The summer bike season ends in Brixen at the end of September Four-day bike festival instead of. Here you can enjoy the first warm autumn days again and let off steam on the mountain. Right in the heart of Brixen, on the cathedral square, the manufacturers stand and offer their brand new wheels for testing.

Great bikes, fun trails and pure sun

I could not believe that I was on the Testival could test a brand new bike, because here is the collection for 2015. From hardtail, e-bike, fatbike, road bike and downhill, I can try everything here. Of course, the fantastic landscape, the wide range of tours and the still mild climate attract many bikers to Bressanone. Our Saturday breakfast was clearly too long, so we unfortunately had to search four-wheeled group on the Testival terrain laboriously for wheels. But when we had all two bikes under us, the first tour could start right away. From Bressanone you can actually drive up to every side and then leave again on forest roads or trails. If you like you can also take part in guided half-day or full-day tours with downhill action on the Plose, the local mountain of Bressanone. These are also affordable with 15 € and 30 € in small groups and you do not have to look far for the way. From strenuous tours with more than 2000hm up to countless trails of various levels of difficulty, here is just the right thing for every biker. We took off with map and tour descriptions ourselves and explored the area. Also helpful are the GPS tracks, which provides the testival for special test tracks.

driving technique

The Bikeride mountain bike school offers driving technique courses, once a Basic course for basics in singletrack driving and also an advanced course with Bunny Hop and various curve and departure techniques. Here you drive a maximum of 8 groups and pay 20 € for 2,5h course program. Definitely recommendable, because then you have on the slopes for even more driving pleasure and is safer on the road! The director of the school is Manfred Stromberg, a successful downhill and freerider, and also a member of the Fiat deer team. He is a longtime driving technique expert and tester of the MountainBIKE magazine.

Lady tours

From women to women, there are guided tours every day on the trails around Bressanone. Here you can get from experts like Antje Kramer and get lots of tips from other female guides. Since I myself was already on purely female day trips, I can say that this is really worthwhile! I say that women are generally more cautious and slower than boys. I think you are better off here and your own problems and difficulties can be shared better here.

There are also guided freeride and e-bike tours.

Exhibitors and brands

All the names and ranks were represented: BBB, BH Bikes, Bionicon, BMC, Brake Force One, Centurion, Continental, Conway, Cube, Deuter, DT Swiss, Evoc, Felt, Fox, Fuse, Ghost, Giant, Gonso Haibike Haico Kore Lupine Magura Marin Maxxis Merida Muc-Off Nicolai NuVinci Odi Prologo Race Face Radon Rixe Rock Shox Rocky Mountain Salt Swallow Scott Shimano Simplon, Sram, Stan's Notubes, Stevens, Truvativ, Vivax Assist, Votec.

Accommodations

We slept with friends at the campsite. Unfortunately, it was a bit out of the way, but as you get the Brixen Card, you can use public transport for free. Otherwise, there are of course many beautiful hotels in Brixen, especially the "Bike Hotels South Tyrol"Tailored to the needs of bikers. Because the hosts of these bike hotels are themselves enthusiastic bikers and often also professionally trained bike guides

Conclusion

If you like to buy a new bike for the new season or if you want to upgrade your old one, here is an ingenious test option. Here all components can be thoroughly tested and evaluated. The manufacturers set you individually your bike on you and also advise you in your model choice, if you do not have a specific wheel in the eye. The manufacturers have thick folders in which you can look at each model and the possible features and the current prices. If you are interested in buying, you must then turn to the respective dealer and see that you get the new part also in time. And even those who can not afford a new bike, can still dream and enjoy the new stuff at least by the hour.

I already know exactly what my next bike has to have!