Stefan Michel

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Stefan Michel is a freelancer and editor at Ride. The journalist and multisports enthusiast knows most of the activities he writes about from his own experience.

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Germany 2025: Legal supply is growing despite setbacks

Something is happening in Germany: various trails created by local MTB communities went into operation in 2025. Germany in reverse gear: the long-standing Deister trails have to close, a Bavarian district wants the 1.5 m rule and a bike park has gone bankrupt.

Two steps forward, one step back - this was the trail year 2025 in Switzerland

Jubilation in Solothurn, Zurich and Nidwalden, long faces in Lucerne and Bern. The year 2025 ends with progress and setbacks in terms of access to single trails. But progress is also being made in difficult regions.

Three men steal over 300 bikes and end up in jail

Three men steal more than 300 bicycles, some of them high-value, over several years and sell them on online marketplaces. In the week before Christmas, they stand trial and receive prison sentences.

Uetliberg Pfannenstiel Oberland Zürichsee Obersee

You probably don't know these details of the Zurich MTB concept yet

The MTB concept of the Canton of Zurich is cause for joyful whips and trail whoops. But it also contains a few points that need clarification. We asked the canton's project manager, Livio Peterer from the Bicycle Traffic Office.

Schweizmobil Stockalperweg Mountainbikeland Schweiz

Schweizmobil promises more single trails on its tours

Schweizmobil recently announced a new strategy. Dominik Blunschy, also the new president, and Dominik Hug, MTB manager, explain in an interview what this is all about and what trail bikers can expect from Schweizmobil in the future. Attention Long Read.

Specialized Tarmac SL8 Roadbike Original

Specialized and Aliexpress break up large counterfeiting ring

Counterfeit Specialized frames, wheels, forks and more, plus knock-offs from Cannondale, Trek, Cérvelo and Pinarello - Chinese law enforcement officers have confiscated goods with a total retail value of 1.6 million dollars. Seven suspects have been arrested.

Zurich rejoices: MTB concept makes trail freedom even more official

The canton of Zurich has a new mountain bike concept. One key issue remains the same: Mountain biking is permitted on all mapped trails. In addition, the canton wants to expand the infrastructure in the most popular areas.

Adolf Silva Red Bull Rampage querschnittgelähmt

Adolf Silva after his spinal cord injury: "I have no regrets

Adolf Silva is paraplegic after his horror crash at the Red Bull Rampage 2025. In his latest vlog, he answers the questions posed to him by the community. Either he's incredibly mentally strong - or he's a very good actor.

Canyon FMD Racing Truck Scania P310 Ebay

You can now buy the Canyon Truck on Ebay

If this isn't a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: you can secure the old FMD Racing race truck from the time when it was still competing in Downhill World Cup races with Canyon bikes for a whopping 43,312 euros. The auction runs until Thursday.

Kanton Solothurn Singletrail Mountainbike

It's done: Solothurn is definitely not banning trail biking

The parliament of the canton of Solothurn recently passed the new forest law. Mountain bikers are still allowed to ride single trails. Lobbying by mountain bikers has worked, as just two years ago a ban on single trails was still in the draft bill.

Daihatsu Kayoibako-K Micro Camper Vanlife E-Camper

This micro camper picks you up at the end of the trail

The Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu has presented a concept that will make minimalists' ears prick up. The Kayoibako-K is shorter than the modern Fiat Cinquecento and offers everything that solo campers or traveling couples need. It also rides autonomously and could thus become a driverless trail shuttle.

What on earth do you want with Velosuisse, Nathalie Schneitter?

Many people know Nathalie Schneitter as a racing cyclist, others as co-organizer of Cycle Week and still others as an original bike ambassador. They all now have to get used to the fact that the woman from Solothurn is President and Managing Director of the Velosuisse industry association. In this interview, she explains why this position is the logical consequence of her previous cycling activities.

Biker crashes onto railroad tracks - nine days later he is dead

It looked like a stroke of luck: A 38-year-old man crashed his bike onto a train track. However, the next train only hit the bike. The man was flown to hospital in a critical condition, but appeared to be safe. Nine days later, the police announced the death of the accident victim.

Gränichen Trailbuilders Racing Club Gränichen Beat Stirnemann

In Gränichen, pensioners shovel trail after trail

Gränichen in Aargau is a Swiss mountain bike stronghold with a traditional international race and a training base for the national team. But in the forest, bikers have to fight for every meter of trail. Beat Stirnemann and his trail builders - retired men from the region - take on this role.

Auch Transportboxen können mehr oder weniger. Diese kann mehr.

