A beautiful but challenging trail, even for experienced MTB'rs. Two mates and I rode this in good weather on November 7th 2022. It is possible to ride in one day but choose your weather wiseley and be prepared to stay a night if it changes. It took us a leisurely 8 hours riding, 12 hours overall, after a start at 0540. Have fun but take all the safety gear recommended to make sure you make it out.
The Old Ghost Road is quite a bit gnarlier than the Heaphy Track and is in fact the most difficult cycle trail in the official New Zealand Cycle Trail (NZCT) system. It’s recommended that every rider cycle it from Lyell north and not the other way, as there is a section that’s nearly impossible from north to south, and the trail also contains New Zealand’s longest section of ‘single track’, a very narrow section on an exposed hillside.
This is a great ride. Done it twice, once in its first opening. This is a very informative video from MSC, well done! Yes get on your bike and do it 👍🤗
Everything functions properly ru-vid.comUgkxHL1v1R3NE5x4KiYfyt8dnQmyNYz7qi5L Nothing was damaged in the box aside from a decal on the fork. The decal was missing a piece of a corner but I ended up peeling them off anyways. Assembly is easy BUT make sure you tune up the derailleurs. Both the front and rear need adjusting. I'd advise going to a bike shop but I opted out and put in 10+ hours with the help of RU-vid. Ended up fraying a shifter cable but all in all I learned from the experience. The Brakes work well but the front caliper needs adjusting or at least mine did because the rotor was rubbing against the pads. Make sure you swap out the seat, grips, and pedals. For the short run you'll be fine though. I've read that this bike isn't built yet for hard trails but I just need it for the city. PA has some of the worst roads and being in a mountain this was a great choice. Worth the investment!
