A while back, we decided to take a few bikes and just go cycling around the outskirts of Colombo. We just remembered to put the post up yesterday.
So anyway, for cycling trips, depending on the length and location of your path, always carry enough water. A bottle each should be fine, as you can get refills from around. Food isn’t necessary, but if you’re going somewhere remote, better pack a few biscuits or something. As for the bikes themselves, make sure they’re in good condition as getting stuck in the middle of nowhere with a broken bike to lug around is undesirable.
Take it over to a bicycle repair shop nearby and ask him to give it a once-over. Don’t come across as a complete bicycle-noob and you (probably) won’t be fleeced. Bicycle repairs are one thing that is still cheap in this country; most minor repairs take 10-20 rupees. Parts are available at hardware stores and are typically around Rs. 250 for a chain and Rs. 450 for a set of cog wheels. Cheap.
In case you do need to do a few repairs en route, better carry a suitable sized wrench at the least and an entire toolbox at most. Most of the outskirts have bicycle repair shops around, just ask the locals.
Good backpacks are essential. But remember to pack light and take small day packs. Sunglasses too as long exposure to Colombo’s sun is not very friendly on the eyes during most of the year. And sunscreen if you’re into that kind of thing.
Routes
Planning a route is not that hard. Just pick an interesting enough area and you’ll find plenty of paths to ride down. We decided to start from Battaramulle. Our original intention was to get to the Kelani Temple, but we ended up passing through Hokandara, somewhere near Athurugiriya and then back to Battaramulle through Kaduwela and Malabe. Only the last leg of our journey was on the main Kaduwela road.
The North East suburbs, through which we traversed are rich in greenery. Paddy fields line the dirt roads that lead through villages and the occasional upmarket gated community.
Things To Do
When we set off, we had a vague idea of just heading East till we got to the Kelani River, cross, then head over to the Temple. We ended up going through Hokandara, ending up in some place we didn’t have any idea about, passed through a few housing schemes, wallowed in a muddy field, plummeted down a few hills and even managed to get drenched in the rain.
There are some really beautiful places all over Sri Lanka, and they’re not all outside of Colombo. Just try your luck and you’ll be surprised with small paths through paddy fields, great sunsets from atop hills and lush green landscapes. Most of the country is still covered in green, as evident through a cursory Google maps search for say, cycling routes.
Just explore, have fun. If you don’t find anything interesting, you can always just pedal somewhere else. Some interesting places you can try and cycle through include Colombo Fort, the marshland near and around the Bera lake and the areas further away to the North en route to Negombo.
