The pinnacle of bike rides, riding down from the Tibetan Plateau through the Himalayas into Nepal, across seven passes, the last of them 17,000 feet. It is one of the most heavily bicycled roads in China (surpassed only by the Karakoram Highway), where illicit cyclists camp beside tour groups with support trucks. Many of the great monasteries lie along this road, and it is technically feasible, although highly illegal to visit any of these without a permit, much less the magnificent Yamdrok Tso or indeed numerous other power places along the northern face of the Himalayan Chain.

The authorities are especially vigilant along this road, with several police and army checkpoints. Some areas are more sensitive than others, closer to the Indian border of course, but spoke to a cyclist who heard gunfire behind him as he fled past the checkpoint at the turnoff to Yamdrok Tso. We have ourselves experienced the regulatory wrath of police at Zedang, near Lhasa airport.

Many people ride this road, but what its great appeal is we don't know. A couple who we met in both Lhasa and KTM were about to turn around and ride back the other way - their third time all up! We wouldn't ride it again. There are simply better places to ride.