Thinking about cycling alone in Kerala?
Thinking about cycling alone in Kerala?
Hi,
This December I went for a short cycle trip in Kerala. I hadn't cycled in India before and I had been uncertain of doing so on my own. I had an amazing time, and these were some of the things that I learned on my trip about how to do it, for others contemplating such a thing...
Where did you go:
Kerala, South India, in a loop from Cochin up to Munnar, down to Periyar, in to the backawaters at Kumarakom and back to Cochin.
Did you enjoy it?
Yes! I think it was the best two weeks I have ever spent on a bike, and one of the best trips in general that I have had. I can't commend it highly enough. If you like cycling and you like India this is perfection.
Highlights?
The benefits of being on a bike in this part of India included: being able to slow and stop and really soak up the scenery - from the amazing views of the tea plantations to the various temples and shrines. The chance to stop at any and every chai stall that you see without feeling bad about asking a driver to stop again. The absence of travel sickness. The fact that you were travelling outside the normal bubble and so became more accessible to people and they to you, the smells of the forests as you pass through them. spending money in little places where it matters rather than the usual pattern or hotel/driver/sight/driver/hotel.
What sort of bike did you take?
I used a Thorn Sherpa - a touring bike intended for rugged terrain. The bike performed perfectly in all situations - climbing hills, on descents, and on rough roads.
What fittings did you have on the bike?The bike was loaded with front and rear panniers; also fitted with a Pletscher Twin Leg stand, Blackburn Mirror, and Brooks Saddle. Rear rack from Tubus. Ortlieb panniers and an old Trek Handlebar bag.
Where did you start from?
I flew from London Heathrow (home) to Cochin, via Mumbai. Timed the flights to be able to get in to the International Terminal, clear customs, collect bike, and get to the Domestic Terminal with a good three hours to spare. In practice thanks to delays getting off the ground at Heathrow, I made it to the Spicejet desk at the Domestic Terminal with five minutes to spare!
How did you get the bike to Kerala?The bike was packed for flying using the Ground Effects Body Bag, with the bike well padded with Pipe Tubing. It went on BA flight to Mumbai without any additional charge, but Spicejet charged an eye watering surplus charge for the extra weight on the flight from Mumbai to Cochin.
On the way back, this surcharge was avoided as some of the baggage handlers were keen to make some money on the side and took care of the bike for a small cash advance! Their idea, not mine, I should stress.
I did contemplate using a hard case for the bike but most of these are massive and heavy and I wasn't confident that carriers like Spice Jet would take it. So I gambled on my soft bag.
What did you do with the spare bags while cycling?
The very kind Arches Hotel in Cochin stored all the bike packaging and spare clothes while I was cycling. They were also very tolerant about letting me put the bike together in their dining room. After the cycling part of my Holiday, they kindly looked after the bike for me while I was touring in North Kerala. They made this aspect of the trip very easy and didn't ask for anything for all the storage.
How was the heat?
For the first couple of days it was hard work. I'd come from -2c in the UK, and gone to 32C and 80% humidity and it was a shock. However, within a couple of days I'd adjusted. This was helped by (a) short distances with lots of stops (b) climbing in to the mountains and (c) getting used to the exercise and the heat over time.
I also got used to early starts - getting on the road by 8am latest; and getting off the road by 1pm for some food, and to miss the hottest part of the day.
It was important to be realistic about distances. Given the heat, roads and distances, frequent stops for snacks and drinks were essential but also very enjoyable.
Why weren't you part of a group?
I don't really enjoy group cycling and wanted to be able go where I wanted and stop when I wanted. Some of the tour routes looked great but I thought they would lack flexibility. I especially wanted to be able to stop at any little chai stall I wanted, or any village to take a picture and figured cycling on my own was the best way forwards.
Did you feel safe cycling alone?
Yes, completely. I never felt in the slightest bit unsafe in any of the towns or villages that I went through. I met lots of people, and, perhaps because I was on my own, people felt very happy approaching for a chat, to look at the bike or just to say hello.
