the proposal

Introduction

The Explosion The exponential growth of recreational and sporting off road riding is worldwide. Both cross country and are established as Olympic events; the demand will con- tinue to increase. Locally The Magazine for August carried an article on mountain biking in Hong Kong, which only further fuels demand. Companies recruiting expatriates cite mountain biking and refer candidates to the HKMBA website as evidence that Hong Kong is a “cool” city to live. And in the latest Action Asia magazine there are three separate articles about mountain biking. Mountain Biking is a growing sport across the world, the industry in 2008 in the USA is a $6 billion industry, includ- ing the retail value of , related parts, and accessories according to research funded by the USA National Sporting Goods Association. Ironically the majority of bicycles, components and accessories are manufactured in China, and in Taiwan and Japan.

Hong Kong’s bike shops are amongst the best in the world, when a new bike or component is manufac- tured it is usual to find it in a Hong Kong bike shop ahead of anywhere else. This is because most bikes and components are manufactured within the region and the Hong Kong bicycle enthusiast is one of the most discerning. Bicycle shops in other countries tend to carry minimum stock and will custom order Unfortunately for mountain biking in the country parks falls under the authority of the AFCD. depending on requests by individual customers; recently online retailers overseas have filled this void by Whilst AFCD is no doubt qualified to fulfil their other responsibilities in the area of recreational use of offering huge catalogues and overnight delivery. The most famous and most well equipped of Hong Kong the country parks and providing a viable mountain biking network AFCD are not qualified and have fallen bike shops is Flying Ball. From their large premises in Cheung Sha Wan they sell over 500-600 bikes short of the standards set by other government departments. per annum at about HK$15,000 average price with the top-end selling at over HK$60,000. Flying Ball’s Mr Lee reports that approximately 10% are purchased by overseas visitors. There are at least 10 other The concerns of the Hong Kong’s mountain biking community are that AFCD fail to grasp the opportu- substantial bicycle shops throughout Hong Kong with at least another 20 smaller retailers. It is estimated nity presented by mountain biking to expand recreational use of the country parks. AFCD appear to see that each of the second tier bike shops sells half of the bikes as Flying Ball and the smaller shops selling their role through their own filters despite decades of lobbying and volunteer work by mountain bikers, perhaps 100 bikes each at the same average. That could make the total bicycle sales for Hong Kong at AFCD give the impression of doing the minimum and hoping that mountain biking will go away. over HK$60 million per annum. When AFCD do undertake a project they do it in their own vacuum of inexperience and create a wholly When AFCD opened the current mountain bike network in 2002 there were half a dozen retail shops supplying unworkable solution. Their recent work on the Ho Poi downhill course created a new section of the exist- mountain bikes and components; today we have 34 in Hong Kong, plus several more in Shenzhen and Macau. (see ing trail. The route of the new trail is far too steep and apart from the erosion this will facilitate the trail the list later) is dangerously fast and slippery. To combat this AFCD used nylon netting on the trail. This made the surface even more treacherous and resulted in several serious injuries, numerous complaints have been made. We understand they now intend to build a Beginners Course at the top of . AFCD are The Current Situation doing this in isolation, without consultation and have not taken advice from the HKMBA, who have quali- To meet this demand it is critical to expand the existing mountain bike trail network. The current des- fied cycle instructors who run classes for children amongst their officers. ignated mountain bike are insufficient and inadequate. They consist of old trails originally used by villages and animal tracks, which have been opened up in 2002 by the AFCD to meet the demand at the AFCD’s constant complaint is that hikers complain about Mountain Bikers, HKMBA would like to in- time for mountain biking trails. Since then the mountain biking community has grown from around clude these complaints in the education program we run with members; however AFCD refuse to provide 2,000 to over 12,000. Trails are overcrowded on weekend peak days, in places trails are too steep and details or numbers of complaints despite numerous requests from the HKMBA. consequently erode easily and are subject to frequent landslips, plus they are poorly maintained. In some cases they are extremely dangerous for beginners. With more and more riders hitting the trails each Another concern AFCD express is that mountain biking damages the country side. On existing trails, weekend there are increasing cases of riders going off on their own into the parks and creating new trails which are not purpose built and too steep, this is true. However the damage created by biking is negli- as they find innovative ways to have their sport. gible compared to the damage inflicted by the heavy handed concreting of our country parks. Concrete steps and railings, dumb-down the trails and sanitise and urbanise Hong Kong’s unique natural environment. There have been hundreds of complaints about this directly to AFCD and in the press from hikers and other park users and yet still the concreting continues. In other parts of the world mountain resorts cope maintain parks without using concrete. Many of these parks have to cope with massive water flows from the spring snow melting runoff. Correctly constructed trails using natural materials are re-built with topsoil that has washed down which is re-cycled from lower down where it runs off, to back up the mountain. AFCD’s reliance on concrete actually exacerbates the soil erosion by channelling the water flow past the concrete like a river past bridge columns the water is driven unnaturally along existing trails carving out the disturbed soil and leaving the concrete exposed and more prominent which in turn then channels the water runoff even more forcibly. This is particularly apparent A CROSS-COUNTRY on the Macelhose Trail near Eagles Nest, where the concrete steps stand a foot and half proud of the trail and the soil on each side is carved into huge gullies. Prior to the concreting this ancient trail existed for hundreds of years without the need for concrete. MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL Though Hongkongers are not renowned for their adventurous spirit or for seeking extreme sports, the lo- cal mountain biking community is made up of a segment of the population who are attracted to the sport by its very nature of adventure and freedom. They are adventurous, risk seeking and not constrained by convention. This growing population of young adrenaline fuelled riders are justifiably frustrated by what NETWORK PROPOSAL FOR they see as apathy by AFCD and a general lack of support from the government. They are flouting the existing regulations and riding all over the parks on unauthorised trails and carving out new trails on their own initiative. The Country Parks Authority responsible for enforcing the regulations are not equipped to police the parks, nor do they have the training not inclination to meet the demand. The AFCD war- dens will occasionally respond to a senior directive to enforce the regulations in one specific area; and will place wardens on the trails in order to apprehend the mountain bikers. The AFCD wardens are the very antithesis of mountain bikers; they are civil servants, risk adverse, and conditioned to follow the rules. When confronted by AFCD wardens many riders will simply ignore the wardens and ride past them. There have been some confrontations, and these likely leave the AFCD wardens frustrated and probably traumatised. The wardens are not trained to handle such encounters and they are completely out of their depth. However, this serves as merely a momentary inconvenience for the mountain bikers and for some a source of much amusement. Increased patrols would only see the mountain bikers alerting each other by SMS and moving their riding that day to elsewhere in the huge parks. The parks authorities simply do Project Aims - problems and solutions not have the resources to maintain an effective enforcement of existing regulations. Evidence is seen in the recent illegal agricultural cultivation of several acres of forest in the Tai Lam Country Park adjacent to the Macelhose Trail. This incident has been well reported and although the site of this illegal activity on in The need for mountain bike trails a well patrolled concrete road, only a few kilometres from the AFCD centre, AFCD have failed to prevent this massive vandalism of the country park. It is no wonder they have even less impact on isolated groups Trail Network Design Framework of nimble mountain bikers riding on remote single track trails.

