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runs being developed all the time. There are the aforementioned world famous downhills at Fort William, and a 3km fire road climb and its myriad obstacles, including huge drop-offs, boulder fields, rock slabs and stone staircases, with the nefarious names of sections – Two Ton Drop and Surgeon’s Slab – giving you an idea of the difficulty involved. Whether you’re seriously into your mountain biking or just want to try it out for the first time in a user-friendly environment – and enjoy some epic scenery while you’re at it – forget about jetting off to Europe or Canada and take part in the world class mountain biking on your doorstep. There’s a wealth of biking centres in Scotland to choose from, as well as endless opportunities for going out on a bike on your own and losing yourself in the wilds.
HATS THE WAY
SCOTLAND
Glasgow EDINBURGH Peebles Glentress
ON YOUR BIKE
ENGLAND
NEXT WEEK: MOROCCO Sand and surf in desert country
CYCLE EUROPE: MORE ROUTES TO TRY ENGLAND Almost £1 million has been invested to bring the Dalby Forest visitor centre up to scratch and improve mountain biking facilities in this gorgeous woodland forest in Yorkshire. Purple Mountain is what a biking centre should be. There is a wide choice of routes, from beginner greens and blues, to more technical red runs and, for adrenaline junkies, crazy black runs. As well as hiring bikes the centre also has a bike shop, with all the kit you could ever require, and a café stocked with the needs of hungry bikers in mind. » See purplemountain.co.uk.
of rides available and plenty of lifts, gondolas and the tempting Afterbike Pub. » See hafjell.no.
SLOVENIA
GERMANY
With some of the most spectacular mountains in Europe, Slovenia is perfectly set up for biking. The Mountain Bike Park at Crna na Koroskem was set up in 1995 and boasts a dozen fairly wild trails, with GPS on hand to keep you on the right track. Many trails link into longer adventures, and they have a hotel, bike hire, bike wash and repair shop on site. » See mtbpark.com.
The Black Forest is home to Bikepark Bad Wildbad, which hosts the German Downhill Championship. They are well set up with coaching, a bike shop, mountain railways and cable cars on hand. There are eight trails on the site, ranging from easy to difficult. » See bikepark-bad-wildbad.de.
FRANCE The mountain biking oasis of Les Gets Bike Park is set in some stunning French Alpine scenery. As well as lessons, bike repair and bike washing, there are a whopping 650km of trails to explore in the region, with ski lifts handy for getting up the tough ascents and letting you enjoy the downhills more. » See paradisvtt.fr.
TAKE A BRAKE On the brake front, forget brakes that you normally get on road bikes and opt for disc brakes instead. They offer a lot more control and you don’t have piles of wires getting in the way. As with a lot of mountain biking gear, once you have tried them out you won’t go back to the cheaper options.
WEAR AND TEAR When it comes to what to wear most riders won’t need body armour for the easier trails, but it does offer protection and is essential on the serious black downhills – some centres won’t allow you on without it. Otherwise a light, breathable base layer is essential, and waterproofs are always handy in the UK.
NORWAY
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When it comes to a bike the choice is either hardtail or dual-suspension. Hard tail bikes, with only front suspension, are fine for most trails, but on tough reds and blacks, as well as skill tricks, dual-suspension bikes come into their own. Prices range from a few hundred pounds to thousands, so hiring is a good option if you won’t be doing much cycling afterwards. It is also essential to get a frame that fits your body size. Go to a specialist shop so they can help you out.
Mountainous Norway is an awesome biking destination, and at Hafjell Bike Park they have shown how mountain biking can make up for a decline in ski business. Mountain biking is really emerging here, with decent facilities, a range Germany’s Bikepark Bad Wildbad
tntonline.co.uk
TRAVEL
Fort William
Some bikers joke that a good helmet is even more essential than a bike. Always get one that fits properly and is made specifically for mountain biking. Even after a small impact that shows no visible signs of damage, you should still get your helmet checked out.
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