How about the road safety?
This was one of my biggest worries before I set out. But in practice cycling in Kerala was a lot LESS nervewracking than cycling in London.
I cheated to start off with, because the Arches arranged for me to get a lift from Fort Cochin to the outskirts which avoided all the bad traffic. I figured that on my first day in the saddle this would be a safer way to start off. By the time I had finished the cycling I felt comfortable enough to cycle back in to Cochin through the traffic without turning a hair.
Almost all the drivers were very considerate - I was routinely given a wide berth, and the horn use was rarely too loud. Advanced horn control means that drivers were able to give a gently "I'm here" toot which was useful but not scary. Buses and lorries just went past and it was fine.
It felt alot safer on a bike than being in a car. On a bike, I was in control of the decisions and wasn't overtaking many things (odd elephant aside). So I was never in the position of being on the wrong side of the road thinking "Please don't overtake this bus here, now). And because most of the vehicles just want to get past me, they just went past and tooted. A few run alongside for a while to get a good look and take a photo.
Generally the roads were in good condition, and the bike coped easily with the potholes.
Did you wear a helmet?
No; I bought one but didn't use it. Part of the reason for this was I felt very safe without it. The other was that sun was a big issue and I felt more comfortable wearing a broad-brimmed hat for sun protection.
What else did you wear?
Shimano SPD sandals; these are the absolute business for hot conditions and I wouldn't be without them; Padded undershorts with three-quarter length endura cycling shorts over the top; these are baggy and have pockets and so mean you can jump off the bike and go in to a temple/chai stall/shop/restaurant without looking like a lycra clad freak. and they are really comfy; Mountain hardware short sleeve shirts - light and simple.
How much weight were you carrying?
Bike (19kg) and luggage (probably another 11-15kg). I could have lost a bit of weight - I was carrying a lot of phorography equipment (mostly got used, bar a couple of lenses), a netbook (didn't use, would ditch this next time) and a small printer (heavy, but worth it.) That, then clothes (spare shorts, off-bike gear, fleece). So I could shave a few kgs off but not much more.
What sort of distances did you do?
between 30-60kms per day. Could probably have done a bit more but I was carrying a lot of weight on the bike and I stopped a lot. With less weight and less stopping, could have gone up to 80kms a day probably, especially on days with lots of downhills or on the flats.
Did you pre-book hotels?
Yes, in most places. I was travelling over the Christmas period and was worried places would be busy and didn't want to pitch up somewhere hot and tired and then spend a long time struggling to find somewhere I wanted to stay. On reflection I need not have worried so much but some of the places I prebooked were really good and i was glad I'd sorted this out in advance.
How many punctures?
None. Good tyres are the key.
Where did you eat?
mostly at road-side stalls in the day, and mostly snacks; buying a few vadais or samosas and a couple of bananas; usually having a couple of these in the bag for dips in energy, and the rest by stopping for tea and snacks on route. Getting enough food and drinks was never a problem and I had no problems with the digestive system. Couple of risky food items included watermelon crush with ice (and filling all the bike-bottles with this on the climb to Adimali) but it was all fine.
How about bike security?
I live in East london and my bikes endure a daily level of risk that far exceeds what they encountered in India. So if the bike was out of sight I locked it up using a light D-Lock. Wheels had pit-locks on to reduce risk. The panniers stayed on the bike and in order to reduce chance of pilferage, I thread light steel chains through where the draw-strings go so I can lock them shut (or use a padlock and short length of chain to secure the closures on the front panniers). This is just to stop random dipping, rather than a concerted attempt to steal a whole bag. In practice the only things I lost were things i put down and forgot to pick up. One time i put down my camera and almost forgot to pick it up but the people around were quick to remind me.
Gifts for kids?
No pens, no rupees, no sweets. Sorry. But possibly a picture to keep and a balloon sometimes.
Did you cycle all the time?
No; one of the days included a 120km journey - too much for a day, and so I did half on bike and did the other half with the bike on a taxi roof. It was easy to sort this out - stop at Chai stall, and within ten minutes have sorted driver and group of helping hands lifting bike on to cab.