Hong Kong’s Unique Opportunity Intended purposes for trail network use Hong Kong has the opportunity to promote and foster this cool outdoor activity and position Hong Kong with a competitive advantage that its neighbouring cities cannot match. Unique amongst other Asian TAI MO SHAN MARATHON TRAIL gateway cities, Hong Kong has mountains within a few minutes of the central business district. Hong Kong has the potential to have the best mountain biking in the region, hosting World Cup events and LIN FA SHAN OLYMPIC RACE CIRCUIT positioning the city as the “coolest” place in Asia

To meet the demand for more trails and to avoid the growing confrontation between the Country Park Comparative Models authority and the bikers the HKMBA proposed utilising trails that are currently overgrown or abandoned which are currently under utilised or completely inaccessible for hikers and other trail users. The Tour- LOCAL MODELS ism Commission requested details of these trails and these are included in this report this request has inspired this visionary and ambitious report. INTERNATIONAL MODELS Following the aforementioned meeting the HKMBA carried out a detailed reconnaissance of all the rideable areas in Hong Kong including the Tai Mo Shan area and the area between Shatin and Sai Kung. Several routes have been identified as potential mountain bike trails and these are detailed in this report and in the attached maps.

The recommendations of this report is in two sections: • To Develop, in the short term, a network of cross country trails. • To Develop Tai Mo Shan Mountain Resort Village Project Aims problems and solutions

Recommend the opening of alternative trails for the use of mountain bikes Alleviate the overcrowding of bikes on the currently limited number of legal bike trails Increase safety for hikers & bikers by improving and expanding the current trail network Increase the appeal of Hong Kong as a premier outdoor Asian tourist destination

Despite optimal topography and an outstanding natural environment suited for the activity – rivaling any other developed place in Asia - riders choosing to obey the law are limited to a handful of mostly-concrete routes that are among the least likely choices for designated mountain bike trails. Mountain bikers from foreign countries who have spent time here often compare the situation to what a skier might experience while living in Switzerland, and not being allowed to .

The trail network that we are proposing aims to provide a healthy and environmentally-friendly activity for Hong Kong residents and visitors alike, including both leisure and business tourists, and would also be a major step towards the goal of producing top-level athletes to represent Hong Kong in the Olympics, the Asian Games, and other international events.

Currently, the majority of trails frequently used by mountain bikers are not recognized by AFCD or the Lands Department. As a result, the majority of mountain bikers end up riding “illegal trails” and face fines, court appearances, and the disappointment of seeing trail fixtures - bridges, armored surfaces, and other trail improvements used for avoiding mud and preventing erosion - dismantled by officials. At the Trail Network Design Framework same time, these same trails are regularly converted into three-foot-wide concrete pavements by villagers and sometimes even park officials seeking to make the parks more accessible for people not accustomed Intended purposes for trail network use to in the outdoors. A mountain bike is a bicycle with flat handlebars [as opposed to drop bars found on road bikes], wide tires The ruining of perfectly usable natural paths seems to extend from the fact that the majority of casual for traction and stability, and often has some form of suspension for absorbing impacts from the trail. hikers in Hong Kong tend not to be interested in the same trails as mountain bikers, who much prefer There are many variations of mountain bikes suited to different types of terrain, any of which can be rid- flowing, undulating contour trails. Unfortunately, most hiking trails are constructed on steep terrain at den on these trails. unsustainable grades, usually leading directly to the top of a hill on what is called a “fall line trail” – one that directly follows the movement of water during heavy rains. This network having a designation of “cross-country” means that riders are meant to ride their bikes both up and down the trails, rather than shuttling to the top of a hill in a vehicle. A separate proposal for There do exist, however, many abandoned trails that do not fit this description, that for the most part have downhill-specific trails in the area is also available from the HKMBA; please inquire for further details. been ignored by hikers – they are ancient game trails and grown-over contour paths that used to be the most direct links between villages in Hong Kong’s agrarian past that have long since been deserted. Some Official mountain bike trails and those in the immediate vicinity are currently the most common place for of these trails have been kept clear by feral cows, while others have been discovered, cleared of under- conflict between bikers and pedestrians. The addition of longer trails should ease this problem consider- growth, and made us of in recent years by mountain bikers looking for new routes. ably, as mountain bikers will no longer be concentrated along short sections of legal trail that they tend to ride repeatedly in order to extend their riding time. With only a handful of official trails available [most of which are actually roads for government vehicles], opening a currently under-utilized network of trails would provide the much-needed places to ride that While respecting the idea of multiuse trails, hikers should be warned and discouraged to, but not prohibit- local mountain bikers, racers, and tourists alike have been asking for over the years. The proposed trail ed from, hiking or walking dogs on trails heavily used by mountain bikers. An HKMBA “Share the Trails” network as detailed below makes use of under-utilized and abandoned trails, as well as existing tracks campaign is already in effect - please see the relevant flyer for details. designated for mountain biking, to fulfill the public demand for sustainable mountain bike trails. Such a solution, though, will need to have the support of high-level government officials, who can lead the effort As such, signs with messages such as “look out for mountain bikers” that are currently in use should be and engage key departments. added to trails where mountain biking is the prevalent activity of choice. THE TAI MO SHAN MARATHON TRAIL NETWORK

9 101

KEY Numbers indicate stages, 7 while yellow arrows show intended flow 8 direction. 1

Access Road South Route 6 North Route

4 2 3 5 Lin Fa Shan Olympic Race Circuit Riders on a disused, abandoned trail, left, and on an official trail, right. Both types of trail are incorporated into the proposed Marathon Trail Network.

Stage 1 – Route Twisk Trailhead ▶ Key: THE TAI MO SHAN MARATHON TRAIL NETWORK The trail begins just past the AFCD gate on the left, over a stone bridge. It follows a flowing natural con- tour past the turnoff down to lower Route Twisk, until a series of tight switchbacks. ▾ Extremely steep and/or In addition to being an attractive destination, this trail network, connecting over 50 kilometers Stage 2 – The Southern Passage ◆ rough of quality mountain bike trails, aims to be an IMBA-designated Epic Ride. This designation is similar to that After several steep turns, the trail again traces the southern mountainside through the forest, ○ Steep and of World Heritage Site made by UNESCO, and would bring international recognition to the area among the crossing several small streams along the way. difficult global mountain biking community. Other cities which host such trails have seen tremendous economic ◆ Challenging growth from tourism revenue since mountain biking was made popular in the last couple of decades. Stage 3 – Lin Fa Shan Olympic Race Circuit ◆ ▶ Relatively Here the trail opens up to reveal exhilarating views of the harbour, from Tsing Ma bridge in the West to Easy IMBA Epic Ride trails are nominated by mountain bikers on an annual basis – several will be selected by Central and Wanchai in the East. A broken concrete path along an ancient trail takes you to Tin Fu Tsi vil- the IMBA, and treated to an official celebration. Please visit http://www.imba.com/epics/ for details. lage – the first rest stop.

