Tell me about the Alps...

Angus Young

And I don't care which ones!

Are there any places in the Alps which have long descents, say two hours or more, that are no more challenging than a blue at BPW? Still interesting, but not too demanding and no 'exposure'. I'd like to take my nine year old and I'd like her to feel as if she's really ridden a mountain but I don't want it to be so taxing that it puts her off.

Does such a place exist?

kinioo

I think it does

paul.skibum

No Exposure, two hour descent, no harder than a blue. I'd suggest places around Les Grand Massif/Samoens from my experiences but no guarantees. The mountains there are beautiful but of a less steep severe nature.

Maps here:

http://summer.grand-massif.com/summer-maps

Angus Young

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19648734#p19648734]paul.skibum[/url] wrote:

No Exposure, two hour descent, no harder than a blue. I'd suggest places around Les Grand Massif/Samoens from my experiences but no guarantees. The mountains there are beautiful but of a less steep severe nature.

Maps here:

http://summer.grand-massif.com/summer-maps

Thank you, I shall look into that.

rockmonkeysc

Take a look at Les Arcs. There's a good selection of blue trails but it's very easy to get up a LOT of speed.

paul.skibum

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19649383#p19649383]RockmonkeySC[/url] wrote:

Take a look at Les Arcs. There's a good selection of blue trails but it's very easy to get up a LOT of speed.

My worry about anywhere of that nature with kids and kids bikes - the horrific nature of kids brakes, reach adjustment, power modulation and the like. I hated guiding kids in the alps or in Whistler as the risk vs the rewards never seemed to stack up in my head. And the amount of skin left on gravel tracks around Les Gets bares this up.

Angus Young

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19649383#p19649383]RockmonkeySC[/url] wrote:

Take a look at Les Arcs. There's a good selection of blue trails but it's very easy to get up a LOT of speed.

Thanks, that sounds good.

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19649676#p19649676]paul.skibum[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19649383#p19649383]RockmonkeySC[/url] wrote:

Take a look at Les Arcs. There's a good selection of blue trails but it's very easy to get up a LOT of speed.

My worry about anywhere of that nature with kids and kids bikes - the horrific nature of kids brakes, reach adjustment, power modulation and the like. I hated guiding kids in the alps or in Whistler as the risk vs the rewards never seemed to stack up in my head. And the amount of skin left on gravel tracks around Les Gets bares this up.

She's just finishing her time on a Scott Spark Jr 20 so she'll be getting upgraded before we go so she'll be on something decent. You're right, of course, crappy brakes and long descents would not be a good mix.