Bike
MTB
On The Ride at Kent Ridge Park’s XC Trail
Put your skills and fitness to the test on this technically demanding course.
The last year has proved to be a bountiful one for trail junkies.
There was the opening of the Chestnut South mountain biking loop in early 2016, the unveiling of the extended Chestnut North network of trails (including both bike part and pumptrack) in April 2017, and, more recently, the re-opening of the cross-country (XC) section in Kent Ridge Park.
Take a ride on the wild side
© Dean Koh
High Ground
Like the downhill mountain biking line in Kent Ridge Park, the re-opened XC trail is located up along Vigilante Drive, just off the snaking South Buona Vista Road. At the end of that steep climb up, look out for Carpark A, where the start of the downhill line is.
Look out for the board near the entrance
© Dean Koh
It isn’t the best marked, but the 3km-long XC trail’s entry point is located just about 150m into the park. Past a sheltered rest area on the right, the trail head is the left with a narrow beaten track beside a weathered NParks signboard.
There are lots of features to have fun with
© Dean Koh
Unlike the downhill line, which takes your round berms and down drops in a single blast down the hill, the XC trail offers a little more variety. This comprises an ascent up to the highest points of Kent Ridge Park, some 70m above sea level, descending gradually around the surrounding hill side before tackling the inner forest labyrinth at the foot of the hill just before the trails connects with the tail end of the downhill run.
The Trail Appeal
Comparable to Ketam Mountain Bike Park in Pulau Ubin for its technical features, Kent Ridge’s XC line is akin to a gnarly mainland sibling with a scruffier demeanor.
Gnarly roots make the going very tricky
© Dean Koh
While the trail starts off smoothly enough, a combination of rooty step ups atop the many climbs pose a triple challenge to a rider’s strength, stamina and technical handling ability. Descents are no less tricky, with a mixture of rock gardens, narrow switchbacks and drop offs that could unsettle less experienced riders.
The trail will test technique, stamina & strength
© Dean Koh
The flow may be described as choppy as natural features bob up unexpectedly to disrupt any built-up rhythm. One possible way to overcome them is by managing the way speed is gathered on the brief descents and then transferred to support the oncoming ascents. Balance and strength is then necessary to lift the front wheels over the step ups. Where root segments occur in abundance, ride on straight through the centre of them to enable your tyres to get the most traction. Master that, and one will be able to build up some flow through the course.
There are also plenty of interesting features
© Dean Koh
Clayey soil, gnarly roots and narrow single tracks may give the trail a very raw edge to it with many sections putting one’s mettle, skill and stamina to the test, but, on higher ground, there are rewarding moments when the trail reveal picturesque views or sightings of birdlife.
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Downhill segments are tricky yet fun
At one point, it’s even possible to get a glimpse of the port at Pasir Panjang before the trails leads out into a downhill section with numerous loose gravelly switchbacks.
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The descents can be steep and challenging
Through the mid-section of the ride, the trail begins to flow alongside South Buona Vista Road, snaking around the hillside and towards the lower, flatter section that takes you over small water features commonly found in lower sections of hills.
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Put your technique to the test
The Last Word
The entire course feels more like a trail ride than a cross-country jaunt, although the knotty roots, rock gardens, drops and steep rolling mounds of tyre-sticking mud add a degree of challenge that seasoned riders looking to push their technical and physical limits will enjoy. Traction may be an issue in damp conditions, but it only serves as another opportunity to experiment with tyre choices and pressures.
Fancy a bridge crossing?
© Dean Koh
The overall going may be tricky with many sections where one could lose balance, but that’s where the fun really is—except the uphill climb at the end of the run.
The views and distinct and unique
© Dean Koh