This map of the proposed network shows a network of loops forming one large, continuous master loop Stage 4 – The Wonton Trail to Yuen Tun ◆ that is approximately 50km in total length. After a cold drink and perhaps a bowl of noodles for energy, get ready for the most thrilling, twisting singletrack in all of Hong Kong – winding up, down and around dense groves of evergreens and bamboo While extending to over 50 kilometers, the trail can be broken down into 10 sections which can also be linked forests like a dirt roller-coaster. together to form smaller circuits. Crossover points at villages and across access roads allow for shortcuts, giving riders and tour operators the ability to tailor their trips to suit time frames, abilities and fitness levels. Stage 5 – Yuen Tun Trailhead to Tai Lam Dam ◆ A tough climb is rewarded by more stunning views, this time including green valleys flowing down to Tai In addition to trail signs and posted maps, water stations – providing filtered tap water – would ideally be Lam Reservoir. placed at the start of each stage. Such a station already exists in Tai Po Waterfront Park, as a local example. Stage 6 – Tai Lam Reservoir ▶ Along with a printable map like the one above, trail descriptions and difficulty ratings for each stage Speed demons will love zipping around this trail’s tight corners, and nature-lovers can appreciate roaring should also be given, such as: waterfalls and atmospheric pine forests while winding through this relatively flat section.

THE LIN FA SHAN OLYMPIC RACE CIRUIT Integrated into the larger Marathon Trail Network, with the greatest level of accessibility and spectator accommodation, this compact, stacked-loop trail offers fast, rolling terrain set amongst breathtaking views of Hong Kong’s harbour. The open, green plateau and hills with dense surrounding forests provide an ideal location for hosting world-class cross-country races.

Existing trails and open areas at Lin Fa Shan are such that preparing the area for competition would require less work than any of the existing courses used for racing, which are frequently overgrown with tough weeds, thorns, and nettles.

While several course options already exist and could be used almost immediately, the best circuit - one allowing for perfect flow, video coverage, and accommodation of spectators – may require small-scale landscaping efforts. Trailbuilding should be conducted in a way that changes the landscape as little as pos- sible, and otherwise in accordance with IMBA trail construction guidelines.

In case of emergency, or for a more convenient exit, the Yuen Tun Ancient Trail can provide an all-down- hill, stair-free route to a catchment road leading to Route Twisk, just above . Riders wanting a serious fitness challenge may also choose to climb this route, providing car-free access from urban areas.

An overview of the central race course area, looking south Access to the Lin Fa Shan race venue is already far superior to any exist- to southeast. ing track, with a limited-access road bringing organizers and competi- The western edge of the Lin Fa Shan course from a rider’s perspective at tors [15 minutes by bike] within a few hundred meters of the course the top of a hill climb, with views of Bridge, Tsing Ma Bridge, – the rest of the way, a concrete footpath makes moving equipment on and beyond. trolley- easy.

Stage 7 – Tai Lam to Tsing Fai Tong ○ Riders make their way through punishing terrain into the cooler, wetter forests of the north side of the mountain range

Stage 8 – Cow Pastures to Tai Mo Shan contour trail ○ The trail runs through an open plain where wild cattle often graze among reeds and wildflowers, then climbs over the main ridge and descends onto the rocky northern side of Tai Mo Shan.

Stage 9 – The Inca Trail ▾ The best full-on descent in Hong Kong begins as a gently downward-sloping rock-strewn contour, acceler- ating through a maze of boulders, fallen trees, and chute-like passages among dense foliage and trickling streams.

Stage 10 – Kap Lung Ancient Trail ◆ Riders climb the long and steep, semi-paved tree-covered path back to the Tai Mo Shan trailhead to finish off their epic journey.

Suggested Itineraries: Intermediate: Stages 4, 5 and 6 [half-day] from Yuen Tun Southern Trailhead Advanced: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and back to Twisk Trailhead [half-day] Expert: Stages 1-10 [half to full-day] leaving from and returning to Twisk Trailhead INTERNATIONAL MODELS Japan

There are a number of popular cross-country courses across Japan, and as in Australia and other countries, mountain biking introduced to youth as a school sport. One such course is Hitachi Oka in Ibaraki prefecture, where the Ukari Hachibe cross-country endurance race is held twice a year, while the course itself remains open year-round. Mountain biking is also popular in most National Parks in Japan – there are apparently no limitations on where one can ride a bicycle, as there are in Hong Kong. Exceptions exist though – for example, mountain bikers are not allowed to ride down Mt. Fuji in July and August when throngs of hikers make their way to the top, understandably – similar to what the MacLehose trail would be like during Oxfam’s Trailwalker event.

In the private sphere, Takamine MTB World, just 30 minutes away from central Tokyo, in- corporates both cross-country and downhill riding within a park that offers basic accommo- dation, rental bikes and equipment, and shuttle rides. They employ similar vans to those Riding in Niseko used by Tai Mo Shan riders here in Hong Kong. Map showing Hong Kong Trail is a good example of a hiking trail and example of attractive signage

Comparative Models LOCAL MODELS

Locally, the closest model for the Marathon Trail could be found in the way that the Maclehose and Wilson Trails are designated and marked. This includes posted maps and clear, attractive signage in English and Chinese that is easy enough for visitors to make their way by. However, unlike these popular hiking trails which start and finish at opposite ends of Hong Kong, the Marathon Trail is intended to be a series of con- centric or “stacked” loops to allow riders to cross over and make their ride as long or as short as they like. Since public transport is limited, having more options to return to a trailhead when exhaustion sets in is critical for such a trail. Currently, no such mountain bike trails with multiple loop options exist in Hong Kong, although it is the standard for trail design worldwide.

The closest local example of a cross-country race circuit is ‘Project X’ on Lamma Island. Designed, cleared and constructed by HKMBA members on unused village land in the hills above Yung Shui Wan, the volunteer-built trail has hosted multiple mountain bike races held by Action Asia events as well as the Hong Kong Cycling Association, member of the Union Cycliste International [UCI] from which athletes are chosen to represent Hong Kong in the Olympic Games. It is widely A rider races at Project X on Lamma Island, currently the regarded as the best course in Hong Kong by far. The Lin Fa Shan Cir- best course in Hong Kong. cuit, however, with better accessibility and space for spectators, would be a significant upgrade.

Map of Takamine MTB World

[Photo] Event poster for the Singapore Mountain Bike Carnival, Riding into the sunset, a course map of the Tampines MTB trail in Singapore.

Singapore A map of Acha-san, left, and various trails around urban Seoul, right. While most places in Asia allow or passively encourage riding, Singapore has clearly been the most pro- gressive in harnessing the potential for Mountain Biking to attract tourism. Despite having far less space and elevation to work with than Hong Kong, Singapore has managed not only to put together a remark- able 10 km cross-country race course, but in 2008 held the Great Singapore Mountain Bike Carnival, Seoul, Korea which brought professional riders from all over the world to the Tampines race circuit.