I had a day in Munnar on bike but without luggage which is always a joy, and a further day to visit Chinnar without bike. I also had a day or two without bike around Periyar.
Bike spares?
Chain-links, cables, tubes. All unused on this trip. The one thing I did almost destroy and would have been a disaster was the cranks; I'd taken pedals off for the flight, and hadn't put one of them in properly so I half-stripped the threads on the crank. This was on day 1. Luckily there was enough thread there to hold the pedal on, otherwise the trip would have been over before it had begun. It made me wonder if new Shimano crank and bottom bracket systems are the best thing for such areas as the odds of finding people with tools to remove the bottom bracket are slim and the odds of finding replacement cranks slimmer still.
What route did you take:
Day 1: Cochin - Thattekad
Day 2: Thattekad - Adimali
Day 3: Adimali - Munnar
Day 4: Day off Chinnar
Day 5: Bison Valley Loop, Munnar
Day 6: Munnar - Udumbanchola (bike) - Kumily (taxi)
Day 7: Kumily Periyar - Rest Day
Day 8: Kumily Periyar - wildlife sanctuary
Day 9: Periyar - Mundakayam
Day 10: Mundakayam - Kumarakom
Day 11: Kumarakom - Vaikom
Day 12: Vaikom - Cochin
I'll write all the route up with distances and highlights in a seperate thread shortly.
How did you navigate?
Most of the maps I could get were inadequate or contradictory. Three different maps would show the existence or non-existence of different roads.
So I used the maps to get a rough idea of where I should be heading and turning; Google Earth to look at towns and locate turnings and landmarks. The best maps were some of the ones given out by hotels, including the maps of Cochin and the fabulous map around Munnar which was accurate and detailed.
I tried using cached Google Earth maps with GPS on the netbook but this was less successful than hoped - especially as the cached GE maps seemed to self corrupt. In the end the time honoured habit of asking for directions, road-signs map and compass were the best. And of course the wise suggestions of IMers.
Would you go back?
Without a doubt; and for longer next time. It's whetted my appetite for cycling in India.
Is that it?
I've started to post my pictures from the trip on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfxposure/
I'll add more details of the route as a journal soon.
And I'd like to say a big THANKYOU to all the IMers who answered by original thread before I set out and gave me the confidence to do this trip, especially Vandy, Nairpriya, and Pundabee and all the others.
This December I went for a short cycle trip in Kerala. I hadn't cycled in India before and I had been uncertain of doing so on my own. I had an amazing time, and these were some of the things that I learned on my trip about how to do it, for others contemplating such a thing...
Where did you go:
Kerala, South India, in a loop from Cochin up to Munnar, down to Periyar, in to the backawaters at Kumarakom and back to Cochin.
Did you enjoy it?
Yes! I think it was the best two weeks I have ever spent on a bike, and one of the best trips in general that I have had. I can't commend it highly enough. If you like cycling and you like India this is perfection.
Highlights?
The benefits of being on a bike in this part of India included: being able to slow and stop and really soak up the scenery - from the amazing views of the tea plantations to the various temples and shrines. The chance to stop at any and every chai stall that you see without feeling bad about asking a driver to stop again. The absence of travel sickness. The fact that you were travelling outside the normal bubble and so became more accessible to people and they to you, the smells of the forests as you pass through them. spending money in little places where it matters rather than the usual pattern or hotel/driver/sight/driver/hotel.
What sort of bike did you take?
I used a Thorn Sherpa - a touring bike intended for rugged terrain. The bike performed perfectly in all situations - climbing hills, on descents, and on rough roads.
What fittings did you have on the bike?The bike was loaded with front and rear panniers; also fitted with a Pletscher Twin Leg stand, Blackburn Mirror, and Brooks Saddle. Rear rack from Tubus. Ortlieb panniers and an old Trek Handlebar bag.
Where did you start from?
