Six cycling enthusiasts tell us how hitting the road on two wheels under their own power is such a major part of their lives. Plus: tips to inspire YOU
ISMAIL LAKDAWALA: INSPIRING YOU TO RIDE THE MANALI-LEH HIGHWAY ON YOUR FIRST BIG TRIP!
Ismail Lakdawala loves being amid nature, travelling slow and witnessing stories. A BBA graduate from Christ University, Bangalore, he currently works full time in Rajkot, Gujarat, on a venture called XploreTheEarth.com, which he launched with his two best friends, Akshay and Saransh, to make reliable travel information easy to access.
I cycled 11km to and fro to my school in Rajkot for about four years. I didn’t have a bike in college, and I felt handicapped. College done, I invested in a bike and decided to make the purchase memorable by making its maiden journey one from Manali to Leh.
I cycle about six to eight hours a week. I’ve started using my bike to commute in the city, and I go on occasional morning rides. I‘m planning more bikepacking trips in the coming weeks.
I cycle to feel the breeze on my face, to feel that power of moving a machine with my own strength, to glide through trees, on empty roads, off roads. To go wherever I want to without worrying about fuel or costs. Cycling brings calm, contentment and joy to my life. My thoughts often clear up on a ride.
My favourite bike is my first big-boy bike, the Raleigh Terrain 10. At about Rs 25,000, it is the best budget buy I could find, with all the features of a beginner mountain bike and quality components. It got me through the entire Manali-Leh trip without any trouble. I didn’t even have to adjust my tyre pressure through the 15 days of cycling over difficult terrain!
I picked the Manali-to-Leh route because I needed a break from the ordinary. This route is one that bikepackers from across the world dream of doing. Motorbiking was too mainstream for me; bikers do in two days what we did over 12! When you live with the landscape over days, struggle to climb slopes, brace against the wind and see the darkness of the sky at night, you truly feel it.
I wanted this trip to be more than just my personal adventure. I wanted to share with people the need to travel responsibly and take care of the environment while doing it. Akshay, Saransh and I talked to travellers about travelling responsibly, we documented places along the way suffering from over-tourism and excessive littering, we distributed garbage bags to vehicle owners, and carried a banner to remind everyone to take care of the climate.
CAN ANYONE DO IT?
Yes! It’s more about mindset than physical effort. You will need to plan well, buy or rent a sturdy mountain bike, and equip yourself with spare supplies, parts and safety accessories. We broke up the 500km journey over 12 days; that’s less than 50km a day with many breaks – manageable for anyone with basic or below-basic fitness. Importantly, you need to be okay with
- Disconnecting from civilisation and socialising
- Having no devices, minimum electricity, zero phone network on most days
- Sleeping in tents in the open or in dhabas on the highway
- Having few or no lavatory facilities (most places will have a makeshift pit or a rough cabin; if you get freezing water in a bucket, you will count yourself lucky). Expect almost no showers on the road
- Bracing yourself against rain, hail, snow, winds and cold. You feel the weather most on a bicycle
TOP TIPS
- Take your time. Pros do the route in six days; we took 12 – it made the journey less stressful and more fun.
- Pack light, then remove half of what you’ve packed. We carried 12 to 15kg; we should have taken six to eight kilos (our packing list is online).
- Acclimatise in Manali for at least three days before the trip. Take short bike rides around Manali to avoid Acute Mountain Sickness. There is barely any civilisation on the route to get medical help. Carry Diamox and consult your doctor if you need to.
Learn to navigate thoroughly. Keep offline maps and a mapped out document ready; plot out your route, the places you plan to stay and eat, backups (detailed itinerary on our website). The locals are honest and helpful. The route is popular, so someone will help you. - Plan to go in July and August; this is the ideal and probably the only time you should take this trip.
JOHANN DANIELS: INSPIRING YOU TO GO ON A SMALL-GROUP RIDE!
Johann Daniels is founder of Jack & Hill Adventures, and passionate about the great outdoors. He’s thrilled to be able to make a living by sharing this passion with others. His Cycling the Adventurous islands of Mumbai trip is very popular.
