A Guide To Cycling Through Spiti

Are you planning a cycle ride through Spiti. This Guide to cycling through Spiti will make your life easy. Wondering what kind of bike to take, what to carry, where to stay etc. Fear not, we have it all covered!

The first question is: What bike?

1. The first option is to use a dedicated steel framed tourer. But these are not the easiest to purchase in India.
2. The second option is a road bike, which is capable of handling bad roads. If a person is comfortable with road bikes and has used it on various ‘bad’ roads of India then it can easily be taken up there.
3. The last and least desirable option is to take a Mountain Bike (MTB). The problem is cyclists don’t quite know English, so they call a bike meant for trails and off-roading an MTB! In Spiti you will always be on the road, so an MTB is not required. Yet most favour an MTB. So how do we make our MTB more Spiti worthy?
4. The BEST option currently available is a gravel bike. Perfect for such tours in terms of gearing, ergonomics and luggage carrying capacity.

Preparing your bicycle for your Spiti tour

Tyres

The first thing to change are tyres. On your road bike, you would want to use the widest tyres your frame can fit. On the MTB 1.5″ wide tyres are more than enough. For your gravel bike, around 35-40 mm tyres are more than enough.

Forks

Ditch those heavy suspension forks on your MTB and use steel forks, preferably with eyelets for a front rack. Useful especially if you are planning to carry a lot of luggage. If one insists on using front suspension, then make sure it has a suspension lockout. As 95% of the time you would be riding with the suspension locked.

Handlebars

This depends entirely on what the rider is comfortable with. Use whatever you have clocked the maximum number of miles on. DO NOT switch to something new before the ride. Pro Tip: It is nice to have multiple hand positions when climbing for long hours.

Saddle

The most important. Invest in a good quality saddle. Make sure it properly fits your posterior! It is the difference between being a happy bum or not! Also use the saddle to clock many miles before you actually start your Spiti tour.

Pedals

Clipless pedals can be quite annoying especially, when one has to get off and cross deep streams on foot. One can always use touring shoes and pedals which is easier to walk in. This will still mean that you need to carry two pairs of shoes. Flat pedals offer the best trade-off for touring.

Bottle holders

Get metal ones which can fit in a 2l bottle. Cycling bottles which are quite useful while doing short morning rides are ridiculously small and useless for touring. Big soft drink plastic bottles might not look attractive in photos, but is much better than dying of thirst on a long climb.

Racks

A strong, yet not too heavy front (if there is lots of luggage) and rear rack. Medium sized backpacks can be bungeed onto the rack or dedicated panniers can be used. A handlebar bag and saddle bag is useful for putting in knick-knacks which need to be at hand throughout the day.

The other option is to ditch the rack and pannier system completely and go bikepacking.

You can read more about Bikepacking vs Pannier Setup Touring here.

Brakes

Make sure you are running good quality brakes. Even if one is riding a cheap cycle, the brake set should be upgraded as a priority. Also change brake pads if required and carry the some as spares.

Bell and mirrors

Not required. Yet some people prefer touring with mirrors.

Kick stand

Useful, especially when touring solo and photography is important, but otherwise not mandatory.

Mudguards

At least a front mudguard, as the front tyre tends to throw up slush in the rider’s face.

Headlight and tail light

Necessary, even basic entry level stuff will do. Since you preferably will not be riding after dark.

Helmet

No helmet, no ride!

Physical Preparation?

Get up, stop reading this blog and start riding! Now that you have done a ride and are back, read on!

You are going to be riding on some of the highest roads in the world. There is a lot of climbing involved and you will have luggage to weigh you down. You can never be ‘too’ fit! The fitter you are the faster you will be, the suffering up the climbs won’t reduce. Fortunately that is good news for those who have low to moderate levels of cycling fitness. If you aren’t too fit, remember you will only be going a bit slower, that’s it!

Riding 40-50 km 3-4 times a week in the 3 months before the trip means you will ‘complete’ the Spiti circuit. If you are riding for longer than that, all the better, you will enjoy the ride more! If you are fortunate enough to live somewhere close to the hills then practice riding on the climbs as often as you can. Try to do a few 100 km rides on weekends if you are unlucky to live in the plains.