The city of Seoul has almost ten off-road rid- ing areas, again with no limitations on bicycles. The event, which saw top regional riders as well as special guests like US Olympian and World Champion Nearly all of them are connected by dedicated Tinker Juarez, was supported by the Singapore Sports Council, the Singapore Tourism Board, and Nation- bike paths, connecting public transport inter- al Parks Singapore. A private firm was contracted – DirTraction LLP – both for the event and the devel- changes. One of the better and most technically opment of the course. It is now an annual event, run in conjunction with Bike Asia. Such a coordinated challenging courses is Acha-San, a park-like cem- effort would be most welcome by local and visiting riders in Hong Kong. DirTraction has in fact expressed etery accessible via the Han River Bikeway past interest to the HKMBA of putting on a similar event in Hong Kong – but so far, a suitable venue does not the Olympic Bridge in the East side of the city.

With topography similar to Wales. Hong Kong could become the leading destination for biking in Asia

A map showing theexist many on trail trails networks allowed in Wales by the AFCD.

Wales, UK

http://www.mbwales.com/

Considered to be the world’s premiere cross-country mountain biking destination, and built under su- pervision of the UK Forestry Commission, the trail networks of Wales are also the standard after which all other trail systems are modeled. Purpose-built visitor centres, complete with hot food, toilets, parking, , and bike-washing facilities, are found at all of the major trail areas, serving well-marked trails graded by degrees of difficulty, much like trails at a . Public transport is also available, via bus service.

According to the UK Forestry Commission: “Forestry Commission Wales’s five world-class mountain bike centres were opened on March 12, 2003. Since then their reputation has grown, transforming Wales into a mecca for mountain bike enthusiasts from far and wide, who bring millions of pounds into the Welsh economy every year. Our trails include purpose-built, waymarked single tracks, gentle family routes and white-knuckle down- hill rides – not for the faint-hearted! Each trail is subtly different and has been designed to reflect its surrounding landscape and terrain, providing a varied and incomparable riding experience through some of the most beautiful high-country you’ll find anywhere.”

Similar terrain, trails, facilities and trail markings already exist in Hong Kong, and if mountain biking in our Country Parks is allowed and promoted rather than banned and prosecuted, our trail networks could be just as successful as a tourism destination as the trail networks in Wales.

Mountain biking at Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong The Way Foward

A reputation as the “Wales of Asia” would undoubtedly be cast upon Hong Kong if the opening of trails was coupled with proper trail care and maintenance, making it the premiere destination for mountain Getting to grips with bike travelers in the Asia-Pacific region. But riders will want to ride quality trails – the best that Hong the loose rocks on Kong has to offer. Opening of more stair-filled village paths and concrete park roads as “mountain bike Tia Mo San Trail trails” has not and will not attract anyone to ride in our Country Parks.

Environmental protection and sustainability The majority of the proposed trail network is heavily forested, making it perfect for visitors to get a taste of nature. While the environmental impact of encouraging mountain bikers to visit the trails would be great- er than not, it has been shown in numerous studies that impacts such as soil displacement by mountain bikers are similar to or even less than those from hikers. Currently, very few people venture onto these trails, and many bikers who have been riding them for years report never having seen a hiker on the trail.

Lin Fa Shan Olympic Circuit – environmental sustainability As the course is situated on abandoned farmland, the only disturbance of the natural landscape would be the occasional interruption of migrating feral cows during competitions. The animals are very tame, being already accustomed to seeing both hikers and bikers using the paths they have made through the forests.

At the same time, continued aforestation [a corporate scheme exists in the area] plus native landscape restoration, where appropriate, would more than mitigate the environmental impacts of this human-in- fluenced landscape. Erosion can easily be controlled by re-routing courses on a seasonal basis, since there are nearly unlimited options for new routes.

Structures, fencing, and course markings should be non-permanent and easy to transport, install, and remove by hand. Armoring of certain natural surfaces in high-traffic locations, such as staging areas, is also advisable, to avoid erosion of sensitive soil types.

Marathon Trail Network – environmental sustainability Most of the proposed Marathon Trail is existing trail built with sustainable grades of less than 10 percent, following the ‘half rule’ whereby trail grade is no greater than half the grade of the slope on which it is located. In most areas where this is not the case, natural armoring is already in place in the form of rock outcroppings and stonework. The remaining problem areas are where concrete has been laid down and concrete steps have been built, which not only ruin the atmosphere and enjoyment of the natural environ- ment for visitors, but speed erosion by creating gullies on either side from water runoff, as rainfall cannot be absorbed directly into the ground. This should be mitigated by the removal of such structures, the restoration of natural surfaces and planting of native vegetation, and re-routing with switchbacks where grades are not sustainable.

The Trail Network in Use - Current and Future Scope The trail network as detailed above represents the readily-attainable goal of having a world-famous adven- ture sport destination that would be a source of pride for the people of Hong Kong, whether they consider themselves Mountain Bikers or not.

Costs for building mountain bike trails are much lower than those for concrete paths of similar length Tai Mo San Mountain Bike resort village and width, but the maintenance required is more frequent. Clearing of overgrown vegetation is the most persistent need, typically twice a season, with surfacing and repairing of bridges and stream crossings needing to be done once a year. Appointing regular intervals to such work will help to avoid letting trails fall into a state of disrepair, which is currently the case in many places.

Typhoon damage is also a major concern during typhoon season - typically, official mountain bike trails will remain littered with debris and fallen trees until riders themselves remove them. Although it is as- sumed to be the responsibility of park officials to address trail damage, in practice, trees have remained Introduction strewn across trails for months, blocking riders and ruining an otherwise smooth flow of the trail. Having a volunteer task force on hand for post-typhoon clean up would solve this problem. why do it Although little in the way of investment or planning is required, compared with other infrastructure projects, there are a few roadblocks presented by the current methods and policies of managing mountain problems and solutions biking in Hong Kong. Geographic background The directors of the HKMBA, representing some 12,000-plus users of the Country Parks, do not feel that the current system of limited trail use is adequate, acceptable, or advisable, either for residents or visitors. Hikers and backpackers are given far greater access to trails in proportion to their numbers, although conclusion their impact on the environment is equal to that of bikers.

The following are recommended steps to take in order to realize the goals of the trail network:

1. Open select trails within Country Parks to mountain biking, letting users rely on fellow riders, profession- al guides, contour maps, and trail guides for selecting which trails to ride, with the exception of protected wildlife areas.

2. Officially recognize and promote the Tai Mo Shan Trail Network as a world-class mountain biking destina- tion with some of the best trails in all of Asia. See the attached trail map for details.

3. Solicit funding from LCSD, the Hong Kong Tourism Board, and other departments with the stated objec- tives of improving public health, mental well-being and physical fitness, sustainable development, and tour- ism, for the purpose of trail improvement, to be spent on signage, trail tools, armoring, fixtures, and other materials.

