What is it? An informal, mixed group who all enjoy recreational cycling – whenever possible away from the traffic and the town. The rides are not ‘guided tours’ but we do try to find points of interest along the way.

What do we do ?

We meet Friday mornings throughout the year and cycle as a group in many different areas of Kuwait. Rides are anything between 20 and 40 kms long depending on the terrain, and the group proceeds at the pace of the slowest rider. Members of the club take turns to plan and lead the rides. During the main season from October to June, we like to use desert tracks. Muttlah Ridge and the surroundings of Ahmadi and Sulaibiya are some of our favourite areas. We also ride on Failaka Island, in the Zour & Kiran areas and all along the coast, and we’ve enjoyed evening Iftar rides during Ramadan in Kuwait City. In the summer, rides are somewhat shorter and earlier in the morning, mostly in the shady suburbs. Some parts of the suburbs are surprisingly pleasant. (Scroll down to see photos)

We also have occasional social functions such as BBQs, parties, etc.. The group has been biking together since Feb 1999.

Who can join us ?

Anyone from teenage upwards is welcome to give it a try. If under the age of 18, we ask that you ride with us only under the personal responsibility of an adult rider. There is no application form, no membership fee and no committee. ‘Members’ are simply those who ride together regularly.

What do I need to join in ?

Mainly enthusiasm, some cycling experience and a bike suitable for off road riding. We strongly recommend wearing a well-fitting helmet. Gloves increase comfort and can prevent cuts if you do happen to come off. Colourful clothing makes you more visible to car drivers and to other riders when the group spreads out. You will also need a water bottle or two and a spare inner tube, and some basic bike tools will be useful.

Rides usually start around 06.00 to 08.00 and you need to allow several hours of your Friday morning, including travelling time, for each ride.

A degree of fitness helps since biking in the desert can be quite tough at times. We are not power bikers, but absolute beginners would not enjoy these rides.

Is it safe ?

All riding is entirely at your own risk. You are bound to fall off sometimes but we have had very few injuries over the years and nothing too serious. Common sense accident prevention and normal biking good practice are all we ask of you. Wearing a Cycle Helmet is the single best personal safety measure you can take. Drink plenty of water during the rides. Following the ride leader and not straying off the route or zooming out ahead of the group also enhances your safety. Bring a mobile phone and store numbers of other riders for use in the event of emergency. It is a club tradition that all riders are accounted for. If you are missing, we assume that you are lost, injured or have a problem with your bike. It is advisable to let the rest of the group know if you decide to separate from us so that we don’t have to organise a rescue mission.

Where is the next ride ?

We use email to inform members of the ride meeting place, start time and other useful information. Usually we put our bikes onto or into cars and drive to the ride start point. Getting to the start point is basically your own responsibility but regular riders can sometimes help. Just ask.

Email Information:

We use a Group Email System to send out ride notices and reports to regular members. This is a free, secure system to which you can only subscribe by invitation. Once you become a regular rider, we will arrange an invitation to be sent to you.

Contact Details:

If you are interested in joining the Desert Biking Club, please send an email to Anthony Burrows, telling us something about yourself, your cycling experience and what bike you have. anthonycburrows@gmail.com

Cycling Websites :

Articles on cycling, particularly good on bike technical matters and maintenance: http://sheldonbrown.com/articles.html

US based magazine format cycling info: http://www.bikeradar.com/

Bicycling magazine inc mountain bikes http://www.bicycling.com/mb/home/

Bike repair video tutorials: http://bicycletutor.com/

General mountain biking info: http://mountainbike.about.com/

Special Thanks to the dedicated members who made major contributions to the club and discovered biking routes in Kuwait's deserts:

Elena Resechova- started the club in 1999, led and ran it for 10 years.

Anthony Burrows: researched and organized many rides and currently to be contacted for any questions regarding membership or following rides.

John Lewington - aka Digital John - Godfather of the Club, discovered numerous bike routes and is in charge of our group e- system .

Ian Smith/ Roy Holder - started the Summer Season Suburban rides and were instrumental in the organization of the club.

Dima Najm -(PT)- former rider who made this blog in October 2006.

Rides photos:

Elena leading the way on tarmac road- Gathering on 7 Ring Road Pedalling all together offroad - Biking with Santa in Shuwaik

Breathtaking scenery of Mutla Ridge - North of Kuwait

Greek ruins on Failaka Island - Wreck on Bubiyan Island

Satellite Station in Abdally area - Riding down on Road #40

Bird Sanctuary East of Jahra - Ahmadi Green Circle

Millennium Project & the 10th Anniversary:

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In the last years of the 20^th Century, people all over the world were engaged in ambitious and grand projects to celebrate the coming of a new millennium. The Desert Biking Club’s ‘Millennium Project’ was to cycle the length of Kuwait off road.

