Location: Bashkiria, Russia
Author: Jago Leckie
Tour de Bashkiria
Our co-founder recently travelled to the Russian republic of Bashkortostan for a short trip on two wheels with some friends. Despite being warned about everything from ticks to bears, the region (in parts) turned out to be a cycling backpacker’s paradise…
Where is Bashkiria?
Situated between the river Volga and the Ural mountains - the mountain range widely recognised as the conventional boundary between Europe and Asia - Bashkortostan is a hidden gem that is largely undiscovered by the cycling world. That being said, you will need to plan your trip carefully. Often the smooth tarmac roads (some of the best that I have ever ridden on) can turn, quite abruptly, into gravel and clay tracks that are difficult to navigate on any type of bike. Being tourists, we had failed to take this into account and were forced to learn the hard way. By the end of the trip my brand new Pinarello Gan was making noises that I had never heard a bike make. Fortunately it’s currently in the bike shop for a service, and I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been enjoying the time I’ve had out of the saddle since I got back from the trip.
The Trip
We arrived in the capital city, Ufa, on a warm Saturday evening- full of optimism about the trip ahead. We flew in from Moscow with our bikes, and between us had everything from a mountain bike, to a carbon fibre road bike (a mistake not to be repeated). Our route had already been roughly planned out with the help of a ‘Bashkiria by bike’ type travel guide that had been gifted to us beforehand. We intended to take a minibus out to Chelyabinsk Oblast, and then to cycle the 225km (ish) back to Ufa airport over the next two days, where our bike bags were waiting for us in storage.
On Sunday morning we met our driver, a slim middle-aged man from the neighbouring republic of Tatarstan, who, whilst happy to meet four foreigners, was slightly confused about our intentions to travel across Bashkiria by bike. We drove out east across Bashkiria, and eventually made it to the border with Chelyabinsk. We had planned to start our bike trip at a set of caves recommended to us, located on the river Sim, just outside the small settlement of Kropachevo.
After exploring the picturesque caves (see photos) we quickly got changed (al fresco) into our cycling kit and began our journey. However - and despite google maps suggesting otherwise - the gravel paths soon gave way to an off-road track that was impossible to navigate on a mountain bike, let alone by road bike. (At this point I was starting to feel like a bit of an idiot). Just 10km into the journey, our spirits were drained as we hobbled down an ominous looking valley with our bikes on our shoulders.
Eventually, and after a lot of moaning on my behalf, we found a road which took us through some small villages and back across the Bashkir border. As we reached the town of Eral, another obstacle presented itself. The paperback guide that we had brought along on our trip indicated that there was another stretch of ‘off-road’- something that we had assumed pre-trip would be gravel/cobble-stone. Myself and Evan, looking for any excuse whatsoever to stop, decided that we would try and hitch a ride across this stretch of wet rock/clay/mud surface, while Tom and Pjotr, whose bikes were more suitable for the journey, soldiered on.
We approached a local man in the village we had just passed to ask if there might be anyone who could drive us 10km up the road. Bewildered by the presence of foreigners on bikes in his village, he proceeded to lecture us on Western interference in Russia, before kindly agreeing to help. As he began to call his friends - and after a lot of cursing - he informed us that, given the annual May holidays that precede WWII Victory Day in Russia, it was unlikely that anyone would be sober enough to drive us safely to the main road. At that moment an old lady walked past and shouted over to our new acquaintance that ‘Vasya had been drunk for two days and had lost his cow’. By this point myself and Evan had fully resigned ourselves to a lifetime in that Russian village searching for Vasya’s cow.
Help did eventually arrive. And after lazily packing two bikes into the boot of a tired-looking Lada, we met a deflated Tom and Pjotr on the highway. A quick stop to refuel and we were back on the road. Much to our delight we were met by some of the most beautiful, and, more importantly, cyclist-friendly roads that I have ever been on. The roads, which ran adjacent to the river Sim, were smooth, traffic-free, and, thanks to them, by the time we arrived in Asha that evening we had almost entirely forgotten about the trials and tribulations of earlier that day.