4. Establish “Trail Work Days” in which AFCD and HKMBA volunteers meet on a regular basis in accor- dance with seasonal maintenance requirements to extend and maintain the trails - this includes clearing overgrown trails, armoring and repairing stream-crossings, building and repairing of bridges made from natural materials, addressing typhoon damage, and re-routing trails ruined by erosion.

If such steps are taken, the Tai Mo Shan Marathon Trail Network and Lin Fa Shan Olympic Race Circuit will surely be a success, both among local mountain bikers and internationally. This will provide the people of Hong Kong with a healthy form of recreation, and will also give tourists and business travelers yet another reason to visit Hong Kong, providing public health and economic benefits for all. The Tai Mo Shan Mountain Resort Village

The growth of Mountain biking has spawned an increase in Mountain bike parks and resorts worldwide, this is Hong Kong opportunity to become the hub for Asian Mountain biking

During this reconnaissance it became apparent that Hong Kong has the opportunity and natural resourc- es to create a mountain resort on Tai Mo Shan, that would equal the summer resorts of Whistler in British Columbia, Mammoth Mountain, Lake Tahoe in the USA and the many mountain biking resorts in the Italian and French . The potential of this ambitious development is enormous. It foresees trails spi- ralling down from the summit of Tai Mo Shan and the development of a fully equipped mountain resort village at with a mountain tramway, hotels and all the supporting facilities. The project would utilize the natural terrain and topography of the area and initial inquiries indicate that investment capital is available to fund the majority of the hospitality infrastructure require. Thus for a relatively minor in- vestment we have the opportunity to develop Tai Mo Shan and the neighbouring area of Shek Kong into a major mountain recreation centre, just 30 minutes from Hong Kong’s central business district. Creating With such a project there will be multiple obstacles to be overcome and this is not a project for the faint thousands of jobs in a forgotten and depressed corner of Hong Kong and generating billions of dollars in hearted. It will require leadership, vision and will power to make it a reality; listed below are suggestions revenue whilst positioning Hong Kong as the “coolest” gateway city in Asia. as to what is required to complete this project:

We have created the possibility to have a world class mountain resort village on Tai Mo Shan, and trans- 1. Appoint a Master Planner who will oversee the life of the project and develop the ongoing leadership form the sleepy village of Shek Kong into a “Whistler” style resort village. This will be achieved by utiliz- and resources to maintain the resort. ing selected abandoned trails and paths, plus creating new routes in unused and inaccessible areas to 2. A detailed survey by a professional and experienced mountain bike park operator such as Gravity Logic create a variety of trails. The project will feature World Cup level Cross country and Downhill Mountain (the operators of the Whistler Bike Park) needs to be commissioned, which will survey the topography Bike trails, real “concrete free” hiking trails, heritage trails, a mountain biking academy, and a variety of of the area in order to map out the exact trail routes for downhill, freeride and cross-country mountain recreational activities all in the context of “pushing the envelope” of mountain/countryside recreation. biking and other activities. Entry and Exit points will be located. This is a huge step forward for Hong Kong. 3. Agreement by the PLA to re-locate their units from the Route Twisk Barracks to the barracks 2 kilometers away. There appears to be adequate space and facilities for this to be achieved The Tai Mo Shan/Shek Kong resort will appeal to beginners, advanced enthusiasts, spectators plus other with minimum disruption to their operations and may even streamline their operation. visitors, mountain bikers, hikers and nature lovers. The authenticity of the offerings will be a lure for 4. A survey and plan for the re-development of the existing PLA barracks straddling Route Twisk into the even the most nervous hiker, we will see new generations of users taking a more adventurous path be- resort of Shek Kong, with sites for hotels, apartments and other accommodations and all the facilities cause of the professional design and safety considerations. Once approved the project will attract inves- required for a bustling tourism community. tors, hotel developers and eventually thousands of visitors, as in Whistler and other resorts; these visitors 5. A survey for the creating of a tram or cable car travelling from Shek Kong, from the heart of the resort will spend money, purchase bikes and a host of other products and services, plus create thousands of jobs to the summit of Tai Mop Shan. It is envisaged that this project might utilise Hong Kong’s existing and invigorate an otherwise depressed area of the . The benefits of this project are vast, if expertise in tram design and recreate a Peak Tram on Tai Mo Shan. This would be an obvious solution handled appropriately this project could turn Hong Kong into the Asian destination for World Cup Moun- rather than import expertise from overseas as was done on the Lantua Cable Car. The Peak Tram has, tain Biking events as well as other related activities and further reinforce Hong Kong’s image as THE city for over a century, provided safe and convenient access from central to the Peak, up similar inclines as in Asia. Tai Mo Shan. 6. The existing road access Route Twisk and Tai Mo Shan Road will need to be improved, initially until tram or cable car access is established, bus and van shuttles can utilise existing roads to ferry bikes and riders to the summit. (This is the practice as various resorts around the world.) 7. Various other parties will need to be enrolled into supporting the project, including: the com- munications facility at the summit of Tai Mo Shan, Kadoorie Farm, (although the project would not encroach on their territory) Residents of Shek Kong, Kap Lung and other neighbouring vil- lages. 8. Once the necessary support and approval is obtained and the accountability for the overall project established, investors, developers and specialists can be invited to tender for the various components and facilities of the project.

Here are the arguments for this project to create a resort 30 minutes from the business district which would be like having Davos in Zurich, Aspen in New York City, or Hokkaido in Tokyo.

1. Create flourishing tourism and recreation facility that would equal Ocean Park and Disney, for a fraction of the costs. 2. Contribute to the overall economy and revive a forgotten corner of the New Territories. 3. Create thousands of jobs in a depressed area of Hong Kong which currently houses scrap yards for old vehicles. 4. Through systematic planning and development ensure that the flora and fauna of the area are preserved and maintained, by building sustainable facilities and preventative services to counter and prevent hill fires. 5. Develop local talent and prepare Hong Kong to once again win Gold Medals at major sporting events. 6. Draw in visitors from the region and beyond to spend several days enjoying the facility. 7. Increase the retail sales of bicycles, accessories and components. 7. Encourage visitors to extend their stay for a few more days. 8. Attract investors and tourism developers to create support facilities including: Hotels, Service apartments, holiday homes, time share accommodation, restaurants, retailers and cable car operators. 9. Position Hong Kong with a competitive advantage over all its regional rivals. There is not one gateway city in the region that could copy this advantage. Neither Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Manila, Delhi, Mumbai or Tokyo have mountains that are in such close proximity to the city centre.

