Champery, EPIC or just downright SCARY?

Scratch n soda
Scratch n soda Posts: 52
edited July 2012 in Holidays
Hi guys,

Booked myself a holiday in the ovvranaz reigion of switzerland. Seeing as Champery is only a 45 min drive i thought i'd check it out...

I know it's a worldcup centre, but is there DH bike hire? are the trails do-able for expericanced riders, but not world cup atheletes?

Any info, tips, advice would be much apprecaited :)

thanks

Comments

  • grizedaleforest
    grizedaleforest Posts: 46
    Hi, was there on holiday Summer 2010 at the time of the UCI World Cup event which was fun. It's a fantastic area for biking at any grade. There's any number of downhill runs of all grades, all accessed by gondola or cable car. Just watch out for mad Germans and exhausted Brits who've come over from the French side. Alternatively its also easy to get high and do xc routes that suit the hardcore or just casual and cautious mountain bikers (e.g. me :) )

    There's a Champery website for more info - http://www.champery.ch If they still do it, you used to be able to get day and week passes for any of the lifts (its part of the Porte du Soleil resort area) - well worth it. You can definitely hire DH bikes - one centre is immediately under the main Gondola station in the middle of town, but there are others in the town.

    If you've got family or 'leisure' cyclists with you there are lovely flat cycleways down in the main valley alongside the Rhone.

    Go for it!

    g
  • Majski
    Majski Posts: 443
    The world cup track itself is supposed to be mental
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    Some mates of mine went down the worlds track when we were there the other week, they're very experienced riders, and it was apparently the most fun track they rode the whole time, but also the most scary by a long way. I'm kicking myself for not having ridden it now... Apparently it's stupid steep! Safe to say, experienced downhillers only.
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • Hob Nob
    Hob Nob Posts: 200
    The World Cup track has been mellowed out in recent years from it's original construction, in that there are catch berms at the bottom of most steep chutes so it's not quite as dangerous as it once was.

    It's still seriously bloody steep though. There are other tracks in the PDS with sections that are as steep, but nothing as relentless. I would suggest you be a fairly competent DH rider, otherwise you're going to have a long walk/slide on your ass dragging your bike down. The jump line at the bottom is pretty full on at the bottom too if you have survived the rest of the track :)

    Plenty of other riding in Champery though, if you don't fancy the WC track.

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