The evening was spent in a pleasant ski lodge in the not-so-pleasant town of Asha. After eating a meal prepared for us by our extremely hospitable Armenian hosts, we took a short trip to the on-site Banya before going to bed.
On the second day we needed to cover approximately 100km back to a town called Iglino, which is a short drive away from Ufa airport. We set out early that morning in order to give ourselves plenty of time to navigate potentially difficult ‘off-road’ sections of the route, or, in myself and Evan’s case, find alternative means of transport. We were, however, pleasantly surprised to find that the route planned was almost entirely on smooth tarmac roads that were, bizarrely, occasionally littered with dead snakes. On the whole though, the day passed quickly, and, aside from Evan’s permanent hunger, with little difficulty. We arrived at our destination at around 16:00 - about an hour ahead of schedule - and headed to the local cafe for a couple of well earned beers.
Overall it was not only an incredibly enjoyable trip, but also one that I would recommend to anyone who might happen to be travelling through Russia by bike. We all saw parts of the country that we knew very little about, and were greeted by friendly faces on every leg of the journey (unfortunately we never found out what happened to Vasya’s cow). Bashkiria is often referred to by its locals as the ‘Switzerland of Russia’. Its deep valleys are filled with clear water springs that run adjacent to silky tarmac roads - which, in my opinion, makes it the perfect destination for a trip on two wheels.
On the whole, the roads are wide and fast, but mostly flat. The surface quality is nice around the city centre but this is not the case out in the suburbs, where you’re likely to find numerous pot holes and cracked roads.
In my opinion, the absence of unnecessary bike lanes makes riding joyful and entertaining. Everything is great about biking in Moscow, except for our unpassionate and inconsiderate drivers. Sadly, our mentality is still a long way off the cycling culture that you can find in other European cultures, and subsequently drivers are still learning to respect bike riders.
The best thing about riding a bike in Moscow is the constant high speed that can be maintained because of how wide and fast our roads are in comparison to European cities. There’s definitely a downside to that, however. In my experience, you are continuously getting passed by fast cars that are rushing through every possible lane of the road. Despite the dangers associated with riding in Moscow, I think that it is a price worth paying for the freedom that cycling gives you.
Moscow is also great in terms of street racing. We have annual ‘alleycats’, parking lot crits and crazy lightning-fast SKVOZ’ drag races, which made their way to the Russian capital thanks to the bike racing scene in Saint-Petersburg. And if you ever get tired of city riding, you can always head out to the suburbs where gravel roads are commonplace.
Mallorca has been my training destination of choice for the past 6 years and my home for the last 4. Initially, access to an Olympic velodrome and an amazing variety of training roads were the biggest attraction, but then island life soon took hold and I haven’t thought about leaving since. Mallorca has something to offer everyone, with its popular tourist hotspots on the coast, the sprawling mountain ranges for cycling fanatics who enjoy some challenging riding and its, perhaps infamous, party atmosphere.
Alongside the endless cycling options on the island, the general way of life, the food, the people and the beaches are more than enough to make you want to rip up that return ticket home. Where I live, in Palma, there are a fantastic selection of restaurants and cafes. These almost certainly have something for everyone, but personally I’d recommend trying the local Mallorquin cuisine, as, in my opinion, it is extremely hard to beat!
Palma also boasts an incredibly diverse population with 20% of its residents being foreign - this not only adds to the aforementioned multitude of different food options, but also makes the city much easier to navigate for non-native Spanish speakers.
No matter where you choose to stay on the island there’ll be plenty to do and see. The island is just 100km across (East to West) and 50km (North to South), so everywhere is accessible with a long ride.