Geographic Background The mountain of Tai Mo Shan is located to the north of Tai Lam Country Park and is the highest peak in Hong Kong, with an altitude of 957 meters. It is located approximately at the geographical centre of the New Territories. Even in the height of summer the weather at the summit can be cool and breezy and very different to the climate from that at the base. The upper half of Tai Mo Shan is Conclusion often shrouded in low cloud or mist, this makes it inaccessible and deters all but the hardiest types. This section briefly describes the vision for an ambitious project which could greatly add to Hong Tai Mo Shan has traditionally housed military and communications facilities at its peak. The Kong Tourism, Recreational and Sporting offerings and with relatively minor investment. This Macelhose Trail is a well established hiking trail which straddles the summit of Tai Mo Shan from overview is not a detailed business plan and thus it avoids getting snagged in all the details and east to west. The summit and surrounding plateau area are crisscrossed with old abandoned and challenges that will exist in making this vision a reality. That is not to discount nor diminish the overgrown trails, plus there are animal tracks and left over trails from past military activities. To enormous effort that will be required in transforming the image of Hong Kong from business the north of the summit is the extensive Kadoorie Farm development. Hikers tend to stay within centre and shopping paradise into THE destination in Asia Pacific. the established trails, the Macelhose Trail and a few other crumbling paths. There is also a youth Hostel to the south east of the summit. In the meantime to meet the immediate demand and relieve the current frustration of the grow- ing number of bikers additional mountain bike trails can be developed on Tai Mo Shan to take At the base of Tai Mo Shan is Shek Kong, which houses a military base. Prior to 1997 this was a advantage of the current momentum which has been the catalyst for this exciting vision. The major base for the British Army and the village in those days’ thrived by supporting the base. The attached maps highlight trails in blue that can be developed with minimum resources and which base is now occupied by a handful of PLA Troops, who are largely confined to barracks and the vil- could eventually be incorporated into the Tai Mo Shan Mountain village. The red marked trails lage is a sleepy ghost of its former glory. require more resources including a professional trail building expertise and resources. summary of just a few of the potential trails, which are marked on the attached map:

Trail 1 Tai Mo Shan to Shek Kong. Start on the northern part of the summit just after the wireless station on the Macelhose Trail. The trail is difficult to find and meanders along the ridge line heading roughly north for about 300 meters then it starts to descend still on the ridge with spectacular views. This section would be easy to work on, just trimming the grass and clearing some wheel grabbing rocks. Another 300 meters heading north west. This section descends more and would require some sweeping berms to take off the speed and could have some fine table tops. Before it hits the Kadoorie Farm would turn due west and fol- low a spur all the way down towards the bottom section of Route Twisk. The first 500 meters is steep open grassland few shrubs, some nice terracing which could be incorporated. This area is actually a fire break due to ineffective tree planting, the wind and altitude leave stunted 2 foot high saplings after three years of plant- ing. The trail would have sweeping berms to reduce the speed and these could zig zag all the way down on the south face of the spur. Towards the bottom the last 300 meters is heavily overgrown, this is an old trail shown on old maps, but has not been traversed by humans for some time. Some serious work is needed here. Or it could be avoided by turning from westerly direction towards north near the bottom and then fol- lowing the natural contour and an old trail path through to near Shek Kong.

From the top the distance is about 2-3 kilometers and it would be one fast downhill race course. Probably only taking about 4-5 minutes to descend. This would be the King of Trails Hong Kong like the A Line at Whistler.

Trail 2 Tai Mo Shan to Route Twisk. From the top the trail would run parallel with the concrete road. Perhaps crossing the road towards the bottom and coming out opposite the Official Bike trail entrance to Hoi Poi, This would allow it to link with any of the trails from route Twisk. Chung Reservoir. There is room on either side of the road to create a completely new trail about 10 to 20 metres in, it could cross the road in places and there may be some sections to incorporate the existing Trail 3 road trail. It would also venture further south away from the road through an old abandoned village and Tai Mo Shan to . There are several existing trails to choose from for this descent, therefore two an abandoned school, it requires very little work to make this part an amazing XC course descending for routes are indicated. There are few trees and large vehicle size rocks, the proposal here would be to create much of the route and then climbing back up again for those with the energy; great for intermediate rid- a parallel trail, and use the rocks to create North Shore style ladders, wooden ramps, platforms and jumps. ers to advance their skills and easy access from the road. At the bottom it can link up with existing access roads for exit and along the water catchment road back to Route Twisk. Trail 6 Tai Mo Shan to Ping Long. There are several existing hiking trails and those that are abandoned and Trail 4 overgrown could be utilized, there is an amazing altitude loss and this will require major work. It has the Route Twisk Parallel trail. Start at the regular Hoi Poi entrance, at the bottom of the steps there is a closed potential to be the best of all trails. trail to the right. This follows the line of Route Twisk down to Shek Kong the first half requires very little work, the second half is seriously overgrown, but with close proximity to Route Twisk access is easy. This Trail 7 would make a fine downhill race course. Shatin to Saikung. Not shown on the map; this is a short trail, starting about midway between Shatin and Ma On Shan and starts with a gentle 2 kilometer climb on an existing paved road, through a village Trail 5 and then up an ancient trail through abandoned villages, it crosses the Macelhose trail and then descends Macelhose Trail Parallel. This starts at Route Twisk and would follow the Macelhose Trail to Tai Lam down into Saikung via Po Lo Che. Not too much work is needed, it could be a nice XC course for those wishing to reach Sai Kung and avoid the Sai Sha Road. Growth in the bike business in HK

When AFCD opened the current mountain bike trail network in 2002 there were half a dozen retail shops supplying mountain bikes and components; today we have 34 in Hong Kong, plus several more in Shenzhen and Macau.

The Bicycle World 15 Wood Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Mong Kok Pro Bicycle Shop Ltd. G/F., 180 Tung Choi St., MongKok, Flying Ball Bicycle Co., Ltd G/F, 478 Road, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon Bull Bike Co. G/F, 250 Ferry St., Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon Wing Kee Bicycle Co. G/F , 21 Yiu Tung Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon Sun Tin Day Bicycle Co. G/F , 61Carpenter Road, Kowloon City Bike Stop Bicycle G/F.,7-B Hang Hau Resite Village, Tseung Kwan O, Kowloon Beverly Cycle Co. Shop 10, G/F., Beverly Garden, 1 Tong Ming St., Tseung Kwan O, Sun Ping Bicycle Co. No.21A, G/F, Tak Lung Back St., Sai Kung Century Bike NO.62, G/F, Fo Tan Village, ShaTin Bikers feedback YY Bike Co., Ltd. Unit B1B, G/F., Unison Ind. Centre, 27-31 Au Pui Wan St., Fo Tan, Shun Lee Bicycle Co., Ltd. NO.2A, Lucky Plaza Coml. Complex, ShaTin, N.T. Tokyo City Bicycle Co. Tai Wai, ShaTin Extreme Bike Tai Wai Universal Bike - Ma On Shan Ma On Shan Kam Po Cycle Co. G/F.,139 Kwong Fuk Road., TaiPo, N.T. Chap Shing Bicycle G/F , 39 Yan Hing Street, Tai Po Who rides in Hong Kong and what they have to say MT Biker 47-49 G/F., Kwong Fuk Squarte, TaiPo, N.T. Bike Town Luen Wo Market, Fanling Attracting international riders Universal Bike - Fanling Fanling The TREK Store G/F, 27 San Fung Ave., Sheung Shui, N.T. USEFUL WEBSITES Tin Fung Bicycle Co. Shop 8A, G/F. Kam Lung Mansion, Fung Kam St., , N.T Shun Lee Bicycle Co. Shop 32 G/F Fu Loy Garden, No.7 Ma Wang Road, Yuen Long Cheong Wai Cycle Co. G/F, 43 Fuk Cheong Bldg., Ma Wang Rd., Yuen Long, N.T. Hop Shing Bicycle Co. Shop 29, G/F, Top Court, Tak Ching Court, , N.T. BikeCity Shop A, G/F, 118 Sha Tsui Road, Tsuen Wan, N.T. Kent Shing Company G/F., 21, Tso Kung Square, Tsuen Wan, N.T. Bike City Shop A12, G/F., Goodrich Garden, 9, Leung Tak St., Tuen Mun, Friendly Bicycle Shop G/F, Shop B, 13 Mui Wo Ferry Pier Rd., Mountain Bike Shop No110,G/F, Chung Village, Tung Chung, Lantau Island Tung Chung Pro-Sport Goods Cycle Shop 28, Yat Tung Est Shopping Ctr., Tung Chung, Lantau Riders Pro Bike Shop Shop 35, Yat Tung Est Shopping Ctr., Tung Chung, Lantau Island Comments form local riders

