how to prepare for cycling on Sichuan-Tibet Highway

Have you ever heard about the most beautiful national highway of China---No.318 National Highway? It was first built in 1950 and finished in 1954, starting from People’s Square of Shanghai, passing Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Hubei, Chongqing and Sichuan Province, ending at the Friendship Bridge of Zhangmu Zhen, Nielamu Xian, Tibet. The whole highway lasts for 5476 kilometres, which makes it the longest national highway in China.
It crosses the eastern, middle and western areas of China, and it passes plains, hills, basins, mountain regions as well as continental plateaus, including Waterside cultures, Basin cultures as well as human landscapes of Tibet, and it has the surprising, risky, spectacular, beautiful, wonderful natural landscape from Chengdu Plain to Tibetan Plateau. Sichuan-Tibet Highway, also known as No.318 National Highway, is called Chinese Landscape Avenue by Chinese National Geography in 2006.
It is a part of the South line of Sichuan-Tibet Highway, which is one of the most beautiful and exciting sections of this landscape avenue. Its scenery is ever-changing, colourful, walking among them, you can experience the wonderful feeling of "different places have different days, a day has four seasons". It is also recognised as the most dangerous road and the most difficult highway in China as its crossing the Hengduan Mountain area of eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the world's most complex terrain and a unique Alpine Canyon area, where known as the "your heart is in the Heaven while the body is in hell."
Although the scenery of Sichuan-Tibet Highway is extremely beautiful, the difficulty of cycling is very huge. Then, what should we pay attention to when cycling on Sichuan-Tibet Highway?
1. Equipment and tools.
Prepare the following things: mountain bikes (disc brakes), riding helmets, gloves, riding glasses, headlights (in case of cycling at night), magic scarf, cushion, shelves, pack bag, Code table, kettle, raincoat (preferably split), fender, emergency clothing, car repair kits, spare tires, riding clothes, snake lock, Telephone, charger, camera, high risk sports insurance, bank card, cash, high-magnification sunscreen.
Cycling on Sichuan-Tibet Highway is a tough process, which needs we pay careful attention to prepare for it.
When cycling, remember to wear cycling pants to protect your hips. Wear helmets and magic scarves, ride glasses to protect your head and face and eyes from dust and the sunshine. Wear gloves (Your hand is easy to numb when you ride for dozens of kilometres downhill. It can prevent cold hand and cocoon, and finally find a safe place for a short rest at set intervals). Use your toes and heels in turns when riding for long distances. Decelerate when you are going uphill to protect the knee meniscus. Snub when you are braking in case of falling off. Use fenders to prevent dirt on the pavement from raining splashing on the face and backpack. Wear Jackets when you are at the top of the mountain or going downhill so as not to get a cold.
In addition, remember to use high-power sunscreen as the plateau radiation is too strong. Please do not expose your skin to the sun, otherwise you will be burned (when you are under the sun, in half an hour or so your skin will become red first, and then in the afternoon it will be very itchy, and then the skin begins to become black, and slowly it begins to peel, a large area of your skin will peel which is very scary and it needs about 1.5 years to restore.

2. Maintain your equipment.
First of all, prevent your tire blow out. Tire blow-out is very easy to happen in the process of cycling for the following reasons: bad road conditions, sharp gavels, glass from broken bottles, abandoned iron nails as well as changeable weather. So please pay careful attention to the acute thing on the road.
Secondly, maintain your brake. The brakes should be debugged often, especially when riding from the end of the Pass to the bottom of the hill, it is needed particularly before entering the Seventy-two Turns.
Thirdly, tire inflation. Do not inflate the tires too full in order to prevent the tire blow out, and the front wheel should be inflated less than the rear wheel so as to brake easily.
Fourthly, things about your team. It is better for 4 to ten people set off together, especially with who having the same level of physical strength, similar occupations, education experience and income as you will have some common topics and no much pressure. If there is a girl in the team, find another girl to join you as you won’t be left behind alone and it’s easier when arranging for accommodation.
What is more, take care of yourself! Your safety is the first thing to consider when cycling in Sichuan-Tibet Highway. Set off early every morning and lodge before night and it is better not to ride at night. When riding on bumpy roads, like sharp turnings or huge hills, don’t try to show off your cycling skills as it is very dangerous. Please obey the traffic law and ride on the right side. Control your speed and don’t make a phone call when you are cycling. Don’t travel alone as there will be no one to help you when bad things happen. There are many dogs on the road so please ride together and pay careful attention to them. When buying things, please make sure there is one or two of your teammates to look after your bikes and baggage. Never allow strangers to touch them, especially your bikes to protect yourselves and your properties. Pay attention to the changeable weather; when there is a landslide or mudslide, please be extremely careful. Don’t take the cars without safety insurance or overloaded cars. The most important thing is to protect the environment as it is a fragile place.

There are still many things to pay attention to when cycling on Sichuan-Tibet Highway. Read these guidelines carefully before cycling on Sichuan-Tibet Highway. I really hope these message will give you a little help and make your trip to Sichuan-Tibet Highway a perfect one.