Hire a bicycle
Thu, 2009-08-27 09:00 — mrb
Cooler weather will soon be here - time to start thinking of outdoor activities. How about a cycling trip?
Get out from hilly Hong Kong and crowded Kowloon, and there are several places where you can hire bicycles. They're a good option if you're visiting and would like to go ride a bike, or live here and fancy an occasional bike ride without the trouble of buying and storing your own bike.
They usually offer a variety of bikes, from children's to adults, and may also have some more unusual options such as tandems and four-wheelers.
Note that this is a popular family activity on the weekend, so if you can, aim for weekdays. The paths are a lot quieter then. Safer too, as many of the weekend cyclists are very wobbly!
The main options are:
- Cheung Chau: the shortest rides – many people just seem to pootle along the seafront in one of the four-wheeled creations.
- Lamma island: Like Cheung Chau, there aren't any motor vehicles to worry about. Hire a bike at Yung Shue Wan and ride across the island and back, or explore the concrete paths in the north part of the island.
- Mui Wo on Lantau: A ride along the South Lantau Road to Shek Pik, then along the catchwater towards Fan Lau, then back the way you came would be about 30km.
- Tai Wai - Tai Mei Tuk. There's a cycle trail that runs from Tai Wai past Sha Tin to Tai Po, then up to Tai Mei Tuk. From there you can cycle up and over towards Luk Keng.
You can hire a bicycle at Tai Wai, Sha Tin, Tai Po, or Tai Mei Tuk, so you can tailor the route according to how far you want to ride. The longest round-trip from Tai Wai to Luk Keng and back will be 40-50km. HK Magazine has more on this route.
If you're a confident cyclist, there are other options in the New Territories. Eg Roz gives a good idea for a 3-hour cycle from Tai Wai, followed by a ferry ride back. For more adventurous mountain biking, there are several trails in the country parks, though you'll need a (free) permit. Trail maps and permit details are on the AFCD website.
More details on routes, prices, and places to hire bicycles on the HK Outdoors website.
Readers, any other advice and suggestions for people interested in hiring a bike?
Comments
Re: Options between Tai Wai and Tai Po
Hi there,
Some vendors would offer hiring your bikes in Taipo and returning them in Tai Wai or the other way round. You might have to ask the vendors for this option, however. You would also have to know the way to the other vendor. Othe vendors would expect you return the bikes to where you have hired them by the end of their working day, which you'd better confirm before you are off for your joy ride.
If you hire your bike in Tai Po, do pay attention as the cycling trail do not go directly into town. If you intend to ride straight from the vendor you are expected to follow the highway code as if you are driving a motorized vehicle. If there are kids it is recommended to push your bikes for a short distance until you reached the cycling trail before you actually ride.
Best Regards,
T
Re: Options between Tai Wai and Tai Po
Thanks T, that's an option I hadn't heard of before. Do you know if it's hard to find shops that do this, or is it quite commonly available?
Re: Options between Tai Wai and Tai Po
Hi there,
It had been quite a while since I last went to Taipo for a bike ride. I remember the vendors had had a sign in Chinese saying you could opt to return the bike in Tai Wai. I am uncertain whether they would have such signs in English these day. But it won't hurt if you ask before you pay.
Best Regards,
T
Hire a bicycle
There is a new route for cycling and that's a good try for family especially with kids. The Maonshan Promenade. It's not fully opened yet but you can start from the part in Tai Shui Hang, across the bridge to HK Science & Technology Park. There is a bicycle hiring in Tai Shui Hang villiage (connecting to the MTR line), $10 for a whole day during weekday, and $30 for public holidays. I immediately fall in love with the promenade when I moved into Maonshan a couple of months ago.