anyone visiting Paris. Not only is it the tallest building and symbolic of Paris, but also represents France’s national identity and welcomes around seven million visitors annually. As we roll up, we count around half that number fawning over the 324-metre-high architectural feat, capturing it for posterity by snapping at least 5,000 images per second. With no room to dismount, we crane our necks and try to stay upright and keep our feet firmly on the pedals, as we maneuver our way through the throng.

For those with time on their hands and enough juice left in their battery, ride along the Seine or the Rue de Rivoli (exclusively for delivery vehicles and bikes) towards the Louvre. Opened in 1739, the historical Louvre palace, which houses a collection of more than 380,000 artefacts across more than 72,000 square metres with almost 10 million visitors annually, is one of the world’s biggest and most visited art museums in the world and therefore a mandatory visit. Unfortunately, we have to skip our date with Mona Lisa because we can’t take our bikes inside. We are learning that this – in the absence of safe bike parking – is the biggest drawback to the big city and where Paris still has work to do.

After picking up unanimous cues from Stéph, Sokat and other Parisians, we are directed to the front steps of the Sacré Cœur Basilica to admire the sunset from the top of the hill Montmartre. Sunrise is special up there, too, so the best thing to do is avoid the rush hour with a croissant in hand. Don’t expect to have this spot to yourselves, though, it’s a popular Lonely Planet destination.

Would we recommend a sightseeing tour of Paris by bike? Absolutely. No travel tickets, fewer queues, and conducted at your own pace. Saddle up, helmet on and set off on one of the growing number of bike paths – easier to navigate, safer to ride and faster to boot. Where once was a solid line of hooting cars, you’ll be shaken alert by a cacophony of bike bells instead.

4. Shredding in Paris? – A handful of trails

Paris is food, fashion and culture. But can it also be mountain biking? We headed towards the suburbs to see if the sprawling French capital’s charm had spread far enough to include some trailworthy hotspots?

Our local guide Pierre meets us at Gare du Nord and we board a train (bikes included) heading northwards to forêt domaniale de Montmorency, direction Saint-Leu-la-Forêt. When the train pulls up to a local ordinary-looking station, Pierre signals at us to disembark and get on our bikes. After three days riding in the city, we’re impatient to get between the trees and go straight into turbo mode. Allez, to the forest!

Within 10 minutes, we’ve entered another world, one where there are more trees than people in the million-strong city. This gives us a sense of freedom that we’ve been hungry for. Little gives away just how close we are to the city, there’s not even a hum of railways or motorways to be heard. No cafés either, nor grumbling locals, boulevards, or 30 km/h speed limit. We head to the first trail with bird song and the whirr of our motors as our backing track. With the Haibikes, we’re whopping and grinning even on the run-in on a narrow singletrack that cuts through the forest to a sandy clearing. From here, there are two or three trails and we follow the tyre tracks blindly. There are no roots or rocks, just sand, which gives us the right amount of drift and that thrill of finding the sweet spot to keep it upright.

The trail winds through the woods with some sweet berms and nicely shaped kickers coming after a few corners. Some of the features are so well-made that they wouldn’t look out of place in a bike park. It’s only a small hill with 190 metres of vertical, but the pedal assist lets us do multiple laps of the forêt domaniale de Montmorency before we high five Pierre and call it a day. From here, we’re heading south to the Gâtinais Français Natural Regional Park, where we’ve heard rumours about the Fontainebleau trail network – reputedly world’s apart from where we’ve just ridden in the north.

It takes a little more than an hour to reach Fontainebleau by train or car from the centre of Paris. Much like the feeling we’d had in the north in the forêt domaniale de Montmorency, the French capital feels like a distant memory. Huge rock formations dominate the forest. After a short climb, the trail we have picked is able to test us with its drops and steep sections. But you can tell that it’s a location for all riders: cruise-y, smooth-flowing singletrack that’s taken to another level on an ebike. This forest is a maze of unofficially dug trails – without the help of locals (or even apps like komoot or Trailforks), we wouldn’t ride half as much good stuff as we do. (Fortunately, in the next chapter we supply you with some of the français trail lingo to get locals on your side to share the good stuff).

