Switzerland trip

[singlesline]

I have an opportunity to go to Switzerland in September. Not a bike trip, but I'll be able to step away for a day at least.

Plan is to either stay in Zermatt or Grindelwald/Bernese Oberland.

Should I push for one over the other? From my cursory review, the Bernese Oberlands look like they have more variety in activities and have more old swiss mountain town feel rather than modernized resort. But I'm sure seeing the matterhorn is cool too.

Recommended options for riding in either? Open to pedaling or riding lifts (or ebiking), will need to rent gear.

[mcski]

Subscribed. I recall seeing video of some epic rides w the Zermatt lifts

[joetron]

I thought Zermatt was dope. I like the riding there. Big runs off the cog railroad and a funicular/gondola/tram combo uplift was sick.


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[beaterdit]

Following this.

Haven't really started on the agenda yet but spending all of Sept. in Switzerland and Austria with our real mountain bikes. Stoked!

[Gunder]

Both are amazing. Grindelwald makes it a bit easier to get away from the tourist masses. Biking is very good alpine riding at both.

[shroom]

grindelwald for sure

[beaterdit]

Awesome I’ll make sure it’s on the list!

[skaredshtles]

We just got back from a Swiss holiday, and I will say I liked the Jungfrau region a bit better than the Zermatt area, but that's probably because we stayed in Wengen - a small car-free town in between Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. Access to the Gridelwald area as well as the Lauterbrunnen/Murren side of things was excellent from this spot.

Zermatt was beautiful, to be sure, just a bit more Disney-like with the crowds.

Not sure about biking - I'm sure there's good trails in both. One thing I will say - if I was biking in the Alps, I'd for SURE rent an e-bike. Holy fuckin' balls does everything around there seem to be steep as shit. I'm sure it's not *all* like that, but man it sure did seem like that.

Kinda wanna go back already...

[skaredshtles]

I thought Zermatt was dope. I like the riding there. Big runs off the cog railroad and a funicular/gondola/tram combo uplift was sick.


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Where was the funicular in Zermatt? We must have missed that one...

[joetron]

You’re apparently not the only one. Lol.


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[skaredshtles]

You’re apparently not the only one. Lol.


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We were only in Zermatt for one night/two days, so we obviously only scratched the surface...

[grskier]

We just got back from a Swiss holiday,

Quit with the Euro speak bro...

Holiday

[skaredshtles]

Quit with the Euro speak bro...

Holiday

Sorry.

Just got back from our Swiss Holy Day.

[singlesline]

One thing I will say - if I was biking in the Alps, I'd for SURE rent an e-bike. Holy fuckin' balls does everything around there seem to be steep as shit. I'm sure it's not *all* like that, but man it sure did seem like that.

Probably explains why the first random place I found on google to rent bikes was basically only offering eMTBs.

I'm sure there are plenty of shops out there renting/demoing all kinds of stuff--but that's what comes up in English on foreign-tourist-google.

[LeeLau]

This is old https://www.pinkbike.com/news/Switze...of-6-2012.html

This too is old https://www.pinkbike.com/news/switze...indelwald.html

I asked a friend and he confirms that Zermatt still has more trails than Grindelwald. Zermatt has added some bike-park style trails. There are also some enduro style trails off the Tsunegga gondola (we missed that it closed earlier in the year). Although dated they may give you some flavour of the trails

[jm2e]

Not sure about biking - I'm sure there's good trails in both. One thing I will say - if I was biking in the Alps, I'd for SURE rent an e-bike. Holy fuckin' balls does everything around there seem to be steep as shit. I'm sure it's not *all* like that, but man it sure did seem like that.
Kinda wanna go back already...

This has been our experience in Italy. Massive steep climbs. People there do 1000m days like it's nothing. They're all either monsters at pedaling uphill, or they're on Ebikes and still powering them hard uphill. What's different between here and there is that over there the guys powering up massive climbs on analog bikes don't give a fuck whether the other guy is on an Ebike.

[mcski]

Vernier looks efn epic

https://youtu.be/U9lUQaJ2mG0

[beaterdit]

We’re here! Here’s a quick summary of our first four days after catching up on sleep.

Voralp Valley quick shakedown ride from our apartment.
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The Rientalp. We rode all the way down to our little village, Göschenen, 4000 feet down, lower right.
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Airolo bike park, two small trams stacked for a total of 2700 vertical feet.

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Gotta try to work on more action shots, takes some planning as my “model” isn’t exactly up to TGR descending standards, as evidenced by the death grimace on her face hahaha. I’m the alternate and not much better, hahaha.

Edit: copied this from the photos thread, don’t know why the pics but show up but too tedious to do it over on the phone.

What a pain in the ass, this uploader sucks. Well I think they’re all there now, just out of order.

[skaredshtles]

Very nice... we were in Andermatt in early June and I was sorta dreaming of mt biking around there...

[smartyiak]

Is Swissland ever not beautiful?

Correct answer: NEVA’!!!


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[beaterdit]

It’s really nice, and also really expensive. We’re not located totally ideally for the best variety of biking but pretty good strike radius by train. We have our apartment for free for a month so it’s a no brainier.

We’re headed to the Flimms bike park on Monday for three days. It’s supposed to start raining though. Next week we’re going to Lenzerhide for three days. We’re doing the “glamping” at those places which sounds cool, and it’s affordable.
The lady’s brother who lives here will dial us in on some more big alpine descents. So far the Rientalalp has been our favorite ride by far.

[skaredshtles]

It’s really nice, and also really expensive. We’re not located totally ideally for the best variety of biking but pretty good strike radius by train. We have our apartment for free for a month so it’s a no brainier.

We’re headed to the Flimms bike park on Monday for three days. It’s supposed to start raining though. Next week we’re going to Lenzerhide for three days. We’re doing the “glamping” at those places which sounds cool, and it’s affordable.
The lady’s brother who lives here will dial us in on some more big alpine descents. So far the Rientalalp has been our favorite ride by far.

What's really expensive? I didn't notice things being particularly out of line when we were there... but I was on holiday so maybe wasn't really paying attention.

[toast2266]

That all looks rad! Interested to hear what you find on the rest of the trip.