Cycling Genting Highlands: Riding the TT bike

Descending...

Finally reaching the top...

Looks fun...don't wear a white shirt. Even the best detergent on earth won't work.

The next day after the 12km run, I was onto something else. Now it's time to see if I could ride a TT bike up there. I've been doing all my genting climb using a roadie, so this kind of intrigues. Another thing is, I've not been riding alot. Fitness was there, but riding on a bike seems so alien after months not being on one.

After parking at HOA, I departed at 8:49am, reached Genting Sempah after 50 mins. The p2k group was there as well, waiting for some other guys before their usual breakie jaunt at bkt tinggi. Then after some rest, I headed solo towards Gohtong.

Easy, it wasn't. Although I could climb, speed was really slow, but I kept at it, and standing up only if the inclination is too much to handle. After the 4km hard climb, it was an easy ride up to Gohtong.

Then comes the hard part. Riding up Genting is like going into a forbidden place. Only the staunch, experienced and hardy cyclist attempts this. And it doesn't matter how strong you are, the mountain mocks you by saying "Oh, so you've climb this far? wait till you go higher..."

Really. The hardest part of the whole route, is the last 4.4km marker. From my memory, nothing is more harder than the last 4.4km up. Cause it really is. Two very steep hairpins, and the final 300m to the arch at the top, is enough of a challenge for anyone dares to go up.

And on a TT bike, it's definitely harder. I find myself climbing in an awkward position. Trying to coax the bike up is like pulling a rock up. It won't respond. You just have to mash the pedals or pull harder to lift it up. At times, I almost cramped at the quads. But I made a promise to my bike and whispered "I'll put you up there, baby"..

The only view I was having is making sure my front tyre moves. And of course the top was enjoyable after 2:40 climbing from HOA. Met with a guy resting at the cafe (rode a superbike), who was impressed with cycling up.

Then, it was going down to Awana to meet some friends doing the fun 14km run. Shih Ming & San did well (got 2nd), and Ray & Mich too (4th).

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Now here's the challenge that is in my mind, with some friends. I consider it the holy grail of cycling climb in Malaysia.

Ride Genting Peak, Fraser Peak, and reaching Cameroon Highlands in one day.

Could that be done? Go figure...