MTB Zagreb

Samoborsko gorje – Japetić & Oštrc

Country: Croatia
Mountain: Samoborsko gorje (Samobor hills)
Length: 35,5 km
Elevation gain:  1180 m
Maximum elevation: 839 m
Tehnical difficulty: 3/5
Download GPS Track: Samoborsko gorje_Japetić & Oštrc_Cyclotril
Date of ride: 08.10.2019
Suitable for E-bike: Yes (if e-bike has push assistance)

I looked in my folders on computer and found out that I rode year before at the same month on Samoborsko gorje. This route is similar with the year before, but with few modifications. The most important one is that now I rode with friends. The second modification is that i visited Samoborsko gorje with my new bike (which showed as big improvement considering the old bike) , and the third modification is that after reaching Japetić peak we went straight to Oštrc without visiting Pleševica and Okić. We parked our cars at supermarket Konzum near stadium and from there followed the paved road (about 12 km) to Šoićeva kuća (Šoić house) and started ascent to peak Japetić.
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Medvednica: Muco – Hpd – Enduro

Country: Croatia
Mountain: Medvednica
Length: 35 km
Elevation gain: 920m
Maximum elevation:  950 m
Technical difficulty: 3/5
Download GPS Track: Medvednica – Muco-Hpd-Enduro_Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 24.11.2019.
Suitable for E-bike: Yes

The name Medvednica could be translated as “bear mountain”. Its biggest peak is called Sljeme, 1035 meters above sea, and often refers as name to the entire mountain. Even though mountain Medvednica is called after bears, there are no bears living there. Urbanization took its toll, so many species (bears, lynxes, wolves, otters, western capercaille… ) that lived there are now disappeared.

On this chilly autumn day we chose to ride on one of the most popular trails on mountain Medvednica. First part of the trail is Muco trail and it is the stage 1 of Zagreb enduro contest. After that we connected to trail called HPD (in translation “Croatian hikers association” trail) or number 52 on some maps. Very narrow singletrack with some technical parts, rocks and roots. Watch out for hikers because this is their trail. This trail also connects to famous enduro Opušteno trail (visible on 4:55 in video).

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MTB Krk Baška – Obzova

Country: Croatia
Region: Island Krk/Obzova peak
Length: 32,5 km
Elevation gain: 980 m
Maximum elevation:  569 m
Technical difficulty: 4/5
Download GPS Track: Krk Obzova Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 02.03.2019.
Suitable for E-bike: Yes

Obzova is the highest peak on island Krk and the trail that leads to the peak is one of the most interesting I rode in last few years. Route starts near beach in Baška. Baška is resort town situated on southern part of island and is famous for its old town, churches and long beautiful beach which is sadly overcrowded during summer.  We didn’t have such problems because we decided to visit Baška in March.
As I said, our route starts near beach and follows paved road to the graveyard. Paved road ends there, and starts carrigeway that leads through pine forest to the famous Moon plateau which offers impressive landscapes made of karst and stone deserts which look like moon surface. There is mtb race (4islands) that is held on this island, and big part of the race is similar to this route, but the race then goes to Punat, and this route continues to Obzova, and then descends back to Baška. Ride is not suitable for hardtail bike.

This was my first serious ride on the new bike, and first real test, so I was a little bit impatient to see how will the bike respond. Even though 130 mm suspension fork worked well, 150 mm or more would be better.

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