Trailblazer Guide Books

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Trailblazer guides take some beating.
 — Adventure Travel

WHAT BIKE

In Tibet, I have met cyclists riding everything from single-speed Chinese-made bikes (brand name ‘Flying Pigeon�) to full suspension carbon bikes and aluminium tandems – all successfully completing the trip from Lhasa to Kathmandu.

There is no such thing as the ideal overland bike. Some bikes, however, are more appropriate than others. As around 90% of the roads are just dirt and the passes are steep and drawn out on switchback roads, some form of mountain bike with a strong frame, knobbly tyres, and an extra low ‘granny gear’ is best.

Flying with your bike
If you are flying your bike to Tibet, bear in mind that the transportation of that bike, not to mention the trip itself, is going to be extremely hard on the frame and equipment. Most international airlines require cycles to be boxed before check-in but the policy constantly varies on China Southwest Airlines, which is the only airline that flies into Lhasa.

Buying a bike in Lhasa or Kathmandu
You can buy a multi-gear mountain bike in Lhasa for about US$100-150 and also basic spares like wheels, tyres and tubes. However they are all low quality and tend to cause problems such as pedals breaking off. Nevertheless some people have made reinforcements and successfully made it over the Friendship Highway (and even go on to sell their bike for a small profit in Kathmandu).

If you choose this option, consider taking with you a lightweight pump (old ‘big’ valve) and some panniers (both of which are virtually impossible to buy in Lhasa). Also check out the notice boards around the hotels for other bike items for sale.

BICYCLE EQUIPMENT

I recommend front shocks for cycling in Tibet to lessen the body/hand stress.

You will need to take the standard cycle touring tools that fit every nut and bolt including a multi-tool set (with chain breaker, relevant Allen keys, spoke wrench), a few spare chain links and a 15mm adjustable crescent. Make sure you can turn every nut (including the 10mm hex bolt that may be holding the crank arms onto the bottom bracket spindle). Consider taking one spare rear derailleur per group.

You will also need extra spokes (in two lengths – back and front wheels are generally different), spare gear and brake cables and numerous puncture patches with adhesive. Take one spare tyre between two people and two spare tubes each (make sure you test all spare tubes before leaving home!).

Take a decent lightweight lock. Having a cyclometer/altimeter adds to the fun. With Tibet's dry and dusty terrain you will need to lubricate your chain and front shocks regularly.

Helmets are optional but do make riding downhill with the weight of full panniers behind you a lot safer. Whether or not you take a helmet will really depend on how much you value your head and what is in it. They add no extra weight and, if it's on your head where it should be, it will not take up any room.

Know all the sounds your bike makes and when a new sound appears figure out the source and eliminate it as soon as possible. If you don't already know how to repair your bike, contact your local bicycle shop and ask them to run through a one-day maintenance workshop with you. You must know at least how to repair a puncture, and change spokes, cables and chain links.

For the ride from Lhasa to Kathmandu, you should only need rear panniers with a front handle bag.

For a full equipment list see pp30-1.

PREPARATION AND RISK LIMITATION

There are stories about cyclists who made a decision in Lhasa to buy a Chinese bike to ride to Kathmandu – and succeeded in doing so. There are also stories about deaths of ill-equipped and unprepared cyclists on mountain passes. Happily, the latter stories are rarer than the former.

As with any sort of travel or sport in extreme climates, some risks can be minimized by careful planning and preparation and by proper training. Others, such as drunken Chinese truck drivers, landslides, snow storms or a bad reaction to altitude, cannot be prepared for and are just part of the adventure.

The fitter and stronger you are, the easier you will find travelling overland and mountain biking in Tibet. However, fitness does not lessen the risk of altitude sickness (indeed some ‘fit’ people will try to do too much too quickly, instead of waiting for their bodies to acclimatize and therefore will be more prone to altitude sickness). Furthermore, a lean and muscular body shape might be ideal for cycling in, say, France, but a little extra body fat is better for your Tour de Tibet, simply because extreme exercise in these conditions will inevitably eat away at your body's stores.

The best way to train for a long and difficult cycling trip is to cycle. Start cycling as a regular form of exercise as early as possible prior to your departure.

ROUTES – LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY

There are varying levels of difficulty on the various routes covered in this guide. The Southern Friendship Highway (see pp96-127) is the most popular route and the easier central route (see p128) can be undertaken by any reasonably fit and healthy person with the will to do it. The southern route adds two more passes – the first being the longest (and possibly hardest) of the entire trip. Having said that, it is almost always possible to push or hitch a ride up this (or any) pass if you feel so inclined.

Some of the routes involve a degree of technical mountain-bike skills. The Everest Base Camp side route(see pp131-7), for example, has some difficult downhill patches where the gravel is very deep and slippery, the gradient is extremely steep and the road zigzags sharply over a deep ravine in parts. Again, it is possible to push your bike over these parts but that really does take the fun out of it. There'll be enough pushing up hills en route to Everest without getting off to push downhill as well!

Road conditions
There's a full range of road conditions in Tibet. From Lhasa to Tsetang there's a pristine tarmac road; and the road from Golmud to Lhasa is basically all sealed. Then there are the dirt/loose stone roads everywhere else and they can be dry and packed one day and muddy and unrideable the next. There are also roads that are really trekking routes not much wider than your tyres.

Generally if you avoid the rainy season most of the main roads in Tibet are rideable, even with full panniers. The road from Lhasa to Kathmandu is 90% dirt (built for Chinese cadre trucks) and you shouldn't have any trouble, although you may need to hug the edge of the road to get the best traction (and avoid the odd vehicle at the same time). The side road into Everest Base Camp can be difficult with full panniers but is worth the extra effort.

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