The important thing is to have your basics right. Having the correct bike size, bike fit and pedalling optimisation is necessary. Spending long hours in the saddle with any of these incorrect will cause injury by repetition. Medical aid is not something you want to count on in these far away mountains.

Google is your friend, read up on how to pedal properly, sitting posture, bike fit, training and nutrition techniques etc. Remember the name Sheldon Brown, while googling, his website is a timeless treasure trove of information.

Route Planning?

Refer to the detailed route I have noted down. There is another route along the Old Hindustan Tibet road instead of the NH22. Places that I missed but can be included in the route: Sarahan, Sangla, Kalpa, Dhankar, Key-Kibber, Getey, Mudh among others.

Solo or Group?

The ideal is two riders. Preferably both should have similar riding experience and capability, similar preferences and habits. It’s difficult to find another rider who will be easy to get along with on a long and tiring journey. So in a not so ideal world, solo is best.

Groups are the least desirable, even if in a group, it’s best to split up and ride in twos or solo. The problem with group riding is more often than not, you tend to interact with people within your group. As a result, you end up losing out on what Spiti has to offer.

Time of the Year?

The most crowded time of the year is June and July, when schools are on vacation. Big families and noisy children are best avoided if a peaceful trip is your goal. The best time would be anywhere between mid-August to end September.

What to Carry?

As little as possible!

Leave anything less important at home. Every kilogram you carry will drag you down, while climbing. There will be a point of time in your trip where you will open your bags and look for things to throw out, so your best bet is to start off light! Recommended reading for packing: Ultralight bicycle touring

A list of things I carried:

1. Bike related:

1. Water bottles
2. Frame Pump
3. Headlight and tail light
4. Rack and rucksacks
5. Bungee cords & plastic rope
6. Helmet and Sunglasses
7. Cycle lock

2. Tools:

1. Allen keys (4, 5 &6 nos.)
2. Spanner set
3. Spoke key
4. Rags
5. Pouch for tools
6. Puncture repair kit (patches, sandpaper, levers, glue, tyre repair patch)
7. Cable ties
8. Swiss Knife

3. Spares:

1. Brake pads
2. Tube (2)
3. Cables, brake and gear
4. Spokes

4. Clothes:

1. Shorts (2)
2. Track pants (1)
3. T-shirts, drip dry and bright colours (3)
4. Cycling vest (1)
5. Gloves (1 warm and 1 regular)
6. Underwear (3)
7. Thermals (1 set)
8. Shoes (1)
9. Slippers, thin and narrow (1)
10. Windcheater (1)
11. Leather jacket (1)
12. Socks (3 cotton)
13. Balaclava and bandanna (1 each)
14. Rain suit (1)
15. Watch

5. Toiletries:

1. Toothbrush
2. Toothpaste (small tube)
3. Soap (small bar)
4. Deodorant (not required when cycling solo!)
5. Towel (1)
6. Toilet Paper

6. Food:

1. Chocolate bars
2. Biscuits (glucose)
3. Water
4. Glucose powder/ Oral Re-hydration Salt

7. Medical:

1. Crocin
2. Dependal
3. Savlon
4. Bandaids
5. Cotton Bandages, gauze and cotton
6. Crepe Bandage
7. Iodex
8. Vicks rub
9. Betadine

8. Miscellaneous:

1. Wallet (money in small denominations, ATM Card, DL, another ID)
2. Plastic bags to pack everything and spare plastic bags
3. Phone, camera and chargers
4. Batteries (torch, h/l and tail light), 2 sets
5. Duct tape and Feviquick
6. Rubber bands
7. Sewing kit
8. Whistle

Misc. Points:

• Start early in the day, as one would want to finish by afternoon, because the wind picks up drastically after 2 pm.
• Wear shorts and cycle. Everyone wants to check out the sexy, muscular legs of the cyclist so don’t hide them!
• Carry 2 x 2L bottles of water. Soft drink bottles are perfect for this. One need not buy bottled water all the time, hand pumps, dhabas and mountain streams are everywhere.
• While climbing never try too hard, keep a slow, gentle pace. The heart rate, breathing and cadence should be monitored, to ensure that there are no spikes.
• Eat smaller meals more frequently rather than few large meals.
• Learn a little about bike repairs and practice these things at home.
• When riding solo, motorbike or bicycle, I always wear a small torch and a whistle around my neck. In case of an accident where I may not be able to call for help, a whistle can be very useful to draw a passer-by’s attention.

