It takes just under an hour to drive north-east from Florence. You have barely left the famous Renaissance palaces behind you when the first foothills of the Apennine Mountains appear. And there, about halfway up, the small village of Rincine nestles in the surprisingly densely overgrown forest hills. Or as the local bikers say: "Absolute no man's land".
It doesn't sound as if they asked anyone for permission when creating their first enduro trail. But the fact is that they have turned the mountainous hinterland of the village into an enduro dream spot that now has over 30 trails.
Initially, the trails were limited to the mountains around Rincine, which are just over 1000 metres high, but the first loops now stretch all the way up to the alpine, 1657-metre-high Monte Falco. Bushes have been cut back, signs put up and a shuttle car organised for the weekends. That no longer sounds like a clandestine operation.
In fact, the trail area in Rincine has now established itself as a permanent fixture in the region and is growing by several officially authorised trail kilometres every year. Even an enduro pro like Cedric Gracia appreciates the huge selection of trails, which are maintained but not robbed of their naturalness. Even an "easy", blue-marked trail here can surprise you with a small drop over a rocky edge if the terrain demands it.
Rincine - a real enduro area
In general, you can still expect everything that a dense, wild forest has to offer in terms of key sections: Winding hairpin bends, root carpets, scree and larger slabs, which can also be slippery when covered in dust. Every now and then, the sandy path winds its way between two boulders the size of cinque centos, so you shouldn't pedal into them.
But what you hardly ever have to reckon with in the Rincine trail area: Braking rips in hairpin bends and soggy muddy passages. Even after heavy downpours, the sandy, stony forest floor dries quickly and there are no built berms here.
As already mentioned, the shuttle (from Freeride Firenze) only helps here at weekends. During the week, you usually have the enduro trails to yourself, but you have to complete the 5.5 kilometre long and 500 metre uphill gravel road ascent to the trail entrances yourself. Those travelling by e-MTB can shorten the ascent procedure on direct but steep uphill trails.
By the way, there are bike park-like trails with wooden elements and berms in Fiesole, right on the outskirts of Florence. Here, the guys and girls from "Freeride Firenze" keep a few beautiful lines in shape, with 200 metres of depth and a shuttle service that can be booked via app. So you can stroll through the historic streets of the city in the morning and add a cultural programme on the trails in the afternoon. You'll be back at your accommodation in time for an Aperol Sprizz.
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