On the way back, we make a detour to Versailles. No bikes are allowed inside the grounds of this castle, but we can’t miss a stroll around the 63,000 square metre estate that was the royal residence of the French king Louis until the French Revolution that broke out in 1789.
The baroque building – more than half a kilometre on one side – is considered the pinnacle of palatial architecture in Europe and set the tone for the rest of the continent between the 17th and 19th centuries. We do a quick orbit of the Pièce d’eau des Suisses pond that’s 13 hectares in size and built in 1679 to supply water to the castle. These days it’s a popular spot for Versailles locals and we feel that we have had our fill of this verdant wealth and are ready for the greyness of the city once more.

PIt may not have long Alpine descents, but Paris is a do-it-all riding location. Dig deeper than the city of lights and you’ll find scenic spots all around the city that are awash with classic woodland trails that can suit all abilities – particularly those with pedal assist. Bring your best mates and an adventurous attitude and you’ll easily get the best out of this iconic city.

5. Escape Essentials – Cafés, bars, restaurants, dos and don’ts in Paris

Bike-Shops

Veloactif
Where? 39 avenue de Pierre Brossolette, 92120 Montrouge
Web veloactif.com

OVELO
Where? 24 Rue du Mistral, 91140 Villejust
Web ovelo.fr

Where to sleep

Expect long days and short nights, so seek out a little sanctuary to catch your breath and rest your aching feet. Check out this edit of Downtown-approved accommodation, where we’d happily order a glass of wine before light’s-out:

Hotel Amour Paris
Where? 8 Rue de Navarin, 75009 Paris
Web hotelamourparis.fr

Hoxton Paris
Where? 30-32 Rue du Sentier, 75002 Paris
Web thehoxton.com/paris/

Where to eat

Bouillon Julien
Where? 16 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010 Paris
Web bouillon-julien.com

Septime
Where? 80 Rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris
Web septime-charonne.fr

Saturne
Where? 153 Rue de Lourmel, 75015 Paris
Web restaurant-saturne.fr

Marché des Enfants Rouges
Where? 39, rue de bretagne, 75003 Paris

Perruche
Where? Printemps De L’Homme, 2 Rue du Havre 9ème étage, 75009 Paris
Web perruche-restaurant.com

Pink Mama
Where? 20bis Rue de Douai, 75009 Paris
Web bigmammagroup.com/en/trattorias/pink-mamma

Where to find the best wine

Septime Cave
Where? 3 Rue Basfroi, 75011 Paris
Web septime-lacave.fr

Le Dauphin
Where? 131 Ave Parmentier, 75011 Paris
Web restaurantledauphin.net

Servan
Where? 32 Rue Saint-Maur, 75011 Paris
Web leservan.com

Hotel Amour
Where? 8 Rue de Navarin, 75009 Paris
Web hotelamourparis.fr

Where to enjoy a cool beverage

Echo
Where? 95 rue d Aboukir, 75002 Paris
Web echo-paris.com

Hoxton Paris
Where? 30-32 Rue du Sentier, 75002 Paris
Web thehoxton.com/paris/

Café de Flore
Where? 172 Bd Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris
Web cafedeflore.fr

Dos

• Cruise the city by bike to tick off the tourist spots (it’s worth it)
• The forests you can see from the top of the Eiffel Tower? Go and ride your bike there – Fontainebleau is a must
• Street food at the Marché des Enfants Rouges
• Fall in love with the view of Paris from Montmartre/Sacré-Cœur
• The Louvre
• The Jardin de Tuileries and the Jardin du Luxembourg
• Fresh croissants, from literally anywhere
• A meal at Pavillon Puebla, day or night
• Wine and conversations at the bar of your choice
• Embrace street culture at a pavement café
• Revise your high school French before setting off

