My Journey on a Giant Bike

Many people ask us when they come to our shop, why we choose to sell Giant Bikes. I am Jenny, co-owner of Himalayan Single Track and this is my story of how Giant bikes has become part of my life and also why Santosh and I choose to promote and sell the brand in Nepal. I hope you like my story....

In my country Australia, biking has always been associated with the brand Giant, with adventures and with discovering new places and making new friends. Ever since I was a kid growing up in Australia I can remember every kid in my street had a giant bike, BMX was the craze back then and I have fond memories of my girls pink BMX bike, complete with basket on the front, I don’t have so fond memories however of riding into a brick somebody left in the middle of our favorite hill and putting my front tooth through my lip. My first bike, my first visit to hospital. 

The bikes grew with us, from BMX, to teenagers bikes and then to road bikes that we could peddle and peddle and peddle. These memories of blood, tears, adventure and endless days of fun from our childhood, when the days never seemed to end, dirt did not matter and food was always on the table for us when we got home, those careless trouble free days where our Giant bikes provided us with adventure! 

Those days have long passed and there has been many bikes in my life, all of them Giant, my first mountain bike too was a Giant and my second and my third…..Hardtail cross country bikes that took me from being a road rider in Australia to discovering the rugged terrain of Nepal. From learning to ride up long steep climbs and down steep technical tracks, to my first multi day trips and my first ever mountain bike race and beyond that into the heart and soul of a country, its culture and its nature. 

The trails of Nepal are lot harsher, a lot tougher and a lot more real than those purpose built MTB trails back home and our smooth black topped streets.  In Nepal, I learnt what Single Track meant in Nepal, I learnt what real mud was and what it really meant to ride up hills, I also learnt the value of a good mountain bike, of quality components. The giant MTB Bike is a workhorse, you can ride and abuse it all day, throw it in the shed and do the same all over again the next, why bother cleaning it? If your bikes too clean your not a real rider. Giant bikes are great they just work, day in day out…..

Today I still ride Giant, It’s part of me and its part of my upbringing, my culture, my personality, it’s a bike that can grow and travel with me. My bike is my life, my office, my work, my family, my friend.

So of course at Himalayan Single Track, me and my Business partner Santosh choose to sell and promote Giant bikes in Nepal. We sell the Giant Brand in our shop at Himalayan Single Track, why? It’s a brand that we know and that we trust and we want to pass on to our customers a bike for them that can also take them on their own adventures.

Giant is a brand we trust. You can make it yours too.

Giant, A Bike for Your Every Adventure

Nepal – From Mountains to Plains

The unique geographic diversity of Nepal offers something for all levels of Mountain Biker, from the snow capped peaks of the highest mountain range in the world, the Himalaya’s, right down to the dusty plains of the Terai and everything in between.

Annapurna

Long renowned as one of the world’s best trekking trails, this fable route of the Yak Attack, one of the toughest mountain bike stage races in the world is an excellent place to test your skill and stamina. Here you will learn what mountain biking in Nepal is all about. Pit yourself against nature and the wilderness as twelve days takes you from the humid sub tropical valleys around Kathmandu up through ancient mountain trade route to Throng La at 5600 meters. The route is dotted with mountain villages and culture. Along the way sometimes you will have to carry your bike sometimes it will carry you, you will learn to love your bike and savor the challenge. You will learn to respect the mighty Himalayas and go beyond your own limits and fall in love with this amazing country and this inspiring trail.

Best Time – March/April/May, September/October/November

2012 Departures – 17^th September, 30th September

Upper Mustang

The place that makes grown mountain bikers cry! This high altitude arid region boasts some of the most mind-blowing scenery on earth, not to mention some truly brilliant mountain biking. Cycle deep into the heart of Tibetan culture and fall in love with the people, landscapes and trails of Lo. Discover the walled kingdom of Lo Mantang and have tea with the king. The best bit is the biking, challenging climbs, heart pounding single tracks and rolling switch back downhill’s make this one unforgettable expedition.