Yeti makes gadgets for eternity

The cult brand Yeti can do more than you might think. It also makes cool boxes, thermal cups, can crushers and much more. Ok, this is a different company to the bike manufacturer. Its designers and engineers achieve the feat of surpassing Yeti bikes in terms of technical perfectionism.

IMBA Meet & Ride Adaptive Mountianbiking Mountain Hand Biking

More easy trails and more women - IMBA and Co. are looking ahead

The Meet & Ride symposium, organized by IMBA Switzerland, Swiss Cycling and Bebike, recently took place in Thun. Ride was there for a day and listened to what organizations and trail builders are struggling with and what kind of trail should be built most often in the near future.

Graubünden is working on its MTB future

The graubündenBike program has enabled the canton of Graubünden to become the leading MTB region over the last 15 years. The new edition of the program now has a different focus and has met with criticism. Stefan Michel took a look behind the scenes.

Rampage crash: Adolf Silva is paralyzed and gives an update

It was definitely one of the worst crashes at the Red Bull Rampage in recent years. And unfortunately, the worst fears have come true. Adolf Silva is currently paraplegic. In an impressively composed video, he describes his situation and initial plans for his new life.

Transalpes wants to grow and is looking for private investors

Transalpes recently launched a public offering of shares. The capital increase is intended to finance the new model series. The company shares are expected to generate profits for investors in both the short and medium term. Amazing prospects given the state of the industry. Ride has asked.

The Q Epic Wheelless Bike Raupen-Fahrrad

Screwdriver genius builds the most unusable bikes in the world

The Q sounds like conspiracy and fantasy at first. That's probably what it's supposed to be, because absurd is a gross understatement as an adjective for the ideas that The Q puts into practice.

MTB Cup Hägglingen Trailprojekt VC Hägglingen

Aargau bikers fight for six years for mini-trail center

Hägglingen now has a small trail center: four trails with a total length of 1100 metres. It is the result of a compromise that hardly makes anyone happy and is unlikely to have any steering effect. The mini trail center shows how little space Aargau allows for biking.

Flims, Laax and Falera take over the Weisse Arena ski and bike area

The fear of the Americans has worked: The voters of Flims also approve the takeover deal, with which the municipalities of Flims, Laax and Falera take over the mountain railroads and other tourist infrastructure on the mountain. This averts the sale to Vail Resorts or another international ski resort multinational, although no official offer had ever been made.

All fairy tales? This is how epic the Alps Epic Trail is

Does the Alps Epic Trail live up to its name? Commentators have been arguing about it for years in the Ride tour database. What's more, the section through the Zügen Gorge always causes bad blood. Ride editor Stefan Michel also wants to have his say and has therefore put the tour to the test.

Mountain biker rams deer and injures himself seriously

An accident with a rarity value and apparently serious consequences for the human victim: A mountain biker collided with a deer on a road in Carinthia. He injured himself so badly that he had to be flown to hospital by helicopter.

Liability clarified: The biker is almost always at fault in accidents

If a biker falls, the landowner is liable, even if the trail is illegal. Pedestrians, on the other hand, enjoy no protection on downhill trails. Of course, none of this is true. There are myths and legal concepts surrounding liability that do not stand up to the law. Here is a clarification of the most important questions.

Spacecamperbike Cargobike mit Zeltaufbau

Rooftop tent now also works on the Cargobike

We've already had a few bike campers. Now here is the habitable Cargobike. The Spacecamperbike offers a place to sleep or an armchair with a table on which - just an idea - you can also open up your laptop and work in the bike office.

Gravelbike Von Drais Vermont Schweiz Swiss Bike Concept

2026 with three models: New Swiss bicycle brand Von Drais expands

The first gravel bikes from the new Swiss bike brand Von Drais have been on sale since the summer. Behind it is a group of specialist dealers. They are already placing repeat orders. In 2026, they will expand the range to three models.

This is the true story behind the Swiss Trail Awards

In 2026, Imba Switzerland and the Trail Foundation will be presenting the Swiss Trail Awards for the first time, something like the Trail Oscars of Switzerland. One day after publication, a familiar face gets in touch and says: "That was my idea!"

Forst closes approved bike route in NRW due to vandalism

In Emmerich NRW, the forestry authority has closed a mountain bike trail that was approved 12 years ago. According to the forestry department, young people were partying on the trail, littering the area and building illegal structures. Even the association responsible supports the closure.

This club is now the face of mountain biking in Zurich

The IG Mountainbike Zürich has been founded. The new umbrella organization promises to work towards a good mountain bike infrastructure in the canton. As a representative of mountain bikers, the IG wants to influence the ongoing political processes.

