Hong Kong

they have some ridiculous bikes in sky blue you see the custom carbon 29er....hnnngggggg and that Parlee is just beautiful. I dropped in last week once it's up and running it's going to be a very nice shop, coffee place and they are offering bike storage too.
not been to velo6 yet or rapha...rapha sacres me a little 😁.

did you do the cyclothon thing the other week?

Unfortunately not, we only arrived in on Sunday afternoon! I absolutely won't be blooming back to Hong Kong without a bike next time though for sure!

👍was down at sky blue today they were showing me a fat bike it was crazy. Salsa hardtail one was lighter than my road bike crazy and looked great too.
the cyclothon was fun going over the big bridges towards the airport was the best bit but the wind was a killer though.

Anyone have experience in getting around Hong Kong specifically around HK island on a bike?

Switching from getting around everyday on a bike to public transport sounds Hella boring...

I’d say it’s totally impractical on the island. Kowloon and new territories is workable but you face similar but fewer of the issues the island has.

1. Heat and humidity means you will be soaked through and clothes will perish a lot quicker than here.
   
2. No cycling roads means a lot of routes are not open to you and you’ll find you need to use longer hillier routes while cars and buses whizz along an elevated road or through a tunnel
   
3. No cycle parking infrastructure so you will struggle to park a bike at your destination and depending on where you live you may face objections from building management
   
4. Cycle lanes exist in new territories and where they do you have to use them. You also have to dismount every time a side road crosses a cycle lane, including driveways.
   
   

Public transport is fast cheap efficient and has air conditioning. Save your bike for fun. My advice though is to live south side and try water sports that are so much more accessible year round. Buy a paddle board, join an outrigger canoes club, take up windsurfing. These are all year round activities as the sea starts warm all year.

+1 What @Ramsaye says - octopus card and taxis are your friend

Public transport is so boring tho, except for the trams.

Thanks @Ramsaye @Tenderloin for the advice tho.

I know Kowloon side is much easier and cycle friendly.

Trams are ace, did the whole east west route once (Jan 2022). Best 26p I ever spent.

Green minibuses are fun, especially if you get south side on the windy roads. Lots of wannabe rally drivers do that job.

Red minibuses are more fun though, there’s a long haired guy who does the route to big wave bay, total maniac.

The roads these drivers hoon around are also the roads you’ll want to cycle on and they have little regard for you when they come up in you.

Here’s the road along the south side of the island, it’s a beauty. https://fulgaz.com/fulgaz-rides/?fg_ride=ee131c0145adf8d164180613

I didn’t realise this conversation was running across two threads.

Your talk of minibus drivers has reminded me of the older (80+) guys who drive the school minibuses. An absolute menace on the roads.

I rode to Shek O about three times a week - I never felt particularly threatened by cars.

Oh yeah Im very familiar with that route. I grew up in Stanley but have never once cycled around.

My grandad would always complain about cyclist slowing down the minibus from him getting to his early morning dim sums.

That kinda of route I'd do on my roadie.

I was thinking more of a Brompton, getting around and all. Mostly around central, causeway bay etc.

Brompton is ideal, you’d be able to take it out to Sha Tin on the train and do the new route to Yueng Long quite easily and use it around town easier than something full size. There was a bloke in Stanley who would take his Brompton into town on the bus each day to use as a get around then bus it back to Stanley each evening. I’d often see him on the 260 as I settled into my latest Netflix/iPlayer download.

Commuting on bike although sound good in hk the heat and hills make it horrible. A Brompton would be good if you just heading too and from a ferry route or mini bus.
I loved cycling in Hong Kong just not commuting. Only a few times had clashes with taxis and minibus drivers. Other road users were generally good.
Also generally bikes were safe being locked up compared to city's in the UK.

Also mention for the mings cafe in shek o good coffee and a great egg bap

Currently moved in HK, it's defo changed over the years regarding the amount of cyclist that are present on the roads.

I'm getting around on my Brompton with change of clothes. Riding on road bike for more planned out rides.

Defo doable. Anyone on here in HK hit me up!

I'm possibly taking a bike to HK island for a couple weeks in early March.

Wanted to just spend a couple days going up the peak, going down to shek o, and poking around on Lantau.

I've been warned it's going to suck traffic and road wise, but still. Adventure sort of.

Which is worse? Weekend drivers or midweek works traffic?

I hear the MTR is relatively bike friendly now?

Taxis and minibuses.

There’s no real midweek works traffic, everything moves around by gogo van. At the weekend the roads fill up with slower drivers but they tend to leave you more room than the professionals do.

Take care if you head out to the New Territories. The common route out on the Bride's Pool road has two issues - a hill you're not allowed to ride up with the police sit at the top of to fine miscreants, and then loads of boy racers in souped up cars wanging down the main road with no care for cyclists.

The climb up to Tai Mo Shan is pretty good, but if you're happy a bit more off the beaten path then the track up to the Robin's Next is quite something: https://goo.gl/maps/ZXf81RyXFvANuZZV7

Woah. Looks like a great spot. Might be worth the train journey up. Thanks!

Thanks, I reckon early on the weekend it is then :)

dredge.
Anyone here in HK currently?

I'm toying with activating an RCC membership so I can hire a bike and maybe get a day exploring.

2 practical questions,
Will Wapha be closed throughout the new year week?
If not them anywhere else that is good for tips/local knowledge please?

I am! I moved here last year and have been cycling around a bit.
Most of HK close a couple days for the CNY period however there are some exceptions ie - food and drink industry which don't ever rest. Not 100% about the club house, they'll defo have reduced hours if not closures.

shoot me a msg, i'll fill you in some more.