Move over road biking; rolling over rocks and roots and navigating the unbeaten path astride chunky two-wheelers is what it’s all about this month. We joined Saracens Cycle in celebrating the return of good weather and the great outdoors on one of their new weekly mountain biking off-road rides.
Saracens Cycle director Brett Bowie may from time to time toss an egg-shaped ball around with the Abu Dhabi Saracens, but his core background lies in off-road riding and running. He is the definitive bike-aholic. Just not the kind that’s into wearing Lycra and spending tens of thousands on carbon frames and accompanying gadgets.
“I’ve done more Mountain-rides, kayaks and hikes than I can ever remember,” says the Kiwi. “I just adore the feeling of being in nature, in the mountains, the bush, under tree canopies… There’s a fresh energy you gain from it.
“I always found road cycling a little uninspiring, boring or occasionally a little pretentious. People will enjoy off-road trails like this if they’re more into mountain-biking. The trails are rougher, bumpier and you need to know a little more about how to ride your bike (which we can help with). On off-road trails there are very few cars and far fewer people or riders to contend with as well.”
Bowie launched Saracens Cycle a few years ago to reach out to Abu Dhabi’s pedal-powered community via a very vibrant, sociable, cost-friendly and even eco-conscious indoor cycling and circuit programme for teens and adults alike, which also catered for the rugby team as a form of off-pitch training.
Ever eager to hit varied terrain and expand his fat tyre fraternity however, they have now teamed up with Cycling Fusion and Noukhada Adventure Company to take skills outdoors on Saturday mornings, complementing the good work they’ve already got going on inside.
We met Bowie and others just before the Yas Tunnel on a road we never even noticed before, which itself lead out to a sandy path opening up on to yet more awesome undiscovered Abu Dhabi.
Avoiding as much asphalt as possible, trails were pleasantly bumpy and lumpy with a few sandy sections that had us skidding giddily on the bike as we peddled harder to swish past and avoid getting stuck sinking.
In no time at all things got sticky and sweaty, with the occasional hopping off the bike to re-position tyres somewhere less of a grind on the track, and naturally, those with far less calf and thigh strength and stamina as Energizer-Bunny Bowie (namely, us) at times held back the group as the way forward got more and more technical.
At one point after zipping under a bridge we even climbed through a gap in a little cliff to continue our sightseeing tour of old desalination plants and some refreshingly less manicured scenic outskirts.
Abu Dhabi is by no means mountainous but the few small hills we did encounter offered much-needed wind-whipping, hands-off-handles relief (or an off-the-saddle stinker, depending on which way you were coming).
Indeed, there was so much to take in and do on the 15km loop that there was a moment where we could not help but smile at the suddenly stern-looking road bikers we occasionally passed on the last return stretch.
“I found this route like we found routes back in Seoul, Korea – the fun way, by exploring it first on Google Maps then by bike,” says Bowie. “Back in Korea, we developed and literally put on the map dozens of more technically challenging ‘freeride’ bike trails in and around Seoul city.
“The route we rode here, I would say is an easy level for your average casual biker, yet an enjoyable step up from riding around the pristine, tar-sealed Yas Marina Circuit,” the experienced mountain biker adds.
A bit of a rookie when it comes to shifting gears, we put a lot of effort in that day and expected to really feel it the morning after, but one great perk of biking for fitness is that even though it offers a real-deal aerobic exercise, it does so without a lot of the impact that comes with jumping around in a studio or running.
Compared to running, for example, what it does better is spread the impact around between the arms, legs, and buttocks, helping to preserve your knees.
Bowie agrees: “Biking is a beautiful way to stay fit and fast. The numbers of people at Yas Marina Circuit are testament to that. Cycling is zero impact and includes active recovery so it’s far easier on the body – especially the less fit bodies, the bigger bodies or the sports injured bodies. I used to be all three.”
Fitness aside – the adrenaline-charged excitement in the face of, perhaps, impending doom, the exhilaration and accomplishment when you nail a challenging run or landing, and all the perspective-altering vistas that come with navigating the unspoiled outdoors… mountain biking is just different and fun, and that’s why these guys are hooked.
“I have another very, very cool Ride & Run Route right near the Zayed Cricket Stadium – it’s about 6-10 km under a very nice mature tree canopy but we need a local sponsor or Government to help me lay Ghatch or used oil down over the soft sand areas to make it Abu Dhabi’s ‘best’ off-road MTB trail,” he says.
Welcoming all MTB-ers across town, Bowie adds: “We seem to have immediately developed a small nucleus of experienced male and female bikers keen to go explore further afield (Hatta, etc.), so we’ll look to build on that. I’d also like to build a few ‘skills parks’ and a Four-cross Pump Tracks (Think BMX racing but for adults).”
What: Saracens Cycle’s new outdoor MTB rides
What: Saturdays at 08:00
Where: Meeting point is the roundabout just before Yas Tunnel (to the right of Al Zeina). Check their web page for updates on other locations.
Cost: Without your own bike, you can rent one in advance for Dh75
Contact & updates: www.facebook.com/SARACENSCYCLE / 055 800 7133
