Articles Discovery on the cycling road Lifestyle Mr Old Man WHEN BEAUTIFUL LADIES RIDE BIKES By Mr Old Man Posted on 3 days ago 6 min read 0 0 20 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google+ Share on Reddit Share on Pinterest Share on Linkedin Share on Tumblr I – Mr. Old Man – no longer race. But I still love standing behind, watching others do extraordinary things. There is a simple truth: I no longer have enough battery to smash out a few hundred kilometers a day, climb Hai Van just to warm up, or count every vertical meter on top of Monkey Mountain – Son Tra. Age may have taken away my endurance, but thankfully, not my passion. So I chose a different role. Not riding as much anymore, but standing behind— lighting the fire, stirring the pot, cheering on the cycling community of Da Nang—especially the women—to dare things that already sound a little… crazy. And the result? The pioneers turned out to be the beautiful women who ride bikes. Beautiful ladies crazy about cycling KATIE BARDSLEY – 24 HOURS, NO QUITTING The first name to open this story is Katie Bardsley (Katie Bui, 32). In 2023, this mother of two rode 549 km in 24 continuous hours— a challenge that sounds painful just to imagine. It was not only a test of physical strength, but a battle with sleep, fatigue, and that very familiar thought: “Maybe I should stop.” Katie didn’t. Even more beautiful, she did this challenge to raise money for charity, including Newborns Vietnam. Riding for a cause—now that’s a combo worthy of respect. Katie opened the road so that many other women could believe: “I can do this too.” Full story about Katie: https://mroldman.net/nu-cua-ro-dau-tien-cua-viet-nam-hoan-thanh-549-km-sau-24-gio-dap-xe-lien-tuc/ Katie Bardsley NGA NGUYEN – THE QUEEN WITH NO THRONE In 2024, the Monkey Mountain Challenge witnessed another name that made Da Nang’s cycling community stare in awe: Nga Nguyen (46). On the misty, drizzly morning of 29 December 2024, Nga completed her final climb of the year and closed Monkey Mountain Challenge 2024 with an unbelievable number: 300 ascents of Monkey Mountain in one year. An official, undisputed record. And unofficially? She might also be leading in two very “real” categories: The rider with the most beautiful photos on Monkey Mountain The rider with the most spontaneous and poetic verses written on Monkey Mountain Climbing, taking photos, writing poetry— not many can keep up with that combo. Full story about Nga Nguyen: https://mroldman.net/nu-cua-ro-phong-trao-thiet-lap-ky-luc-dap-xe-leo-dinh-khi-gia-nhieu-nhat/ Nga Nguyen TRAN MAI – QUEEN OF MONKEY MOUNTAIN 2025 In 2025, the crown changed hands. Tran Mai, despite having only 10 months to join the challenge because she had to move to the U.S. with her family, still accumulated: 197,356 meters of elevation gain. A number that commands silent admiration. This equals more than 22 climbs of Mount Everest, and officially crowned Tran Mai as: Queen of Monkey Mountain 2025, surpassing Nga Nguyen’s record of 300 ascents. Less time—but never less determination. Full story about Tran Mai: https://mroldman.net/monkey-mountain-challenge-2025-tran-mai-new-queen-of-monkey-mountain/ Tran Mai WHEN BEAUTIFUL LADIES RIDE BIKES If you look closely, you will see: The female riders of Da Nang are not loud, not flashy. They are quiet, resilient, and stubborn in the most admirable way. They just keep riding, keep climbing—again and again. And then, at some point, the men realize they are standing on the sidelines—watching with genuine respect. For me, the joy is not in records, but in the moment when the challenges I started are conquered— by beautiful women who ride bikes, in a very beautiful way. ___ Mr. Old Man 28.01.2026