Saturday, January 4, 2014

HST Basic Mt. Bike workshop



The day started at 9:00 am from Himalayan Single Track in the foggy cold winter morning. It was not long before we where all shedding off layers as we climbed up into the sunshine on the Mudkhu Road, Nagarjun Jungle on one side and the fog shrouded views of the expanding rural suburbs of Kathmandu valley on he other their side as we peddled up the steady incline.

Our group consisted of 12 riders and we arrived at the tea shop in Mudhku in time for a warming cup of Nepalie tea and some freshly made Chana and Anda ( chickpeas and eggs) . Didi and Dai at Mudhku Tea Shop really know how to look after local mountain bikers, go here any morning of the week and you will meet many local riders out enjoying their mountain bikes for fun and fitness. A great place to meet new freinds and only 8km from the city.



After the re engerizing tea break we climbed up a short but steep single track and got a close up look at some traditional farming houses as we literally rode throught thier back yards, much to the surprise and curiosity of the people that lived there. Finally our trail ended on a sunny ground overlooking the valleys beyond. 

Here the training began. Santosh and Lama gave an introduction to everyone and first we discussed what is "mountain biking" and what are " mountain bikes". A good place from which to start and develop an understanding of our two wheeled steeds.


From here Santosh went into a talk about the "M" Checks and the key safety points of checking your bike before you get on and ride it. The morning then progressed into demos on puncture repair, wheel removal, repairing broken chains and basic gear tuning. All valuable lessons for riders.


To end the day we moved on to a small session of mountain bike skills and bike handling which focused on the importance of the "Attack Position", bike handling, braking and body position. We had lots of fun doing that. Returning to Thamel our trail took us down some fun and steep singletracks in the paddyfeilds, a good place to practice our new found skills....


Why are courses like this so important? Well mountain bikes are a vehicle of recreation and sport, but we can only get out of them what we put in and by knowing more about how to maintain, look after and fix our bikes as well as a bit about better bike handling and body position can help us get a whole lot more out of our daily mountain biking experiences.

The Himalayan Single Track team is looking forward to doing more of these in the future.



Thursday, January 2, 2014

Brands we Stand By - Qaulity for Mountain Biking

At Himalayan Single Track we pride ourselves on quality and good service and we like to pass that on to our valued customers.  Here is some information about the brands we stock and the brands that support Himalayan Single Track. Although we understand the value of money and the expense of mountain biking we always advise our customers to go for quality over price as in the long term you will spend less and enjoy a whole other world of comfort, performance and reliability.

GIANT BIKES – “Ride Life, Ride Giant”
The driving force behind Giant is the philosophy – “Create a better cycling experience for people around the world.” After humble beginnings in 1972 this company has now expanded into a Multinational, Global Award winning company that produces some of the best technology and a huge percent of the worlds bikes every year!

The founders of Giant were craftsmen and engineers. They understood their strengths. So to make cycling more enjoyable and accessible to people around the world, they did what they knew best. They set out to improve the cycling experience by following three guiding principles: craftsmanship, innovation and inspiration.

"It began with lightweight aluminum frames. Giant’s ability to produce high-quality bikes at an affordable price allowed more riders to experience cycling in a whole new way. Since then, Giant has pioneered advancements in both aluminum and composite(Carbon) engineering. We introduced the first affordable carbon fiber bike, the Cadex 980 C, and transformed high-performance road bikes with our Total Compact Road design."

When is comes to mountain biking, Giant’s Maestro Suspension established a new level of performance for off-road riding and racing unseen before, allowing stiffer rear ends for climbing and more stable descending with superior traction and control. Giants mountain bike range includes Revel (29er Entry Level Bikes), Talon (Mid-range Hardtails), Anthem X (XC Full Suspension), XTC (Performance Hardtail), Reign ( All Mountain/Free Ride), Glory (Downhill) and Trance X (All Mountain).When you buy Giant you are not just buying a high performing affordable machine, you are buying into a highly renowned worldwide reputation.

In 2014 Giant is extending it's know-how and technology to include three wheels sizes – 26, 27.5 and 29 inches.

SHIMANO – “To promote health and happiness through the enjoyment of nature and the world around us”
Shimano is one of the world’s biggest and well known distributors of quality bike parts and accessories.
The mission statement of Shimano says a lot about their passion for health and environment, two keys points many of us over look in our busy day to day lives.

"People know the joy of contacting their hearts to the breathing of nature. People know the joy of meeting someone to communicate with each other. That's simply because all people have nature in themselves."

And tools are largely connected with the joy of people.  Shimano has been providing attractive products with a focus on cycling and fishing, the most popular outdoor sports. Wind touching the skin, sunlight streaming through the trees and wave patterns covering the water excite the hearts of people. We are aiming to become a company to create excitements among people. We will continue to support people to realize their dreams to create new lifestyles to bring them closer to nature and share the joy of life with each other.

Without a doubt Shimano produce the best range of bike mechanical parts, making your riding experience smooth, seamless and pure fun! Reliable and durable bike parts at an affordable price are the mainstay of the market. High end performance is also high on the cards at Shimano. Himalayan Single Track Stock a range of bike components from Acrea (Entry Level) all the way up to the high performing and Ultra Light XTR.

BLACK DIAMOND - "Quality Outdoor Gear"
The Black Diamond name is associated with quality, high performance outdoor apparel and gear. The company was established in 1957.   “We're a company of users—it's who we are. We're the greatest dreamers about what could be, and the harshest of critics about what exists and because of this—the creation of Black Diamond is a process which will never end. The company today is more committed than ever, thanks to the many people here in the U.S, at Black Diamond Europe and at Black Diamond Asia whose limitless energy and hands-on involvement have created a promising future for all climbers and skiers worldwide.”

Although mainly focused on skiing and climbing, Himalayan Single Track has selected a small range of Black Diamond Camel Paks, Bladders and headlights that adapt perfectly to suit the needs of relational cyclists and mountain bikers in Nepal. Tough, Robust and great looking these items are now in store at Himalayan Single Track. Black Diamond is a product that will not let you down.

FUNKIER – “Look Like a Model, Ride Like a Pro”
Funkier are producers of outstanding performance and quality cycling wear and it’s a brand we love. Super cool designs make the clothing fun to wear. Funkier Bike is synonymous with design and manufacture of innovative, high-quality biking apparel for men and women. The professional experience and knowledge of the Funkier fashion chain, established in 1990, are translated directly into the biking apparel manufactured by its subsidiary, Funkier Bike. The advantages of a company that specializes in biking and is nourished by a fashion manufacturer are reflected in the result: a new generation of biking apparel - the trendiest and most comfortable biking clothes around!

The clothes - Quality, Comfort and Style on wheels!

Funkier Bike's cycling apparel includes professional elements from the world of fashion - they look good and feel fantastic. The ultimate biking clothes are manufactured using advanced technologies and perspiration evaporating materials that enable air to enter and leave in both directions. The use of different types of textile provides a pleasant, unrestricted ride in all weather conditions, and enables bikers to enjoy warm winter clothing and cool summer apparel. Just like other clothes manufactured by its mother company, Funkier Bike clothes are characterized by high quality textiles and sewing. Investment in product quality entails attention to the smallest of details without compromising even a zipper or label that may disrupt the ride - everything is adapted to providing the ultimate biking experience.

Check out some of the products on line -

View Himalayan Single Track Website