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Ride FAQ

1. Why should I join ?
Beijing is home to some fine cycling terrain. On the outskirts of the city are kilometres of awesome roads. The air is better out there too.
Get out of the chaos of the city, calm the mind, exercise,  and breath in some fresh air. Did we mention you’ll meet a ton of cool people as well. Cyclists are a friendly bunch and always welcoming.
2. What sort of bike do I need ?
You need a road bike with gears. We will be climbing hills so fixies and your regular city bike wont cut it. No mountain bikes either as these don’t fit easily together with road bikes in our vans.
If you don’t have a bike don’t despair – you can rent one from Serk. You’ll need to register and pay your ride fee quickly as the hire bikes book out each quickly each week.
We also sell road bikes – they start at 4600 RMB. We recommend that you need a bike worth at least 3000 RMB as a minimum level. Most of our riders have carbon bikes in the range of 10,000 RMB and above. However many started off on low end bikes, got fit and upgraded later on.
3. Who is Serk ?
Serk is a bike shop / cycling event and cycling tour company. We organise weekly rides and a couple of times a year offer longer trips to the best parts of China. Our most popular trip is to Tibet. Check out our trips here.
4. Which ride should I join ?
For your first ride its best to join the beginner group. Our rides cater to a wide range of cyclists – from some of Beijing’s fastest riders through to absolute beginners. The fastest guys can complete 100km with 1000m of climbing in just over 3 hours while the newbies can take the same amount of time to complete half the distance. The differences in speed are considerable. If you join the Beginner ride you will be able to keep up and we can look after you. The beginner routes are also simpler so its harder to get lost. If you go well on your first ride you can move up to Intermediate on the next ride.  If you are a very experienced rider and would like to join Intermediate or Elite on your first ride send us a link to your Strava account and we’ll check out your cycling credentials.
5. What happens when I sign up ?
Things are pretty quiet till Thursday when we set up a specific group chat for the ride. We share all the info you need on routes and so on in this chat. Check out this page for more info on what happens on the day
6. Do i need special clothes ?
Regular sports clothing is fine for your first ride. We recommend cycling shorts with padding for extra comfort and a cycling jersey which you can carry phone and spares in. We sell cycling kit in the shop which you can purchase pre-ride.
7. What do I need to bring on the bike ?
You must bring a spare tube, pump and tyre levers so you can change your tube incase of flat tyre. You are expected to be able to change the tyre yourself. If you don’t know how check out this video. Also don’t forget sunscreen, helmet, water bottle and some snacks to sustain you during the ride.
8. How do the ride passes work ?
We offer a membership system. You can purchase a 10 or 15 ride passes. If you sign up for a ride pass its not only a great way to save but also to commit to getting fitter, healthier, faster and having a bunch of fun throughout the year on the bike. The rides are valid for the calendar which they were purchased in. Sign up here.