This is one ride that we would rather not look forward to ...
An estimated 20 cyclists have perished on the roads on Hong Kong last year, a tragic record according to Martin Turner of the Hong Kong Cycling Alliance. One in six road fatalities are now cycling related and cycling related injuries are also at record levels. This is #%$@ crazy! The HKMBA have always advocated for safe cycling not just on trails but everywhere. Roads connect us to our trails and they should be just as safe but sadly they are not.
The seventh anual Ride of Silence will be held on May 16 at 7:15pm.
Meet at the Clock Tower on the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade. A short speech will made and then we will embark upon quiet and gentle ride to Sham Shui Po.
The EPD is Proposing to spoil the stunning views and waters ofF the Chi Ma Wan Peninsula and South Lantau with a super incinerator at Shek Kwu Chau.
The EPD have been struggling to cope with Hong Kong's solid waste and have already been blocked from expanding an existing landfill into a country park. With no one wanting a super sized incineration facility or landfill in their backyard, the EPD are seriously considering to locate Hong Kong's future waste handling facility as far away and out of sight as possible --- on an island just off the coast of scenic South Lantau and near one of HK's most scenic mountain bike trails, Chi Man Wan.
Naturally, many question why one of HK's most unspoilt and scenic areas would be selected as a potential super incinerator site. 25% of the year emissions will be blown over South Lantau and the Chi Man Wan MTB Trail. Even the kind of incineration technology is even regarded by many as outdated.
If you object to these plans then you can sign a petition or join a protest on March 18.
On March 4 2012 The Tai Lam AFCD with the participation of Volunteers from the HKMBA and HKCA completed the last section of the Tin Fu Tsai North MTB Trail. This 2.1 km trail loop is now open to all mountain bikers.
For the past three months the AFCD, with participation of volunteers from the HKMBA and other groups, have been as busy as Canadian beavers building yet another IMBA standard, sustainable mountain bike trail in the forests of Tai Lam Country Park. Following the short beginner track constructed near the Twisk Management Centre, this marks the second new trail opening in the past twelve months.
This trail section is hopefully a prelude to the more challenging project of refurbishing the illegal and popular "Tin Man" trail that starts at the Fire Lookout just 50m up the road from the trailhead.
Over 60 volunteers were trained and supervised by IMBA Trail Solution specialists Tony Boone (USA) and HM Lim (Singapore). Many volunteers returned for a second and third session of trail building which involved digging full bench cut trail along the entire trail together with burms and rock re-inforced features where needed.
The HKMBA and our volunteers would like to express our most sincere thanks and gratitude to the AFCD staff, especially those based in Tai Lam Country park, who in the past two years have put immense effort and energy into improving MTB trail network in Tai Lam Country Park by adopting the highest standards of sustainable MTB trail design available anywhere and puting these concepts into practice.
Tony Boone has writen a very interesting and slighly exagerated account about the challenges riding and building trails in Hong Kong. Read more here: Tony's IMBA Blog
Kay Wong, one of the volunteers, posted this video of the days work, celebration, and first ride down the trail.
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More photos from the last trail building day can be found in the HKMBA Gallery. Other riders have posted trail reviews of the new trail in the HKMBA Forum too.
Note: the AFCD has updated its MTB trail map for Tai Lam to include the Tin Fu Tsai North MTB Trail. It can be downloaded here.
A recent video of the trail:
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Event - March 4 2012: New Trail Opening Opening in Tai Lam CP
Mark March 4 2012 down in your riding and Trail Building calendar! You helped build so now its time to put the final touch on the Tin Fu Tsai North Mountain bike trail and ride it for the first time. It will be open for riding from 1pm onwards so plan to be there.
For the past three years The hkmba has advocated good trail etiquette as a means to improve TRAIL safety and reduce conflict. last sunday, the AFCD together with participation from the HKMBA, HKCA, and hiking groups oficially launched their "share the Trail" campaign. Gold medal winning chan chun hing was on hand to talk to the crowd and demonstate safe riding techniques.
As the popularity of mountain biking has climbed dramatically in the past 5 years so has the potential for conflict with other trail users, particularily hikers. Many mountain bikers are new to the sport and may not be aware of good trail etitiquette.
EVENT - AFCD Mountain Biking Safety Day - Dec 4,2011
AFCD is launching a mountain bike safety day this Sunday in Tai Lam Country Park. This is a long overdue and welcome safety campaign to encourage all users of the trails in the country parks to "Share the Trail" in a responsible and safe manner. The HKMBA has long encouraged this concept with our our own Sharing the Trail campaign and we fully support the AFCD in this endevour. HKMBA volunteers will assist by handing out pamplets during the day along the trails. See you there!