I do agree to open up trails for biker.On the hand I disgree why hikers cant share the path with bikers as we are also tax payers. HK hikers are too pampered! Hikers should considerate us. Leonard Khoo S Loh Dear Sir or Madam, i’d prefer certain times, like Sat MOrning for bikers and hikers and leave Sunday to the hikers. I am a Permanent ID card holder, proud to call Hong Kong my home. My wife and I have chosen to have a family in Dan Heyler Hong Kong. We feel that it has everything to offer a fulfilling lifestyle. One of the main draws for the territory are the country parks and the undeveloped areas on the 80% of the SAR that is rural. I believe that this is a valuable resource Hong Kong has an abundance of country park land which should be opened for mountain bikers to use, the mountain for the existing popluation but also a fantastic tourism magnet for the ever growing worldwide mountain bking com- biking here is far too limited. In addition to opening up more trails in Hong Kong, the government should be doing munity. more to promote the health benefits of cycling and making it easier for people to transport bicycles around and in/out Paul Allams of the city. Martin Hill More mountain bike trails are required to cope with the expanding popularity of the sport. Grant Frost Please open up the trail for the bike users. Lawrence Choy 本港郊野山徑景色優美,在不影響遊人和做足安全措施下,應讓單車客用兩輪接近. Cheng Yuk Kwan The lack of mountain bike trails is really holding Hong Kong back as a place to enjoy a truly diverse range of leisure sports AFCD should focus on protecting the country park such as preventing hill fire, they have do nothing on this and spend Paul Tomes all their resources on prosecution of bikers, it is unacceptable! Nelson Ho Please review your policies about the use of bikes in the park as it is getting more and more popoular. In addition, it is more ebvironmentally friend to visit your parks by bikes rather than vehicles. I clean up a lot of trash left by hikers. We make the place cleaner than we left it. WN Chung David Baluk

Please open all the trails to all styles of Riding We can all share the countryside. Remove the restrictions and let common sense and courtesy reign! Sam Little Andrew Grene

HKSAR should open more places for mountain biking so that more young people can participate instead of playing We as a group do a lot of riding and find the present designated trails inadequate. The sport is growing rapidly in Hong electronic games at home or just watching TV all days. This will get kids and parents to get togather as well as with Kong and WE NEED MORE TRAILS !!! friends and family to have more execise and get healthy. Karl Lucas Eric Chan With so much potential in the country parks for hiking and cycling with stunning scenery not opening new trails or HKSAR should open more places for mountain biking so that more young people can participate instead of playing re-opening old trails is a step backwards. Look and see how the rest of the world deals with its country parks and take electronic games at home or just watching TV all days. This will get kids and parents to get togather as well as with note. Hk is decades behind. friends and family to have more execise and get healthy. John Perry-Jones Timothy Ha It is unacceptable that a growing communtiy such as Mountain Bikers in Hong Kong is provided with substandard Hoping extra trail from Tsuen Wan to Shatin for completing a big round circle bike trail of NT. trails and access. We cause less damage and are generally more responsible trail users. MTBrs never start fires from Yeung Wai Sing BBQs or trails, we are self contained and respectable. It is time that Hong Kong Government woke up to its recre- ational responsibilities. Hong Kong is an affluent society. The gov’t has the same challenge as many such societies: to counter sedentary life- Scott Fitzgerald styles by promoting physical fitness. Hong Kong is naturally a perfect place for mountain biking. Unfortunately, there are only a few quality places to ride The gov’t regrettably implements its programs through civil servants with old ideas and small World views. The HK off-road that are legal. It would be great for the HK Government to help HK people stay fit and get the most out of their gov’t must COMPREHENSIVELY integrate with sports association to access the skills and knowledge required to for- local environment. mulate World-standard plans in the areas of public fitness and use of natural areas Joel Jack Wilson Philippe m Moisan IT IS TIME HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PROVIDE A NETWORK OF TRAIL TO ACCOMODATE THE COMMUNITY Would appreciate bikers aware of hikers/walkers - self-discipline is a must. OF MOUTAIN BIKERS AT AN INTERNATIONAL STANDARD LEVEL PW Mui Pierre Arnaud le Magnan