Dont´s

• Skip the tourist and traffic congested Champs-Élysées
• Leave your bike unattended
• Feed the birds
• Drive
• Ride without lights in low light conditions
• Expect to get by without any French (c’mon, at least merci)

French for beginners

Salut – Hi
Bonjour – Hello
Bonsoir – Good evening
Comment ça va? – How are you?
Ça va bien, merci. – I’m well, thanks
S’il vous plaît (form.) – Please
Merci beaucoup – Many thanks!
De rien – You’re welcome
Excusez-moi – Sorry
Vas-y, Allez-y – Go on
Oui – Yes
Non – No
Attention – Watch out
Au secours! – Help
Je ne parle pas (beaucoup de) français – I don’t speak (much) French
Savez vous où sont les trails? – Do you know where the trails are?
Pouvez vous m’emmener sur les trails? – Can you show me the trails?
L’addition s’il vous plait. – Can we have the bill please?
Un croissant et un café s’il vous plaît – One Croissant and a coffee, please
Une tournée s’il vous plaît – Another round, please

6. Escape faster – Our electro vehicles in detail

The Haibike AllMtn 12

We settled on the Haibike AllMtn 12 as the ideal rig for Fontainebleau’s jumps and the forêt domaniale de Montmorency’s sandy trails. The power of the Yamaha PW X2 motor with a 600 Wh battery is best described as extraordinaire, lending us the strength to muscle up the steepest ramps before dropping into the short, sharp, fast trails. On the downs, the 160 mm from the FOX 38 Factory fork and RockShox Super Deluxe Select rear shock gave us sufficient traction. Teamed with the high front end and formidably powerful Shimano XT four-piston brakes, less experienced riders will get a sense of confidence that even Louis XIV would be jealous of. Back in the city and off the trails, the Haibike AllMtn 12 cuts a fine figure on the fashion catwalk that is Paris. The full carbon frame, finished in a lush red with Haibike’s signature design language, had all eyes on it as we pedalled down the crowded Champs-Élysées.

The Haibike Trekking 10

With 6,100 roads that intersect 13,000 times, Paris is ripe for exploring. We selected the Haibike Trekking 10 for this role: thanks to Haibike’s typical rotated construction for the Bosch Performance Line CX motor, the 625 Wh sits low on the downtube, creating a notably lower centre of gravity for a more stable, cruise-y ride that lets you lean with speed into the corners. That laissez-faire attitude is topped up by the confidence of the 2.4″ Schwalbe Super MotoX tyres, while the 100 mm front suspension from the SR Suntour MOBIE45 fork smooths out the roughest cobbles in the city. When the sun sets, the striking Skybeamer front light is a welcome feature on the bike.

The Haibike Trekking 9

The petit frère of the Trekking 10, the Haibike Trekking 9 shares many of the same genes, including space for both the rotated Bosch Performance Line CX motor and 625 Wh battery in the downtube. This lends the bike that same balanced handling and fast-feeling character that lets it keep pace with the Haibike Trekking 10 as it winds through Paris’ narrow streets. Unlike the 10, the Trekking 9 doesn’t have the Kiox display and instead relies on a more basic Intuvia display. Extra comfort over the cobbles comes from the SR Suntour MOBIE25 fork with 100 mm travel and chunky 2.4″ Continental Contact Cruise tyres. Panic stopping for pedestrians is efficiently covered by the power of the Shimano MT410 two-piston brakes. A clean-looking bike, its bright red accents add a touch of chic.

Fancy a tour through Barcelona, Zurich, Vienna, Lisbon, Frankfurt or Berlin? You can find our previous E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escapes and lots of insider tips and insights into each of the cities we’ve visited here.