Event: Mountain Biking Safety Day
Aim: To promote the share use of trails by both bikers and hikers, as well as mountain biking safety
Date: 4 December 2011 (Sunday)
Time: 9:30 am - 3:00 pm (kick-off ceremony will start at 11:00am)
Venue: Tai Lam Country Park Twisk Management Centre (near to the entrance at Route Twisk)
Admission: Free
Activities:
(1) Exhibition panels about mountain biking and the necessary safety-related items;
(2) Demonstration on mountain biking technique and use of protective gear at the event.
(3) At the kick-off ceremony of the event, Mr. Chan Chun-hing (the gold medalist of the men's cross-country cycling event at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou) will share his cycling experience and demonstrate how to ride a mountain bike in a safe manner.
(4) Distribution of leaflets by volunteers in Tai Lam Country Park
The next DZ Gold Coast Bike Park (formerly known as Danger Zone) event has been scheduled for Sunday 4th December 2011.
'CONCRETE JUNGLE JAM!' is being hosted by DZ Gold Coast Bike Park in association with TEVA and will host downhill racing categories suitable for ALL age groups as well as a jump comp. With HK$20,000 worth of prizes up for grabs this event is a must on your race calendar!
There will be music, drinks, freebies from the sponsors and a load of fun whether you come to race or spectate!
To sign up for the Angkor Wat Bike Race & Ride or for more information please visit www.villagefocus.org/bike. You can also follow the Angkor Wat Bike Race & Ride on twitter or via facebook.
Its not mountain biking but its a worthy event no less.
For those of you who plan to ride the Dragon's Back on this day perhaps give it pass and maybe hike it instead.
Green Power Hike is one of the largest charitable walkathons. Each year, around 3,000 participants walk for a green cause. Donation raised in the Hike is used for development of environmental education in Hong Kong. The 19th Green Power Hike is now open for entry; people of all ages are welcome to join
Date: 14 January 2012 (Sat) Quota: 3,000 (First come, first served) Venue: Hong Kong Trail (50km / 25km / 10km) Entry Deadline: 2 December 2011
* Applicants who enroll on or before 4 November 2011 will be entitled to The 19th Green Power Hike T-shirt
Enquiries: 3961 0200
Details and Online Entry: Please visit Green Power Hike Website Come and join The 19th Green Power Hike now!
Kudos to Eric Chan of the Tai Lam CP AFCD for being the lone government official to be interviewed for this show. You will also see a few members of the HKMBA team including Kenneth Lam, Steve Coward (aka bikesteve), and Pierre Le Magnan, owner of Chiru Bikes.
Riders will be happy to know that the MTR will let you take your bikes on their trains provided you remove your front wheel. Its an inconvenience as Martin Turner points out but it opens up the potential of safely exploring Hong Kong by bike.
For the first time in a decade, HKMBA volunteers joined forces with AFCD and others to build new trails in Tai Lam Coutry Park this past weekend.
by Brandon Kirk
If ever anyone needed a visual example in arguing that nothing is impossible, they would need to look no further than beyond the flagstone steps leading from Route Twisk to the "official" Mountain Bike trail at Tai Mo Shan. What seemed like a lost cause mere weeks ago is back on track - we are finally seeing the beginnings of a proper trail system, purpose-built for mountain biking, in Tai Lam Country Park.
Hong Kong based Chiru bikes is coming out later this month with its first 29er model - the pulse x0. the big question on many minds this year is 'should i get a 29er?' both bob smith, a long time 29er rider, and steve coward, a newcomer to this diameter, share their different perspectives on this innovative bike.
Pierre Arnaud Le Magnan, owner and founder of Chiru Bikes and a well known elite Mountain biker and adventure racer puts his new chiru bikes and his wits to the supreme test against the tiger and the dragon, two legendary mountain ranges in north west china in the first ever chiru EPIC and Quest.
In the fall of 2010, Pierre and several other mountain bikers from Hong Kong and the USA travelled to Lijiang Valley and first embarked on the Chiru Epic, a ride lasting several days and following routes that were not well known, and quite dangerous and uncertain. The Chiru Quest followed the Epic as Pierre and his intrepid companions tested their biking mettle against altitude, snow and of course against the mighty Jade Dragon Mountain itself. Read Pierre's first person account or browse the the gallery of his photos. Better yet, sit back, relax and enjoy two incredible video documentaries. Chiru Bikes corporate site: www.chirubikes.com
Trail Finder - Tai Lam Country Park (
