Rainy weather and a relatively late start to the Fleckalmbahn cable car season unfortunately delayed the location check in Kirchberg by a few weeks. But on a Monday at the end of June, the time had come. After what felt like months of constant rain, the weather forecast finally promised an improvement. So we packed the trail bike into the car and off we went. The choice of bike is crucial in Kirchberg, as the town offers two rideable mountains, the Gaisberg and Fleckalmbahn, whose routes could hardly be more different. The downhill bike seemed excessive to me, so I opted for the all-mountain fully with 150 mm suspension and single crown fork. As it turned out, it was the perfect choice.
Kirchberg is very favourably located in terms of transport links. From the greater Munich area, it can be easily reached in just over an hour and a half via the motorway via Wörgl. From Innsbruck, it only takes around an hour by car. Conveniently, Kirchberg can also be easily reached by train. The journey from Munich takes two hours (with a change in Wörgl) and the regional express train from Innsbruck takes just over an hour. Both trains are also easily accessible by downhill bike from the railway station. A few minutes of pedalling just can't be completely avoided.
As mentioned at the beginning, Kirchberg offers two rideable mountains: the Fleckalm Trail, the Gaisberg Trail and the Lisi Osl Trail. The three trails are very different and therefore the choice of bike is crucial.
I set my sights on the Gaisberg for the start. The four-seater chairlift takes you up in comfort. At the mountain station, you have a choice: down to the right is the Lisi Osl Trailnamed after the region's great daughter, who is the only Austrian to have won the overall MTB World Cup to date. Osl is a cross-country specialist, and the trail named after her takes this into account. It is 2.3 kilometres long and covers 450 metres in altitude.
According to the cable car company's website, the Lisi Osl Trail "sets the pulse of all demanding downhillers racing". However, this can be safely banished to the realm of legend, as can the fact that downhillers would wear heart rate monitors. Sometimes you just shouldn't promise too much. Because the Lisi Osl Trail certainly has its charm, but certainly not with a double bridge and a full suit. The trail offers flow and plenty of bends. However, it is built more for manoeuvrable fullys with single crown forks or XC hardtails than for downhillers.
However, trail beginners will have a lot of fun here. It is the perfect route to gain initial experience with berms and easy steps or roots. Steeper sections can also be easily bypassed on the forest path. The trail has been designed so that it is easy to ride even in the rain and doesn't turn into a muddy mess. Personally, one descent on the Lisi Osl Trail was enough for me. It was the perfect warm-up before heading over to the downhill track on the left-hand side of the Gaisberg.
It is the region's offering for downhillers. Smaller wooden structures provide airtime without being too demanding. The steep sections, on the other hand, are more challenging. This was certainly made more difficult by the fact that the ground was already completely soaked by the constant rain when I visited the site. However, I know from previous visits that there are a few places that hardly dry out even in good weather.
Overall, the downhill trail on the Gaisberg is nice, but it's also not a blast. Despite visiting it several times, I still can't remember any really striking spots. To put it very critically, it is the "trail without features". You get the impression that it wasn't built with the aim of offering the best possible trail, but rather where nobody had anything against it. However, the judgement should not be too harsh. Of course, the Gaisberg has everything you need for a downhill course - after all, a national championship has already been held here. But if you're looking for a real downhill feeling, you won't get your money's worth on the Gaisberg. One trail alone is not enough. And the Lisi Osl Trail is simply not an alternative for downhillers, as it is more suited to beginners. That leaves the Fleckalm Trail
After the Gaisberg, I changed over to the Fleckalm cable car. You can either load your bike into the car and ride the two or three minutes to the other valley station or pedal the short distance. The old gondolas, which certainly have charm, take you up the mountain in a seemingly endless ride. But not for long: next year, new, fully glazed 8-seater gondolas will be in service here, as the friendly lift attendant informed us. The Fleckalmtrail is Tyrol's longest single trail with a length of 7.7 kilometres and a difference in altitude of more than 1,000 metres.
There are countless hotels in Kirchberg and the surrounding area, but the region is not necessarily known for its affordable accommodation. After all, the posh ski resort of Kitzbühel is right next door. The homepage of the local tourism association provides a good overview. The listings also include designated bike hotels. Unfortunately, camping or staying overnight in the car parks of the cable cars is not permitted. However, there are campsites in Brixen and at Schwarzsee near Kitzbühel just a few minutes away by car: www.camping-brixen.at and www.bruggerhof-camping.at
With the Bike Academy in Kirchberg, directly at the valley station of the Fleckalmbahn cable car, has been providing real professionals for 16 years now. The Ghost test centre located there guarantees top rental bikes. The selection of models is huge - from downhillers and fat bikes to 20-inch children's MTBs. The prices are very fair and range from around 50 euros per day for a solid enduro bike. The Bikeacademy also offers a whole range of riding technique courses and guiding sessions. And you are in the very best of hands there. After all, Academy mastermind Kurt Exenberger is also the coach of the Austrian national mountain bike team.
Kirchberg impresses with its scenic beauty and exceptionally friendly people, both at the cable cars and in the restaurants. Although there are currently "only" three trails, there is a suitable route for every type of rider - from trail novices to enduro riders who want to step on the gas. It's not for nothing that the European Championships in this discipline were held here. The Fleckalm Trail is a real gem. For me personally, it is one of the top five trails in Tyrol and is definitely worth a day trip.
