Hong Kong is a place of many faces, a huge conurbation with masses of sprawling habitation, most stretching high into the sky, and contrasting with that there are outlying islands that offer up – for the most part – a different and more peaceful way of life. Rich and poor, old and modern, peaceful and crowded, singletrack and multiple-lane motorway: all exist literally side by side in what Martin Maes would call the most amazing city in the world.
It was after months of planning that our international team finally touched down in Hong Kong. Media, friends and family had made us question the potential folly of coming here at this point in time to make a film and photo story. November 2019 saw a ramping up of discord in the social climate, happening since the summer. Scrapping our plans was not really an option, so we set off understanding that there could be potential roadblocks along the way and we would have to be flexible and prepared to alter our schedule instantly if needed.
The first day was met with an energetic Hans, eager to hop on his bike after such a long journey and ride the epic Tin Man trail, located in the New Territories region. There are still large areas in Hong Kong that have not been urbanised and are preserved as country parks for the locals and visitors to enjoy.
As the population of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon grew rapidly, more homes were needed, and urban developments spread up and out from Kowloon to the north, all the way to the border with mainland China and south and south-west to the islands of Lamma and Lantau. There are 7.5 million people living in Hong Kong and 50 per cent of them reside in the New Territories. First stop then, Tai Mo Shan, which has the highest peak at 957m. Hans teamed up with Hong Kong native Tiger, a local ripper who grew up watching Hans’s videos. He races on a local level and runs a bike repair shop from his small apartment.
This story is from the August 2020 edition of Mountain Bike Rider.
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This story is from the August 2020 edition of Mountain Bike Rider.
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