Best Time – April/May, October/November

2012 Departures – 24^th September

Hetauda

Red dirt, Sal Forests, Tamang villages and rocky river beds are the heart and soul of riding in the Terai. Single tracks traverse from plateau to plains through terraced fields of rice and maize.. The true spirit of single tracks, free riding and mate-ship can be found here in the low lands of Nepal at a Farm House resort called Life Cycle. Life Cycle is one of the best places to ride, meet riders, and then chill out. Right on the resorts door step is a dam side pump track where you can hone your skills before hitting the real trails. This place is super fun for experienced riders and a brilliant way for novice riders to build confidence and skill.

Best Time – October to April

2012 Departures – Every weekend

PROFESSIONAL RIDERS IN NEPAL – LETS START THE FUTURE

The current situation for professional riders in Nepal is not ideal. For the first time in 2012 Mountain Biking will be recognized as a National Sport and the National Championships will be held with support of the Nepal Sports Council. This is the first of many positive steps required for building professional mountain biking in Nepal. 

Events like Yak Attack and Trans Nepal are trying to bring the world spotlight onto Nepal’s mountain bikers to help them in the future. There are some extremely talented riders here with far superior climbing and technical skills than any one would expect and with the right sponsorship and support they can certainly make a brake on the world stage within the next five years.

But presently races are few and far between, when they do happen they are poorly sponsored, riders get maximum one week notice prior to races making it impossible to train and prepare, and prize money is little. Most riders work full time and the average salary they earn is between US$60 to US$200 per month and with families to support as well as rent and living requirements there is no money left to fulfill the proper nutrition requirements for training, let alone to purchase and maintain performance bikes and the equipment associated with riding on a professional level. Yet despite this, each year Nepal’s top four riders manage to compete in the Asian Mountain Bike Championships, fill the top two or three position in Himcahal the 8 day stage race in India and to date have always filled the top ten positions in Yak Attack one of the toughest stage mountain bike races in the world on sub-par bikes, without proper clothing and surviving on local food and rice! The caliber of riders in Nepal is incredible; imagine if this potential was nurtured to its fullest. We believe that with the right support and sponsorship, within five to seven years a Nepalese rider can be competitive on the world circuit. Himalayan Single Track is aiming to be an active part of that process by helping the riders get the support they need to succeed.

With the help of many friends and fellow mountain bikers we started the Yak Attack Riders Fund, a support base that raises funds to help riders with the entry fees and other expenses associated with competing in Yak Attack, now we want to take this one step further and with Extreme World Challenge Uk also coming to the table with a riders fund we are talking about creating a solid fundraising/sponsorship base with extensive training programs, nutritional support and help with access to bike parts. Our joint aim …. Getting Nepalese riders into the 2016 Olympics. Right here right now this seems like a huge task, with something as important as a regular yearly  National Championships and long term sponsorship for riders no-where in sight it seems like an unachievable  task, but our dedication and work starts right here right now. We want to build the blocks that will help riders achieve these dreams.

Proper management of funds, and the support and commitment of riders and all parties involved is critical to the success of the project. So we are posting this blog to put the idea out there to the local and international community that has a stake in mountain biking in Nepal and we are looking for your comments and interest in this project which is in its infancy. We are not doing this for ourselves but for the future of professional mountain bikers in Nepal, to build the sport to an elite level with a permanent fixed calendar of races, a pool of sponsors and funds for riders and to help some pretty talented athletes achieve their full potential.

Oils Aren’t Oils – Wet, Dry, Wax, Ceramic Which One is Best for Your Bike?

So are you confused about which oil is the best for your bike? Finnish Line produce a range of chain oils suitable to different riding condition and riding Needs, Let Himalayan Single Track help you out deciding which oil is the right one for you:-

Why Use Oil? Chain oil, now days also referred to as Chain Lube has advanced away from straight oil based substance to variations of synthetic, wax, teflon and ceramic blends. We use Chain Lube on our chains to keep them lubricated and running smooth. A dry chain cases abrasion, wears down fast the cassette and chain rings and does not run smoothly on the bike. A lubed chain runs smoother, prolongs the life of your components and if you use the right lube in the right environment can prevent your chain from “gunking” up!

When to Use: - Basically you should check your chain before every ride, if its dry apply your lube. First you should just wipe down the chain then apply in small drops to the chain while rotating the peddles. If using a wet Lube give your chain a light wipe after applying.

