This program, the only one of its kind in Switzerland, is located in the Canols forest area (Lenzerheide) and combines riding technique, playful learning, and the teaching of values right on the trail. Young riders, families, and beginners can improve their skills here while experiencing what fair and responsible biking means at Bike Kingdom.

Riding technique, bike control, and safety are practiced on playful elements such as rock gardens, hairpin turns, and a blue jump line. In addition, interactive stations teach important topics such as showing consideration for hikers, proper behavior in agricultural areas and in the forest, and how to handle encounters with livestock guard dogs.

The Learning Lab was developed in close collaboration with Fairtrail. This national initiative has been committed for years to fostering respectful coexistence on paths and trails. At Bike Kingdom, this partnership can now be experienced firsthand in the field for the first time at this level of depth. The focus is not on prohibitions, but on positive experiences and practical skills. “With the Learning Lab, Bike Kingdom demonstrates how modern awareness-raising works: close to real-world practice, experience-oriented, and right where people are active,” says Kevin Suhr, Fairtrail project manager.

The municipality of Vaz/Obervaz played a central role in bringing the project to life. It covered the majority of the funding and provided significant support during both the planning and implementation phases. The construction was carried out by Allegra Trails in close collaboration with the Lenzerheide Bike School and the municipality. “The Learning Lab symbolizes our shared journey: We invest not only in infrastructure, but also in knowledge, responsibility, and respectful coexistence in nature,” says Mayor Maurin Malär.

Cooperation Among Many Stakeholders

The project is supported by broad regional collaboration. Agriculture, the Plantahof, forestry, game warden services, and other specialized agencies were involved from the start and contributed their expertise to the program’s content. In this way, the Bike Kingdom Learning Lab demonstrates how tourism development, the natural environment, and regional interests can be considered together. “The Bike Kingdom Learning Lab is a collaborative effort. It shows what’s possible when the municipality, the tourism sector, agriculture, and other partners pull together,” says Ruedi Gertsch, Bike Kingdom project manager. “Our goal is to get young cyclists excited about the sport while also raising their awareness of their responsibilities.”

The Bike Kingdom Learning Lab is now open to the public free of charge. The site is easily accessible in just a few minutes from the Rothorn parking lot in Lenzerheide. A visit to the site shows how riding technique, playful learning, and awareness-building come together right on the trail.