Travel September 26, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock Innsbruck’s Hidden Trails: The Ultimate Bike Adventure That Transforms More Than Your Ride

Have you ever stood at the foot of those towering Tyrolean peaks around Innsbruck and wondered if your family cycling adventure might just turn into a competitive triathlon? It’s a landscape so breathtakingly vast and challenging, it could intimidate even the most die-hard outdoor enthusiasts. The steep climbs, the relentless ascents – they’re enough to leave even the fittest gasping for air and the rest of the family chasing shadows. On our recent trip, however, we stumbled upon a game-changer that transformed our family ride from daunting to downright delightful: e-mountain bikes. These clever machines became the great equalizer, smoothing out the gaps between seasoned 20-somethings and those of us who prefer a gentler pace—allowing us all to pedal side-by-side, savoring the stunning alpine vistas rather than just surviving the climb. Curious how electric assist can turn mountain beast into a family-friendly breeze? Let me take you through our electrifying journey. LEARN MORE

The landscape around Innsbruck is beautiful and impressive, but you could be forgiven – particularly if you are considering a family outdoor cycling adventure – if you found its shear scale a little intimidating. The steep mountain tracks and soaring ascents are not for the faint of heart. Gruelling climbs, that even have walkers breathing heavily, can result in significant gaps when cycling as a family – particularly when cycling with super-fit 20-somethings! But on our recent trip to Tyrol, we discovered the ultimate equaliser: e-mountain bikes.

We were expertly guided by Rob, who manages Bike School Innsbruck during the summer and operates out of Die Börse (Innsbruck’s premier bike hub in summer and winter sports depot in the colder months). Our trip completely changed how we would look at cycling as a family in future.

Why e-bikes transformed our trip

Before this outing, none of us had ever ridden e-bikes. I suppose we kind of saw it as cheating slightly, and not fully exerting ourselves. If you’re a purist who thinks electric assist eliminates the workout (as I did), think again — you still have to pedal, but the assist makes the entire experience more enjoyable; you still get a workout – in fact, it means you can go further for longer.

The bikes we rode were serious machines—retailing at around €6,000 each and were equipped with multi-tiered power delivery modes:

Off: Pure leg power (and, because it’s an e-bike, a heavier-than-usual frame to push).
Eco: A subtle nudge that offsets the weight of the bike, ideal for flat gravel paths.
Trail: Delivering responsive power that keeps momentum steady up steep inclines.
Turbo: Instant power that turns daunting, steep slopes into manageable climbs.

The real beauty of the e-bike for a family is its ability to smooth out differences in fitness and skill. Instead of stronger riders forging ahead while others struggle behind or, worse still, have to get off and push their bikes (which definitely would have been the case on this route), everyone is instead able to stay together. You still get a good cardiovascular workout, but without the physical exhaustion that would prevent you from enjoying the experience, and with the benefit of everyone being able to ride together.

Our route

Our ride covered over 20 kilometres and approximately 700 meters of vertical ascent across 2 hours of moving time (3.5 hours total time spent exploring, having lunch and taking photos). What impressed us most was battery efficiency — despite heavy climbing and regular use of the bikes’ capabilities, they each still had around 70% battery remaining from a full charge when we finished.

1. The Climb into the Nordkette

Setting off from Die Börse in the heart of Innsbruck, Rob guided us out of the semi-busy urban terrain and out onto trails leading into the massive Nordkette range. Within minutes, we had left the asphalt behind and were weaving our way up forest tracks with the assistance of the e-bikes’ ‘Trail’ mode. We were immediately surprised at how effortless the climbs were, despite them being such heavy bikes.

And, before we knew it, we were looking down on fabulous views of the city.

The sound of the traffic had quickly vanished. Instead, it was replaced by the ringing of cowbells that echoed through the Alpine pastures.

Seeing the cows graze in such pristine mountain air made me realise just why Austrian cheese tastes so good.

2. Stopping for lunch

Further up the mountain, we had a choice of where we stopped for lunch. We opted to carry on past Umbruggler Alm because we had visited in winter when walking in the area. We had enjoyed it there, and love the building’s striking architecture, but continued on to the moe traditional Arzler Alm (1,067m) to experience a classic Tyrolean atmosphere. The place was buzzing with people and the panoramic views of the Inn Valley below was the perfect backdrop for a brief rest.

The schnitzel and spinatknödel (spinach dumplings) were both good, too!

3. A hidden gem in the rock face

Continuing along the trail above the city, Rob took us on a short detour to a fascinating geological feature—a sheer rock face into which a wooden lodge had been directly built and sheltered. This unique structure had the air of a historic hunting lodge or mountain shelter, giving into a glimpse into the region’s rugged heritage.

4. The descent

After our detour, it was time to head back down. The descent took us past farmland, through winding forest tracks and eventually on to to tarmaced roads where, with the e-bikes now set to the ‘off’ mode, we were stll able to reach controlled speeds of over 50 kilometres per hour.

Once back on the valley floor, our trail transformed back into city streets. We guided our bikes through the historical heart of Innsbruck, sweeping under the grandeur of the Triumphpforte (Triumphal Arch)—built in 1765 by Empress Maria Theresa—before pulling back up to Die Börse to complete our circuit. It had been a really fun ride and one that completely changed our attitude towards e-bikes!

Disclosure: Our trip was sponsored by Innsbruck Tourism.

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.