Der Beitrag E-MOUNTAINBIKE City Escape Paris – powered by Haibike erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

“Slay The Bay” is Hans Rey’s latest destination on his urban mountain bike adventure. He’s joined by freeride pioneer Brett Tippie on a 5-day traverse of the San Francisco Bay Area. On the first stage in Marin County, they ride the famous Repack Downhill with some of the original mountain bikers. Riding so-called klunkers, Gary Fisher and Tom Ritchey laid the foundation for today’s mountain bikes, welding frames and founding their own brands way back then. However, the last day of their journey brings them back to the present where they’re joined by current Junior Downhill World Champion Jackson Goldstone. On the remaining days, they ride some of the best trails in the area, exploring famous landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and the colourful neighbourhoods of the hip(pie) city on the west coast of the USA. Aboard their mountain bikes and ebikes, they explore the Bay Area’s culture, history and stunning natural landscape that surrounds the concrete jungle.

Shot in razor-sharp 4K resolution, this 32-minute adventure and travel documentary shows how far mountain biking has come. It looks back at its history by going to the origin, and it sees where things are now with some action from the youngsters who are shaping things to come. Sit back, grab some popcorn and a drink and let the footage speak for itself.

Der Beitrag Hans Rey and Brett Tippie – Two mountain bike veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

When Johanna, a former law school classmate, called to ask if she could have a go at this whole bikepacking thing with me, I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea. I mean, we couldn’t be much more different. Her: civil servant, lawyer, government councillor, and, honestly, pretty posh. Me: the freethinker who quit university to become an entrepreneur. While she does CrossFit and has the six-pack to prove it, I’m a hedonistic neo-hippy, for whom thoughts of pushing myself to hit power numbers on the bike couldn’t be further from my mind. Sure, we both ride for ‘fun’, but each with our own interpretation of the word. Despite only discovering road riding last year, Johanna already has a tidy 10,000+ km logged on Strava this year and knows precisely how to decipher all the data from each ride. And me? We’re talking less than 300 kilometres on the clock. I’m at my laziest ever, while she’s at her strongest.

The experiment: E as in equality?

The fact that she lives in pancake-flat Hamburg with barely any climbing in her legs and has never ridden a gravel bike doesn’t make things any better. The odds are, quite simply, stacked against me: I’ll never be able to keep up. Well, not unless I have some assistance. So, that was that. It was decided (mainly by me) that we’d switch assumed roles, refuting conventional gender stereotypes and do what makes complete sense in situations like these but hardly ever happens. Technologically we may have the world at our feet, but in our heads most of us still live in the Stone Age, living out the idea of the man as the hunter and her as the gatherer, of him being strong and her being weak. Bullsh*t. Why do we hold onto these stereotypes instead of accepting reality? It’s time to embrace emancipation and the freedom that comes from not living within a stereotypical norm!

I wait for Johanna to arrive before explaining my plan: I’ll be the one riding the Riese & Müller Homage, an off-road step-through eMTB that’s a strong representative of a new generation of modern electric trekking bikes with two integrated 625 Wh batteries, full suspension, capable off-road tires, front and rear racks and navigation courtesy of the Bosch Nyon computer. Is it a good match to ride alongside the Canyon Grizl gravel bike? Her with the legs, me with the motor. Me with fat tyres and more luggage than any gravel bike could ever hold, her with the minimal approach and super lightweight luggage. We’re probably onto a winning formula but only time will tell.

Who cares whether we call it gravel, touring, or bikepacking. What counts is the experience – the journey, having a good time, exploring and new encounters. It’s a personal choice whether you choose to ride with motorised support or not. When the gravel hype started bubbling, the fascination wasn’t tied to specific technical innovations but to the untethered spirit that you can interpret however the hell you like. And that’s exactly what we’ve decided to do: while she feels the lactic burn in her legs, I’ll get the luxury of powered progress and ample space in my bike bags.