I flew from London Heathrow (home) to Cochin, via Mumbai. Timed the flights to be able to get in to the International Terminal, clear customs, collect bike, and get to the Domestic Terminal with a good three hours to spare. In practice thanks to delays getting off the ground at Heathrow, I made it to the Spicejet desk at the Domestic Terminal with five minutes to spare!
How did you get the bike to Kerala?The bike was packed for flying using the Ground Effects Body Bag, with the bike well padded with Pipe Tubing. It went on BA flight to Mumbai without any additional charge, but Spicejet charged an eye watering surplus charge for the extra weight on the flight from Mumbai to Cochin.
On the way back, this surcharge was avoided as some of the baggage handlers were keen to make some money on the side and took care of the bike for a small cash advance! Their idea, not mine, I should stress.
I did contemplate using a hard case for the bike but most of these are massive and heavy and I wasn't confident that carriers like Spice Jet would take it. So I gambled on my soft bag.
What did you do with the spare bags while cycling?
The very kind Arches Hotel in Cochin stored all the bike packaging and spare clothes while I was cycling. They were also very tolerant about letting me put the bike together in their dining room. After the cycling part of my Holiday, they kindly looked after the bike for me while I was touring in North Kerala. They made this aspect of the trip very easy and didn't ask for anything for all the storage.
How was the heat?
For the first couple of days it was hard work. I'd come from -2c in the UK, and gone to 32C and 80% humidity and it was a shock. However, within a couple of days I'd adjusted. This was helped by (a) short distances with lots of stops (b) climbing in to the mountains and (c) getting used to the exercise and the heat over time.
I also got used to early starts - getting on the road by 8am latest; and getting off the road by 1pm for some food, and to miss the hottest part of the day.
It was important to be realistic about distances. Given the heat, roads and distances, frequent stops for snacks and drinks were essential but also very enjoyable.
Why weren't you part of a group?
I don't really enjoy group cycling and wanted to be able go where I wanted and stop when I wanted. Some of the tour routes looked great but I thought they would lack flexibility. I especially wanted to be able to stop at any little chai stall I wanted, or any village to take a picture and figured cycling on my own was the best way forwards.
Did you feel safe cycling alone?
Yes, completely. I never felt in the slightest bit unsafe in any of the towns or villages that I went through. I met lots of people, and, perhaps because I was on my own, people felt very happy approaching for a chat, to look at the bike or just to say hello.
How about the road safety?
This was one of my biggest worries before I set out. But in practice cycling in Kerala was a lot LESS nervewracking than cycling in London.
I cheated to start off with, because the Arches arranged for me to get a lift from Fort Cochin to the outskirts which avoided all the bad traffic. I figured that on my first day in the saddle this would be a safer way to start off. By the time I had finished the cycling I felt comfortable enough to cycle back in to Cochin through the traffic without turning a hair.
Almost all the drivers were very considerate - I was routinely given a wide berth, and the horn use was rarely too loud. Advanced horn control means that drivers were able to give a gently "I'm here" toot which was useful but not scary. Buses and lorries just went past and it was fine.
It felt alot safer on a bike than being in a car. On a bike, I was in control of the decisions and wasn't overtaking many things (odd elephant aside). So I was never in the position of being on the wrong side of the road thinking "Please don't overtake this bus here, now). And because most of the vehicles just want to get past me, they just went past and tooted. A few run alongside for a while to get a good look and take a photo.
Generally the roads were in good condition, and the bike coped easily with the potholes.
Did you wear a helmet?
No; I bought one but didn't use it. Part of the reason for this was I felt very safe without it. The other was that sun was a big issue and I felt more comfortable wearing a broad-brimmed hat for sun protection.
What else did you wear?
Shimano SPD sandals; these are the absolute business for hot conditions and I wouldn't be without them; Padded undershorts with three-quarter length endura cycling shorts over the top; these are baggy and have pockets and so mean you can jump off the bike and go in to a temple/chai stall/shop/restaurant without looking like a lycra clad freak. and they are really comfy; Mountain hardware short sleeve shirts - light and simple.
