To get a good understanding of the Beijing mountain landscape, it helps to break the whole area down into 4 separate sectors.

Every sector has its pros and cons and these influence the type of riding you can do there and what type of scenery you will encounter.

Our bike club crosses all 4 sectors throughout the year, but it is clear that certain sectors are more suitable to regular Saturday rides then others.

Let’s run down the 4 sectors following a clockwise semi-circle around the city.

Sector 1

On the Southwest and Western edges of Beijing, the combined districts of Fangshan 房山 and Mentougou 门头沟 form sector 1.

This sector is home to Beijing’s tallest mountain (Dong Ling Shan 东灵山 at 2300m) and several mountaintop peaks at 2000m (Bai Hua Shan 百花山 and Bai Cao Pan 白草畔). Climbs in this area can be anything from 5-25km in length and would classify as Cat 1 or HC climbs in the Tour de France.

Notable climbs in this area include:

• Baiyanggou 白羊沟 (800m and 20km ascent)
• Gaoyakou 高崖口 (1000m and 13km ascent)
• Qinghuiling 青灰铃 (1222m and 8,5km ascent)
• Da Cun 大村 (800m and 10km ascent)
• Gao Tai  高台 Plateau
• Yang Tai Shan 阳台山 (1200m and 17km ascent)
• Miao Feng Shan 妙峰山(1000m and 13km ascent)
• Tan Zhe Si Pass 潭柘寺  (800m and 15km ascent)

Sector 1 is also the area where we have the memorable Bike&Bike cycling weekend. During this two day cycling marathon we traverse a whole list of mountain passes in the range of 1200m to 1600m altitude.

Special mention must go to the pass of Donglingshan (1600m and 14km ascent). This climb is not the highest in Beijing but it is the most beautiful alpine like climb i know off in Beijing. On top, the wide and spacious grasslands seems very out-of-place. A must climb for all Beijing cyclists.

Special mention should also be made to the twin peaks of Baicaopan and Baihuashan. These summits end at 2000m and are superb climbs with lots of switchbacks and both of epic length.

Sadly, the road surface are concrete slabs making it tough up and certainly down. Worst of all, the ascents are usually blocked by a toll booth that prohibits cyclists from going up. “too dangerous for cyclists” they claim…

On the downside, this area is an old mining area with loads of coal trucks and gravel trucks tramping up and down the valley floor. In recent years, regular day trippers by car have joined the fray. As these mountains are surprisingly close to the city, the area attracts a lot of traffic and the cycling experience is diminished by the constant danger of the passing trucks and cars.

Still, if we purely look at the statistics of the mountains (altitude, length) and if we stay well away from the crowded city-side of sector 1, we can expect to get the best and toughest climbs Beijing has to offer.

Sector 2

On the Northwest edge of the city, the districts of Changping昌平 and Yanqing延庆 form sector 2.

This area is decidedly middle of the range in terms of climbs. The area’s highest peaks top at 1500m altitude but few climbs reach above 1200m. The steep and spectacular climb to the Observatory (1200m and 10km of ascent) is the tallest hill in sector 2.

What makes this sector so special is the presence of the ever impressive Great Wall and the Ming Tombs. It’s a real honour for us Beijing cyclists to ride past so many old and renovated parts of the Wall. I never get tired of the “wow” feeling every time i see a lone tower or a crumbled section of wall…

On the other hand, the Wall and the Tombs also spell trouble for cyclists.

They draw huge crowds making the cycling hazardous, and the trip there and back very time consuming along the Badaling Express 八达岭 way.

As a result, in years past, we have avoided this area more and more. It’s awesome, yes, but the traffic jams really are a buzzkill for a snappy Saturday ride.

In the area these hills stand out:

• Si Hai 四海 (900m and 16km ascent)
• Bai He Shui Ku 白河水库 Pass (900m and 10km ascent)
• Dong Bei Kou 东北口 Pass (1100m and 5km at 8,5% avg)

In fact, the area behind Yong Ning 永宁 town, the Bai He river valley, ranks as one of the nicest valleys to cycle in. Since it lies far from Beijing, traffic is low and riding there a pure thrill.

Sector 3

In the Northeast of the city, the districts of Huairou 怀柔 and Miyun 密云 make up sector 3.

This sector is certainly one of our favourite stomping grounds. It has everything: Great Wall, river valleys, loads of climbs, interval, few cars, easy access to and fro, and a spectacular canyon high above the Bai He.

Naturally, we often ride here with the ride “Huairou to Miyun” (in both directions) as a perennial favourite.

Climbs of note are:

• Huairou Pass (500m and 5km ascent)
• Queenstown 太后 Pass (800m and 10km ascent)

Apart from these big climbs, the whole area is dotted with sharp 2-5km climbs, nameless but never forgettable.

I am sure regular riders will agree with me when I say that the Canyon plateau, with its numerous ups and down (and tunnels!), is a highlight of Beijing cycling.

The area near the Miyun dam密云水库 and the Huairou flanks see a lot of traffic, but luckily, it takes only a few minutes to traverse these areas and ride in very calm surroundings. The loop north of the Miyun Dam is fairly flat with lots of small hills and almost completely devoid of traffic.

Sector 2 is really a wonderful cycling area of intermediate intensity, and via the Jingcheng京承 expressway only an hour outside of Beijing city.

Sector 4

In the East of Beijing, you can find the district of Pinggu 平谷; our 4th sector.

This sector is special because it has everything you dream of, a nice and compact lay out and almost no traffic to and fro Beijing, huge climbs and tons of interval hills.

Our club spends most of its Saturday rides in this sector.

The area centers around the immense climbs of Si Zuo Lou 四座楼(1000m and 18km ascent at 6% avg) and the Hundred Emperors Palace 百帝宫(900m and 10km ascent). This ridge， and its surrounding hills， are not the highest in Beijing but they lie in the middle of a flat valley (hence the Chinese name Pinggu平谷). This makes them immensely steep and whilst climbing, you get an unforgettable view of the city below.

At the end of 2011, they finally finished putting tarmac on the climb to the summit so that the mountain pass of Sizuolou (tough from both sides!) has a fitting finale. It’s -to me- Beijing’s best climb.

The area also harbours one of the toughest climbs in Beijing with the wacky name: East Finger Teapot东指壶. The climbs is a mere 4,5km in length but it never dips below 10% (!). Climbing it is a nightmare that we put ourselves through, at least once a year.

The great thing about Pinggu is that it offers several interval rides for early Spring or early Winter. The loops cross smaller hills and pass scenic lakes and mountain plateaus. The ride from Miyun to Pinggu takes in several of the northern hills that are much lower but that combine well with the massive Sizuolou climbs.

Fundamentally, the easy access to and fro, via the jingping京平 expressway, really makes this sector the premier cycling area in Beijing.

At least, that’s what I reckon? What are your thoughts?