Difficulty grades of the single trails

Ideal help for correctly assessing your capabilities

A common classification system for mountain bike single trails across Tirol is designed to provide clear help to bikers to better assess their own capabilities and the kind of difficulties they could face on the trail. We will explain to you what the official difficulty grades are and what you need to watch out for when using the single trails!

Green = very easy

  • Difficulty grade: Single trail scale = S0
  • Biking ability: For trail beginners! Basic mountain bike riding knowledge required; little or no experience with trails.
  • Hazards: Drops from small heights in relatively safe terrain possible, no danger of falling.
  • Trail properties: Uneven surface, ground with good grip, no roots or stones
  • Obstacles: none
  • Gradient: very flat: average ≤ 9%; maximum 15%
  • Curves: long, wide and flat curves and exits to curves
  • Trail width: Width: Minimum 1 metre
  • Jumps: none - very easy to ride over

Blue = easy

  • Difficulty grade: Single trail scale = S1 - S2
  • Biking ability: For trail beginners and advanced mountain bikers! Advanced mountain bike ability required: Good balance, weight needs to be transferred to get past obstacles, steps on trail, safe cornering and braking ability and possibly jumping ability and trail experience.
  • Hazards: Drops from big heights in relatively safe terrain possible, no danger of falling
  • Trail properties: Even surface, ground with good grip with occasional roots or stones
  • Obstacles: small terraces
  • Gradient: Flat: average ≤ 12%; maximum 30 %
  • Curves: tight, but very good for riding through with long and flat exits to curves
  • Trail width: Narrow, minimum 0.6 metres
  • Jumps: easy to ride over, safe main line. Variations for more experienced riders possible

Red = medium difficulty

  • Difficulty grade: Single trail scale = S2 - S3
  • Biking ability: For advanced trail users! Special mountain bike ability required: very good balance, weight needs to be transferred to get past obstacles, steps on trail, safe cornering and braking ability, hairpin bend basics, jumping ability and trail experience!
  • Hazards: Drops from big heights onto dangerous terrain possible, no danger of falling
  • Trail properties: Partially loose, very variable ground with roots and stones
  • Obstacles: Terraces and steps soon after each other
  • Gradient: Very steep, average ≤ 20%; maximum 60%
  • Curves: very tight and steep curves and exits to curves
  • Trail width: vary narrow: minimum 0.3 metres
  • Jumps: Cannot be ridden over, but ridden around

Black = difficult

  • Difficulty grade: Single trail scale = S3 and more difficult
  • Biking ability: For trail experts! Excellent mountain bike ability required: excellent balance, weight needs to be transferred to get past obstacles, steps on trail, safe cornering and braking ability, hairpin bend basics, trail ability, jumping ability and loads of trail experience!
  • Hazards: Drops from big heights onto dangerous terrain possible with danger of falling and loss of life!
  • Trail properties: Partially very loose, very variable ground with constant roots and stones
  • Obstacles: Very high terraces, steps and stairs soon after each other
  • Gradient: Extremely steep, average ≥ 20%; maximum ≥ 70%
  • Curves: extremely steep and tight curves and exits to curves
  • Trail width: extremely narrow: minimum 0.2 metres
  • Jumps: Cannot be ridden over or ridden around
Lisi Osl Trail in Kirchberg

Other evaluation criteria

The difficulty levels are regarded as consistent under standard conditions. Additional criteria should be considered in planning a trail day, however, to be completely sure.

Situation-dependent features

  • checkTrail properties and ground: Gravel, boulders, grass etc.

  • checkWeather: Wet or dry (the weather of the past few days should also be considered!)

  • checkObstacles: Steps, terraces, stairs, roots, stones and rocks, etc.

  • checkGradient in percent: How steep is the terrain at certain points

  • checkTypes of curves: Radius, length, terrain, obstacles, elevated curves etc.

  • checkTrail width

  • checkJumps

  • checkPersonal requirements: Fitness, experience, technique etc.

The small print

The division of the single trails into difficulty grades is very transparent due to standardised and unified criteria wherever possible. There may be slight deviations from this for different reasons and features. The levels provided do not give any information about the degree of danger the single trail represents to the biker. In addition, it cannot indicate the latest circumstances or danger points. Personal characteristics such as physical fitness, previous biking experience and the level of technical skill of a biker have a major impact on the enjoyment of the trails. It can be assumed that as the level of difficulty increases, the risk of injury and the risk of falling increases. It should be noted that biking on single trails in the Kitzbühel Alps is done entirely at your own responsibility, and liability is entirely excluded.

Please take note of the latest notices at the start of trails!