How much weight were you carrying?
Bike (19kg) and luggage (probably another 11-15kg). I could have lost a bit of weight - I was carrying a lot of phorography equipment (mostly got used, bar a couple of lenses), a netbook (didn't use, would ditch this next time) and a small printer (heavy, but worth it.) That, then clothes (spare shorts, off-bike gear, fleece). So I could shave a few kgs off but not much more.
What sort of distances did you do?
between 30-60kms per day. Could probably have done a bit more but I was carrying a lot of weight on the bike and I stopped a lot. With less weight and less stopping, could have gone up to 80kms a day probably, especially on days with lots of downhills or on the flats.
Did you pre-book hotels?
Yes, in most places. I was travelling over the Christmas period and was worried places would be busy and didn't want to pitch up somewhere hot and tired and then spend a long time struggling to find somewhere I wanted to stay. On reflection I need not have worried so much but some of the places I prebooked were really good and i was glad I'd sorted this out in advance.
How many punctures?
None. Good tyres are the key.
Where did you eat?
mostly at road-side stalls in the day, and mostly snacks; buying a few vadais or samosas and a couple of bananas; usually having a couple of these in the bag for dips in energy, and the rest by stopping for tea and snacks on route. Getting enough food and drinks was never a problem and I had no problems with the digestive system. Couple of risky food items included watermelon crush with ice (and filling all the bike-bottles with this on the climb to Adimali) but it was all fine.
How about bike security?
I live in East london and my bikes endure a daily level of risk that far exceeds what they encountered in India. So if the bike was out of sight I locked it up using a light D-Lock. Wheels had pit-locks on to reduce risk. The panniers stayed on the bike and in order to reduce chance of pilferage, I thread light steel chains through where the draw-strings go so I can lock them shut (or use a padlock and short length of chain to secure the closures on the front panniers). This is just to stop random dipping, rather than a concerted attempt to steal a whole bag. In practice the only things I lost were things i put down and forgot to pick up. One time i put down my camera and almost forgot to pick it up but the people around were quick to remind me.
Gifts for kids?
No pens, no rupees, no sweets. Sorry. But possibly a picture to keep and a balloon sometimes.
Did you cycle all the time?
No; one of the days included a 120km journey - too much for a day, and so I did half on bike and did the other half with the bike on a taxi roof. It was easy to sort this out - stop at Chai stall, and within ten minutes have sorted driver and group of helping hands lifting bike on to cab.
I had a day in Munnar on bike but without luggage which is always a joy, and a further day to visit Chinnar without bike. I also had a day or two without bike around Periyar.
Bike spares?
Chain-links, cables, tubes. All unused on this trip. The one thing I did almost destroy and would have been a disaster was the cranks; I'd taken pedals off for the flight, and hadn't put one of them in properly so I half-stripped the threads on the crank. This was on day 1. Luckily there was enough thread there to hold the pedal on, otherwise the trip would have been over before it had begun. It made me wonder if new Shimano crank and bottom bracket systems are the best thing for such areas as the odds of finding people with tools to remove the bottom bracket are slim and the odds of finding replacement cranks slimmer still.
What route did you take:
Day 1: Cochin - Thattekad
Day 2: Thattekad - Adimali
Day 3: Adimali - Munnar
Day 4: Day off Chinnar
Day 5: Bison Valley Loop, Munnar
Day 6: Munnar - Udumbanchola (bike) - Kumily (taxi)
Day 7: Kumily Periyar - Rest Day
Day 8: Kumily Periyar - wildlife sanctuary
Day 9: Periyar - Mundakayam
Day 10: Mundakayam - Kumarakom
Day 11: Kumarakom - Vaikom
Day 12: Vaikom - Cochin
I'll write all the route up with distances and highlights in a seperate thread shortly.
How did you navigate?
Most of the maps I could get were inadequate or contradictory. Three different maps would show the existence or non-existence of different roads.
