General equipment guidance for off-road cycling in Qatar
Bike
The most important equipment for cycling off road is a bicycle. A few options to consider:
Suspension - A sub-discussion regarding suspension because it always comes up when deciding on a bike.
There are so many variations it is impossible to cover them all so reach out to an active rider for advice if you are in the design/purchase stage for a bike to get more assistance.
The most important equipment for cycling off road is a bicycle. A few options to consider:
- Fatbike - (>3.5" tires) The most versatile bike you can have. They are the monster trucks of cycling. Go anywhere, ride anything and never worry about whether the bike can handle the terrain. These are a must to remain on the bike while riding dunes and sand features. With great power comes great resistance. The bikes tend to be slower and heavier.
- Mid-fat - (3.0 - 3.5") The best compromise for speed and flotation. Dunes are a challenge and nearly impossible to climb but you can descend them with speed. Smaller sand features can be crossed with great effort. Best for handling mixed terrain and rock gardens with fast sections of smooth gravel and tarmac.
- Cross-country XC (1.75-2.95") The most common "mountain bike" tire widths with rigid to dual suspension options. These bikes are great for the fast rocky tracks and racing the farms and open hard packed sections of the Inland Sea. Minimal floatation will see the tires sinking into soft sand. If you plan to ride dunes make sure you have comfortable walking shoes.
- Gravel - (28mm - 57mm) - The fastest and leanest bike option is also the least versatile for pure off-road cycling. There are a few sections of nice gravel riding but the routes need to be expanded and explored to create continuous options for longer rides. These bikes work great for the paved cycling tracks that get affected by construction or covered with debris after storms. Pure gravel riding is possible but needs more active riders to develop fully.
Suspension - A sub-discussion regarding suspension because it always comes up when deciding on a bike.
- There are very few instances where you will be doing big drops and need long-travel suspension
- There is a large amount of "washboard/corrugation" on the 4WD tracks and small to medium sized rocks creating long sections of "chatter." This is best absorbed by short-travel active suspension. Fat bikes with front suspension and tires with low pressure can absorb most of it, rigid gravel bikes with high tire pressure will be very unpleasant.
- The best option is a short-travel active front suspension for general riding
There are so many variations it is impossible to cover them all so reach out to an active rider for advice if you are in the design/purchase stage for a bike to get more assistance.
Accessories
- Helmet - It's not all soft sand out there. Helmets are a must! Full-face isn't necessary so go with what's comfortable and has plenty of ventilation for those hot summer rides.
- Hydration/nutrition - There are NO amenities on the off-road routes. The desert may surprise you with a friendly denizen offering water, coffee, tea, dates, mangoes, camel milk or fried eggs (yes, all of these have been offered on a ride) but there are no cafes, water stops or service stations to replenish fluids and nutrition. A high capacity hydration pack (3L) with bottles to supplement are a must in the hotter months or longer rides. Energy bars, gels, fruit etc will all need to be taken along.
- Lights - Hotter months or weekday rides after work might force you to ride after the sun has set. The desert really comes alive then and you have options to see local fauna active at this time. Make sure to get lights to "see" vs "be seen" when planning to ride off road at night. Look for several hundred lumens and preferably get a handlebar (flood/diffuse) and helmet mounted (spot/beam) light. Tight turns are uncommon and vegetation is sparse so a handlebar mounted light or two should suffice as a minimum.
- GPS - GPS is great for navigating and tracing your rides. A good working knowledge of how to map and plan routes can be exciting and rewarding. The area is quite dynamic and having an experienced ride leader and plenty of local knowledge and planning is critical. Depending on the vintage and source of maps contained on GPS units, phones or satellite images you might find tracks, objects or barriers that were not planned or a destination totally missing. Camps and farms move frequently and seasonally. Dunes also move around and can cover 4WD roads within hours during powerful wind storms. DO NOT RELY ON GPS ALONE!
- Tubeless vs tubes - Thorns and sharp objects are common and tubeless tires with good sealant is your best defense! Riding over sand requires low tire pressures and this can cause pinch flats on tubes. Get the message? Tubeless is best! Always carry an extra tube and patch kit for insurance even when running tubeless.
- Clothing/tools/tubes/first aid - Nothing unusual or too different from other sections so no expanded explanations here. Just remember there is little to no shelter out in the desert, many locations are accessible only by 4WD vehicles and just because you can call and tell someone you are in trouble doesn't mean they will locate you and be able to help.
