Eppan is a modern Eldorado for biking enthusiasts: Countless bike paths lead around lakes, over hills and through forests, and most of them have a pleasant gradient and are excellently prepared. Furthermore, the surrounding mountains and passes are ideal for longer and more difficult tours. That means Eppan is great for ambitious bikers and leisure cyclists alike. And even bikers with a lower level of physical fitness can attempt more challenging tours thanks to a wonderful invention: the e-bike.
Arthur Röggl, the owner of Sanvit, a specialist bike store known beyond Eppan, predicts that e-bikes will become a big part of local cycling tourism in the future: ‘Our region is ideal for e-bike tours, because many of the paths and trails have considerable gradients. Thanks to the new electric drives, those steep sections will practically become child’s play—especially for less experienced bikers.’ That means leisure cyclists can explore a wider radius and even attempt difficult tours and gradients. ‘Even an elevation gain of 1,000 or 1,500 metres [3,300 to 5,000 ft] can be conquered with ease using an e-bike,’ Mr Röggl explains.
DISCOVERING EPPAN BY E-BIKE
One example Mr Röggl mentions is the Mendel Pass, which has an elevation gain of more than 1,000 metres. Despite the considerable and constant uphill gradient, this route is sure to be great fun for e-bikers—though it does require a certain level of fitness. From the top of the Mendel Pass, which forms the border between South Tyrol and the Italian-speaking region of Trentino, you can see across the entire Etsch Valley, and the peaks of the Dolomite mountain range. This tour is also very popular with road bikers, who often prefer to extend the route even further: down into the valley, all the way to Fondo in Trentino, and from there over the Gampen Pass at more than 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above sea level to Meran.
Then back to Eppan via the cycling path along the river Etsch. Röggl also recommends the numerous tours that lead through and around the Montiggl Forest. The woodland spans nearly 2,000 hectares and is made up of a network of forest roads and single trails that lead past the Montiggl lakes to scenic lookouts such as the ‘Wilder-Mann-Bühel’ or the ‘Hirschplätze’. The Montiggl Lakes Tour is particularly suitable for e-bikes. Another popular destination in this area is the Rosszähne ridge high above Lake Kaltern. A highlight for experienced bikers is the route leading via the Eppan High Trail, which runs underneath the Mendel mountain range. During this tour, which requires conquering an elevation gain of almost 800 metres (2,600 ft), you are repeatedly rewarded with a view of Eppan’s little wine villages and the Dolomite mountains further off to the North. Cyclists who prefer a more leisurely afternoon tour or want to take children along will enjoy the paved and less frequented cycle path along the wine route, which winds through Eppan’s characteristic vineyard landscape.
Then back to Eppan via the cycling path along the river Etsch. Röggl also recommends the numerous tours that lead through and around the Montiggl Forest. The woodland spans nearly 2,000 hectares and is made up of a network of forest roads and single trails that lead past the Montiggl lakes to scenic lookouts such as the ‘Wilder-Mann-Bühel’ or the ‘Hirschplätze’. The Montiggl Lakes Tour is particularly suitable for e-bikes. Another popular destination in this area is the Rosszähne ridge high above Lake Kaltern. A highlight for experienced bikers is the route leading via the Eppan High Trail, which runs underneath the Mendel mountain range. During this tour, which requires conquering an elevation gain of almost 800 metres (2,600 ft), you are repeatedly rewarded with a view of Eppan’s little wine villages and the Dolomite mountains further off to the North. Cyclists who prefer a more leisurely afternoon tour or want to take children along will enjoy the paved and less frequented cycle path along the wine route, which winds through Eppan’s characteristic vineyard landscape.
