MTB
Trail bashing on an iconic trail in the heart of the Central Catchment Area.
Think mountain biking in Singapore and the name Bukit Timah immediately springs to mind as one of the go-to trails that every serious mountain biker would have at least ridden once.
Needing little additional introduction, the Bukit Timah mountain bike trail, or BT as it's more affectionately known, was one of the first riding trails built for enthusiasts and offers an excellent gateway to mountain biking in the tropics. Steep lung-busting climbs and sharp descents through lush tropical terrain marked by muddy corners and gnarly roots in the heart of the Central Catcment Area are just some of the experiences one can expect on this 6.5-kilometre trail circumnavigating the 164-metre tall Bukit Timah Hill.
Pick Your Start
While there are numerous ‘smaller’ entry points to the trail, the most convenient ones for drivers are at Hindhede Road, where the main Bukit Timah Nature Reserve carpark is located; and at the Dairy Farm Nature Park carpark along Dairy Farm Road.
On our ride, we opted to drive down to the Dairy Farm road entrance, as the carpark was not only bigger with ample parking spaces, we could even unload and set up our bikes without getting into anyone’s way. And given how muddy the trail got with the January rains, riders who drive out to cycle will welcome the washing point for spraying off the mud and grime that comes with trail bashing.
Accompanying us out for this weekend ride, we had the convenience and luxury of the compact yet exciting BMW X1 SUV for the weekend. Not only did the car avail us the luxury of 1,550 litres of real estate to pack in our gear (two bikes, safety equipment and refreshments), it’s 2.0-litre engine, with 189bhp with 280Nm of torque, made little complain of hauling our load from home, even letting us have some driving fun in the process.
The Trail Appeal
Designed and built as a gateway trail, BT offers riders a variety of interesting features that can be found in longer formats overseas.
What this translates to, is an exciting riding experience that features smooth flowing segments with plenty of neat berms that open up into a steep lung-busting-thigh-burning climb before rewarding that effort with a nice cross-country run. Turn another corner and a tricky downhill run with a mixture of knotty roots and rocky drop awaits.
At other points, one will even get to experience riding on narrow trails cut into the edge of the hill. Think of this as riding on a ledge, with a long drop into trouble should an unnecessary risk go awry. The rocky climbs, such as the one that kicks off the trail at the main Bukit Timah Nature Reserve carpark, big downhill drops that call for longer suspension travel, and segments of rock gardens will put your physical conditioning to the test.
Compared to a trail like Mandai T15, BT is far more physically and technically demanding despite being just 6.5km long. The climbs are steeper and longer, while the obstacles are created to really test guts and skills. Of course, the trick to conquering them isn’t in speed and power, but in having the patience to do it slowly and at a pace you’re comfortable with. Should all else fail, dismounting and pushing your way through the section will be a safer option, as will taking the easier line. Needless to say, practice will make the riding easier.
While we couldn’t quite muster up the stamina to hit two rounds on the trail, we’d definitely be back for the challenging obstacles that’s been shaped by the areas natural altitude. It’s generally a trail that demands a lot of stamina and strength to conquer well. However, segments which have been marked out with blue squares and black diamonds (these symbols highlight the nature of obstacles, width of the track and stability of the surface) will make the moments when you’re not busting a lung (or nut) satisfying.
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