Size Does not Matter...

But before going into the field, we get back to school.
The right cycling technique is crucial, especially at high Alpine and steep terrain, in order to avoid a crash. The basis is balance. The higher the level of balance, the faster and safer the mountain biker can travel off-road. Tip for home: in order to develop your sense of balance, stand with the bike next to an obstacle (a tree trunk, park bench, wall, etc.) and try to press the pedal to push the bike as long as possible in the direction of the obstacle.

Please note:
a) The pedal position should be horizontal
b) The pressure should be applied by the leg on the forward-facing pedal
c) Strive for balance control while slightly shifting your weight to the left and right (no dramatic movements – strength lies in calmness, as the saying goes)
d) Change between leg positions (left leg front, right leg front)

The biggest problem for adults is coordination.
When moving downhill on a trail, several elements of cycling technique go together. Bike coordination can be strengthened in a playful way.

Our tips:
a) Pick up and drop off items
b) While riding, take the bike right up to an obstacle and away again
c) Try mountain biking with your hands crossed (take a picture of it, it looks very funny!)

Also, uphill cycling needs to be learned – you have to shift your weight forward.
Very important here are the elbows, which should always point inwards towards the body and if possible provide downward pressure.
a) For smaller gradients, learn a simple basic technique and then sometimes deliberately take the wrong attitude in order to remember where the problem is
b) When starting off steeply on the mountain (especially on gravel roads), always approach it diagonally at an angle to the slope and the base of the valley, adjusted to a two o'clock position (the biggest effort is getting started).

One of the most important techniques in mountain biking is a safe descent during steep passages. Most crashes occur when the cyclist gets scared by the Alpine or high mountain terrain and wants to get down as quickly as possible.

To descend safely, you must reduce speed (even braking) and shift the weight behind the saddle. The pedal directed to the valley side is the one that should go down. While standing still, the foot on the mountain side is removed from the pedal. If the biker climbs behind the bike, this avoids rollover.

Always lower the saddle when riding downhill and stand upright on the bike. The pedals should be horizontal, the posture loose, with elbows pointing outward. Brake regularly so that neither wheel becomes blocked. The steeper the descent, the more the weight needs to be shifted backwards.

After technique training, it is finally time to hit the trails. The Vinschgau Valley region in South Tyrol offers a wide variety of routes. There is the classic mountain biking tour up to the Naturnser Alm mountain pasture, which rewards those who make the ascent with panoramic views of the Vinschgau Valley, the Texelgruppe mountain range, the Ötztal Alps, the Dolomites and the Ortler Group. There is also the new Bike Highline Meran/o, which connects the individual mountain pastures on Nörderberg mountain. At an altitude of 1,450 m to 1,900 m, bikers can cross the Nörderberg from both the west and the east.

By the way: there is also a bike taxi service from Naturno to Merano/Meran, or up to Glorenza/Glurns or Curon/Graun on Reschensee lake.