About downhill biking

Is this your first time trying downhill? Our staff is on hand to tell you what you need to know before you hit the trails. In essence, downhill is similar to riding a regular bike down a gravel road or trail, but at the same time a completely different experience all together. Lift accessed biking takes place on specially built trails which incorporate various types of terrain and obstacles such as jumps and drops. If you like trying new and exciting things and testing your limits, then downhill is definitely for you!

• INTRO

Downhill is, as its name implies, all about the ride down.  The lifts take you up to the top of the mountain so you don’t need to worry about pedaling back to the top. Simply put, you can focus on ripping down the trails and having fun!  As for the bikes, they are purpose built to handle whatever the trial may throw your way. Hydraulic disc brakes offer unparalleled stopping power, whilst the smooth suspension both front and back take the sting out of the rough stuff.

When starting out, there are some key things to remember:  keep your eyes on the trail ahead; take it easy the first couple of runs; get to know the bike and the trails before you try going full speed and finally, don’t forget to smile!!

• THE BIKES

Downhill bikes are built with one thing in mind, going downhill.  A low centre of gravity, slacker angles all round and powerful brakes are just some of the things that make these bikes what they are. The bikes are ‘full suspension bikes’ which means they have a suspension fork up front which allows the front wheel to move up and down independently,  and a ‘shock’ at the rear which allows the rear wheel to travel independently to the rest of the bike. This in turn makes them stable and agile and above all…fun! Lastly, a low seat means it’s out of the way, so you’re not going to get any nasty surprises if you land just a little hard.

• PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Here we go through the protective equipment used for downhill cycling. It is important to wear clothes / shoes that can withstand getting dirty. It is common to run with shorts or thin training pants that go over the knee and leg protectors.

When you rent a bike in Hafjell Bike Park, armor, knee and leg protectors and a helmet are included. You must bring your own goggles, shoes and gloves.

• THE PROTECTIVE JACKET

This offers optimal protection to the spine, shoulders, elbows and chest. It is worn like a regular jacket and zips up at the front, along with a belt around the waist; this ensures the armor sits comfortably on the rider.

• KNEE AND SHIN GUARDS

These cover you knee area and may be worn against the skin or alternatively on top of training tights or thin trousers.

• HELMET AND GOGGLES

These are designed to offer maximum protection to both the head and the eyes. We recommend full-face helmet and goggles with clear lenses if you have them. Full-face helmets are mandatory in red and black trails.

• SHOES

One final piece of advice is to bring with you a suitable sturdy pair of shoes: flat low shoes with a stiff sole such as skate shoes are great.

• RENTAL AND WORKSHOP

Here at Hafjell we have 140 Scott Downhill bikes to suit all sizes and weights.  All protective equipment is included with the bike rental but can also be rented separately as well. We do not however rent out goggles, gloves or shoes and this is due to hygiene regulations.  We therefore recommend you to bring these items with you. Alternatively you can purchase these items from our range in store.

Our workshop is responsible for maintaining and servicing all our rental bikes as well as helping customers with any issues they may be having on their own bikes.

• LIFTS

During the summer season we run both the gondola and the second chair lift to take you and your bike to the trail head. The Gondola has marked bike cabins where there is room for 2 people and 2 bikes. On the chairlift customers will find racks for their bikes mounted on the sides of the chair.  The lifties will assist you in getting you and your bike on and off the lifts.

• CHOICE OF TRAIL

Hafjell puts quality and maintenance of the slopes as the top priority. The trails are divided into color codes according to the degree of difficulty just like alpine slopes in winter. Green are the easiest trails with low speed and hardly any features except for turns. blue is th next level and these have been designed to be wide open and flowing with some small drops, berms and jumps to help you progress. Red trails are steeper and more technical with bigger jumps and other difficult obstacles. Black trails are technically demanding with big jumps and difficult challenges. The downhill trails vary from wide, well-built roller coasters to fun, more technical "single tracks" that wind their way down the forest. Get to know the trails here

For a beginner this is our recommendations of where to begin.

From the top of the gondola, follow Grusvegen (7a). About 200 meter down the road is Familieløypa (16), our easiest trail for downhill cycling. When you have reached the gravel road again, take the chairlift up and follow Flowklypa (19), down to the start of
the family trail. Repeat this until you are comfortable advancing to Moe’town (4) and Parkløypa (5).

• BASIC TECHNIQUES

Downhill bikes have powerful disc brakes so you only really need one finger on each brake.

 It is important to look ahead and see what is coming up next.

Stand with level pedals, this makes the bike easier to maneuver.

Shift your weight a little back on the bike, have your heels flat and your hips raised so that you are ‘standing’ comfortably on the bike.

Take regular breaks even though you don’t want to because of all the fun your having.  Its easy to forget how tired you are becoming when your having a good time. These breaks are important to give your body a rest, especially your braking fingers!

• ABOUT HAFJELL BIKE PARK

With a reputation as one of Europe’s leading Bike Parks we offer our guests 19 trails, with 25 km of rideable terrain and a constantly evolving bike park. The gondola and chairlift take you and your bike up to 700 m above sea level in just a short space of time. We have a comprehensive trail network for beginners and all trails are marked by color according to their difficulty. 

Bike Patrol Hafjell: +(47) 40 40 15 00