First time riding Bike Kingdom yesterday. Have been to the DH and XC there the last few years so it was strange to be there without all the usual bike circus and stuff.

What an excellent day was had. Parked for free in Chur then followed the Red 616 and extended this with a trip and ride off the Rothorn. Total 65k and 4400m up and down to Chur.

It’s well organised, everything works, simple to get around, the app for it is full of info and for those of us that enjoy a bit of space, it wasn’t so busy that DH riders were pushing people down trails.

Yeah, it’s Switzerland and a bit spendy but well worth it as a treat and multi-day tickets help a bit. There is also a Bike Kingdom Train offer which runs from Zurich and is a return including lift ticket and breakfast.

Motorhomes/vans can camp at the Fadail Stellplatz, minutes from Heidisee, close to a supermarket and a well specced bikeshop.
https://arosalenzerheide.swiss/de/Buchen-Tickets/Unterkuenfte/Stellplatz-Fadail-Parkplatz_ad-7080065

Brilliant big mountain day out, fantastic views, excellent trails and Alms and restaurants in all the right places.

Brilliant Rick, nice one!

I’ve done 616 pre-covid before we left CH, desperate to get back and get into it again. Worlds best riding.

Although we started/finished in Lenzerheide, which was stupid 🤦‍♂️

Kebab in Chur at half time proved that whilst delicious, sadly really did not provide appropriate nutrition!

we are there in two weeks for two weeks with the family (we all ride).

Any tips appreciated..

Why do you say

Although we started/finished in Lenzerheide, which was stupid 🤦‍♂️

Is it the sort of place for a weeks riding ? or just a day or two ?

I’ve only seen this place on Youtube but it looks like a mint place to ride. I think it’ll be next year at the earliest for us though.

What I really need is a new set of mates who didn’t quit riding during Covid so we can jump in the van and check these places out.

Although we started/finished in Lenzerheide, which was stupid

@bfw I’m guessing as Big Scott Nanny lived in Basel (I think), travelling there for a day would mean going to Chur and hauling all the way uphill to Lenzerheide. Then driving all the way down the hill again to get to the motorway. Chur is literally 5mins off the highway and the Kanzeli lift has free parking which is probably unique for Switzerland.

Also, BSN may have more tips to share than me…

Tips:
Get the app. Its got all the routes on it. Also, get a Keycard or better for a longer time, check out a Graubunden Bike pass
https://www.graubuenden.ch/en/graubuendenpass

Chur is the lowest point of this round so it doesn’t make a lot of sense to go up to L to drive back down.

@weeksy I would say so. Some of the longer loops are full days out. Chur – Lenzerheide – Arosa for instance.

I had a week based in Lenzerheide with MrsReady 6 weeks ago – and I highly recommend it! It’s a beautiful place, with an excellent trail network. We also visited the 2 bike parks (Bike Kindom and Alpenbikepark) which gives me an excuse to post this pic.. 😎

The only slight issue was that we went a week to early and the higher trails weren’t open yet, but there was still plenty to ride – and gives me an excuse to go back again!

Check out Trail Tracker on YouTube for some Graubunden videos

we will ride for a couple days, and then go and do something different.

They are both 11, son #2 is very brave, strong and capable rider. I have to ride like I stole it to keep up and I am no slouch. Wife is strong rider, son #1 is good but less keen.

We will mix it up.

Trying to figure out how I can get four mtb’s and a few racebikes packed??

btw and rick – yes, that’s correct, I idiotically drove all the way up to Lenzerheide, coz, you know, we were riding Lenzerheide.

Trying to figure out how I can get four mtb’s and a few racebikes packed??

These situations with us always end up with purchase/borrow of new roofbars/boxes/racks etc! quite often on the actual day of travel. Thank goodness for friends and Halfords 🙂

@ready – **** that, you beast!

@bfw there is way more than you need from Lenzerheide, as rick says.

https://www.bikekingdom.ch/en/Tours-and-Trails/Bike-Tours-Map download the GPX files and have at it! Anything blue will be fine for all, red should mostly be OK. Blacks start getting into mandatory-endo switchback and terrifying exposure territory (really above my pay grade). If you want something extra, can strongly recommend the Alps epic trail from Davos. Get the bus to Davos, Up the Jacobshorn, then all the way to Albula and a short bus journey back to Lenzerheide.

