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Mission Statement

The K.M.C. Cycling Club is a diverse group of people from across the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC) brought together by a common interest in cycling and cycling advocacy. Whether through racing, group rides, community involvement or social events centered on cycling, K.M.C. Cycling's primary purpose is to further the sport of cycling in the KMC, and provide a valuable cycling outlet to its members. We are a not-for-profit organization that values diversity, friendship and, above all, a good ride.
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Passing through!

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Post by Mark Northfield Fri Aug 16, 2013 11:39 am

Hi all. Apologies for barging in as a complete stranger. Looks like a great club you've got here. Smile 

I've been rummaging online for practical pointers towards good singletrack XC riding - mostly red level, maybe a bit of black - somewhere on the West side of Germany, but not really getting anywhere until I stumbled across the KMC club and forum. Am hoping someone here may be able to help. The tourist office website wasn't massively helpful, it has to be said!

Me and my other half are riding in the Austrian Alps during the final week of August, but we're also looking to stop off and do a bit more on our way back home to the UK during the WE of 31 Aug/1 Sep. We're not looking for trail centres specifically (though we don't mind em), but nor do we want to get hopelessly lost and not find any decent singletrack. Kaiserslautern certainly sounds like a good area to aim for tho.

Are there any decent maps of the area available? Any particularly worthwhile trails or areas to aim for? Any GPS mapped routes online? We would also be very pleased/grateful to tag along if anyone is out riding late on Sat 31st or anytime on Sun 1st. Would happily buy a beer or several afterwards... Very Happy 

Many thanks.

Mark

Mark Northfield
Mark Northfield

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Join date : 2013-08-16

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Post by Zenkem Fri Aug 16, 2013 3:44 pm

Welcome!!! If your looking for RED and Black Trails I would recommend riding on the east side of the Pfälzerwald, see link for GPS mapping:
 
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
 
As for the best Riding around the K-town area I would recommend Rodalben F-Trail, see link for mapping:
 
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
 
For a more Cross Country type of Ride you can check out the Pfälzerwald Mountainbike Park Trail network, on the right side of the link below is a downloadable map:
 
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I hope you enjoy your stay in the area and keep on eye on the Forum for Rides that may be posted while your here.
 
Happy Trails!!!
Zenkem
Zenkem

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Post by thedude76 Sat Aug 17, 2013 11:17 am

Try these guys [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]  they are in Merzalben not far from Kaiserslautern. They offer guides, so no need to get lost and they will take you straight to the good stuff.
thedude76
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Post by Jonesy Sat Aug 17, 2013 6:57 pm

Mark Northfield wrote:Hi all. Apologies for barging in as a complete stranger. Looks like a great club you've got here. Smile 

I've been rummaging online for practical pointers towards good singletrack XC riding - mostly red level, maybe a bit of black - somewhere on the West side of Germany, but not really getting anywhere until I stumbled across the KMC club and forum. Am hoping someone here may be able to help. The tourist office website wasn't massively helpful, it has to be said!

Me and my other half are riding in the Austrian Alps during the final week of August, but we're also looking to stop off and do a bit more on our way back home to the UK during the WE of 31 Aug/1 Sep. We're not looking for trail centres specifically (though we don't mind em), but nor do we want to get hopelessly lost and not find any decent singletrack. Kaiserslautern certainly sounds like a good area to aim for tho.

Are there any decent maps of the area available? Any particularly worthwhile trails or areas to aim for? Any GPS mapped routes online? We would also be very pleased/grateful to tag along if anyone is out riding late on Sat 31st or anytime on Sun 1st. Would happily buy a beer or several afterwards... Very Happy 

Many thanks.

Mark

If you're in the K-Town area and hit no other Trails, the F-Trail is defenitely the ticket.
Especially if you're making an overnighter or a day trip of it.
It's the most single-trail geavy route of any in this area... Roughlt 50-60 km of about 95% singletrail.
I'll likely have plenty of time to ride that weekend, i could take you on the full loop.
Saturday would probably be better, but Sunday's ok as well. Earlier in the morning is better to minimize hikers.
Let me know what time and day you'd like to ride and I can probably guide you.
Only thing I'll ask is that you return the favor next tine i find myself in tge UK.
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Post by Mark Northfield Sat Aug 17, 2013 10:03 pm


Many thanks for all that very helpful guidance guys. Great stuff! The GPS maps are very useful indeed, not least to give an idea of the elevation. Are these all-weather type trails, or do they become a bit of a mudfest after heavy rain? Don't mind getting muddy, of course - why ride off road otherwise? Wink - but some trails can become a lot more work and much less fun in that state...

Jonesy: Will take your advice re the Rodalben F-Trail. 95% singletrack sounds ideal. Smile And if you're willing to show us round it that would be amazing. Would have to be the Sunday though for a morning ride. We're driving over from Austria on the Saturday so won't be around til mid-afternoon or so (it's a 5 hr drive according to Google). I'll PM you my contact details. The place we're staying at in Ellmau has Wifi so it'll be easy enough to keep in touch to arrange things.

Would be more than happy to return the favour in the UK sometime, naturally, though I doubt our local area west of London is quite as exciting as your local playground... Too many people and not enough proper hills around here! We have to venture over to south Wales or way up north if we want some real thrills. The gap ride near Brecon in South Wales is a bit of a classic, and of course there are plenty of trail centres near there (Afan, Cwm Carn etc).

Our local forest south of Bracknell used to be a pretty decent ride-anywhere-you-like maze of singletrack until recently, but the Crown Estate who look after most of it changed it into a trail centre earlier this year with set red and blue routes which can only be ridden in one direction. It's very speedy now, but some of the more interesting technical aspects have been smoothed out unfortunately. The CE have also forbidden the use of ALL other singletrack trails, even going to the lengths of deliberately destroying some of them! Evil or Very Mad (They claim they were getting sued by injured riders, which is stupid and frustrating.) It's still worth a ride if you're in the London area, and we'd be happy to join you, but the whole thing is signed now so a guide isn't actually necessary.

One of the other OK local areas for us to ride is the Chilterns, which is the hilly ridge between London and Oxford. We know a very enjoyable 40-50k loop not far from Henley which, while only occasionally proper singletrack (wide bridleways are the norm in this part of the UK...), is mostly off-road natural trails and flows really well. Best after a dry spell tho, as is often the way round here (too much chalk goin on). But hey, if you're going to come to the UK to ride, Wales and the north are where it's at, I'm afraid.

I'll shut up now... Very Happy

Thanks again.
Mark Northfield
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Post by Jonesy Sat Aug 17, 2013 11:15 pm

As to the wet-trail question: The soil here drains almost instantly, and tge trails are very hardy. You can actually ride in the rain here if you don't mind getting dirty... And a few good sunby hours after the raib, and you'd never know it rained in the first place...

Got your PM; will contact you later this week.
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