“Because it’s nice”

Bike-touring is always a compromise: what can you take with you, how much weight can you handle, how much space do you have? When you’re packing your gravel bike, it’s not just every gram that counts but every millilitre of volume. Therefore, there are two arts to packing – the what and the how. Some people relish this pre-ride puzzle, others less so. As someone who loves nice things that usually don’t make the shortlist for a gravel bike equipment list, I resolutely fall into the second camp. If I can take a ceramic mug, wooden chopping board and proper crockery instead of having to make do with ultra-lightweight plastic or titanium bits and pieces that do little if anything to add to the culinary experience, then I will. I found room for them in our cargo bike-meets-vanlife trip, so I reason that a packhorse like the R&M Homage with front and rear racks can definitely handle them. And my sleeping bag? Unashamedly 10x more voluminous than Johanna’s anaemic-looking one.

A new generation of E-trekking bikes

Up until now, riding a trekking bike was considered uncool. These were bikes that were designed and equipped with little love, offering the bare minimum in terms of performance and functionality. Let us explain: poor suspension forks that offer little in terms of support or comfort. Skinny tires with minimal traction on rough gravel roads – good luck to you if you accidentally stray from the tarmac. No-name components mean brands can meet certain price points instead of ensuring optimum performance. Furthermore, there is their image. Gravel and trekking share the same spirit and mindset but brands market them completely differently: gravel is epic, trekking is conservative, middle class and for the older generation. But fitness and personal preferences on how you want to ride are not down to age groups but individual circumstances.

Despite life having been hard on E-trekking bikes in terms of image, they continue to be strong sellers, even more so now that the category has been electrified. But that’s also where things have gone so wrong for poor trekking bikes.

As electric bikes became a serious entity within cycling, the landscape changed drastically. It’s not simply the fact that bikes got motors (future! technology!) but how these creations are capable of things that go far beyond their conventional counterparts. Whether as an urban all-terrain rig, family-transporter, climb-crusher or substitute car, eMTBs broaden horizons and open up the world’s best sport to an unbelievable number of people. They then get to tap into the many, many benefits of cycling, including boasting about a better hobby, better health and better day-to-day life. In short: better quality of life.

But electric trekking bikes have found themselves on the losing side throughout most of this boom. While the eMTB managed to reimagine and greatly expand on the possibilities of mountain bikes, the concept of electric trekking bikes remained lumbered with historic expectations. That’s unfortunate because adding motor assistance changes the many essential parameters that have defined trekking bikes for decades. Where innovation and opportunities could have run rampant, the industry insisted on building and selling bikes that perform so-so on a long touring ride – that might be fine for some, but constitutes a major compromise, particularly when you consider that these bikes are anything but cheap. In most cases, trekking bikes haven’t even come close to living up to their potential. However, some brands, including Riese & Müller, have navigated the sea of potential and come up with considered solutions. And they’ve now been joined by a handful of other brands who are redefining the trekking and touring side of cycling. Just like us! Touring is, to state a fact, rad. As the least pretentious and most beautiful way to be a bike tourist, it’s a composite of gravel and bikepacking, but with straight bars. It’s the most egalitarian way to travel yet conversely, still the most stigmatised one by those in other segments who snobbishly look down on the meagre bike tourer. But times are changing. A new day for trekking bikes is dawning and fresh appreciation is growing, as you’ll discover in our groundbreaking trekking bike group test.

Just try it: Get your hybrid head on to get the most out of touring!

Modern technology is trying to convince us that human encounters are redundant. Instead of asking for directions, we google it. When looking for recommendations, we check online ratings. In most situations, you’ll reach for your phone or Garmin instead of waving someone down to ask for help or advice. But this eradicates human interaction, the beauty of the unknown, meeting new people, getting real local tips. Next time, be brave. Choose to interact with someone on the sidewalk instead of your smartphone. Punctured or lost? Prime opportunity for interaction offline. That’s exactly the approach we took and were rewarded with impromptu dinner invites, village fêtes, perfect camping spots (until the rain hit late at night), offers for accommodation, afternoon tea invites, and, probably the least wanted side effect, a lousy hangover or two. (You try turning down homemade schnapps – it’s not easy).

