Welcome to the first Bali Trailblazers Newsletter– a rare and beautiful thing!
 First I would like to thank all the brave and intrepid adventurers who rode with us in our first year of operation. I thought it was time I updated you on all our latest trails and packages, as well as our new hire bikes; see right (yes, we are a truly professional bunch).
It has been said that we have the best trails in South East Asia, but I couldn't possibly comment! We have had lots of very positive comments, my favourites being;
‘I didn’t realize you did mountain biking for real mountain bikers; I’ll bring my friends next time’ Adnan from Malaysia - yes please, you can bring as many as you want (ed)!
‘Many thanks for a great day out and happy to get crash of the month award! Whats the prize?’ I’d like to say a head cam (see below), but the budget won’t stretch that far.
And then there was Colin:
‘Mountain Biking in Bali has faded into a distant memory …. All I have left to show for it is an aching body, a fat swollen ear (bee sting), gravel rash elbow, a tight wrist and a purple black welt on my buttock (previously unseen) which I had trouble explaining to Beverly.’ Colin from Singapore. He loved every minute of it, honest!
There have been a few tombés, wipeouts, crashes or whatever else you like to call them but then there is that rather annoying mountain bikers line – if you haven’t fallen off you haven’t tried hard enough.
 I think the prize for valiant effort has to go to Agnes who came out with a group of experienced mountain biking friends (herself having only been mountain biking a few times before). When her boyfriend flew past her on a downhill section, she casually mentioned that she needed disc brakes, then thought about it for a moment and said….’perhaps it would be easier to get a new boyfriend’! Good one Agnes!
New Blaze – our latest trails and packages
The website has undergone a much needed re-jig and update, and includes new information on Day trips and short breaks including a couple of 2 night breaks, one based around the Batur Crater and the other around the Slopes of Mt Agung. If you have any friends who are interested in learning basic mountain biking skills, why not tell them about our Introduction to Mountain Biking weekend. All packages include accommodation, airport/hotel pickup and dropoff, lunch, breakfast and guided day rides.
The most exciting outcome of all our new trailblazing is a superb 7 night/5 day-ride package – the East Bali explorer, which includes all of the best trails in East Bali. One of these trails, Besakih to Perasi beach, has become a classic large day out for intermediate riders, with the fastest time for this 45 km trail being set by Scott James (apparently otherwise known as Mr Third Lung) & our very own speedy guide Ketut who did it in just over 3 hours. The slowest group did it in just over 6.
So were next? We are working on two trails from Kintamani to Ubud, a less demanding one which has already been released on the general public, and one which involves 2 short but sharp ‘bike and hike’ sections out of deep ravines which is shaping up to be a bit of an epic.
As with all our trails they are not highly technical but they do demand good balance, a good head for heights and a sense of adventure!
When to book.
Like everywhere else in the world, the weather has been totally unpredictable. We have had a dry wet season and a wet dry season. Riding in the wet season (any time from December to May - possibly) can be great, if the weather is kind. You can get some incredibly clear days and the formerly dry dusty trails are transformed into great hard-pack. However if the weather  isn’t kind it’s no fun; high risk, high reward. Mid May to mid October is the best time to pay us a visit as there is a cool breeze blowing from Australia. If you are less confident on loose surfaces make it earlier in the year (say April to July). In August, when the wind is at its strongest the Island is at its coolest.
We have no plans to close for this years ‘wet’ season, so here's hoping it's a dry one.
New kid on the block
Ketut has been riding with us for sometime now. He is sponsored by a local bike shop to compete in both mountain bike and road bike races, because he’s ‘a bit of a whippet’. He has a string of medals to his name and is one of Bali’s top riders. He works for us on a contract basis in between training, racing and fishing in Benoa harbour. Here he is showing extreme deference to the cameraman. Catch him if you can!
Bali Trailblazers new hire bikes have just arrived!
With a special discount for the ones with no front forks! The craze for bike customisation has spread like wild fire in Bali, with some truly amazing designs. Most favour looks over practicality and some require an 8 lane high-way to turn.
……and finally the prize for injury of the season goes to Adam, a relative new comer to the sport, who was so blown away by the scenery he decided to film the trail whilst riding. This was the result:
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