Even as a child growing up in Borivali, Mumbai, I cycled a lot more than most of my friends; I used to venture out to explore the nearby mangrove area or ride around the suburb. I stopped cycling when I got into junior college.
Then, in February 2010, I attended Mumbai’s first cyclothon. I came across a massive cyclist community I hadn’t known existed, most from Bandra, Dadar or South Mumbai. I was the only 19-year-old boy from Borivali, and I was totally enamoured. The existence of this community gave me more energy to pursue my love for cycling. The highlight was the social side of cycling. I started riding from Borivali to South Mumbai to ride with the others once a week. Those were fun times.
I didn’t want to have to ride all the way to Bandra or Dadar to hang out with bicycle-loving folk, so I started the Borivali Cyclists Association (BCA) in 2010. I’d organise and lead rides every Sunday with the prime focus on building a community in which cyclists could meet and ride together. Cyclists from Goregaon and Mira Road would join us. We started with four to five riders and, now, the community is 2,000+ members strong.
I cycle for a variety of reasons. The idea of gliding along a scenic road completely self-powered on my bike feels so gratifying. It definitely brings a sense of liberation and independence. I’ve learnt to see life passing by at a much slower pace. Cycling has taken me to so many places I wouldn’t have explored otherwise. Cycling also keeps me in shape and my health in check. I don’t need to visit a doctor to find out if my health or fitness has deteriorated; one ride on my bicycle tells me that.
I have one mountain bike and one road bike. Both are entry-level imported bikes and both have their separate joys. The mountain bike (Mongoose TYAX Comp; Rs 30,000) lets me jump over things and go wild on off-road paths, which triggers an adrenaline rush, while my road bike (Scott Speedster 60; Rs 42,000) lets me push my fitness goals where I focus on speed, consistency and endurance on tarmac roads.
The Cycling the Adventurous islands of Mumbai ride allows you to see Mumbai in a whole new light. I recommend it for people who would like to escape the chaos and pollution of big-city life and scoot away for a few hours to breathe some fresh air and see nature at its simple best. Mumbai offers a lot of adventure, and much of it is in this hidden scenic portion of the city. The ride begins on roads enveloped by widespread mangroves that soon lead you to a majestic coastline. We explore parts of this coastal area that most people are totally unaware of, places that make you wonder whether you are still in the city. We pass quaint fishing villages that remind you of Goa and explore hilltops that offer panoramic views of the sea. The ride has two segments: on tarmac and off-road. The off-road, mountain biking bit is where things get adventurous as we make our way through forest trails; the tarmac segment tests your endurance as you ride from vantage point to vantage point in the coastal belt. Before the ride ends, we also make a quick visit to the Global Vipassana Pagoda, one of the largest meditation halls in the world.
I have found great joy in hosting these rides. Over the five years I have hosted guests on this ride, I have seen how spirit matters: even if the cyclist is not as fit as they thought they were, but is mentally strong, they can ace the ride. My guests build an enviable camaraderie among themselves over just a few hours of riding. As the ride progresses, the bond within the group gets stronger; everyone looks out for one another. And I love watching people’s reactions. I have specific spots that I know people react heavily at. I’m always looking forward to seeing their expressions whenever we reach a beautiful spot. They are usually shocked that beautiful places like these exist so close to home.
CAN ANYONE DO IT?
This ride is 30km long, and you need a basic level of fitness to join this ride. If you pursue a cardio-intensive activity at least once a week, you’re good to go. Be honest with the team about your physical and mental fitness when they get on a call with you before the ride. Safety is a key concern; adhere strictly to safety protocols during the ride. Bring along an awesome morning attitude, two litres of water, and a helmet. If you require a helmet, request one to be brought for you. You can bring your own bike and join the ride, too. It doesn’t matter if it is geared or not, or if it has any other features. What matters is that it has two wheels, two pedals and that you can ride it.
Four more cyclists to inspire you – in LPMI’s April 2020 issue.
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