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. Bike rental details are available on the Ride Registration form just select "I'd like to rent a bike from Serk"
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 ?
Each week we try to design each route with following characteristics and rider level and fitness in mind.
A Group
Long ride - fast and hard.
1000m - 2000m climbing
35 -40 km/h average speed on flat courses
27-35 km/h average on hilly courses
Join if you are an experienced rider that rides at least 700km per month on average (one long and one short ride a week).
If you are not fit at the moment then join B group till your fitness improves.
B Group
Medium distance ride - medium pace
700m - 1500m climbing
30 - 35 km/h average speed on flat courses
20- 27 km/h average on hilly courses
Join if you are an experienced rider that rides at least 350km per month on average (one decent ride a week).
C Group
Short distance ride - easy pace
400m - 1000m climbing
20 - 25 km/h average speed on flat courses
15- 20 km/h average on hilly courses
Suitable for beginner riders and riders that would like an easy relaxed pace workout. The C group usually stop along the way for some photos and to regroup and are usually for the first group back to the vans and back into Beijing.
Please note if it is your first ride with Serk please join the C Group. We can then assess your riding level and advise on which group is the most appropriate for you.
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.