With its breath-taking scenery, sublime trails and fine mid-ride dining options, South Tyrol has already built up a reputation as one of Europe’s top biking regions. We’ve teamed up with the experts from BikeHotels Südtirol to curate the ultimate guide when it comes to planning an eMTB trip.

Planning your first eMTB holiday isn’t easy. There are so many things to consider: is there somewhere safe to not only store my eMTB each night but also charge it? Is the hotel easy enough to find and would I be able to get back in case there’s an issue with the bike? Do I rent a bike? Rest easy; we can help.

Things to note

Before immediately booking what looks like a great deal, your future holiday warrants research. After all, imagine turning up to a region that’s the very definition of a dead zone for riding. Check there are good trails and routes for eMTbs; these are going to lend the life and soul to your holiday. Make sure that your accommodation has access to the trails; it’s where you’ll be starting every ride. Then check the average weather for that time of year; while it might look like spring has arrived in the valleys, winter could still be holding higher regions in its vice-like grip. Taking your own bike with you? Give it a thorough service before departing; nothing’s worse than realising you need to find a bike shop for specific parts in a foreign land. Start collecting everything you need in advance, including helmet and charger. If you’ve got time, make a list.

Getting you and your bike there

You encounter one of the first hurdles before the holiday has even begun: getting there. The most practical option is self-sufficiency. If you’ve got a van or a car, then it’s certainly easiest to pack the bike inside or invest in a reliable, durable rear carrier if you need one. Take off the battery and keep it inside the car so that you minimise the weight on the carrier.

Bike rental

For those who don’t yet own an eMTB or simply can’t take it on holiday, rental bikes have come a long way. However, quality isn’t a given so make sure you scope out the options and check the specs of the rental bikes. Are they current models? Are they in good knick? Many hotels have eMTBs to rent, so it’s worth asking for details when booking your accommodation. They’re likely to be in hot demand so it’s wise to reserve the rental bikes in advance.

How safe is the garage?

Most hotels in dedicated bike regions are set up with cyclists in mind, but not all of them have a truly safe place to store and charge your expensive bike. As safe as their garage looks, doubly securing your bike with your own lock is a sensible move. BikeHotels Südtirol understand the need for safety and know exactly how best to look after your pride and joy. Not only are all of their bike garages alarmed and have CCTV at all times, they’re all equipped with sockets for overnight battery charging.

Guided tours

The best way to explore an unfamiliar region is on a guided tour, led by someone with experience. A local rider won’t just loop in the best stretches of trail and the finest mountain huts, they’ll also bring you in contact with the local culture. BikeHotels Südtirol arrange guided tours that cater for all abilities. What’s more, certain hoteliers are certified bike guides and keen to share their favourite routes.

Self-navigation in unknown terrain

Gone are the days when you needed to pack a huge foldable map, compass and complex route description into your backpack. Nowadays we can download GPX files onto our bike computers or phones to give us hassle-free navigation while riding; to make our lives easier, websites like Komoot are made up of countless routes and suggestions of where to ride. But what about going old school and asking for recommendations at the hotel reception, the bike shop or at one of the local bike schools? Face-to-face discussions are likely to result in a route that’s more suited to your fitness and riding level. Holidays are for experiences–not personal bests.

Time to brush up your stills?

Holidaying in a dedicated bike region not only puts your world back in alignment by escorting you away from the daily grind, it’s also the prime time to tune up your technique. Whatever level you’re currently at, there’s always room for improvement. Forget upgrading parts on your bike for speed, bike schools and guides are the ones who will determine where and how you can shave seconds off your ride. Expect to be worked hard in these sessions; if getting faster was a walk in the park then everyone would do it.

3 questions with Michaela Zingerle, CEO BikeHotels Südtirol

3 questions with Michaela Zingerle, CEO BikeHotels Südtirol
South Tyrol is in the heart of the mountains with numerous mountain huts and peaks that are reachable with your bike on paths and gravel tracks. With an eMTB, the mountains flatten off, so to speak, and concerns about a lack of fitness just disappear. However, it’s crucial that you’ve got the necessary bike handling skills in order to avoid accidents or risky situations. When you’ve got strong skills, you’re also able to react in the right manner should anything occur. Riders on eMTBs are warmly welcomed in South Tyrol providing that they keep to the rules, respect local regulations and give priority to hikers.

What should an eMTBer pay attention to when booking a holiday?
If, as an eMTBer, you’re bringing your own bike, make sure that the hotel has a secure bike garage where you can charge the battery. All members of BikeHotels Südtirol are required to have this facility. Once you’ve arrived at your destination, it’s worth having a guided tour on your first day to scope out your surroundings for the rest of your trip.

What’s the future of eMTB tourism looking like? Will we soon be able to charge batteries at every hut?
That’s going to be tough given the huge array of batteries and manufacturers on the market. However, the area of Gröden/Val Gardena has an on-going collaboration with Bosch that has actually made this a reality. One thing is for sure: it won’t be long until every mountain hut is equipped with a charging station – it could be advanced and modern or just a simple socket in a more rustic hut. But regardless of the hut’s situation, power is power and it means we can go further.

For more information just check the BikeHotels Südtirol website


3 questions with Kurt Resch, Hotelier at Steineggerhof and keen eMTBer

Your hotel Steineggerhof is one of the few certified ‘eBike Experts’ – what does this mean for holidaymakers?
The title of eBike Expert refers to qualified bike guides who’ve undergone a two-day training course led by Stefan Schlie that focuses specifically on ebike guests. All of the route maps and information available at the hotel is tuned for the needs of ebikers. We’ve got special ebike weekend deals and ample plug sockets in the bike garage. We also offer our own ebike skills sessions. The important element is that the hotelier and the bike guide are keen ebikers too!

You offer special hotel packages for eMTBs, but what is it that sets these apart from standard deals?
For advanced ebikers we offer special weeks here at the Steineeggerhof. Stefan Schlie and Manfred Stromberg are both excellent teachers when it comes to technique, and they get our guests to push their limits. We also run ebike courses on a weekly basis that are seeing a big uptake of new riders too.

You also organise guided tours, but how do you support riders who prefer to ride under their own steam?
Having had ebikes for rent since 2012, we’ve noticed that it tends to be older guests that prefer to ride simple routes. Our guests used to be predominantly fitness fanatics and singletrack enthusiasts, but with the ebikes for rent we’ve seen a rise in motorbikers, hikers and families who often prefer to stick to tarmac and gravel tracks. The rental bikes are frequently fully booked. Our route suggestions range from road to downhill; so we can suggest something for every taste. Kids ebikes were a huge hit last year – a holiday will go down in memory as a huge success when a family comes back on their ebikes with the kids grinning from ear to ear and the parents equally as happy with the outcome.

For more information about the Steineggerhof just check their website.


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Words: Moritz Dittmar Photos: Christoph Bayer, Bosch/Ralf Klohs, Harald Wisthaler