So jealous, it’s all amaze-balls

edit: rick is also correct that the app looks good (though I’ve not had the pleasure yet): https://www.bikekingdom.ch/en/Bike-Kingdom-App

Right off to Lenzeheide tomorrow for two weeks.

Any tips out there for a family of four, inc wifey and two 11 year old boys. We are defo blue’s at BPW for example. We are staying a few k’s outside Lenzerheide.

What trails should we do? What is the cheapest way of getting about with the bikes? We would do a couple days of riding and then go and do something else for the next few days, so maybe six or eight actual days riding in total through the two weeks.

Any advice would be much appreciated. We have the app btw

Bfw, I haven’t been there as much as Big Scott Nanny but if this helps,
PostAuto busses are great for bikes and have racks on the back. Swiss Trains are also bike friendly.There is a bus back from Chur that takes bikes if you do go Arosa and Chur.

Lift tickets: multi-day is cheaper and check the Graubunden Pass too.
There are two sides to the area, Rothorn and Scalottas. I’m not sure that there is a pass that covers both but check. Lift stations are English friendly. The 616 from Scalottas to Hiedbuel is ba great route but remember walkerists have priority and there are a lot of them.

Off the Rothorn, the Dark Side of The Moon trail is great, rocky and bumpy but flowy. I saw some young kids on it and they were fine. Give Great White a miss but go for Twister and the traverse back to Sharon, its also good and not too hard.

Davos isn’t so far away if you have a car or, again, post auto and it has great riding for all levels too.

Not much more to add to Rick’s comments, spot on. You are asking great questions, bfw, and it’s great you are there for a decent length of time, that’ll help you ease into how things work, then you’ll relax more.

The tourist info office will be extremely helpful with guides on travel, tickers etc, and local shops will give you a better guide as to current trail conditions and where to take the kids.

Getting around really is very easy with bikes, nothing like the UK, usually plenty of space in all trains and on the busses. Just takes a bit to figure out how to all works.

Ticket to ride 616 is great fun, I don’t remember there being too much on it that is not do-able for confident kids, but then I’ve never ridden it with my ‘Dad’ head on, which does change perspective!

Maybe a great start would be a big tour day out, something like https://www.bikekingdom.ch/en/Tours-and-Trails/Biketicket-2-Ride#filter=r-fullyTranslatedLangus-,r-onlyOpened-,sb-sortedBy-0&ipd=2805733&zc=15,9.55699,46.73365

That would be super fun, lots of restaurants and cafes, but all easily rideable just to get into things.

Rick is bang on with the bike park trail recommendations.

If you are heading over to Davos as well (recommended), Alps Epic should be mostly do-able and is a pretty good day out, but I am fairly sure that the panorama trails from the Parsenn side might be even more consistent and family friendly.

Have fun!

It’s well organised, everything works

#switzerland

Re Davis there is a thread on here and it’s mentioning that the upper part of the Jakobshorn is out for maintenance and that does affect the Alps Epic mentioned.

Just got back from a fortnight with my wife and two 11 years olds, we all mtb to differing levels.

Bloody loved our two weeks there. We mixed up riding and hiking and other family fun.

Our accommodation was lovely. We went to Italy, swam in Lake Como, Liechtenstein and Austria.

People were lovely the place is spotless and came back lighter in weight and wallet. Yes it is mega expensive, but were happy to eat in and take pack lunches some days.

Dark side of the moon and the hike/bike across to Arosa was my favourite.

Thanks for all your advice here.

Following your lead bfw, rather than the usual Passportes du Soleil extended weekender, this year the nanny family and friends (26 of us! 12 riders) will spread time between Davos and Lenzerheide for 10 days.

It was my push to get the group NOT to go to Morzine for the first time in 14 years, half of them are based in CH anyway so the eye watering prices are at least familiar.

Now that I am living back in Scotland, haven’t had a jaunt to Graunbunden since 2019 due to covid. Super excited!