In January, when breath turns to frost on Nanshan Mountain and standing at the summit is freezing, over 40 bikers from "Han Pipa" chose to brave the wind and descend. Dressed in sleek cycling gear and riding their custom "DIY" mountain bikes, they sped down a two-kilometer-long, rarely-trodden mountain path from the mountaintop opposite the Great Golden Eagle on Nanshan. Downhill is an "extreme" form of mountain biking, known as "DownHill" in English, or DH for short. As an ultimate sport famed for its thrill and danger, downhill biking is very popular in Europe and America. The most important aspect of downhill biking is safety.
The bikers from "Han Pipa" generally choose rugged, rarely-visited mountain trails for training and competitions, and set up dedicated staff at both the start and finish lines to minimize impact on others.
Good equipment is also essential. "Downhill biking is difficult and dangerous, requiring high standards for both gear and the bike," said enthusiast Hong Weiwen. Safety gear for downhill includes helmets, goggles, neck guards, body armor, shin guards, and due to the need for grip, a pair of downhill shoes. A full set of this gear costs around 5,000 to 6,000 yuan.
Assembling a DH bike costs even more. Because during downhill riding, various maneuvers are performed and the bike needs to be tailored to the rider’s height, weight, and cycling habits, so each bike is customized. Therefore, DH bikes are all assembled, and assembling an entry-level bike costs at least ten thousand yuan, while more advanced setups exceeding one hundred thousand yuan is not uncommon.
Thrilling
Two-kilometer descent in just four minutes
This "DH race" was held on the mountaintop opposite the Great Golden Eagle on Nanshan, featuring a rugged mountain trail flanked by dense woods, scattered with stones and rubble. The path goes up and down continuously, occasionally blocked by broken low walls.
However, for DH enthusiasts, the rougher and more obstacle-laden the trail, the greater the thrill of overcoming challenges and the joy of speeding downhill. "This is one of the best spots in Chongqing. We often ride down from here," said Hong Weiwen, 28, one of the founders of "Han Pipa." Almost every weekend, they organize DH training or races. The city’s Nanshan, Gele Mountain, and Jinyun Mountain are among their favorite training grounds, but the mountaintop opposite the Great Golden Eagle on Nanshan, just over two kilometers by car and with a total drop of over 100 meters, is especially challenging due to its rugged paths and natural obstacles. The first DH race held in Nanshan this year attracted three DH enthusiasts who came specially from Chengdu to compete.
Hong Weiwen explained that DH utilizes the downhill slope to generate momentum, with speeds reaching 50–80 km/h or even higher. Descending the two-plus kilometer mountain path takes only about four minutes. With the issue of propulsion solved, riders can focus more on controlling the bike and enjoying the adrenaline rush of flying downhill and conquering obstacles.
At 1 p.m., as the competition horn sounded, the time trial began. The first mountain bike shot down from the top. "Whoosh——whoosh——" After a neat jump, in the blink of an eye, the bike had vanished from sight.
Romance
Biker proposes with roses before race
Although DH is a sport for the brave, within the courageous ranks of "Han Pipa," there's also room for romance. Just as the organizers announced the start of the race and the bikers were gearing up and getting ready, an unexpected surprise occurred—fireworks suddenly burst forth, and Yang Wenhhu, dressed in cycling gear, suddenly presented his girlfriend with a big bouquet of roses: "Darling, will you marry me?" Zhao Xuefei smiled sweetly, her cheeks flushed pink as she looked at the bright red flowers.
It turned out that, to surprise his fiancée Zhao Xuefei, Yang Wenhhu had been secretly planning this proposal. He asked his friend Chen Youjia to drive early in the morning to the Juzumiao Flower Market at Jiefangbei to buy 29 roses. "Roses represent love, and 29 roses mean 'love you forever'," Yang Wenhhu said. All of this was done in secret.
