Take a pedal yatra | Travel - Hindustan Times
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Take a pedal yatra

BySai Raje, Himachal Pradesh
May 10, 2010 09:50 AM IST

Thers's no thrill quite like on the mighty mountains on the humble bicycle

Riding hard up a steepHimalayan road is sureto make your heart thumpagainst your rib cage; makeyour legs feel like jelly andleave you panting and red-faced. Butwhat makes it all worthwhile isbeing able to ride your bike at a relaxedpace once you get to the top. Youaren't crawling at a snail's pace, but youaren't zipping by like you would in a careither.

"You might only be cycling at 18-20kph but that's the ideal speed at whichyou can take in the beautiful landscape,"says Milind Bhide, a mountain bikerwho runs Countryside AdventureHolidays, a Mumbai-based adventuretravel company.

Himalayan ride

The Himalayan region parts ofLadakh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh,and Uttarakhand offers some of thebest biking trails in India. The roadfrom Manali to Leh is legendary for itsmountain biking trails.

Another popular bicycling route isfrom Manali to Shimla. This has alsobeen the preferred route for the MTBHimachal, a high-altitude mountainbicycling challenge, for the last six years."Mountain biking is the best way to getclose to nature in an eco-friendly way.The pleasure of riding through pristineforests cannot be compared to anythingelse," says Mohit Sood, president ofMTB Himachal.

Tough challenge
What makes mountain bikingextremely adventurous are thechallenging conditions in which the bikershave to ride. Some stretches ofmountain roads are often very steep,making them impossible to ride on. Thebikers have no other option but to carrytheir bikes over the rough terrain. "Thenthere are the downhills, which are steep,curvy roads you take to ride down ahill," says Sood. "These are very difficultto master since it's so easy to losecontrol as your bike hurtles down aslope. One wrong turn and you couldend up in the valley below."

"The mountainous regions of Indiaare full of long downhills and gruellinguphills that are highly demanding forbikers," says Arun Joshi, founder ofDelhi-based Peak Adventure Tours."The straight stretches, sections ofhike and bike and sections of fastpacedgravel roads contributeto a great mountain bikingexperience. There is a little bit of everythingfor riders of all initiations, besidesjust dirt roads and single tracks."

Trails or off road tracks bring a differentset of challenges to the table."One of the thrills of mountain bikingis being able to ride on off road tracksas it lets me thoroughly enjoy the beautyof my surroundings and indulge insome photography," says RohanDhawan, an avid mountain biker and amember of Pedal Yatri, a mountain bikers'group in Gurgaon.

Starting out
If you're a newbie, the best way to honeyour mountain biking skills is by ridingyour cycle as much as you can onan everyday basis. Building staminaand endurance along with musclestrength is key. "You can boost your fitnesslevel by going to the gym regularly,but there's no substitute for spendingtime on the saddle," says SaminderSingh Saluja, a four-time participant inthe MTB Himachal. "Ride your bike foras long as you can everyday. That's thebest training really."

Cycling for long distances on flatroads is a good way to start. "As youpick up more skills and your enduranceimproves, you could start exploring hillyroads," says Dhawan, who started bycycling in and around Gurgaon and nowgoes mountain biking in HimachalPradesh with fellow members of PedalYatri. A daily cycling routine of 35-40km keeps him in top shape.

But be careful before taking on steepmountain roads and off road trails asa novice, advises Dhawan. "Never goon an off road trail when you are alone.When you are exploring a different terrainfor the first time, it's always goodto be in a group," he says.

Customised mountain biking

The safest way to start mountain bikingis by signing up with an adventuresports company that will customise atour to suit your requirements. You canchoose routes, distances and the durationof your trip. All equipment, includingATB (all terrain bikes), back-upvehicles, repair kits and even a mechanicare provided by the organisers.

"If there's a stretch that's too toughfor you to handle, you can put your bikein the back-up vehicle and drive downthat distance and start riding the bikeagain after some time," says Bhide.

Upcoming rides
Peak Adventure Tours organisesmountain biking tours in HimachalPradesh, Ladakh and Sikkim. ContactArun Joshi on +91-9811636814.Countryside Adventure Holidaysorganises customised mountain bikingtrips for groups of five or more. ContactMilind Bhide on +91-22-2444 1513.Pedal Yatri is a Gurgaon-based groupthat organises rides to the Aravali Hillsand Himachal Pradesh. For details,email pedalyatri@gmail.comEQUIPMENTBikers use all-terrain bikes for themountains. Pick from brands like Atlas,Cannondale, Firefox, and Hercules.Knee and elbow pads help to minimisescrapes and bruises.Basic puncture patch kit and bikerepairing pack.At least two big bottles of water.First aid kit.High-energy snacks like dry fruit,cheese.Swiss Army knife for safety and utility.

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