So I used the maps to get a rough idea of where I should be heading and turning; Google Earth to look at towns and locate turnings and landmarks. The best maps were some of the ones given out by hotels, including the maps of Cochin and the fabulous map around Munnar which was accurate and detailed.
I tried using cached Google Earth maps with GPS on the netbook but this was less successful than hoped - especially as the cached GE maps seemed to self corrupt. In the end the time honoured habit of asking for directions, road-signs map and compass were the best. And of course the wise suggestions of IMers.
Would you go back?
Without a doubt; and for longer next time. It's whetted my appetite for cycling in India.
Is that it?
I've started to post my pictures from the trip on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfxposure/
I'll add more details of the route as a journal soon.
And I'd like to say a big THANKYOU to all the IMers who answered by original thread before I set out and gave me the confidence to do this trip, especially Vandy, Nairpriya, and Pundabee and all the others.
Attached Images 
I agree completely
Hi Ixion,
nice to hear from your trip.
I agree completely with Ixion about cycling in Kerala. WE cycled 6 weeks through Kerala in December and January. I can recomment it to everyone who is thinking about it.
The only thing I disagree is the amount of luggage. 2 panniers should be enough in a country where you always find something to eat and sleep.
nice to hear from your trip.
I agree completely with Ixion about cycling in Kerala. WE cycled 6 weeks through Kerala in December and January. I can recomment it to everyone who is thinking about it.
The only thing I disagree is the amount of luggage. 2 panniers should be enough in a country where you always find something to eat and sleep.
too much luggage!
Hi Malikonline
Great to hear from you; glad you enjoyed your trip too.
Think you are right about the luggage issue - certainly no need to carry food etc.
Personally, it was the first time that I had used front panniers - and partly because of the frame geometry of the new bike and the better weight distribution I think I am something of a convert. In the past I have found hills hard work with the front of the bike feeling too light and a tendency to get twitchy on steep climbs. I really liked the way the bike handled with front bags.
Front bags mainly contained camera, netbook, printer and related bits and bobs. Most people wouldn't have this much kit with them and so wouldn't need the front bags...
ixion
Great to hear from you; glad you enjoyed your trip too.
Think you are right about the luggage issue - certainly no need to carry food etc.
Personally, it was the first time that I had used front panniers - and partly because of the frame geometry of the new bike and the better weight distribution I think I am something of a convert. In the past I have found hills hard work with the front of the bike feeling too light and a tendency to get twitchy on steep climbs. I really liked the way the bike handled with front bags.
Front bags mainly contained camera, netbook, printer and related bits and bobs. Most people wouldn't have this much kit with them and so wouldn't need the front bags...
ixion
#4 
Feb 15th, 2010, 22:23 bang a whore? Bangalore Dammit!
- Join Date:
- Sep 2004
- Location:
- Bangalore
- Posts:
- 3,072
Quote:
dammit, the understated facts. hi it is very nice to see you again
Thanks for the updates now i am at Kerala Kochi and my friend is at Kumily. keep posting
Thanks for the updates now i am at Kerala Kochi and my friend is at Kumily. keep posting
Quote:
Originally Posted by nairpriya2004 
hi it is very nice to see you again
Thanks for the updates now i am at Kerala Kochi and my friend is at Kumily. keep posting
hi it is very nice to see you again Thanks for the updates now i am at Kerala Kochi and my friend is at Kumily. keep posting
Kerala is melting @ 40 degree Celsius
40 Hairpin Bends
Hi There, I am hoping you get this enquiry. My name is Mike and I am 49 years old and about to embark on my first solo cycling trip, cycling from Chennai to Goa, I am not overly fit, but am accustomed to some strenuous long distance trekking, 1200 miles being the last one. I am toying with the idea of cycling the 40 hairpin bends, and I guess I need to know how doable it is.
If you do receive this message, it would be great to chat to you via email
Your help and advice would be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards
Mike De Gouveia
If you do receive this message, it would be great to chat to you via email
Your help and advice would be greatly appreciated.
Kind regards
Mike De Gouveia
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