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With its mountains and valleys, the Harz Mountains are perfect for biking. One of the many opportunities for downhill biking is the Racepark Schulenberg.
Downhill biking involves trying to ride as fast as possible along a route prepared with natural obstacles and bends. The race park is a little hidden away near the Okertal dam. There are challenging and varied routes, especially for experienced athletes. As I enter the park, Patric Dreher from Racepark Schulenberg comes running down the slope with a shovel. He takes care of the trail service. "Every trail is overhauled at least once a week," he says. Damage is repaired and improvements are made for more variety. Patric has been working here at Racepark with three other colleagues for twelve years now.
Safety is taken care of
The odd wooden ramp can be seen between the trees and narrow paths meander through the grounds. A small, inviting kiosk offers food and drinks and there are seats and tables outside. Cyclists from all over Germany, but mainly from the Berlin, Hamburg and Hanover regions, come here to meet up and ride. From the kiosk, you can see the lift that will take you and your bike to the top. "A twelve-year-old is the bravest on this jump," says Patric, pointing to two ramps. In between is a gap that you have to jump over on your bike. Of course, this is also dangerous: "We are the only park where protectors are compulsory," says Patric. This means that in addition to the recommended knee pads, a full-face helmet and back protectors, which Patric affectionately calls knight's armor, must also be worn. There is even a small number of these available to borrow on site.
Big plans for the future
But it's not just in the park that you can ride your bike. There are numerous trails in the Harz Mountains that can be ridden. The trail shuttle can take you to a selection of trails, i.e. routes. You can then ride down from there with a guide. The journey takes four to five hours. Such shuttles are offered in every major mountain bike region, such as the Black Forest, but also in Finale Ligure in Italy, where some trails run along the sea. Patric, who got into biking when the video platform YouTube was still in its infancy, envisions more routes for beginners, children and families in the future of the Racepark. But in the near future, the Schulenberg Racepark team is first planning the tenth "Down(c)hill Masters", a timed race with two different courses. The event is expected to take place on the second weekend in October.
If you are now curious and would like to ride yourself, you can find all the information here: www.outdoorwerkstatt.eu
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