How To: Cycling Spiti: The Route:

Day 1: Kalka (655 mts) to Shimla (95 km)

Start

1. Climb till Solan (1470 mts) 44 km
2. Gradual Climb after Solan for the next 45 km
3. Last few km to Shimla steep climb
4. Cheap accommodation available near old bus stop in Shimla

Day 2: Shimla (2200mts) to Rivali (102 km)

Start

• First 14 km is climbing to Khufri (2300 mts)
• Downhill to Theog for 15 km
• Last 30 km to Narkanda (2700 mts) is undulating, with no severe Climbs. Food and accommodation (F&A)available
• Immediately after Narkanda road descends for 37 km to about 1100 mts
• 4 km flat road to Rivali F&A

Day 3: Rivali (1100 mts) to Jeori (48 km)

Start

• 25 km Undulating to Rampur (1165 mts), no severe climb. F&A
• Rampur to Jeori flat for 13 km, then climb the last 10 km. F&A

Day 4: Jeori (1400 mts) to Reckong Peo (74 km)

Start

• Jeori to Bathal 5 km climb. F&A
• Bathal to Wangtu (1600 mts) undulating for 35 km. Food available
• Wangtu to Tapri undulating for 10 kms, F&A
• Tapri to Karcham (1750 mts) undulating for 9 km. Food
• Karcham to Powari undulating for 9 km
• Powari (on NH 22) steep climb for last 6 km to Reckong Peo on state highway. F&A. 300 mtr climb in 6 kms.

Day 5: Reckong Peo (2200 mts) to Pooh (67 km)

Start

• Steep descent till Powari 6 km to get back on highway
• Undulating from Powari till Akpa for 15 km. F&A. Checkpost.
• Akpa to Spillo undulating for 22 km. F&A
• Spillo to Pooh, first 14 km undulating, last 10 km 300 mts climb to Pooh, which is again 5 km off the highway. F&A

Day 6: Pooh (2700 mts) to Nako (40 km)

Start

• Descend to 2500 mts in 9 km till Khab bridge
• Immediately after Khab road steeply climbs till Ka (3000 mts). 11 km in the Ka Zigs (switchbacks)
• After Ka, road Climbs till Nako, 20 km. F&A.

Day 7: Nako (3565 mts) to Tabo (62 km)

Start

• 5 km climb to Malling Nullah
• Steep Descent to Chango (2900 mts) for 17 km. F&A
• Chango to Sumdo (2965 mts) undulating, 13 km
• Sumdo to Tabo is undulating, 27 km. F&A

Day 8: Tabo (3265 mts) to Kaza (47 km)

Start

• Undulating for entire stretch. F&A

Day 9: Kaza

Day 10: Kaza (3665 mts) to Losar (57 km)

Start

• Undulating for entire stretch. 5 km climb after Kyoto Bridge. F&A

Day 11: Losar

Day 12: Losar (4100 mts) to Batal via Chandra Tal (58 km)

Start

• Gradual Climb to Kunzum La (4551 mts), 19 km
• Steep Descent after Kunzum La to Batal F&A, 11 km
• From Batal backtrack for 3 km to turn for Chandra Tal. Undulating road for 12 km. Last 2 km to Chandra Tal (4270 mts) a steep climb. F&A
• Backtrack from Chandra Tal to Batal 14 km

Day 13: Batal (4002 mts) to Gramphoo (51 km)

Start

• Gradual descent from Batal to Chota Dhara (3640 mts) for 16 km. Accommodation (not always available)
• Gradual descent from Chota Dhara to Chhatru for 17 km. F&A
• Chhatru (3320 mts) to Gramphoo is steep descents and climbs for 18 km. F&A

Day 14: Gramphoo (3350 mts) to Manali (69 km)

Start

• Gradual Climb for 15 km to Rohtang La (3979 mts)
• Descend to Manali (2050 mts) for 53 km

READ THE DAY WISE BLOG OF THE SPITI SOJOURN

Found this post useful? Let us know in the comments section below!