TWO WHEELING THROUGH SAALFELDEN LEOGANG
Saalfelden Leogang is the ideal place for your biking vacation, does not matter whether you are a downhill professional, a gravel biker, a pleasure biker, or a e-biker. Here you find the ideal trail for every disciple and for every age. In the region full of contrasts in the middle of the Alps, there is the right trail for every bike fan. Countless long and short trails lead you through the beautiful landscape. Or you can visit the Epic Bikepark in Leogang. It is one of the best-known bike parks in Europe and offers diverse trails and lines for rookies as well as for professionals. You can discover nine cable cars and seven different mountains with just one bike ticket.
Bike season 2022: a lot of diversity for every bike fan
As there are seven mountains, nine cable cars and over 80 kilometers of lines and trails, Saalfelden Leogang together with Saalbach Hinterglemm and Fieberbrunn belong to the biggest bike region in Austria. In the last year, more than half a million of euros have been invested in the extension of the bike offers in Saalfelden Leogang. “As a region full of contrasts and diversity, we do not only want to appeal to professional bikers, but also want to inspire beginners of all ages to discover our region on their bikes,” says Marco Pointner, head of Saalfelden Leogang Tourism.
This year, the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain bike World Cup and the BIKE Festival in the Epic Bikepark in Leogang take place. The Epic Bikepark is the ideal place for bike fans. It is considered the most renowned bike park in Europe with its Riders Playground – a 10.000 m2 big practicing area, a GoPro Bagjump Landingbag and numerous lines and trails.
If you like to discover the region of Saalfelden Leogang with your bike, you can rent an e-bike to enjoy the beautiful landscape or visit the local farmer’s shops, where you can buy yourself homemade delicacies from the Pinzgau region to take home.
Saalfelden Leogang belongs to the biggest bike region in Austria
Since 2020, Saalfelden Leogang together with Saalbach Hinterglemm and Fieberbrunn belong to the biggest bike region in Austria. Here, bike fans can discover more than 80 kilometers of lines and trails and can ascent with nine cable cars on seven different mountains. The lines and trails are easily reachable with the cable cars. The trails are open from the 26th of May until the 16th of October. The diverse trails and lines, which offer various levels of difficulty from easy, short and difficult, are suitable for beginners, advanced bikers as well as for professionals.
Also, for gravel bikers, the region Saalfelden Leogang is a special experience. Whether touring, fast offroad laps on gravel roads and forest roads or just a relaxing bike round: Around Saalbach Hinterglemm, Saalfelden Leogang and Fieberbrunn, there is an alpine tour system with numerous adventures for gravel bikers.
„THE CHALLENGE – Bike your limit “: discover Austria’s biggest bike region on one day
„THE CHALLENGE – Bike your limit” is a new challenge, which can be accomplished from the 3rd of June until the 3rd of October 2022. At just one day, with the same ticket, you can explore the biggest bike region of Austria. This includes the entire area around Saalbach Hinterglemm, Saalfelden Leogang and Fieberbrunn. Ambitious bikers, who manage to accomplish the challenge, get the legendary The Challenge Badge, a cool water bottle and are automatically registered for the vacation prize draw.
Sustainable trail building and the secret tip gravel biking
The range of bike offers in Saalfelden Leogang is diverse. In addition to the diverse lines and trails, sustainable trail building is an important aspect. Since last year, there is the so-called Knappentrail, a natural single trail, which has just been build with natural materials and without any heavy devices. Along the trail, you find several natural passages, wooden constructions – so called “North Shores” and numerous entertaining elements. Moreover, there are three popular single trails, which complete the huge system of trails and lines of the bike region. The two-kilometer Forsthof Trail crosses several streams and leads past high cliffs. The 1.8-kilometer Schwarzleo Trail runs through a picturesque mixed forest and has North Shore elements in addition to technical hairpin turns and flowy sections. The natural Matzalm Trail is 3,5 kilometers long and is characterized by partly narrow hairpin bends as well as root and rock passages.
Epic Bikepark Leogang: attractive lines and trails, Bagjump Landingbag and Worldchamps Pumptrack
The Epic Bikepark Leogang exists for more than 20 years now. It is the most renowned bike park in Europe and the ideal place for bike fans of all levels of difficulty. The bike park is open from the 7th of May until the 6th of November. Beginners of every age, best train at the Riders Playground, which is located at the valley station of the Asitzbahn cable car. As the Rider’s Playground is 10.000 m2 big, you can really let steam off here. It is ideal for beginners and for children, as they can learn the right technique, how to manage curves and how to manage small obstacles, before they explore the more demanding lines and trails in the bikepark. In addition to that, there are two conveyor belts in the Rider’s Playground, which are 45 and 66 meters long and which make it possible to have an easier access to the adventurous mountain bike trails. If you are already a little bit experienced in mountain biking, you can take the T-bar lift Riederfeld, which is about 500 meters long to the starting point of the Greenhorn Trail – a 800 meters long freeride trail.
For advanced bikers, there is the natural downhill trail, called Valis Hölle. The demanding trail was named after the local downhill hero Vali Höll, and it was already used for the World Chamionship and World Cup.
On the paved Woldchamps Pumptrack, you optimize the interaction of arms and legs and gradually gain routine with the bike. The GoPro Bagjump Landingbag, an air cushion that ensures an even safer landing after an action-packed bike jump, offers experienced bikers in particular the opportunity to learn new tricks and get a better feel with the bike in the air. In addition to that, there is the Hot Shots-fired by GoPro, a fun jump line with lots of airtime and numerous other lines.
„Keep the Epic Bikepark clean “: more environmental awareness and sustainability on the trails
Pure biking enjoyment naturally also includes respectful treatment of nature. At Bikepark Leogang, the motto is "Keep the Epic Bikepark clean". Tear-off systems harm the environment and nature and are therefore not allowed. This refers to tear-off foils that remove the top, dirty layer from the lens of the goggles. At rainy days, there is a replacement film for a roll-off system and a 20% voucher at Sport Mitterer for 100% roll-off goggles as a goodie when you buy a ticket.
Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountainbike Worldcup and BIKE Festival
The Bikepark Leogang has been hosting Downhill World Cups for over 10 years and this summer, Austria's largest biking region will once again host a variety of exciting events. From June 10th to 12th, 2022, the Mountain Bike World Cup will once again make a stop in Saalfelden Leogang. Here the world's best athletes will compete in the disciplines Cross-Country Olympic, Short Track and Downhill. From September 16th to 18th, 2022, visitors to the BIKE Festival in Saalfelden Leogang can learn about the latest innovations in the bike scene and test the latest bikes, including the bike equipment. In addition to that there is also a varied workshop and touring program with the stars of the scene. The access is free of charge.
E-bike pleasure tour: plenty of fun and interessting stops with regional delicacies
E-bikes have experienced a real boom in recent years. Around 140-kilometer-long bike tours can be made with a full battery - even uphill and on extreme inclines.
In Saalfelden Leogang there are numerous routes that invite you on an extended e-bike tour. If your bike should ever run out of power, you can recharge your batteries during a break at one of the numerous e-bike filling stations, in partner hotels, at sports stores and even at some mountain huts.
Of course, e-biking should always be fun and a way to relax. This is guaranteed on an e-bike pleasure tour. The route starts at the valley station of the Asitzbahn cable car in Leogang and leads along the bike path through the center of the village of Leogang and the city of Saalfelden, via Breitenbergham and Uttenhofen back to Leogang. The route is well suited for both e-bike professionals and beginners. During the 2.5-hour ride, make sure to stop at one of the numerous farmer’s shops. For example, there's a farmer’s shop in a former horse stable, which has been converted to a lovely shop, a self-pickup station for organic vegetables, and a distillery, where you can also buy gin and vodka. To refresh yourself, it's best to jump into the lake Ritzensee in Saalfelden.
Action-packed racing bike tours in Saalfelden Leogang and to the summit Großglockner
In Austria’s biggest biking region, there is a suitable trail or path for every racing bike fan: tours full of thrilling curves, plenty of fun and the best thing is the amazing view of the mountains of the Salzburg region. An extraordinary bike adventure is the tour to the summit Großglockner. It is 3.798 meters high and the highest mountain of Austria. Racing cyclists master 80 kilometers and have 2,035 meters of elevation gain on this route and arrive at the Kaiser Franz-Josef-Höhe. At this point you are rewarded with a breathtaking panorama of the legendary king of the high Alps.
A new bike school and comfortable bike rental for the perfect biking day
For those who want to improve their biking technique, you should definitely visit the right biking guide in the bike schools of the region. In addition to the bike school Elements, there is this year also a new bike school called Le Guide, which offers experienced mountain bike guides, in Leogang.
In the sports shops Sport Mitterer, Sport 2000 Simon, Bikepalast Saalfelden and Bikepoint you find all the equipment you need, bikes and safety clothing – of course you can rent all those things.
High-quality bike hotels for a well-prepared bike trip
In the region full of contrasts, in the middle of the Alps, you can combine an action-packed bike vacation with bike friendly accommodations. Saalfelden Leogang offers guests specialized bike hotels with a good service and all about biking. Included are lockable bicycle cellars, tools, which you can borrow or, for example, a laundry service for dirty cycling clothing.
Many hotel bosses are bike enthusiasts as well, so they can give you the best tips for a bike trip or even go biking with their guests. When in Saalfelden Leogang for a biking vacation, you can choose from a wide range of bike hotels: hotel Bacher, Lebe Frei Hotel Der Löwe, mama thresl, Good Life Resort Riederalm, Ritzenhof – hotel and spa at the lake, organic hotel Rupertus, hotel Salzburgerhof, hotel Stockkinggut, Puradies and the hotel Krallerhof – they are all perfectly suited for a bike vacation in the region.