BENGALURU : Scenic views, a rough terrain, but a sense of achievement at the end of a 600-km bike ride. The Great Malnad Challenge 2020, one of the toughest off-road cycling challenges is where many Bengalureans are currently roughing it out. The 11th edition of the event started from Chikmagalur and goes all the way to Kundapur to conclude on Dec. 4.This edition is limited to only 30 cyclists owing to the new norms of safety and social distancing.
The seven-day journey passes through some of the most remote and scenic locales of the Western Ghats, like Horanadu Annapoorneshwari, Sri Mookambika Kollur, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve, Kudremukh Wildlife Division and more.
One of the only three female participants, Vineetha Pereira, an entrepreneur from Bengaluru who runs The Garage Cafe, says, “I’ve been an occasional rider. This is my longest stretch on MTB. I’ve done road biking from Bengaluru to Kolar and back earlier. This time I’m just going with the flow. I believe it’s all in the mind.” Pereira is riding her Polygon Siskiu D5, an MTB. She adds, “It can be challenging as it’s all kinds of tough terrain both on and off road, uphill mostly. The best part of it all for me are the downhills when we go zooming. Luckily for me my family has always been supportive, but a little worried this time.”
Intrinsic to this adventure is the emphasis laid on local cuisine where a cyclist-friendly menu greets the bikers at all meals. Local cereals, and vegetables prepared by the local cooks in their customary style keeps them nourished through the trip. Manju Varkey, a graphics hardware engineer from the city, rented a BTWN Rockrider to participate in the challenge.
“I have been cycling seriously only for the last 10 months, and this is my first competition. I prepared for this every day for two months,” says Varkey who keeps a constant momentum without pushing too hard on the steep uphill trails. “My fear was always there while going off-road downhill as one can tend to speed up there and fall. So I’m taking care with the cycle gears on the slopes.”
This annual initiative is organised by Madhuloka Group and ICycle, a startup that offers cycling solutions, to spread awareness on cycling to save the environment, specially the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot. Santhosh Anand, an avid cyclist who quit his IT job to join ICycle, and has been participating in it for years, says, “This is a gathering of MTB cyclists to exchange ideas. Bikes costing between `20,000 and `7 lakh regularly make their appearance at the ride. The daily post-ride gathering is a cacophony of cycling jargon, which is melodious music to my ears.” K S Lokesh, MD, ICycle.in, who is also cycling the circuit, adds, “I challenge myself every month on various expeditions.”