The art of honest encounters

There’s the old idiom that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover and unfortunately, there’s a conception held by many that luxury goods scream a lot about an individual – a marker of wealth, class, taste, but also beliefs, politics and more. That’s why status symbols need to be looked upon with maturity otherwise you risk only having superficial contact with people. As humans, we’re visual by nature and, at times, all of us are guilty of letting preconceptions get in the way of actually finding out more about the person standing opposite you. There are so many more materialist markers that we can read alongside body language. These aren’t always out of place or wrong, but they can act like a filter or, worst case, as a barrier preventing honest, human encounters.

There are no obvious status symbols at the centre of a sweaty bikepacking ride, laden down with luggage. This event is all about the journey and that’s what strangers are curious about, welcoming you to their village, part-fascinated, part-keen to be involved by offering help. As a rider travelling through their environment, you bring new stories and a new perspective to the lives of people you meet. You’ll only hear your voice in the woods by listening harder, not by shouting louder, so understand that local tips come from local people, so give them a smile, exchange some friendly words and who knows what invites might come your way.

Jumping to judgements < Listening or asking!

“Hey buddy, you rode the ebike and left the girl to fend for herself?” “Typical, she’s getting a ride in while you’ve been left with the luggage – good job you’ve got a motor, mate!” Goddamnit, whichever way it’s seen, there’s criticism. You can’t please everyone, especially not when they’ve got age-old notions imprinted in their minds that make them confident of knowing everything. It’s a judgement many have reached before they know the individual or the situation. So, slow down. Don’t judge us. Just like you choose to live like you do, we have chosen to ride this way for a reason, so why not ask us about it? Being wrapped up in a prescribed idea of gender roles and lifestyle choices is damaging to democracy and minorities, as well as to ourselves. It’s 2021, let’s think fluidly and be open to surprising encounters. If not, who knows what opportunities we’ll miss?

Trapped in gender stereotypes

As a male, you need to be the strong one, the doer, the practical one. Getting overtaken by a girl on a climb? “Jeez, no way!” is probably your first thought and the one you were brought up to believe. It’s a mindset instilled into society, reiterated by the media and even school textbooks. Often we are completely unaware that we’ve fallen into a set role and adopted a way of being or acting in certain situations. It’s not right though: we set ourselves boundaries that restrict our freedom to live life how we want.

As the ride goes on, we continue to clash with convention, village after village and it’s not just because we’ve upset the norm with the male on a step-through ebike. And even when it’s observed that Johanna is on the Canyon gravel bike, I’m the one that people direct their questions to about said bike. Obviously, Johanna, simply by virtue of being a woman, doesn’t have a clue about tire pressure or compliance, right?

We react though. We answer directly. We don’t ignore the assumption or let it fly by unaddressed. If technology can advance as quickly as it does, can’t human attitudes do the same?

It’s going to take self-emancipation to reach equality. Because if we can’t be responsible for ourselves, then who will be? It’s not enough to know that we shouldn’t feel obliged to squeeze into a stereotype, like being the strong, emotions-on-ice male, or the submissive, makeup-wearing woman who has to look her best at all times. We need to take it further by doing whatever the hell we want and throwing social convention out of the water. That, my friends, is what makes a role model fit for our times.

Does the trekking ebike and gravel bike union work?

While the trekking ebike and gravel bike union hasn’t changed our reasons for riding (performance vs pleasure), it did create a harmonious pairing for the purposes of this ride. Excluding the flat sections when Johanna on her gravel bike could drop me with ease, it was a winning pairing and we both got what we wanted out of our time in the saddle, and then some. Given the different effort levels, we both perceived the environment we passed through in different ways and that’s a beautiful thing to be aware of.

