East Nepal ... So Much More Than Just Mountain Biking.

When you mountain bike in Nepal, it's not just about the trails....indeed they are simply incredible, but at the end of the day when the trail dust has settled and your wheels have stopped spinning there is an entire new world of discovery here.

Sitting back in a quaint Tea Houses sipping a warm mug of Himalayan coffee or piping hot Thungba ( a local fermented millet drink) after a full day on the natural dusty trails is a moment worth savoring as you peer out at the environment around you and the curious locals staring back at you in awe.

Mountain bike tours in Nepal can be tailor made to suit most riders cycling needs from trails like the Annapurna circuit for those looking for a physical challenge, Upper Mustang for a real off the beaten track mountain bike expedition or Shivapuri National Park and the Jomsom Trail for the gravity assisted fiends among us.

But alas, Himalayan Single Track is always searching for new routes and single tracks for mountain biking in Nepal. If you are looking for fun riding together with real mountain bikers, you have come to the right place. And our search for trails and single track is never ending which lead us to our two recent forays into East Nepal no the hunt for trails....what we unearthed is something pretty damn special.

Pack your bikes and your bags and leave your in-habitations at home and join us for this once in a life time journey into Eastern Nepal and the Rhododendron (LaliGuras) Capital of the World. When spring is in the air, Nepal's National Flowers are in full bloom and the trails are ripe for exploration. Join this Epic Adventure into the (Almost) Unknown as Santosh Rai leads the trip team to find new trails, adventures and tourism opportunities into the vastly unexplored region. This area is our play ground and many of our guides hail from the region. The eastern himalaya marches along the horizon, emerald rivers run in the valleys and local culture abounds alongside the natural trails which cross cross the landscape.

The people in this region are open and inquisitive and are often astonished to see people on bikes. Not only that the scenery here is stunning with views of the Eastern Himalaya including Mount Everest and Kanchanjunga. Travel through Chainpur the most famous region in Nepal for making traditional silver water pitchers, around Gupha Bazaar where you can buy reputably the best “Churpi” (Dried cheese) in Nepal. The trail varies from 600 meters to 2970 meters with plenty of diversity in Flora and Fauna. This is truly one of the spectacular areas in Nepal for mountain biking….better still the trails are almost all Virgin for mountain bikers!

The trail leads us to the Beautiful greenery and rolling Tea Gardens of Ilam, nestled in the foothills of Mount Kanchanjanga. Here the single tracks seem endless and the views are some of the best you will find anywhere in Nepal! Rolling on down to the humid Koshi barrage and a romp in the jungle at Koshi Tapu where your tired legs will relish the flat ground and shady Forests of Saal. The place is a feast to the eyes of bird lovers.

The trip will be a mix of vehicle supported link trail, lots of riding and some sections of carry. Stayed tuned for 2015 when we will be launching our first commercial mountain bike tours into the region. The region is overwhelming for not just your sense of mountainbike adventure but in so many other aspects that will imprint on your soul and make you want to come back for more ... We will not spill our secret trails right now...but get ready for adventure unlimited in Eastern Nepal. 

Check out more stunning photos from the trip here

ATX....The New Revel in Town.

Out with the Old, in with the New

For the last three years, we have been selling the very popular Giant Revel bike series and we still get a lot of requests for that same bike. In 2014 Giant have revitalized their entry level mountain bike line up. While Revels are still available on the market in the basic V1/V2 (8 Speed Mechanical Disc Brake range) and Revel 29 er  1 and 2, Giant have hit the entry level market with a brand new range of bikes – ATX Elite and ATX SE Series.

The Atx is a new breed of bike, fast light and practical for commuting, city riding, social riding and even racing.

These bikes cover the budget range from 45,000 nrs to 100,000 nrs and they look great, perform great and offer some very good componentary.

Giant brings new wheel technology to the ATX SE range of mountain Bikes. This entry level mountain bike features 3 x 10 drive train, Hydraulic disc brakes and the added power and control  the perfect bikes.

