Daily Times

Thrill-seeking mountain bikers in Pakistan? When I brought that up, one of my friends said not many people would do that here. However, when I met Kamran Hashmi and Amir Islam of MTBI (Mountain Biking Club Islamabad), they both seemed to have a focus, primarily on this sport as a passion, which they shared with 40-plus other members. The core group formed the base locally alongside hundreds of people, including international cyclists from Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the US, Germany and even South Africa, who now actively participate in their challenges.

The MTBI is currently the sole official group of men and women, seeking thrilling rides, doing cross-country and trail-riding. Speaking to their reps was quite incredible. The group gained international popularity amongst cyclists when they started to feature in international sites such as singletracks.com and became viral in videos featured by the Global Mountain Bike Network, which is a worldwide community for Bikers.

Requirements for being a part of the group? Bring your helmet, a mountain bike, your grit and yes, an absolute mindset to join in synchronicity with the thought that these people are here to ride those trails! Social networking is, of course, done apart from that, but the focus at the meet-ups is to get out there, cycle and push your limits and willpower further with each new adventure ride.

Once called a sleepy city, it seems to have a plethora of thrill-seekers here, finding some pretty exciting ways to nurture a hobby. What was just a small conversation amongst four friends mulling over things to do in Islamabad has turned out to be an official group. The friends who were the initial core admins, Kamran Hashmi, Omar Haroon, Rohan Mirza and Naveed Rahman, were already part of one of the regular Critical Mass chapters (one of the first cycling clubs). However, the need for something slightly more over-the-edge was calling out to them and the passion for the sport has now become a staple part of their routine life.

Mountain biking, unlike cycling on designated roads, is quite different and difficult. Usually termed as an extreme sport (All Mountain Biking), it gives a more of an adrenaline rush than just cycling on levelled roads and provides this crowd with the “buzz.” Riding on trails, you need endurance and perseverance as well as an adventurous spirit. In Pakistan, the group mainly does two forms of mountain biking: cross-country and trail-riding. They have both uphill and downhill routes. Asked about the preference in the type of ride, most of the group members replied with a grin, “Mountain biking downhill, of course!”

Kamran Hashmi, the main admin and an Engineering teacher at COMSATS University, is a local from main Islamabad. Having grown up walking and hiking through the trails, he knew they could do this given every member was game to volunteering their part as a troupe.

Currently, he is now giving training workshops to those wanting to start cross-country riding. So an obstacle course is set on level ground for beginners and then easy startup trails ride from the point of the grounds. If you require information about bikes and local places, they will provide you with that info as well.

I noticed a few women mentioned in the group as well and I managed to speak to one of them, who is a keen biker and often rides with MTBI. Zehra Kamal, one of the pioneering members from the Critical Mass Chapter, since 2010 states what cycling means to her. “For me, it is very energising and exhilarating doing this, and a big sense of freedom to take out my bike and go wherever I feel like. I didn’t face any challenges when it comes to the group’s dynamics perhaps because I’ve been doing this for years and people here know what we are all about.”

Usually termed as an extreme sport, All-Mountain Biking gives more of an adrenaline rush than just cycling on levelled roads

Margalla Hills are full of winding trails, which connect to different villages through the hills and valleys. Most of the trails are narrow walking trails while some are called “jeepable” or concrete road. These are all considered tenable for off-road cycling and also known as mountain biking. Even though this is not All-Mountain Biking, which comes into the category of extreme sports, it can still be risky as the terrain will not give you moments to revise a split-decision made whilst cycling. Bikers must be prepared for anything. Even something such as a weather change can affect the type of route taken and the ride itself.

The central weekly meeting point is usually the F-9 Park (Islamabad City) and then, the cyclists head out, usually at sunrise. For more remote or far distances, they hire vehicles to reach the venue. The vehicles are usually used as support cars for the ride and stay behind the group at all times. This is a common practice for safety. They are well aware of safety protocols; carrying first-aid kits and riding in a formation. The ride coordinator, which is the head admin, leads the way and a rider at the tail of the group, called the sweeper, makes sure nobody is left behind.

Some of the remote routes have taken them as far as the Galiyat region, Hunza Valley, Neelum Valley, Swat and the Panjpir Rocks (a very difficult trail, referred to as the Moab of Pakistan by cyclists). These are set at distances of up to 60 km or more and the mountain bikers have ridden for two to three hours at a stretch at points. Strenuous yet exciting, exhausting but memorable, and most of all, adrenaline-charged, and that is exactly why all these folks signed up for this.

So, if you are looking for that extra zest to add to life in Pakistan and happen to find your way to Islamabad, do look these guys up. They would be the perfect crew that would host an adventure ride to some of the most beautiful places here with a great crowd.

The writer is known for her articles on topics with a socio-cultural impact