I seem to remember reading somewhere that you weren't allowed to ride any singletrack or paths in germany and that you were just restricted to wide tracks. Does anyone know if this is true? Does anyone know of any good riding in bavaria? Any help would be apreciated I don't want to go on holiday there and have nowhere decent to ride.

We have a customer just outside Frankfurt in a place called Kronberg. Here there is the "Tanus" which is basically a 1000 metre climb from the town. On the way up, yes its' fireroads but on the way down it was a combination of singletrack and cutting through the trees. Excellent fun.
Apparently (according to my German friends), there is no law about where you can ride. If you are interested, I can find (& translate) the legislation if you let me know where you are going.

Michael, email me directly and I'll see if I've got any guide books and maps for the area you are considering.
The law in Germany states that you can't ride anything less than 1.5m wide - so you are correct. But the law is ignored by everyone (actually the laws are slightly different in every state).
The ramblers are extremely polite and move out of the way of bikes (provided you fit and use a bell) No bell and they get right stroppy.
There is oodles and oodles of forest singletrack. In fact everything is in forest. I know some cracking rides in the Harz mountains, Schwabisch Alb and Black forest.
Tends not to be so technical (not so rocky and eroded is UK), but singletrack for mile after mile can't be sniffed at. (Oh and sausage stands and pubs in all the forests)

Kevin is right, I knew that rings a bell (Sorry). It was a little strange seeing all these expensive full suss mtbs with bells on them. But it was all very organised and, well, German really. Sounds like Kevin is your man in terms of finding rides.

I'm working in Paderborn next week, does anyone know of any trails around there?

Get a map out and look for the Teutoburger ridge, running from Osnabruck to Paderborn. This is a low forested sandstone ridge with some bizarre towers and pinnacles. The word on the singletrack is that their is a single 100mile rideable footpath from one end to the other (sounds good eh).
If you don't fancy this then the Eifel mountains are just south of you, the Harz aren't too far to the east, and there is some tamer stuff around the Weser valley not far east. The teutoburger looks both best and nearest. Never ridden their myself but seen it in German BIKE mag.
If in doubt in germany just ride off into the nearest local wood and it'll be better than a slap in the face.

Cheers Kevin!

I have a couple of days booked off next week, i'm gonna extend my flight home and take my bike, Cheers!

...Just gotta find a bell....

Hi, I found that Teutoburger Wald ride last night in BIKE. Its 200km from Rheine, past Osnabruck, through Bielefeld and Paderborn to Wrexen.
Luckily for you the best bit is just east of Paderborn near Detmold and Berlebeck. Look on a map for the Hermann Denkmal and Externsteine. The ridge is followed by the Hermannsweg (marked by a H) and in the later (Southern) bits by the Eggeweg (marked by an X).
Just ride on any footpaths unless they are marked no bikes and you'll be fine.

Thanks Kevin, i'll sort a map out this lunchtime.

I just hope the weather is a little better than the stuff we are having at the moment!

P.S. Is that your tank? Can I have a go?!

Kevin

Thanks for all the info I may well get back to you when. I sort out where I'm going.

I went riding with my brother who live's just outside Detmold and it is the best riding in Germany, most recomended!

That's the teutoburger wald I've just been describing.
Best in Germany is perhaps a bit of an exageration considering that they have a small chunk of the alps in germany!