Switzerland's number one mountain bike route has been given a facelift

The rough classic over the Maighelspass in Central Switzerland is a touch less bumpy. Two teams of volunteers have renovated the path from the Maighelshütte to the Vermigelhütte under professional supervision. Despite three days of hard work, the descent is still crisp.

Kamingo eBike Conversion Kit Umrüst-Set E-Bike

You can put this e-bike in your backpack

The Kamingo eBike Conversion Kit turns any bike into an e-bike and powers it with up to 750 watts - at a weight of just 2.3 kilograms. However, the conversion kit does have a few crucial limitations.

The next prodigy: this ten-year-old rides and jumps like a pro

Weston Lukens is currently mixing up the trails and the net. The ten-year-old jumps and rides like a pro. Freerider and trail builder Mark Matthews can't believe his eyes.

End after 30 years: Bikefestival Basel fails to find a new location

The 30th edition is the last. Next weekend, August 16-17, the Bikefestival Basel will be held for the last time at the Schänzli. The reason is not the crisis in the bike industry or dwindling interest: The event site is being partially built over. Despite an intensive search, the OC is unable to find another location.

Fabian Dankl Trial Mountainbike Westendorf Tirol

Who is riding the steel cable from lift mast to lift mast?

No, it's not Fabio Wibmer rolling across a tightrope at the Westendorf cable car in Tyrol, but his fellow countryman Fabian Dankl. Two years of preparation went into the one-minute tightrope act.

MTB ban: Now a Bavarian district is trying the 1.5-meter rule

The Upper Bavarian district of Miesbach wants to ban mountain biking on trails less than 1.5 meters wide in six newly defined nature reserves. Despite 35 exceptions, this comes close to a mountain bike ban in the entire district, according to the DIMB.

South Tyrol Mountain Rescue feels like a "cab service for e-bikers

The South Tyrolean Mountain Rescue Service says it is too often called out because of e-mountain bikers who have not had an accident but are simply exhausted or even just complaining about an empty battery. They are misused as a cab service, they say on TV. Their colleagues in Austria, Bavaria and Switzerland take a more relaxed view of the situation.

Trailfriends Kanton Zürich Verein Mountainbike Infrastruktur Lobby

Zurich MTB umbrella organization Trailfriends gives up - because a new IG takes over

For six years, the Trailfriends Kanton Zürich association has represented the interests of mountain bikers. This week, the association announced its dissolution. The reason for this is a new cantonal IG Mountainbike, which is currently being set up, requested by the canton and driven by Züritrails.

Torsus Praetorian Liberra Expedition Motorhome Van Camper

Civil war outside, dolce vita inside: Torsus Praetorian Motorhome

The Torsus Praetorian Liberra looks terrifying and is designed to cope with the toughest off-road terrain. Inside, it offers all the amenities you could wish for on your escape from civilization.

Rob Warner returns to Champéry - on a T-shirt

The downhill medals will be awarded in Champéry in 2025 - on the course where Danny Hart on the bike and Rob Warner with Nigel Page on the microphone made history. A T-shirt is now calling for the British commentary legend to return.

A historic bike collection urgently needs a new home

Chrigel Braun's bike bunker is full of monuments to mountain bike history. He has 100 bikes, and his fellow tenants have ten more. But now Zurich wants the underground civil defense facility back and Chrigel is looking for a new treasure trove.

The trail center on the outskirts of Lucerne is one step closer

For years, the various parties involved have been planning the bike trails in the Bireggwald forest on the border of Lucerne and Horw. Now the municipality of Horw has answered an interpellation about the project. This brings the building permit a little closer again.

Yes, it really happened: Biker caused forest fire with brake disk

It sounds like an outdoor myth, but according to the Austrian police it has actually happened: Maximum-heated brake disks can start a forest fire. Avoiding this is simple. But putting water on the hot windshield is not the solution.

Brigels rolls out the blue trail for handbikers

Brigels is strengthening its mountain bike offer. For the first time, the Sursilvan municipality is expanding its trails for hand bikers. And an old acquaintance is also involved: Remo Eberle, who has already hoisted Disentis Sedrun onto the bike Map.

Long planning, short construction time: the new Gurten Trail is ready to go

One of the oldest official bike trails in Switzerland has been given a major facelift. Trailnet is celebrating its 20th birthday with the opening of the new Gurten Trail. The party starts on July 5 on the trail and ends at the Trailnet party in the parking garage.

Fabio Püntener Reto Burki Biketeam Solothurn

Suddenly a star: what Fabio Püntener's success means for his team boss

Fabio Püntner has made a dream start to the cross-country season and is currently in 5th place in the World Cup rankings. For the small Solothurn bike team and its owner Reto Burki, this brings with it a whole new set of questions and challenges. He is also starting to dream.

