Mountain Biking in Singapore

One of the most inhospitable places to cyclists on earth, Singapore. The drivers give you no respect on the roads, it is illegal to ride on the sidewalk and the blazing heat and humidity make riding near impossible. Where do you turn to? The answer is mountain biking. More challenging, adrenaline pumping and scenic than road biking and under the shade of the trees, mountain biking or MTB is the way to go. Singapore has just began to embrace the idea of mountain biking with two trails in the city and an island off Singapore that is a haven for mountain biking.

Bukit Timah- Probably the most well known and easily accessible MTB trail in Singapore, the Bukit Timah MTB trail is the place to go to test your mountain biking skills or just to give mountain biking a try. This trail is not for the faint of heart though. It is full of very steep and muddy uphills (including two sections where you must carry or push your bike) and heart pumping, rocky downhills. It starts off in the parking lot near the Bukit Timah Visitor Center and weaves its way around the whole nature reserve for a total of a 6 kilometer ride. Beginners should expect about an hour to complete the ride, while more experienced riders should expect to finish in about 30-45 minutes. On weekdays the trail is almost empty, but try to arrive before 8 am on weekends or you will be stuck in a slog of bikers.

Getting There-

By Bus-SBS service 170. TIBs services 67, 75, 171, 173, 184, 852 and 961. Get off along Upper Bukit Timah Road after the Courts furniture store and walk to the end of Hindhede Drive. By Car-Travelling from the city, follow the direction of Upper Bukit Timah Road towards Woodlands, make a U-turn just after the Courts furniture store and turn left into Hindhede Drive. Drive until the end of the road. Limited parking is available at the base of the hill.

Pulau Ubin- Away from the concrete jungle of Singapore lies the small, forested island of Pulau Ubin. Considered the mecca for mountain biking in Singapore, Pulau Ubin is abound with many rough and raw trails and scenic routes. Once you arrive in Pulau Ubin, if you didn't bring your own bike(and if you don't have a car, it is very hard to get your bike to Changi Point), you can rent one at one of the many bike shops that line the main road. The bikes aren't of the highest quality, but they do all right. Try to get to there early so you can get a good bike with full suspension. A good bike might cost $8-$12 for the day, but always make sure you test out the brakes and handling before you rent it. Also make sure to ask the shop owner for a good map of the area, you are going to need it. After renting the bike you are free to go, there are no set trails (unless you stick to the roads) so just take one that looks interesting and if you hit a dead end, turn around and go back. Exploring Ubin is half the fun.

Getting There- Getting to Ubin requires you to get to Changi Point, on the east end of the island not far from the airport. You can take the number 2 bus from the Bedok MRT station, although it does take about 25-35 minutes to get there. After getting off the bus, walk down to the boat dock and hire a bumboat driver to take you over to Ubin. A bumboat costs $15 to hire, one way. If you are not in a hurry, you can wait until the boat has 12 people and then you will each pay $1.50 to hire the boat. If you are in a hurry, just pay the guy the full amount and he'll take you without a full boat.

Kent Ridge Trail- Probably considered the hardest MTB trail in Singapore, the Kent Ridge trail is reserved for those who are extremely confident of their skills on a mountain bike. It is only 2.8 kilometers long, but it is a very hard 2.8 km full long downhills and steep heartbreaking climbs. It was just the recent location of the Singapore Mountain Bike Championships.

Getting There-

By Bus-Service 200 : alight at South Buona Vista Road, then proceed by foot via Vigilante Drive.
Service 92 : Alight at the end of Science Park Drive.
Services 10, 30, 51, 61, 143 and 176 to Pasir Panjang Road and proceed by foot via Pepys Road.

By Car- You can park at the Carpark A or B near the trail head or at any of the carparks along South Buona Vista Road.