Wet Oil – Finnish Line’s wet oil is perfect for cross-country riding, its goes on wet and stays on wet. Best used in wet/muddy conditions it coats the chain with a protective film. The down side of this oil is that it can gunk up in dusty conditions due to its absorbing properties and though the application last longer than ceramic, dry or wax lubricants its requires more often cleaning of the chain. Best used for long distances and extreme weather riding … Like Nepal Monsoon!

Dry Oil  - Dry Lube delivers a stronger and drier friction fighting film, attracts less grime, offers better rust protection, runs cleaner, and withstands higher extreme pressures, increasing the time between lube applications! Its milky white appearance lets you visually see where it is, and where it is not. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so thanks to the new color and consistency, you can be sure that every link is properly lubed and protected! This lubricant is perfect for on or off-road riding - especially in dry, dirty, dusty conditions, while providing improved wet weather performance. 

Wax Lubricant - Finish Line's WAX Lube goes on wet, but dries to a hard, dry, super-slick wax film. No oily greasy film to attract or absorb dust and dirt. This kind of lubricant is the best to protect the lifespan of your chain/cassette/crank rings and also produces a good performance in dry dusty condition. This Lube has to be applied more often than most other forms of Lubricant. The best part of this lube is that it repels dirt and you rarely have to clean your drive chain before re- applying. Perfect for cyclists who value cleanliness over all else.

Ceramic Wax Lubricant – A wax-based lubricant featuring nano-sized platelets of ceramic boron nitride and micron particles of fluoropolymer. Ceramic WAX creates a coating with an extremely low coefficient of friction. Every time Ceramic WAX is applied, the ceramic coating is enhanced, ultimately providing the durability of many oil-based lubricants! Ceramic WAX ensures total drive train cleanliness without the ‘distance’ compromise that other wax lubricants require. With Finish Line Ceramic WAX there is no ‘wetness’ or stickiness on your chain or parts, so dirt or grime are not attracted or absorbed by the lubricant. By avoiding abrasive wear, parts run more smoothly and last much longer!  Best used on performance bikes and high end drive chains.

Heli-Biking in Nepal - The New Age Rush......

It seems that Nepal is becoming an adventure capital for tourists and in keeping with this theme Himalayan Single Track introduces a new package “Heli Biking”. Fly high above the Kathmandu valley, hover over World Heritage Sites and tourist attractions well above the crowds, noise and hustle and bustle of the city. Get a unique bird’s eye view of the living breathing culture of Kathmandu, seeing where the modern meets the ancient, then fly over the rural fields and above the National Park on the rim of the Valley. From here the skies open up to rolling valleys and the snow capped peaks of the Himalaya.

Chisapani, our destination, is a Traditional Tamang Village nestled on the edge of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park on the Kathmandu Valley Rim. This small village boasts some of the best views of the Himalaya possible from Kathmandu and in itself is a worthy place for a day trip or overnight stay. The snow capped peaks march along the horizon and seem so close you can almost reach out and touch them. In Chisapani you can visit the local Cheese Factory and Buddhist Monastery and enjoy some local Nepalese Tea before starting your ride.

From Chisapani two trails snake their way back down into the Kathmandu Valley. The first is a fast and fun unused jeep trail. Beginning with four kilometers of gentle descent passed the Natural Dhaps (Wet Lands) and then drops down through un-spoilt Rhododendron and sub tropical jungles alongside the fast flowing waters of the Nishnumati River. It’s fun and scenically beautiful. As we emerge out of the jungle there is a section of technical single tracks followed by another steep and fast descent back down into the Valley. The ride concludes at Sundari Jal, a great place to visit the “Beautiful Water” as its name suggests, have a picnic lunch or visit the Sundari Mai Temple.

 

The Second Trail is a more direct descent, steep and fast. But first you have to push and carry a little bit to get to Borland Bhanjyang. From here follow the trekking trail as it plunges downwards. Hard packed clay that can be a bit slippery in the monsoon but in the dry season it offers the chance to pick up some speed as you pass through the jungle, by small villages and then onto the long stone stair case that spurts you our at Mulkharka. This trail is defiantly for experienced mountain bikers and is most enjoyed on a full suspension bike.

If you are an adventure seeker looking for something new, then you should put Heli-Biking in Nepal on your adventure calendar for 2012.... email the team at Himalayan Single Track for more information. Chisapani is just one destination for Heli Biking, throughout 2012 we will be writing about other destination in opening up for the ultimate downhill rush....