Martin Vidaurre Kossmann Winner Val di Sole 2025

Püntener does it again, first World Cup victory for Chile

Heat, dust, steep climbs and tough descents characterize the World Series race in Val di Sole. Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (CHE) wins his first World Cup race ahead of Mathis Azzaro (FRA) and Fabio Püntener (SUI). Puck Pieterse (NED) rides away from everyone early on. Samara Maxwell (NZL) fights her way up to second place, Laura Stigger (AUT) finishes third.

Jackson Goldstone Val di Sole UCI Downhill 2025

Dapréla without a chain, Goldstone without mercy in Val di Sole

Marine Cabirou (FRA) wins the downhill race of the UCI World Cup in Val di Sole ahead of Vali Höll (AUT) and Monika Hrastnik (SLO). The fastest man for the third time in a row is Jackson Goldstone (CAN), who leaves Troy Brosnan (AUS) and Thibaut Dapréla (FRA) well behind him.

This bike was once a fishing net

This bike is made almost entirely from recycled plastic. Rain and dirt can't harm it at all and it should be quite comfortable to ride thanks to the flex of the material. A mountain bike is not yet in the pipeline, but may be, according to the manufacturer.

Fake store Meier Radsport Zürich defrauds gullible customers

Fake stores are spreading online like weeds in a vegetable patch. At the moment, the non-existent Meier Radsport in Zurich is trying to take money out of the accounts of gullible people.

Graubünden sponsors the German Mountain Bike Initiative DIMB

Graubünden has the trails, the DIMB has the mountain bikers. Several million people regularly get in the saddle - the Home of Trails wants to reach them via the channels of the German Mountain Bike Initiative and attract them as guests.

Protest-Podest Alessandra Keller Candice Lill UCI Araxà

Lazy compromise: drivers criticize new podium rule

The MTB World Cup enters round 3 in Nove Mesto. The new podium rule with only three instead of five riders on the winner's photo will also be discussed in the Czech forest - even if the fourth and fifth-placed riders are now allowed in the photo at the very end of the ceremony.

R.I.P. Scor? BMC takes a stand

BMC has announced that it will not be developing any new models for its subsidiary brand Scor. Is this the end of the trail bikes from Grenchen or are they just being put on hold? David Heine from BMC answers Ride's questions - including about BMC's cross-country bikes and the World Cup team.

BMC cuts 40 jobs and stops Scor development

BMC, like so many bicycle companies, is under pressure. That is why the Swiss manufacturer is now cutting 40 jobs worldwide. The reorganization includes a focus on gravel and road bikes. According to media reports, the subsidiary brand Scor will no longer be developing any new models.

A warning sign hangs in the forest: it's crunching again in Lucerne

A laminated piece of paper, hung up in the forest near Lucerne, makes it into the national media. However, this is a dubious success for the authors of the notice. It shows one thing above all: the canton of Lucerne is still a long way from finding a sustainable solution for mountain biking.

Gardasee Busatte Hans Rey Christian Piccolruaz

38 degrees: Two veterans go steep

Where others climb, Hans "No Way" Rey and Christian "Picco" Piccolruaz ride up and back down on their e-mountainbikes. 38 degrees, that's a gradient of over 84 percent. Riding technique, motor, nerves - everything is at the limit. Oh yes, the two men are well over 50.

Olten Singletrail Kanton Solothurn Waldgesetz

Good news from Solothurn: government overturns bike ban

The resistance has worked. The Solothurn government advises against a ban on bikes on narrow paths in the new forest law. But what parliament decides is crucial. The single trail ban is not yet definitely off the table.

Blog: Tranzbag again - by bike and train to Italy

With two mountain bikes on the train to Como - can't be that difficult. It wasn't in the end. But SBB still doesn't make it easy for us.

Reschenpass 3-Länder Enduro Trailnetz Bikepark Südtirol

The trail for you alone - Reschenpass awards first descent of the season

The 3-country enduro trails open this year with a special attraction: one woman and one man will be the first to take on the Schöneben Trail. Anyone can apply, a jury will decide who is allowed. The only condition: The duo must be filmed on e-mountainbikes from Moustache.

Flückiger case: ex-anti-doping chief demands resignation of those responsible

Mathias Flückiger has been wrongly suspected of doping and banned. Those responsible made so many mistakes in his trial that the former head of Anti-Doping Switzerland, Matthias Kamber, is now calling for the resignation of the current management. The organization should also hand over the testing of top athletes to another organization.

Note: This content has been automatically translated from German. Please report any incorrect translations.

Stefan Michel | Ride MTB