Trails galore out there more suitable for biking than hiking, it’s time all trails were available for all country park users to AFCD must open new trails suitable for mountain biking in ALL counrty parks. AFCD must appoint an officer to man- enjoy responsibly together? age outdoors activities in the country park: not only for hiking, but also for mountain biking, , kayaking The number of old overgrown trails that are suitable for biking, but have been neglected and forgotten about the gov (marine country parks). dept’s responsible for OUR country parks. Access to these would disperse many bikers away from the existing biking/ Julien lallemand hiking trails that, often were badly designed and unsuitable for many bikers abilities anyway... Rob Parks It is scandalous that those of us wishing to participate in a healthy, environmentally friendly pursuit to enjoy HK’s sur- Many older knees are not good for hiking because of the impact received with every step. Cycling is non-impact for the roundings have to face such difficulties in doing so. Please, please, please try and make it a bit easier for us. Thanks. knees. (There are few other non-impact sports). Cycling improves the overall state of health. Not opening country parks Peter Gordon to cycling contradicts the Government’s promotions of healthy leaving. Personally, I would also commute to work through parks if such activity would not be illegal. This would make Hongkong a great place Alexandar Djordjevicch Jeanette Gaedke 要求漁農自然護理署開放全港山徑予山地單車活動 It’s time the AFCD pulled their heads out of the sand and caught up with the rest of the world! Mountain biking is an Li Martin international sport which deserves better recognition in Hong Kong. Open the trails and let everyone enjoy the Country Parks!! 所有市民都應享有同等褔利，山徑仍公共地方，所以各式人等都有權享用。望漁農自然護理署開放全港山徑予山 Richard Perry 地單車活動，因現時行山人仕跟山地車經常一起使用，常有人車爭路現象，行山人仕不可能獨佔山徑，山地車也 要顧及行山人仕安全，所以應開放多些山路，大家共用。 Open the country park trails for ALL MTB bikers!!! Lee Joyce Noel Lam 要求漁農自然護理署全面開放全港、九龍、新界山徑予山地單車活動。 There are inadequate facilities and venues to play MTB in HK. Indeed there are many potential destinations that are Li Kam Tong suitable for the sport, however, government seems to ignore the existence of MTB and never consider of making good use of those destinations...Ignorance of the government is the main problem... Hong Kong is lacking Mountain Biking and Cycling Trails, we do need more trails open for our children and tourism Shara Lee industry. Frederic Bourquin The government needs to address the growing popularity of this recreational activity and recognise that at an interna- tional level it is very rare to restrict trails from bicycle users. Country park is a very beautiful and relax place for the urban people to have activity, including mountain biking, moun- Ronald Smith tain biking is not a sin or crime, why treat us like criminal! that’s really unacceptable. Please open most of the trail for us to share with the public. Everyone should have free access to all the trails. Walkers, runners and bikers can co exist all it takes is a little respect Patrick Cheung\ and manners. It happens elsewhere in the world. Mountain Bikers are responsible and safety conscious people who would like to enjoy the same unfettered access to all Deon reynolds of Hong Kong’s extensive trail network that hikers and runners enjoy. Chan Sai Kit We care and respect the environments, we love country parks and enjoy the natural beauty. We share the roads, please open up more trials for mountain biking. Let’s have fewer rules and more reliance on common sense and goodwill. Paco Cheng Martin Turner

全面開放郊野公園山徑進行單車活動 !!!! It is rather disappointed with lack of support from our HK Govn. on this particular kind of sport. We have the manner in Tsui Yu Hang taking care of and willing to share with others who is using the same path on the country. Ma Ying Wo Since some trails are quite steep and narrow for bicycles to ride on, so AFCD should assess the conditions of trails in order to let bikers ride safely. 我覺得於山路踩單車根本不需要額外多一個牌照 Wing Lun Wong Hsu Ka Wing

I’m strongly suggest the AFCD can open the country park trails to all people including our cycling guy, cause we love It would be a great advantage to all local MTBer and also some oversea MTBer. Mean while, it benefit the local MTB the country and land of we live in, we’re sure have the duty to protect the trail and share with those usser, and know development and new kind of eco-tourism. how to use the trail as well. we love biking (MTB), but there is too little area to ride. I hope the authority can hear Christopher Tam what we are waitting for . Thanks So Kwo-ki Very little options in HK to ride bicycle off road. Open more off road trails to bicycles please. Oliver Mallee 單車活動無論對身體對環保都有好處政府應該支特 Leung shing Yan Fully support for this good sports! The restriction of AFCD is outdated and not sync-up with the global, even China got no restriction on bike riding. It’s a great idea to open up more trails so more people can enjoy the pleasure of mountain biking. HK has such lovely Ka Man Tsui trails and it will be exhilarating to try new ones. Wilson Poon Many people are capable of cycling but not hiking due to physical injuries. All people need access to exercise. Please allow cyclists to maintain their physical and mental health by using the county parks. Ellissa Whittington

The current available tracks are simply inadequate for the mountain biking communty’s needs Please open more trails. In the long time I’ve lived in HKG (about 12 years) I have only seen a small number of trails Jonathon Speelman available, whereas the number of bikers on the trails has greatly increased. For Hong Kong to be considered a true world class city, more trails are needed to be legalised, hence avoiding congestion on the trails. Also as others have 開放全港山徑予山地單車活動! stated if there were more trails available and proper connections linking them, tourism would benefit for sure. Cheung Perry Andrew Mcnab

Release more track to bike rider Come on Hong Kong. Catch up with the rest of the world and recognize mountain biking as a valuable recreational activity in terms of health and environmental welfare. Then reflect this value in the trails you open for bikers use. 1) Open Sai Kung (High Island Reservoir) Sai Kung Man Yee Road to bike rider Greg Wood Lam Joe Hong Kong is missing a huge public health opportunity thorugh it’s attitude to cycling in general. The attitude to moun- 希望盡量開放多一點山路單車徑 tain bikers epitomises this. The tourism opportunities being missed are also huge. Chi Wing Ng Edward Cluer

Agree! Mountain bike trail is too limited in HK! Agree! Mountain bike trail is too limited in HK! Hiu To Pun FREE THE TRAILS, HO PUI IS OVERLOADED!! Ernst Yang Would love AFCD to open more suitable trails to mountain biking. Chui Terry

Please follow the flow, Hong Kong government. Wai Him Lam Hong Kong attracts a global audience

Safety to other trail users depends on mutual awareness and respect. If mountain bike create danger to hikers, xc run- ners post the same threat. Further, if hikers’ right are to be protected, why bikers’ right shall be deprived. In the two years that Crosscountry HK Ltd has been running, they have taken out/ coached riders from the following 24 countries: Mountain bike is a sport - not a crime. Richard Leung

Mountain biking is so healthy that i cannot think of any reason to restrict this activity. afcd please justify why we bikers Australia- England- Scotland- Wales- USA- Canada- Italy- France- Switzerland- cannot enjoy trails in nature!!! Chun Wai Yeung - Netherlands- Ireland- New Zealand- Israel- Taiwan- China- HKSAR-

Abolishing the restriction is badly needed! Singapore- Malaysia- Philiphines- Japan- South Africa- Egypt- Nepal Also, if the route is released for riding bike, it could evoke the awareness of pedestrian lest they might not keep an eye on mountain bikers who ride on the route restricted.

Obviously, this is mutually beneficial. Chow Chun Pong USEFUL WEBITES UK If just a tiny fraction of the money that is spent on badminton courts was spent on trails .hong kong would have an http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/aug/22/mountain-biking-trail-centres-uk asian whistler mountain bike park .who is playing badminton ?! Philip Ferrand Canada http://www.whistlerbike.com/index.htm More trails in the country parks mean: http://www.alpedhuez.com/ete/fr/27/2/306/45/vtt-npa.html 1-lesser traffic density on each route, 2-hence lesser head-on collisions and accidents, White Mountains 3-lesser damage to the environment, http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/recreation/biking/ 4-more ways/options and faster to assist other trail walkers http://www.nemba.org/aboutnemba/WhiteMTNS.html 5-lesser requirement for country park ranger petrol (because the trails become legal) 6-hence lesser prosecution required, Moab Utah 7-hence saving more government expense, http://www.discovermoab.com/biking.htm 8-more time for the rangers on other duties like park construction, helping other trail walker, planning, etc http://www.rimtours.com/ Dickson Lau

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