"We've known each other for eight years. Being together is all about fate," said Yang Wenhhu, whose hobby is cycling. As a member of the Han Pipa team, he joins every race. And these are the times his girlfriend Zhao Xuefei worries the most, as injuries are likely—but she still chooses to support him. "He always gets hurt after races. But I trust he can protect himself. After all, it’s his passion, and I don’t want him to give up his dreams. That’s what I admire about him," Zhao Xuefei said.
The bikers from "Han Pipa" generally choose rugged, rarely-visited mountain trails for training and competitions, and set up dedicated staff at both the start and finish lines to minimize impact on others.
Good equipment is also essential. "Downhill biking is difficult and dangerous, requiring high standards for both gear and the bike," said enthusiast Hong Weiwen. Safety gear for downhill includes helmets, goggles, neck guards, body armor, shin guards, and due to the need for grip, a pair of downhill shoes. A full set of this gear costs around 5,000 to 6,000 yuan.
Assembling a DH bike costs even more. Because during downhill riding, various maneuvers are performed and the bike needs to be tailored to the rider’s height, weight, and cycling habits, so each bike is customized. Therefore, DH bikes are all assembled, and assembling an entry-level bike costs at least ten thousand yuan, while more advanced setups exceeding one hundred thousand yuan is not uncommon.
Thrilling
Two-kilometer descent in just four minutes
This "DH race" was held on the mountaintop opposite the Great Golden Eagle on Nanshan, featuring a rugged mountain trail flanked by dense woods, scattered with stones and rubble. The path goes up and down continuously, occasionally blocked by broken low walls.
However, for DH enthusiasts, the rougher and more obstacle-laden the trail, the greater the thrill of overcoming challenges and the joy of speeding downhill. "This is one of the best spots in Chongqing. We often ride down from here," said Hong Weiwen, 28, one of the founders of "Han Pipa." Almost every weekend, they organize DH training or races. The city’s Nanshan, Gele Mountain, and Jinyun Mountain are among their favorite training grounds, but the mountaintop opposite the Great Golden Eagle on Nanshan, just over two kilometers by car and with a total drop of over 100 meters, is especially challenging due to its rugged paths and natural obstacles. The first DH race held in Nanshan this year attracted three DH enthusiasts who came specially from Chengdu to compete.
Hong Weiwen explained that DH utilizes the downhill slope to generate momentum, with speeds reaching 50–80 km/h or even higher. Descending the two-plus kilometer mountain path takes only about four minutes. With the issue of propulsion solved, riders can focus more on controlling the bike and enjoying the adrenaline rush of flying downhill and conquering obstacles.
At 1 p.m., as the competition horn sounded, the time trial began. The first mountain bike shot down from the top. "Whoosh——whoosh——" After a neat jump, in the blink of an eye, the bike had vanished from sight.
Romance
Biker proposes with roses before race
Although DH is a sport for the brave, within the courageous ranks of "Han Pipa," there's also room for romance. Just as the organizers announced the start of the race and the bikers were gearing up and getting ready, an unexpected surprise occurred—fireworks suddenly burst forth, and Yang Wenhhu, dressed in cycling gear, suddenly presented his girlfriend with a big bouquet of roses: "Darling, will you marry me?" Zhao Xuefei smiled sweetly, her cheeks flushed pink as she looked at the bright red flowers.
It turned out that, to surprise his fiancée Zhao Xuefei, Yang Wenhhu had been secretly planning this proposal. He asked his friend Chen Youjia to drive early in the morning to the Juzumiao Flower Market at Jiefangbei to buy 29 roses. "Roses represent love, and 29 roses mean 'love you forever'," Yang Wenhhu said. All of this was done in secret.
"We've known each other for eight years. Being together is all about fate," said Yang Wenhhu, whose hobby is cycling. As a member of the Han Pipa team, he joins every race. And these are the times his girlfriend Zhao Xuefei worries the most, as injuries are likely—but she still chooses to support him. "He always gets hurt after races. But I trust he can protect himself. After all, it’s his passion, and I don’t want him to give up his dreams. That’s what I admire about him," Zhao Xuefei said.
