The price of progress: Riding the Silk Road before it changes forever.

While China’s observation of its neighbours is nothing new, its plans for this sleepy little undeveloped country are.

In the preceding centuries, passage through this area was a central part of the important Silk Road trading route, connecting the East and the West. The Chinese government’s 21st-century ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ is fundamentally a reinvigoration of this traditional trading route, with significant development slated for Eastern Europe, Africa, and Central Asia.

Spanning four continents and at a cost of over $1 trillion, it is the largest infrastructure project in history.

And as we’d learn, the impact on Kyrgyzstan would be much, much greater than simply a new road.

Video Player
Rewind a half-dozen months.

Sitting in the office one mundane weekday, I received a strikingly similar email to the one that my mate Shannon from Serk Cycling had sent which sparked an adventure that saw us riding up to Mount Everest base camp. He’d included a link to a proposed bike-packing race in the ‘Stans, with a note along the lines of “Let’s get here before this place becomes a superhighway”. The video became my daily escape, with each viewing stirring an incredible wanderlust for this central Asian wild west.

Thanks to Specialized
Special thanks to our VeloClub members

[PolyglotBikepacker]

I rode my bike from Belgium to China in 2017. I spent 4 weeks in Kyrgyzstan. This brought back a lot of memories

[nikoulph]

That bike packing style shown in the video is ok if you have somebody following you with all the goodies...
Last summer I went to Kyrgyzstan and had 5 times what you carry, food, filter, warmer clothes, etc...
If you plan to get there without the sherpa on motorbike, plan well your routes and take enough food with you, as there is nothing literally for days of cycling.
No showers no shops no tourists.
PS: Kegeti mountain pass the southern part is dangerous, and it's better to climb it from north side. From south it will be just pushing on steep big fallen rocks path for 500+ meters elevation, I did it to descend and I had to walk down and break my bicycle not to fall down with all the stones.
And Kyrgyzstan is nothing like Switzerland, it's wilder, rougher, nicer :)

[JohnBaxendale]

Wow, amazing, brilliant video, looks an amazing country, such stunning scenery.

[kortbrook]

Nelson Trees, you're a good man! Thanks for bringing us lucky and privileged adventurers to Silk Road this year. #SRMR2019

[marcshelby]

at 11:20 the simultaneity is stunning :D

[dkphantomdk]

worse thing about a new road will be all the polution and trash it brings into the area.. and the locals are probably not capable of handling the enourmes amount of trash that will arrieve..
same with paradise locations they have been filled with trash ! :(

[relax-tnhx]

They fail to point out that a new silk road would tunnel under any mountain ranges and not use the route of the old road. Some of those high passes would be impassable in winter for lorries as well as most cars.

Yet why let the truth get in the way of a fairy tale aimed at all the eco fairys.

If they just stated this is a tourism advert for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan then they would have a lot more respect from most people with common sense.
Anyway, next episode: "it is amazing; you can now cycle all the way to China from France on this amazing new silk road!"

[SurfistaCamad]

For anyone considering this without support vehicles.. you will need pannier rack and a lot more gear.. ie a big sleeping bag and tent.. these guys make it look oh glamorous

[matshallin]

Not to be a hater, Because the video was great. But calling it "bikepacking" and refering to having "everything i need on my bike" when you're sleeping in hotels and have a big support vehicle 300 feet behind you - hahaha. 
Good job, great video, and beautiful footage though!

[ofidler]

Whoever did your colour grading deserves huge kudos, perfectly done, especially on the drone footage - absolutely stunning work both in the filming, editing and the colour grading that brought the scenery to us. Thank you.

[gromit]

I watch fully supported bike trips and have even more respect for Iohan Gueorguiev.

[RadioSnivins]

Not to toot my own flugelhorn, but I once rode the full length of Burwood Highway.

[Flintynicknacks]

To understand more about the impact this initiative will have - read the 2 books by Peter Frankopan about the history of The Silk Roads - a MUST for anyone thinking of entering politics!! Actually, a must for anyone interested in history, economics, politics, or just how and why the world is how it is at the moment.

[CuteKittyGirl]

Not really bikepacking when you have a support vehicle

[haorob]

You guys did a cycling trip through China with a local fixer and a Chinese guy but in the whole 17-minute video they never spoke and barely were captured on video - actually it felt like they were purposefully edited out. Would some commentary and video capture of these two individuals have helped add another - perhaps more local - dimension to the video?

[brianmckeown]

Absolutely spectacular, well shot and edited, stunning vistas.

[rplumb]

Maybe you should try to work with the government to make some suggestions on how they could capitalize on the tourism while maintaining the beauty. There’s a huge opportunity here. Can’t just say - don’t build these roads through because it’ll spoil my view of your country!

[OGColorado]

That is a beautiful video.  My mother in law was a school teacher in Uzbekistan and Kyrgistan as a young woman.  She lived in mountain villiages and has amazing stories.  I'd like to make that ride.

[RuinInScotland]

I cycled around the region in 1994/5 and had a super time riding these tracks etc super place .. brings back happy memories of the time in the mountains on the tracks... changed so much since we were there

[TalesofAdventure]

Such stunning scenery - we can’t wait to try the Silk Road race next year! 😍😍🇰🇬