I rode the tour on the weekend. There are definitely too many stairs for me. These are rideable, but I don't enjoy them very much.

I rode the tour on April 29, 2023. As it was my last bike day for the week, I decided to tackle the pleasant climb under my own steam. A good 2.5 hours and a Coke later, I enjoyed the view from Cimetta. From there, it's a short descent as described, before the bike finds itself on the rucksack for just under 45 minutes. The view from the Cima is really worthwhile. As already described, the downhill is quite demanding. As there were still a few patches of snow on the ideal line, I had to get off my bike a few times at the beginning. After that, practically everything was rideable, albeit close to the limit and, thanks to the flowy sections, just above my fun threshold.
As I didn't feel like wasting my elevation gain on the road, I left the route after Campigliai, crossed via Fordigia to Piroi and from there took the hour climb to Monti dei Lego under my feet. The whole section was quite steep, wet and leafy, so that even in the opposite direction (black singletrail) I would have been mostly on foot. The view of Locarno and the lake from this mountain was also very beautiful. The subsequent downhill wasn't easy, but it was much less rough than before and was therefore a lot of fun, as was the final firework of the original route, which I then returned to with practically no tar. The only downer was that I missed the trail entrance again shortly before the end (or simply couldn't find it) and had to hop down the 1000 steps at Madonna del Sasso as I had always done before.
All in all, a worthwhile tour, and the walk to Monti di Lego was well worth it. At the end, my GPS showed a distance of 37 km and 2,200 m.
I ride a Scott Genius Ultimate and am usually in the head group uphill; downhill, I'm always the last one by a long way.

Super trail! Just watch out for the following:
- From Cimetta to Cima della Trosa you have to push your bike for about 30-40 minutes. Even with an e-bike, the route is unrideable.
- The trail is definitely S3, take an enduro (trail) bike with you!

We rode the tour on 17.6.23 in bright sunshine and a warm 27°C. First of all... this tour is one of the 10 best rides I've ever done. Demanding trails that really challenge the bike (enduro recommended) and rider.
We first took the gondola up to Cardada. Then we climbed via Lo Stallone up to Cimetta (approx. 40 min). From there, after a very short ride, we headed up to Cima della Trosa. The bike has to be carried or pushed for about 45 minutes (300m). But it's worth it. At the summit you have a magnificent view!
What follows is 1 ½ hours of trail fireworks to Mergosicia. The trail is quite challenging in places and is peppered with steps and descents (S2-S3), so it's more for experienced and experienced bikers. It was striking that we were pretty much alone, no hikers and no bikers....simply wonderful.
From Mergosicia we took the old access road from the village past the Verzasca dam. From Contra it climbs just under 300m towards Resa. From there, the second 4.5km slightly descending trail follows to Locarno Monti. This trail is also quite challenging and peppered with steps, offsets, blocked passages, flowing paths, a few crisp climbs ... everything a biker's heart could wish for! Super trail fun to round off a great round tour!

All in all, it took us a whole day. We were rather leisurely on the road. For this tour you have to reckon with at least 5.5 hours riding time with gondola and breaks.
Total length 33.5km, pure travel time approx. 3.5h, descent 2033Hm, ascent 1100Hm (without lift).

I rode the tour today, Easter Sunday. Yes, it's absolutely doable, there are only a few snowfields on the north side of the Trosa summit but these are no problem.
I rode the tour on an enduro bike from Locarno station without the gondola or chairlift. The ascent is pleasant to ride, but it drags on. It takes 2.5 hours and you already have over 1300m in your legs. The ascent to the summit is def. unbelievable but easily doable with a shouldered bike. I got exciting comments from hikers who wondered where on earth I wanted to ride down :-)
The descent is easy to ride, a little more air than usual is advisable, there are thousands of narrow rocks and steps that literally call for snakebite. Speaking of steps and stairs: you should love them, because there are 100s of them on the descent. Littered with many hairpin bends, the trail winds its way down towards the valley. There is still a lot of foliage in the woods, which makes things even more difficult. The trail is basically not difficult to ride (there are no key sections), but it has the strong character of a typical Ticino hiking trail, not a flow trail highway but a bike guest on the hiking trail.
The complete tour was 2250m & 44KM long. It took me a good 6.5 hours. Parking is easy at the SBB Park & Rail for 14 for the whole day. Have fun everyone, LG

Rode the tour on 22.09.2022, shortened with the cable car/chair to the top.
Great view, descent and trail. It's amazing what our bikes can withstand, the material is definitely needed here.

We extended the tour, crossed into the valley below Monti di Cortoi, back onto the road at Corripo and rolled out on the other side of the lake. On this additional lap to Corripo, we walked about 30 - 40%, down as well as up.

Cool tour but the climb up Cimetta was tough... the trail down was a good compensation

It's worth carrying up. Super cool trail with what feels like a thousand natural steps, never seen before.

A really beautiful, challenging tour. I was on an e-bike and my very well-trained buddy was on an enduro bike. The climb without a track was long, but easy to manage on the little-used asphalt road. From Cimetta to Cima della Trosa, we had to push a lot. With an e-bike - for technically experienced riders - you can ride over half of it. The view and the subsequent descent fully make up for the long climb. Challenging but great trail. This is how biking should be :-)

The start is from Locarno at the Orselina - Cardada - Cimettabahn cable car.
When you get to the Cimetta mountain station, it's a short bike ride to the start on the Cima della Trosa. You have to push your bike up 210 meters in altitude. But it's easy to manage.
I thought the trip would remain a trail adventure.
But I was proved wrong! The descent on the hiking trails through the Valle di Mergoscia until shortly after Frescen was and is awesome!
It made me think, you have to do that again!!!
On the tarred road to Viona, above Locarno, you have to pedal again, 210 meters uphill.
Then it's back to singletrack until you're almost back at the valley station near Orselina.
You simply have to do this adventure.
PS: my bike partner made it with the e-bike. It's going well so far to master the pushing passage.
You can watch it on my video....
https://youtu.be/1ZPu6mtsCiE

Super tour. Still has snow at the summit, you have to carry a few meters down. The trail is wonderful, sometimes technical, sometimes flowy. There are already many hikers.
Oh, and there are also big black snakes in the Verszasca valley ;-)

Interesting tour