The project was launched in 1999 at our first AGM and Dinner. The plan was to ride from Iraq to Saudi Arabia in stages linking the northern and the southern borders by weekly rides. Each stage was approximately 15 km long, making a weekly ride of around 30km. We rarely took the most direct route from A to B as we tried to take in as much variety and as many interesting features as possible along the way.

We began in Sept 1999 at Ras Salmiyah and completed the southern part of the project from Salmiyah to Nuwaiseeb on Mar 10^th 2000 but only as far north as Mutla’a Ridge by Jan 2001. We later did a few rides towards the abandoned satellite station north of Mutlaa and also around Subiyah but for various reasons we never completed the project as far as Iraq and it was essentially abandoned and forgotten for some years.

We revived the project in October 2007, this time starting from Shuwaikh, alternating north and south rides every few weeks. We reached Abdally on the Iraq border in Nov 08. and on February 27th 2009 we reached Nuwaiseeb to complete the project in the same week as the 10th anniversary of the club.

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http://picasaweb.google.com/desert.biking.kuwait

GPS/ Maps:

........................................................................................... Driving west on #80 from Shuwaik Campus through Jahra to Mutla area

Driving south on #40- Exit 212 to Ahmamdi area- Green Circle Plantation

Buying a Bike:

Choosing your bike

The most suitable bikes for Club Rides are cross country mountain bikes with 26” wheels and fat (2”) tyres. At least 18 gears and front suspension are highly recommended and disk brakes an advantage. The terrain here is fairly unchallenging apart from the sand and thorns, so a high spec is not essential. However, commuter bikes, shoppers, cruisers, sports/ racing road bikes and cheap chain store bikes are not suitable for club rides.

New mountain bikes can cost as little as $100 (KD30) but these are really only suitable for pottering around your neighbourhood or light recreational use. They usually have heavy steel frames and cheap components. You will soon find one of these hard work and uncomfortable, especially off road. It will also soon prove to be unreliable and difficult to repair. Good quality bikes have frames made from high grade steel or, more usually these days, aluminium and, at the top end, carbon fibre. These are considerably lighter and have better quality components such as wheels, brakes and gears.

You may prefer to buy a bike before you come to Kuwait, or to bring your own. This gives more opportunity to research your purchase in the many magazines, websites and shops and to choose from a wider selection than is available here. Online gives the widest choice and best prices.

Buying a bike in Kuwait :

Only a few good brands are available here but there is usually something for most people’s requirements and budget. Spend some time looking. But if you see something you really like, buy it quickly; it might be gone soon. Do not expect too much product knowledge or technical expertise.

Make sure the frame is the right size for you, especially if you are quite tall. A small frame size may seem comfortable in the shop but will be uncomfortable and tiring for riding over any time or distance. The many choices in bike design and specification can be bewildering but experienced club members will be happy to help you.

Good quality entry level mountain bikes cost around KD150. Better ones are available but it may not be worth spending more than KD400 until you are sure you’ll retain the enthusiasm!

Some amazing second hand bargains can be had from time to time from The Bike Doctor or from people leaving the country. News of these is usually through club members.

Shops:

Extreme Sports Shuwaikh. Going west on Jahra Rd No. 80, first turning right after City Centre, then first left and second block on left. Impressive showroom with good selection of Trek bikes, including Women Specific Design. Some spares and accessories in stock and will import to order. Workshop where they attempt most repairs.No telephone yet. Enthusiastic Proprietor.

Extreme Sports Salmiyah, Hamad Al Mubarak St, next to SANA (now Red Tag) Building. Smaller version of above. Tel. 2575 5898.

Go Sports on second level of Avenues Mall. Selection of Trek, Giant and Ferrari bikes, and accessories, including Topeak. Tel 1830308. Helpful and competent mechanic, Ronaldo Tel. 65127569

BMTS aka The Bike Doctor Hamad Al Mubarak St, opposite Extreme Sports. Long established shop selling Gitane, Raleigh and Scott plus some accessories and impressive range of older spares in their warehouse. Worth checking for second hand bikes. Premises are rather shabby at present, but owner is quite enthusiastic and staff reasonably competent and helpful if you persevere. Tel 2573 7548

Intersports 360 Mall. General sports shop making half hearted effort selling Kona and Trek Bikes.

