Ho Pui to Tin Man

Ho Pui to Tin Man

We’re up in Ta Lam Chung Country Park to take on the big daddy of bike trail networks (local bikers call it Tai Mo Shan). The route starts off on the Ho Pui mountain bike trail, which you enter just off Route Twisk. It begins with a flowing descent over moderately technical terrain. Steep drop-offs flank some technical sections, so take care. Well known for its custom-built switchbacks, it descends rapidly under the park’s immense jungle canopy. For sure, it’s not a beginner’s trail, but most medium-level riders will enjoy the challenge.

Next, a long road climb segues into our second trail, Tin Man. An epic downhill through narrow tree-lined sections, gnarly technical bits followed by a rapid descent through hairpin-after-hairpin corners. Steep in areas; if you’re a speed demon, it’s an adrenaline-filled flight that will have you gripping your handlebars in pure joy.

Tin Man exits onto the MacLehose Trail.

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DIRECTIONS

Get to the start:

  1. Ho Pui, begins just off Route Twisk.
  2. Carry on across Twisk Nature Trail, where the trail enters a delicious succession of switchbacks that rolls on for nearly 1 kilometer. Take extra care during the rainy season when tree roots and rocks become covered in slippery moss, and the trail is often very muddy.
  3. Go straight on, along a gradual descent. In between are little technical sections, some on the edge of sheer drops. 
  4. You leave the Ho Pui trail for a 1.7-kilometer pedal along a contour trail, where technical sections throw up a challenge or two in places.
  5. Reaching the second set of steps on the left, haul your bike up to the top. Tight and steep, these stairs are not biker-friendly.
  6. At the top, a 1.6-kilometer road climb leads up to Tin Fu Tsai bike park entrance.
  7. Looking for a place to stop with a great view? A 40-meter ride up to Tin Fu Tsai Fire Lookout offers 180-degree views across Lam Tsuen Country Park and beyond.
  8. Tin Man begins with a few twists and turns before hurtling you down tight-winding corridors. The course is crammed full of berms and switchbacks that use up as much of the mountainside as possible. The result is a remarkable 3.5-kilometer-long white-knuckle ride that’s made it one of the most popular, action-packed descents in Hong Kong.
  9. Exiting right onto the MacLehose Trail. Here, you have the option to either head to Tai Lam Chung and ride the reservoir trail or head home.
  10. From there, less than 1 kilometer of the trail remains, where you exit onto an asphalt road and end with a 3-kilometer journey to the Gold Coast resort.

GALLERY