Check them out:-

ATX Elite 1 - Price:- 45000 nrs

Fork SR XCR-LO-COIL 26
Brake TEKTRO DRACO
Tire SCHWALBE BLACK JACK 26 x 1.90
Shimano Deore/Acera Drive Train

ATX Elite 0 - Price:- 56000 nrs
Brake TEKTRO HDC300
Rim GIANT CR70
Tire KENDA K1104A 26x1.95
Shimano Acera 9 Speed Drive Train


ATX SE 1 - Price:- 85500 nrs
Fork SR XCR-LO-COIL 26
Brake TEKTRO DRACO
Rim GIANT CR70
Tire SCHWALBE BLACK JACK 26X1.90
Shimano Deore 3 x 10 Drive Train

ATX SE  - Price:- 96500 nrs

Frame Giant ALUXX

Fork SR XCR-RL-R-COIL 27.5

Shimano Deore 10 Speed Drivetrain

Brake Tektro Hydraulic

ATX SE 2  - Price:- 67500 nrs

Fork SR XCM HLO 26
Crankset SHIMANO ALIVIO 44/32/22
Brake SHIMANO M395
Rim GIANT CR70
Tire SCHWALBE BLACK JACK 26 X 1.90

We are now featuring all models in Store at HST in Small and Medium Sizes.

So come and visit our shop to ride and feel the ATX, this could be your new trail friend.

View Website

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.

www.himalayansingletrack.com

Beating the Winter Chills.

The best way to beat the winter blues is to be active and the best way to be active is to get out and ride your bike! But its cold I hear you say? Well here are some great products and solutions to keep you warm in the winter and to keep you riding your bike.

Conditions in Kathmandu during the winter are dry and dusty, so first let’s take care of the bike and its most important moving bits we call "The Drive Train" (Chain, Cassette, Crank and Derailleur’s). This is the part of the bike that keeps you moving and shifting gears effectively. So in this dry dusty season, make sure you use a small brush to remove the dust from these moving parts after riding and before riding use a Dry Chain Lube to keep your bike running smoothly. Wet lubes can easily "Gunk" up in the dusty Season!

Now what about you.....?If you want to enjoy winter riding then you have to have the right gear to keep you warm!

LAYERING UP

Base Layers- Base layers are good, tight fitting layers that go under your outer layers. They included a long sleeve top with a high neck, fitted wrist bands and a long tail that can be pulled down over your bottom region. Our advice is to buy the best quality inner layer you can afford, with this kind of thing quality is everything! One well made, well design base layer is a good investment.

COLD FEET

Our body looses most of its heat through the feet. So to keep them warm get some good socks, woolen ones are the best, but not too thick, if you wear to thicker socks, then you can reduce the circulation of blood to your feet which again can make your toes cold. Good shoes are important, not canvas ones, something a bit waterproof is good to keep out the cold air. Shoe covers are also a really good idea to keep your feet insulated and warm for riding. Funkier make some really awesome Micro fleece waterproof shoe covers with Lycra for a snug fit over your shoes.

HOT HEAD

We always wear a helmet when we go biking, yes its true, but a helmet alone will not keep your head warm. Try an elasticized cotton buff, or a cycling specific micro fleece head cap for really cold times. Make sure to cover your ears, another key point of our body susceptible to cold.

FROZEN FINGERS

Our fingers play a key role in cycling…we use them for braking and controlling the bike but they are always one of the first parts of our bodies to get cold. So gloves are the way to go. Here you need specific cycling gloves which are not bulky and will not impede your bike handling. Full fingered warm gloves which have a good tight fit and stretchable material.

ACCESSORIES

Leg Warmers and Arm Warmers are two great accessories for keeping you warm or warming up at the start of your ride and cooling down at the end of it. They are easy to peel on and off while riding to regulate your body temperature.

FROM THE OUTSIDE

A good top layer is essential to keep you warm. Stay away from  cheap rain coat fabrics as it makes you sweat, look for a light breathable outer layer that is windproof. This will seal in the heat, not make you sweat to much or overheat and make your winter riding enjoyable. Most cycling specific winter jackets also have nifty pockets to stash tools and tubes.

DON’T FORGET

Remember a few important things, getting wet will make you more cold and getting wet also includes sweat! So if you plan on doing a long hill climb, it’s a good idea to carry a dry top to put on for the downhill. Remember it’s okay to take your outer layer off while climbing, but make sure you put it on for the downhill, this is where you will get cold!

SAFTEY TIPS

*Helmet Fit – When wearing a cap or buff under your helmet, be sure to readjust your helmet fittings and straps to keep your helmet correctly fitted and safe. Many people neglect this.

*Light – In winter time with early starts, it can be dark, always carry a headlight or a cycling torch with you, don’t forget also in the afternoon the light fades fast, so better be prepared.

*Hydration – It’s common in winter for us to drink less, but just because its cold does not mean we don’t need water….always drink, always hydrate and keep your performance level great.

Drop by Himalayan Single Track to see our great Funkier Winter Cycling products.Online Bike Shop

Happy Trails.

Funkier Winter Base Layer

Full Fingered Riding Gloves

Micro Fleece Leg Warmers

Micro Fleece Head Cap

Winter Shoe Covers