Pakistan Cycling Network - All about Cycling in Pakistan

With a new bike, you must buy at least some safety gear as it is a must for safe riding. Other than that, there are a lot of other accessories that enhance your riding experience. All of these accessories can be found at most of the shops listed in the shop directories linked in the Bike Sizing and Shops post. Must have Safety gear : Helmet: Always wear a properly sized helmet. It can save you from severe head & brain injury in case of a fall. Never ever ride out without wearing a helmet. Optional Safety gear : Padded Gloves:  Cut finger for summer, full finger padded or gel gloves for winters. These protect your palms in case of a fall. Safety/Sports eyeglasses: It is painful and dangerous when something gets in your eye while riding. You can buy the one with changeable shades OR buy a couple, fixed glass types (one dark shade for sunny days, the other transparent or yellow shade for night/cloudy day riding). Safety lights:  White for front and Red for back s

After you have decided on the type of Bicycle you need (see our post on bicycle types if you haven't), bike size is the next most important aspect  to be determined. It's not that complicated... . you just need to know following two things: Bicycle Geometry Guide Bicycle Size or Frame Size is basically the seat tube length measured in inches (mountain bikes) or centimetres (road bikes & hybrids) Your height & leg length determines which size is suitable for you. There are many online bike size calculators available. ebicycles.com has a decent online sizing tool. Now that you know which type & size of bicycle to buy, it is time to head to the market. Although Lighthouse/Gari Khata market in Karachi & Neela Gumbad in Lahore are well known bicycle markets, typical products available there are usually low quality stuff with cheap, knockoff components. These cheapo bicycles start getting rusted in within months (especially in Karachi) and are n

This may come as a surprise to many, but there are several types of bicycles in the world (for more info, check out this Wikipedia article ). However the basic types are few and easy to differentiate once you gain familiarity. The difference is generally in the geometry of the bicycle according to the type of riding intended. Therefore it is important to decide what type of riding do you intend to do (commuting, long distance, off-road etc.) before making a purchasing decision. For riding in Pakistan, following three basic bicycle types should cater to the majority of riding styles. Your decision would be based on your preference among speed, comfort and ability to ride on rough terrain (off-road). One bicycle cannot cater to all 3 parameters so there has to be a compromise...you have to prioritize among the three capabilities. Of course, if you can afford it, you CAN buy one or more of each type. 😉 A newcomer should start with a Hybrid bicycle. Road Bikes Road bikes (

Cycling (noun): the sport or activity of riding a bicycle. As Wikipedia sums it up quite nicely ... Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists". Many of us have pleasant childhood memories of riding a bicycle around the neighborhood with friends. If you were fortunate enough to possess such memories, you will be glad to know that as an adult, you can now resume recreational or sportive cycling as a healthy activity in Pakistan. Being a low impact exercise, cycling is one of the best exercises anyone can take up to maintain an active lifestyle. Cycling in Pakistan is currently happening in five main forms: competitive cycling (races), commuting, recreational cycling, road cycling (typically over long distances) and mountain biking. Cycling groups and clubs have sprouted all over Pakistan engaged in all forms of cycling. Competitive Cycling