Conclusion:

Travelling changes you, every single time you go out. But especially this journey, where we broke down so many stereotypes and learned that regardless of whether you’re gravel riding, bikepacking or bike touring, with or without motor assistance, every ounce of technological innovation requires attitudes to undergo the same shift and vice versa. Lift your head from your phone and you’ll learn that adventures, encounters and interactions await behind every corner. Life is flipping glorious in its diversity – celebrate it, let it in. Ultimately, we all crave the same thing: good times, movement and a chance to create unforgettable memories.

Tips:

• Plan less, embrace spontaneity!
• Pack what makes you happy. The feel-good factor is a valid reason for an item to go in your bag.
• Your trip, your pace. If you find a nice location, why hurry away?
• „They say “Less is more,” but Johanna’s decision to pack just one jersey was overambitious. Good job we’re not the sort to shy away from interaction with hotel staff – can we wash and dry our kit? Sure thing. Fresh kit on the daily!
• You can’t put a price on a good rain jacket.
• Take cash – vending machines aren’t always credit card compatible.
• Set off and go wild over the next climb. Behind the next chicken coop, there’s an adventure waiting.
• Bad weather or weary legs are a solid conversation starter and who knows where they’ll lead.
• Those who ride with an open heart will be met with open arms. Don’t gorge on kilometres but savour them. Take time to digest and look around you.
• You can never greet too many people (but you can greet too few).
• Don’t forget your navigation: We followed our ride relying on a beautiful mix of Komoot, bike path signs, roadside advice, and route recommendations courtesy of the Bosch Nyon computer. Lessons: Komoot enjoys sending you on the less-trodden, sometimes gnarly off-piste route, while Bosch prefers the popular bike routes.

Der Beitrag The experiment: is there any difference between trekking and gravel? erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

What could be better than exploring the world on two wheels? The wind in your hair, scenic landscapes and winding bike paths under your wheels. The journey is just as important as the destination and delivers new experiences, interesting encounters and culinary highlights. Regardless of whether it’s a day trip, overnight stay in a tent (keyword overnighter!) or a bike tour with stops in a bed & breakfast or 4-star hotel, they all have their place! So, all good then? Unfortunately, not. The trekking sector has evolved greatly over the past few years but, in many cases, trekking bikes have not! The truth of the matter is that trekking bikes used to be regarded as the losers amongst bikes. In most cases, they featured little attention to detail or functionality, simply doing the bare minimum they could get away with. More often than not, they were fitted with terrible, short-travel forks that usually didn’t work properly, skinny tires, weak brakes and cheap, no-name components. Added to this was the way magazines and brands often portrayed them. At best, the images looked like scenes from Heidi with badly lit faces and fake smiles. Plain, no style and boring. The trekking bike never had it easy when it comes to image. Nevertheless, they remain a cash cow for many brands, especially since the electrification of this category began.

A lot has changed with the electrification of bicycles. Not only was the eMTB invented, but it also opened up new use cases that go far beyond those of a classic mountain bike. Whether as a vehicle for the whole family, urban SUV ebike, uphill flow rocket or car replacement, eMTBs don’t just allow you to ride further but also broaden your horizons. It’s no wonder they’re attracting an incredible number of newcomers to the world’s best hobby.

Countless people have significantly improved their leisure time, health, day to day and quality of life with eMTBs. On the other hand, the E-trekking bike was once again the loser, despite having just as much potential for innovation and new possibilities. Instead, brands have produced and sold bikes that do the job on bike trips and tours but are little more than a poor compromise in terms of sex appeal, quality and functionality. Even if E-trekking bikes and their specced components may meet the required safety standards, there are much better, similarly priced alternatives that are significantly more capable and higher quality! This is especially annoying for consumers who could get substantially more for the same money. Unfortunately, this is still often the case. ​​Trekking bikes like the new Specialized Tero might be technically advanced but they still don’t live up to the potential and current possibilities of this category. Instead, they’re modern interpretations of an outdated concept.

