Meeting other cyclists? Hybrid bike for Pamir?

[ddgy]

Hello

I was wondering it is easy to meet other people on the highway? I will begin in Dushanbe and finish in Osh or Bishkek depending on how tough I find the trip.

I am a bit nervous about doing this as I have not done a cycle tour before (although I have done a lot of cycling). Therefore I was hoping to meet other cyclists when I get there, I am going between 18th of June to 27th of July so it seems like the high season. I am a bit worried about what to do if something goes wrong with my bike and I am in the middle of nowhere.

Also I have a hybrid bike, I have already been told by someone on the forum to get schwalbe mondial touring tires which I will do, however I am not sure if people usually use a mountain bike instead of a hybrid?

Any advice would be appreciated

[ddgy]

Also forgot to ask if GPS would be a necessity for a place like the Pamir highway given its remoteness in some places?

[bwv812]

I don't think I've seen a bike with an active suspension; touring bikes tend not to have these. Pretty much everyone has a GPS nowadays, if only in their phone, but you're on the only sizeable road in the region, so it's difficult to get lost. Vehicles will pass everyday even if you don't meet other cyclists (though you will), so you won't get truly stranded. I really suggest you do a basic search for some cycling blogs, as they'll give lots more information and give you a good idea of what to expect.

[T.biker]

Trekking bike: not a problem. Hybrid? Well depends on the meaning, it seems hybrid word means a huge array of different bikes. If you are worried about not being a mountain bike, well the bigger the wheel the more comfortable on bad roads.
I rode a trekking bike around half of the globe a couple of years ago, and I am going to cycle tajikistan this year starting a few day ahead of you (around the 15 of June from dushanbe), so probably we will meet out there!

The biggest advice to tell you (told to me too) is to bring the bike stuff you might need to repair your bike. Specially a hybrid might have wheel sizes not available there (26 inch wheels can be found, anything else will be not available or very rare). The same for inner tubes, valves, etc. In other words, everyone doing long term cycling use touring or mountain bikes, basically because you can find parts everywhere, and things will eventually fail (and probably on the worst roads, will get the biggest damages).

Let me know if want some more details on cycling stuff