Şaua Strunga descent: this is how it’s done

trip report

A 11 min video edit from a Bucegi all-mountain session this summer, with Sigge and Micke. We climbed from Padina to Strunga Pass, then all the way down to Bran village. The camera (Go Pro Hero2) was mounted on Sigge’s bike during the tough descents (no, there is no fast forward effect) and on mine on softer terrain. Natural sound, as usual, if you want a soundtrack just choose something appropriate from your playlist.

Sigge and Micke they both use full-suspension bikes, 150mm travel (rear and front). Pretty heavy bikes for uphill but ideal for downhill. They both managed ok the demanding ascent to Strunga Pass. My 100mm travel hard-tail was OK for the uphill, but I constantly lagged behind on the descents. Considering that the two guys where riding these trails for the first time in their life, one might think that some chemicals where missing from their brain, something related to the self preservation instinct :-). But I can testify they are totally sane persons, with families and responsibilities (and that makes me wonder how where they riding before becoming grown-ups, but probably some things are better left unknown).

The Strunga Pass descent becomes, if it isn’t already, a classic. Technical but not steep, quite long, with plenty of variation. Access is quite difficult, you can only get there on bike or along the bike – we would like to see it stay that way, a road from Bucegi to Bran County would be something we could leave without. Sigge and Micke, two Swedish bikers visiting the Carpathian trails, shows us how this descent is done. Enjoy – and kids, don’t try this at home.

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