Cannondale off Canada Dry St in Shuwaikh. Heading west, first right after McDonalds. Lacklustre Showroom on first quarter curve of first roundabout. Part of Sultan Motor Sports Tel. 2482 6723. Ask in workshop behind to see bikes. Good bikes but poor service. Limited selection of bikes in stock but say they will order. Occasional mechanic.

Bike and Toy Souk in Sharq, many toy shops and chain stores such as Ace Hardware and Sultan Centre have very cheap bikes. Again, these are usually unsuitable for off road riding or club rides and a false economy.

Bike Parts and accessories

Helmets, lights, pumps, gloves, Camelbaks, car racks, tyres, inner tubes and Slime available from Go Sports, Extreme and Bike Doctor. Good tyres, clothing and spare parts beyond the most basic are difficult to find.

Useful websites

General cycling information: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

US based magazine format cycling info: http://www.bikeradar.com/

Mountain bike product reviews & discussions: http://www.mtbr.com/

Online Dealers in UK

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/

http://www.evanscycles.co.uk/

DBCK June 2011

Information on Tyres and Tubes:

Tyres

We use mountain bikes because they are the most suitable type for off road riding, especially in the desert, and that’s mainly because of the fat tyres. Most mountain bikes use 26” diameter tyres. There are larger 650B and 29” sizes but replacements are not available in Kuwait. The best width is 1.75” to 2.3”; narrower will be faster, but wider will give more comfort, traction and grip off road, especially in sand. The best all season tread is knobbly with small knobs; although for summer riding on roads and pathways, some people use slicks (no tread) or semi slicks.

Punctures (flat tyres), caused by thorns are an ever present hazard in Kuwait. The best protection is in the construction of the tyres. Those with an Aramid or Kevlar band around the outside, under the tread, are best. Different brands have variations on this. All Kevlar construction is not recommended; it gives greater protection but there is a penalty in weight, comfort and performance. Tyres vary enormously in quality. Cheap ones are a false economy; they stretch, puncture and deform. If you are tempted to save money on this essential item, you may eventually regret it.

Tubeless tyres are an emerging trend for the enthusiast. They use a semi liquid sealant instead of an inner tube and are probably the most puncture resistant. They cannot be fitted directly onto standard wheels; retro fitting requires new wheels or a conversion kit.

Inner Tubes

The tubes you want are 26” mountain bike tubes. These usually have Shraeder valves (see below) The best brands are American or European (even if made in China) and Taiwanese. Indian brands tend to be heavy and less durable. The 26” tubes for Indian style bikes will fit but are not really the correct size. They have Woods/ Dunlop (Indian) type valves which make it difficult to add Slime and they require a special pump adaptor. Avoid them. Tubes with Shraeder and Presta Valves are not interchangeable; the holes in the wheel rims are of different sizes. Tubes pre-filled with Slime (see below) are now widely available.

Valves

Most of us use Schrader (American) type valves, the same as motor vehicles. You can add Slime (see below) to the tube and they can be inflated with most pumps and in any petrol station. Presta / High Pressure (French) valves are for sports / racing bikes with narrow tyres. The high pressures (up to 120 psi) they permit are not needed with fat tyres, it is difficult to add Slime and they require a particular kind of pump adaptor.

Valve Types

Schrader valve Presta valve Woods/Dunlop valve

Slime

Slime is a liquid sealant we put into inner tubes. It seals small holes caused by thorns and the like. It works most of the time but is not foolproof. It will not work if the puncture / hole is too big but close inspection of the tube will often show that it has already sealed several small holes and saved you a lot of trouble. Slime comes in 8oz bottles. You need 4oz per tube. It is highly recommended and really does make a difference.

Slime Tape/Protector

For non puncture resisting tyres, this is a thin but tough plastic strip which goes between the tube and tyre. It stops thorns, glass and nails etc from going into the tube. Like Slime liquid, it is not completely foolproof and adds a little weight but it greatly reduces the chances of a flat tyre.

Recommendations

Buy good quality puncture resistant tyres or use Slime Liner/ Protector. Keep a spare tube of the correct size and valve type plus some Slime or a pre Slimed tube and a pump with you. Get some tyre levers as well.

Where to Buy

There is a limited choice of tyres available in Kuwait; better to bring them from outside. Tubes and Slime can be bought from The Bike Doctor, Extreme Sports, ACE and Go Sports. The Bike Doctor assistants will happily fit them for a small fee. See above “Buying a Bike” for more info.

Further information about tyres and tubes: www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html

DBCK Jun 2011