Cycling
Photo: Havang(nl), CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
Cycling allows you to see places close up and at a slower pace. It keeps you aware of your surroundings and you get to experience a place more intimately than you would as a bus or taxi passenger. You'll see more of street life and meet people going about their daily business. It is also a great way to return from your holidays fitter and healthier than when you left, and puts less burden on the environment.
UnderstandIt is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Get inIn some cases a traveler may be able to bring a bicycle from home, by cycling or by loading it on private or public transport. Otherwise you need to rent or buy at the destination.
The bicycleThere are several bicycle models. Those which are most commonly used for personal transportation are:
Bike rentalInstead of bringing your own bike, you can rent a bike in most towns, for a few hours, a day or longer. Price per hour usually goes down quickly as rental time increases.
Maps and routesCycling information and routes are usually found online, often from local authorities websites.
Cycling organizationsSimilar to motorists, cyclists have formed associations for mutual assistance as well as political lobbying soon after the invention of modern cycling.
DestinationsYou can bike anywhere, but there are places where cycling is particularly good or easy. These are some of the more popular destinations and cycle routes, to give you a taste of what's possible.
Stay safeWhen biking along cars, especially where there are few bikers, it is essential that you are easily seen. Wear brightly coloured clothes.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Cycling" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Havang(nl), CC0 via Wikimedia Commons