My favourite routes always take me to the coast, but they are more often than not some of the more challenging rides. I think the most scenic roads are on the West coast of the island going through the towns of Deià and Banyalbufar. If you’re starting from Palma, you can get most of the tougher terrain out of the way in the first half of the ride-- which is always a win in my book!
If you’re looking for a flatter ride, then you’re best sticking to the centre of the island and exploring the small scenic villages. You can aim for towns like; Sineu, Llucmajor and Manacor, and by doing so you won’t go too far off track and get caught out by any surprise climbs!
Local recommendations
You may need to chase him around the island but he’s well worth it! Cafe Social is a pop-up coffee shop that visits a different town each day of the week. It follows the famous Mallorquin local markets and was once featured in Forbes Magazine. Probably the best coffee on the island and well worth planning your route around.
www.instagram.com/cafe_social_mallorca
One for the flat riders! As mentioned above, Sineu is one to aim for if you’re looking for a ride out of Palma without clocking up too much elevation. Right on the outskirts of the small town is a cycling cafe called Sa-Mola 13. It offers great coffee, delicious small bites and a lovely outside seating area that is the perfect sun trap for those chillier winter stops.
If you’ve decided to take the day off the bike and enjoy the sights of Palma, there are endless options for food and drink. Below is a list of my top 5;
Lalina (homemade Mediterranean wraps with super fresh ingredients)
The Workshop Cafe (brilliant breakfasts and bike hire all in one place!)
www.instagram.com/the.workshopalma
Arabay (great coffee in central Palma)
www.instagram.com/arabaycoffee
Elefante & Co (Fresh food and amazing fruit bowls with a 100% plastic free philosophy)
www.instagram.com/elefanemallorca
Reverse Side of the Road is perhaps the most popular event for cycling enthusiasts in Russia at the moment. The race consists of both on-road and off-road segments. Participants have to tackle winding paths on varying surfaces through the forests, fields and roads of the Leningrad Region, which is located just outside of the former Russian capital, Saint Petersburg. There is the option of a 73km 1 lap circuit, or, for those feeling brave, a 146km 2 lap circuit.
Reverse Side of the Road takes place annually and is the largest event of its kind in Russia. The race is hugely popular, boasting participants not only from all over Russia, but also from abroad.
The race itself has an interesting format. Participants are only told about the location of the race in the days leading up to the event. This is done to prevent any competitive souls from scouting out the course in advance. On the night before the race everyone gathers at a campsite next to the race’s start line. This year, we camped next to a beautiful lake about 80km outside of Saint Petersburg. Despite the fact on the following day most people were going to race more than 140 km through fields, forests, asphalt and mud, the atmosphere was festival-like and everyone was in fantastic spirits.
Camping and a festival atmosphere the night before the race
In terms of bikes, there are three disciplines: multi speed, single speed and fixed gear. There is only one mandatory requirement for all the bikes– no shock absorbers. This year the winner completed the longer distance in just over 5 hours.
For me personally, this year was the first time that I decided to take part in the race. As a result, I thought it was probably best to tackle the shorter route. I rode the 73 km lap on a Cannondale CAAD X. For the first 30 km, it was, admittedly, a bit difficult at times as I’m not used to riding on these kinds of trails. However, once I got to halfway, I stopped noticing the time spent turning the pedals. The gravel sections, steep climbs, and long sandy sections started to all merge into one. I later found out that there were people who rode fill 146 km on fixed gear bikes. Maybe something to consider next year…
Only bike requirement - no shock-absorbers
I enjoyed absolutely everything about the race – the gorgeous views, the dust that was sprayed up by passing trucks and the tasty snacks handed out at the food points. I even managed to take a small tumble whilst crossing a narrow bridge that took us across a picturesque little stream in one section of the forest.
If you haven’t previously ridden on country and forest roads, I highly recommend that you do so. What’s more, I would recommend coming to the Reverse Side of the Road race and getting a taste of the growing cycling scene in Russia.
