2018 Mountain Bike Transalp – across Switzerland: Scuol to Neuchâtel

11 day tour, mostly self-supported, main exceptions:

  • Train to Scuol
  • Chairlift Scuol – Naluns
  • Bus Susch – Flüelapass (keep on schedule to get to Tömulpass in good weather, and not so interesting to mountain bike up)
  • Bus Davos Wiesen – Lenzerheide (get to town before store closing for bike brake repairs)
  • Hotels/Restaurants

Route:

Bike setup:

About 1kg in front bag, about 2kg in saddle bag, about 3.5kg in backpack.

  • Front bag (2 G3 50 cm ski straps + dyneema tent bag) + contents had no noticeable effect on bike handling
  • Ortlieb Seat Bag (M) attached with WolfTooth Valais
  • Can bike medium technical trails with seat lowered – works well
  • For most technical downhills, put the saddle bag in my half empty backpack.

Photos:

Navigation:

  • Supertrail and Singletrail Maps for the first few days (then I didn’t have ones I needed)
  • SchweizMobil mobile phone app

Gear:

What worked well:

  • Having a much lighter backpack most of the time, compare to other multi-day tours and having everything in the backpack
  • Low season, last minute availability in hostels and hotels
  • Great weather + deciding to avoid rain if it came (stop trip, or have a break, or skip to place with better weather)
  • Great public transportation gave possibility to not bring rain gear, and adapt trip if necessary

What to change for next time:

  • Have an empty frame design bike, put a half frame bag there, and small saddle bag under the seat
  • Be a few days earlier, while Tiefenbach Hotel is still open
  • Take a pencil and some sticky notes
  • Mount phone (for navigation) on handlebars

Statistics:

  • Kms: Minimum, average, maximum, total: 18, 43, 91, 477
  • Climbing M+: Minimum, average, maximum, total: 100, 850, 1650, 9420
  • Descending M-: Minimum, average, maximum, total: 450, 1100, 2350, 12300
  • Photos: number, GB: 1800, 8.5GB
  • Lodging cost CHF: minimum, average, maximum: 36, 65, 150

Other multi-day bike tours:

2023 Mountain bike multi-day tour Loesch to Martigny