Where to ride in Poland

[Hamish]

Hi guys, I'm an Australian who's come to europe with my downhill bike and I'm mainly spending time in Poland, but I can't find much information in English about bikeparks and downhill riding here. I'm staying in the northeast but will be driving down to the mountains probably next week sometime with my girlfriend (who is polish and can translate some things for me if need be). I think we'll be going first to the mountains in the south east and going west and maybe even down to Slovakia, so if anyone can give me some information or recommend any bike parks or also places to stay near them it would be really great!

Cheers
-Hamish

[Spaced]

In Poland the places to visit are:

- Koninki
- Ustron (Palenica)
- Wisła
- Szczyrk (better find a local there)
- Myslenice (again a local to show the hidden tracks)


They are the most popular places in the country and should be working when you visit them.

If Slovakia is an option check out Ruzomberok. They have a nice park there. I'm not sure if Jasna is still open for bikes. If it is the DH track there is brutal.

[hemi427]

to be honest mate, there are plenty places to ride assuming u dont expect pimped up bikeparks, most of the places are located around southern part of Poland. For start I recon Wisła, Ustroń-Palenica and Koninki gravity park, those places all together might fulfill any of your expectations. Your gf will help u up to get into more details about those places at facebook propably.
As Spaced mentioned, while you are somewhere down the south - trip to Ruzemberok will be great experience - place is called Malno Brdo bikepark.

[freed]

Last year Jasna bike park was horrible. Any one track isn`t work well, but personel don`t tell anything about this when you buy tickets. Ruzomberok is very nice, very good long dh track and nice freeride. I don`t know what is it in this year,but it`s big park and personel care about tracks. You can find line for you,because tracks are connected between them.

[Hamish]

Thanks for the information! I'll be sure to check out at least a few of these places. I'm not at all expecting pimped out bikeparks, the nearest chairlift accessed trails are about 3000km or so from my home so it will be all new for me anyway. Also, not sure if it will be necessary but does anyone know of any bike shops in the south or the east which might stock mud tyres? (thinking about doing a few races while I'm in Europe and it doesn't seem to be as dry here as my part of Australia is!)

[Hamish]

By the way, a friend told me he was riding in Poland a couple of years ago and recommended a place called wierchomla. Is that still a good place to ride?

[Spaced]

By the way, a friend told me he was riding in Poland a couple of years ago and recommended a place called wierchomla. Is that still a good place to ride?

It's mediocre at best. The trails are long but large parts of it are on ski slopes. It's fun since it's riding but far from the top places around. Though I may be speaking from not liking to puke my lungs out on races there.

[Ryan from paris]

Hello Hamish !

When will you come in Poland ? I'm from France, and I will be in Wisla from 28 July to 5 August (there is a nice Bike Park called Wisler (in Stozek) and 10min with car you have also Palenica Bike Park in Ustron City ,and after I go to Slovakia at Ruzomberok (Malino Brdo Specialized Bike Park ).

If you have any questions you can ask me

[Hamish]

Hi Ryan I'm going to be out of Poland for a couple of weeks but thinking about going to Ruzomberok in 2 or 3 weeks, if you know any good accomodation you'd recommend please let me know!
Thanks

[Spaced]

Hit up Fatrapack or Fatrapark apartments they are <1km from the lift and really comfortable. They also often have discounts and have special bike rooms. Best accomodation in Ruzomberok.

[Hamish]

Thanks very much spaced will check it out !

[mike]

My friend and I just came back from Ruzomberok yesterday. I have been there a couple of times before. In my opinion it is the best place to go riding that is near enough to drive from Warsaw to. We also visited Koninki on the way back. The guys working on the trails there are great and they have put a lot of effort into creating a gravity park. The trails are very technical, not very long and not as smooth but it is a great place to ride as well. Ruzomberok (Malino Brdo) is a world class bike park with long smooth flowing tracks as well as very long pure DH lines.
I'd recommend staying in Hrabovo Apartments (http://www.apartmanyhrabovo.com/en/home.html) that are located right beneath the lift. For 33 euro you get a very nice high standard apartment with one double bed so there really is no reason to stay anywhere else. We'll probably be riding there next weekend as well so you are welcome to join.
I've also been to Wierchomla this season. The dh lines are well prepared and pretty enjoyable. I think they are a little longer than the ones in Koninki. The hotel is nice. Good place to visit as well.
Ustroń is ok too. The only place I would not recommend is Szczyrk. There are no marked lines so they are very difficult to find, no one takes care of the tracks and the service is rude and unfriendly.

[Spaced]

To be honest I've been in Koninki last weekend and the trails are in horrible conditions. They look like they haven't been maintained since they were created. The trails there are nice but it's the worst condition I've ever seen a track in and that something given I compare it to Morzine in full season (which after 2 weeks of riding dislocates your fingers)

I'd recommend staying in Hrabovo Apartments (http://www.apartmanyhrabovo.com/en/home.html) that are located right beneath the lift. For 33 euro you get a very nice high standard apartment with one double bed so there really is no reason to stay anywhere else

Fatrapark 2 is 28 euro and same standard and as close

As for Ruzo being world class - it's a far cry from world class but it's the best we have.

I agree on Szczyrk - you either go with the locals or you don't go at all. The trails aren't great either.


I've been to Wisla last week also and the new trail is pretty good though the middle of the new line is still the old section which has some really crappy berms but 2/3rd's of the track are still awesome.


Ustroń is nice although the red trails are flattish and the black one could use some reworking but in the end it's a very enjoyable place.

[mike]

Maybe I am a bit biased because I like the guys in Koninki.

We are also planning a trip to Leogang later this month. Have not been there yet but I've read a lot of good reviews. If you are willing to travel a bit farther that might be a good place to ride too.

[Spaced]

I think my view is also quite inflated by spending most of the last 2 years riding abroad but I just can't find my flow in koninki. They are more of a techy enduro place with a lift than a regular park or a dh place.

[Hamish]

Thanks for all the good info, I'm racing Estonian downhill nationals this weekend for a bit of fun And then back down to poland. At the moment I'm thinking about heading down to Ruzomberok around 20th this month, although when you mentioned Austria Ryan, I put it in google maps and it's not as far as I thought, but I'm trying to keep things cheap as possible. How does Austria compare in price to Slovakia?

I rode wierchomla for the one day I had riding (had car problems and it was close by ) and I had a great time, I've never ridden anything so fast. (western Australian tracks are mostly pretty tight)