Fortunately, the likes of Riese & Müller recognised the potential early on and set about finding pragmatic solutions, even if they go outside of the box. Now, a handful of brands have come forward with the intention to rethink and redefine the trekking segment. And it’s our intention too! Because trekking is fantastic and can be damn cool. It’s the most relaxed and beautiful kind of two-wheeled travel. Ultimately, it’s also a kind of gravel riding and bikepacking, both of which are booming, though with flat bars and varying frame shapes. Trekking is the laissez-faire of the bike world where everything goes but nothing is compulsory. Free. Individual. Suitable for the masses. And you can start from any doorstep!

Gravel and trekking share the same mindset, the same spirit – cycling off the beaten track in moderate off-road terrain with the goal of having great experiences!”

By definition, modern trekking bikes are the all-rounders among ebikes. They bridge the gap between urban ebikes, sporty gravel bikes and eMTBs, covering a wide range of uses in that vast undefined middleground. From pleasure cruises on vacation to weekend trips with the family, travelling with luggage, commuting and moderate off-road excursions, they’ll turn their hand to anything. The uses and potential of this new generation of trekking bikes are enormous! For us, that’s reason enough to devote ourselves to the topic and provide you with in-depth tests, groundbreaking stories and the best know-how around. We recommend looking at the different concepts and getting clued up – you’ll quickly notice that it makes sense to stop thinking in traditional bike categories if you want to find the best bike for you or your friends and loved ones. Our trekking bike group test will tell you what to consider when looking for the right trekking bike for you, which products are useful and which we can’t recommend! Nothing is more annoying than investing your hard-earned money or your precious free time in the wrong bike!

If bike brands want to retain the raison d’etre and realise the potential of their trekking bikes, they will have to take inspiration from current gravel and eMTB trends and invest heavily in their development. With this in mind, let the following articles inspire you and help redefine the trekking segment. Meanwhile, we’re cruising into the sunset aboard our E-trekking bikes, with 20 kg luggage, best friends and family in tow. We’ll save a spot for you by the campfire.

Between urban ebikes, sporty gravel bikes and eMTBs, there is a large, undefined spectrum of use cases that a new generation of trekking bikes can cover. We have compiled some groundbreaking tests, stories and inspiration for the new trekking generation below:

Der Beitrag The trekking revolution – How the gravel and eMTB trends are changing the trekking bike erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.

The FOR YOU CARD is not just good for you and your wallet, but also for the entire region! It is meant to strengthen the community and ensure that we as mountain bikers can give back to the region and the local trail builders without actively getting involved. The operators have partnered with Fabien Barel to produce a video that showcases not just the finest Ligurian trails but also how the card works.

The FOR YOU CARD costs as little as € 10 for one year, which covers the administrative costs. From then on, you simply present it every time you shop in the region, dine out, stay in a hotel or buy a round of drinks for your biking buddies. For each transaction, participating vendors will donate a small percentage of your bill to the local trail maintenance association. In return, you get discounts, a trail map and most importantly, well-maintained trails, drops and berms! If you’ve already booked your next holiday in Finale Ligure, include the FOR YOU CARD and you can shred the trails without a guilty conscience.

The fact that Finale Ligure and other biker regions have such a well-maintained trail network gets taken for granted all too often. Very few mountain bikers actually see the work that goes into it. Of course, you don’t want to grab a shovel and work on the trail yourself while on holiday. However, supporting them has become a whole lot easier with the FOR YOU CARD, ensuring that the local clubs have enough resources to keep the trails in pristine shape. No dig, no ride could soon become “no FOR YOU CARD, no ride”. So don’t just support your local trail community but all the trails you ride!

For more info, visit finaleoutdoor.com or Instagram

Der Beitrag The new Finale Ligure FOR YOU CARD – Well-maintained trails and great discounts erschien zuerst auf E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine.