Mountain biking

Bikepark Planai to Kick off New Bike Season with New Trails

Welcome to the bike season 2015! Winter is over and the preparations for an action-filled bikepark summer on the Planai are running at full speed. On May 23rd, 2015, the Bikepark Planai is going to kick off the new season. This year a new, 11 diverse and creative trails spread over an altitude of 1.000 meters are waiting to be conquered. No matter if you are a newcomer, flow-addict or a racer – every biker gets his share of mountain fun here. Next to the daily operation, there will also be several event highlights held in the Bikepark Planai. First and foremost, the legendary Gravity Games are back, taking place from June 19th – 21st, 2015, again hosting an iXS European Downhill Cup race. Moreover, every rider can get his own action shot at the “Shot in Thrill” public photo shooting series – this year with on-site poster service by Lines-Mag! So get ready – this bike summer is going to be off the hook!

18. 5. 2015

Bikepark Planai Opening on May 23rd, 2015

Here we go again! By May 23rd, you really should have dug up your bike from the basement and go find your way to the Planai. This year again a versatile and challenging trail-setup will be waiting for you. The entrance of the Bikepark is located at 1.830 meters ASL and can be easily accessed via the Planai gondola. From there you can get your freak out on 12km of trails (check them here) which send you down on varying difficulty levels. So what's in store this year? Check it out:

Rookie Trail (top station): offers tight bends and low gradients. It is also the ideal terrain for beginners.NEW: This season, the Rookie Trail goes all the way to the mid-station in a new line and without interception.

Biker Cross (final slope): delicately shaped jumps, rollers and banked runs.

Flowline (starting at the mid station): a graveled slope with numerous easy obstacles. These include tables, small step-ups and step-downs.

Jack Lumber Trail: Jack Lumber is the first North shore trail in the Bikepark and goes along off-camber sections, steep slopes and narrow and technical curves through the forest. Roots bloody roots… here you reconnect with the original form of mountain biking!

Dirtpark: here you can show your style and enjoy sick airtime on 6 different jumps. With its various tables, the Dirtpark offers both beginners and pros the chance to enhance their riding.

Downhill trackPro: Austria’s longest downhill track on the Planai is a true legend. It starts at 1.830 meters ASL and can be accessed via the Planai gondola. From there, you can ride down through beautiful natural surroundings; pass the reservoir lake till you finally reach the mid station at 1.325m ASL, where you are provided with a washing station and the basic tools.

Downhill track Worldcup: Top to bottom – here you can ride on the trail of Gee Atherton, Sam Hill and Lapierre rider Loic Bruni, who all have been able to win a World Cup race on the Planai. A very technical trail - nothing for the faint-hearted.

Downhill Advanced: The downhill advanced track was built along the world cup downhill ride and is an excellent way of bypassing the difficult passages.

In addition to trails and tracks, next to the Dirtpark, there is the Kiddy Superpark, a park designed or kids and beginners alike. The next place to get fully exhausted after a couple of downhill rides before you switch into chill mode might be a pumptrack that will help you to improve your technique lap by lap before you know it. The season will be on from May 23rd till October 4th, 2015.

The Alpreif Bikecenter

You don’t have a bike or the right safety equipment? Don’t worry – the Alpreif Bikecenterin the finishing area provides bikers with all their necessities and also serves as a guiding point that offers assistance and support. This season, you can even test the latest protector models by Alpine Stars. And if something should get damaged, there’s no need to worry either. At the Dämpferklinik Suspension Center you can get all sorts of repairs and services done for spring elements of all kinds. You can find all info on the current opening hours and prices HERE.

Upcoming Events in da House

Gravity Games

Expect pure action, when the international bike elite gathers again for the annual Gravity Games in the Bikepark Planaifrom June 19th-21st, 2015. Along with hosting an iXS European Downhill Cup race in the legendary Schladming arena, the Gravity Games also offer a broad range of side events, such as the Austrian Whip-Offs or the Planai Pump Masters. The sportive schedule will be additionally enriched by a barbeque session and a DJ and party program in the Hohenhaus Tenne in Schladming.

Shot in Thrill

On July 11th and August 22nd, 2015, professional photographers from LINES Magazine will be running the tracks to get your shot at the “Shot in Thrill” public photo shooting. You can then get your shot directly at the LINES booth in the finishing area. Additionally, an exclusive poster service is at your disposal, where you can directly print your shot of the day and take it home with you. To top it all off, the winning shots will also be published in the next LINES Magazine issue.

Planai Video Battles 2015

On the weekend of August 21st till 23rd 2015, the "Planai Video Battle", the first video competition in Bikepark Planai, is going to take place. All participating crews are challenged to collect their footage for one weekend and only along the trails of the Bikepark Planai, and to present their cut to the jury. The top 3 crews will then be facing off in an online voting and will be screened at the prize giving ceremony on a big screen in Schladming. The prize money includes one week in Bali (all-in), Troy Lee D3 helmet or GoPro Hero 4 Black Edition. Stay tuned for more!