If you do plan to come, don’t forget to pack a good tent, warm sleeping bag and plenty of spare tubes. Coffee, food and DJ sets are all kindly taken care of by the race organisers.
Country Tyrone is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and the home of Omagh- the town that I grew up in and the birthplace of my passion for the sport of cycling. It is a sprawling hilly region that is replete with ancient forests and numerous examples of unspoilt scenery, that, more often than not, are off the beaten tourist tracks.
The area itself is incredibly beautiful and this is one of the reasons why you’re likely to meet other cyclists when you’re out training. For those not familiar with Northern Ireland, I would begin by recommending the rolling roads through the scenic Sperrin Mountains - especially the Glenelly Road, which is known and loved by all local cyclists.
One of the main reasons that I love riding at home is because it is a great place for me to switch my brain off and get the hard work done on the roads that I’ve grown up on, and, without which, I would not be the rider that I am today. Though it must be said that the roads can prove to be heavy and unrewarding at times, the views are quite the opposite.
Having spent a lot of time abroad over the last few years for training and racing, I think I am now at the point where I really appreciate riding on the roads that I grew up on. If you gave me the choice between County Tyrone and the hills of Girona, five times out of ten i would choose Tyrone.
I also like the fact that County Tyrone provides different challenges throughout the seasons. I’ve ridden these roads in the middle of the winter with sleet and hail building up on my helmet. I’ve also ridden them in the middle of the summer when it has been upwards of 30 degrees. I would probably recommend the summer ride!
Landmarks - When you ride into ‘Cranagh’ turn up ‘Park Road’ for a climb that is better known by locals as ‘The Beast’ - despite having been dropped on this climb a few times, I still love it because the view from the top is amazing.
Local independent bike shop - Caldwell Cycles, Omagh.
Local independent cafe - McGlaughlins Bakery, Cookstown.
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Known for its flat/rolling roads, high hedges and small lanes, Cheshire is definitely up there as one of the best places to ride in the UK.
Cheshire also has some picturesque views, but those definitely need to be earnt! Those who are prepared to put in a bit of graft to reach some of the harder climbs on the border with the Peak District will be duly rewarded.
One of the reasons that I love Cheshire is because the mixture of terrain suits all types of rider. Whether you’re just out for a lazy Sunday spin, a quick blast around the lanes, or a more challenging ride up some of the steep climbs-- it has everything you need.
-The flat lands around the lanes of Knutsford and Tatton Park.
-The rolling roads around Joddrell Bank and Lower Withington are perfect for a quiet Sunday spin.
-If you’re feeling like you need more of a challenge- head towards the outskirts of Macclesfield in the direction of Macs Forest.
-The climb up past Ridgegate Reservoir towards Bolin Brook and the standing stones: on the ridge you have great views of the Cheshire plains and Manchester. Or you can head over to the other side and start to explore the Peak District.
Segment Info- (Start point is just outside Langly) The climb is 3.5k in length starting off at around 3-4% gradient for the first half. There is then a slight downhill until the last km where you’ll meet some tough climbing- which climaxes at a maximum gradient of about 14% for the last 200m.
A popular meeting point for cyclists is Grasslands Cafe/Garden Centre on the road from Knutsford to Holmes Chapel. You’ll always find other cyclists sat on the benches outside enjoying a coffee and cake.
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If you are up for a challenging ride, there are several climbs to tackle on your way out of London to Sevenoaks. Star Hill and Halliloo Valley are challenging both ascending and descending. The variety of the roads and surroundings helps you forget about the potential looming Biggin Hill.
The ride through the flat terrain of Woldingham gives you the feeling you are cycling through a valley in the Alps. This is a welcome respite from some tough climbing.
If you are feeling like you have a big day in you, the Kent hills will humble you. Though you can weave your way around Biggin Hill if you prefer to avoid it. Sevenoaks and Woldingham are picturesque stop offs in what can turn out to be a brutal day in the saddle.
Café Recommendation- Otto’s: https://weareottos.com/
Star Hill is similar to Box Hill in terms of length and difficulty, with spectacular views of Sevenoaks at the top.
Halliloo Valley Road is not an aggressive climb but one that creeps up on you. Surrounded by golf courses, it’s one to cry out in pain without being noticed.
Location: Isle of Wight, United Kingdom
Author: Brock Duncumb-Rogers
The classic circular coastal route features 65 miles of scenic towns and villages, stunning English countryside, breath taking coastline and some the smoothest roads I have ever ridden this side of the English Channel.
Favourite road: Military Road
Favourite ride: anti-clockwise coastal lap of the Island.
Having lived on the Island for less than a year, I spent much of the 2020 lockdown using my daily portion of exercise to explore the Island’s many rural lanes. The constant emptiness of the roads and lack of traffic felt like a once in a lifetime experience- almost magical at times. This, combined with the scenic and smooth roads, made for some of the best riding I’ve done in the UK.
Bike shops along the 65 miles route:
Tav Cycles in Ryde
Adrian’s Bikeshop, Freshwater
There are plenty of pubs and café dotted along the route, so when you feel hungry or thirsty take your pick.
Home to 38 million, Tokyo is Japan’s sprawling megacity. Better known for its underground street (car) racing scene which still takes to the elevated superhighways that encompass the city, this might not be the first place that comes to mind for an adventure by bike. Indeed, cycling in Tokyo is not in the locals’ consciousness as it is in Europe. Luckily for us, this is only indicative of a wide reliance on a world leading public transport system. In fact, there are many signs that the riding scene here is steeped in history, variety, and not least style.
Pulling up to the lights aside one of the city’s bike couriers it’s clear; there’s a scene here. Without fail they’ll be on a stunning NJS-approved steel track frame. These bikes are made exclusively for Keirin racing, an Olympic event born in Japan and one of the only things the Japanese are permitted to bet on. You can go and see Keirin racing at the famous Keiokaku Oval while you’re in town.
Heading out on the road, there’s no better place than the loop around the Emperor’s palace. Right in the heart of the city, this loop is what Central Park is to New York and Regent’s Park is to London; a Mecca for Sunday loopers.
If you’re in town for a few days, you shouldn’t miss the chance to stash your bike on the Shinkansen (bullet train) from one of Tokyo’s main stations. Just remember to remove wheels and pack the lot into a bag, even a large bin bag or two is sufficient. In 40 minutes you can ride the planned 2021 Olympic road race course around Mt. Fuji. Even closer at hand is the stunning Izu peninsula. Packed with Japan’s famous Onsens (hot springs), this area is a rural getaway for Tokyo residents to soak and re-charge. Follow the ‘Skyline’ route on the east side of the Pennninsula for stunning views of Mt. Fuji and head for Shimoda on the southern tip if you’re there in late March/April. This is where the first cherry blossom appears in Japan and the town is famous for its celebrations of this.
Japan has some of the most varied riding locations in the world. From remote beaches and coral reefs in the south to it’s snow capped mountain ranges in the north, you can find any kind of terrain here.
Even within Tokyo, its 26 ‘sub-cities’ are dramatically different. You could explore all day here.
Pizza oven and hanging bikes/kayaks are from a cheap, bike friendly, pizza place by the river. One of my favourite spots: https://goo.gl/maps/N46XwaEyMovRqmNK6
CorsaCorsa. GCN covered it, one of the best collection of vintage stuff in the world but not necessarily somewhere you’d go to get your bike fixed or have a coffee. https://goo.gl/maps/ZXYqhBNN3NVy9NW78
These guys have two shops in Tokyo, best one in the centre. Great mechanics and very friendly. https://goo.gl/maps/4EAzL9WbUnkjRRf36
Hipster bike shop, probably perfect for making Pablo nice and angry. https://goo.gl/maps/5EhZarGZWzxfwnJL8