bonjour,
ayant malheureusement laisse mon velo attache en ville pendant une heure, je me le suis fait vole. du coup je suis a la recherche de bonnes adresses de magasins de velo a buenos aires, qui auraient des velos pour le voyage.
merci
une cyclotouriste sans son velo
Bonjour,
Si tu contactes "Chegringo" (voir dans le bottin des membres), il y a des chances qu'il puisse te renseigner (il est né sur une bicyclette 😉).
Cordialement,
Pasinul 🙂
.....\ In Pasinul We Trust /......et dans mon hamac aussi...
(*) Pour les gens plus intelligents que la moyenne, mes interventions font l'objet d'un Disclaimer
Jacinthe,
voici une adresse pour acheter un vélo. Au centre, il n'y a pas çà, paraît-il!
Mon contact, qui est coureur cycliste (pisteur), m'a donné cette adresse:
Boulevard Santa Fe, 1369 à BANFIELD, ville qui fait partie de l'Entité de Lamos de Zamora.
Je viens de regarder sur Google Earth, tu dois prendre le train à la gare de Constitucion et descendre à Banfield Ouest, tu sors de la gare du côté droit dans le sens de marche du train et tu trouve sur ta gauche une rue Antonio Berutti qui te conduit pendant environ 18 cuadras, tout droit et tu croises Bd. Santa Fe, c'est sur ta gauche au milieu de la cuadra.
J'espère que tu trouveras ce que tu veux.
Tiens moi au courant!😎
No deje crecer hierba en el camino de la amistad.
"Il y a les vivants, les morts... et ceux qui partent en mer." Victor Hugo.
bonjour
jai achete mon velo et je le fais reviser tous les ans a cette boutique,
Atalaya, avenue Calbildo 4337
tel 4702-2952
tu prend le bus 152 par exemple et il te depose devant. cest juste avant le peripherique qui fait le tour de BA
je te suggere la bici que jai achete, la zenith sala a 27 vitesses, ou le modele juste en dessous a 24 vitesses eventuellement.
si tu vas la dis lui bonjour de ma part, le cicliste francais qui a parcouru toute largentine et tout le chili et les paysa des environs il comprendra.
si tu as besoin dinfo sur ce coin du monde regarde mon site ou envoie moi un mail
bonne route Pierre
tout le monde prétend que la Terre est ronde, mais ne le croyez pas, en fait elle est plate bien sûr!
http://mandolpierre.overblog.com
la zenith sala coute environ 600 dollars, et lautre 100 dollars de moins. mais la difference est notable, prend la sala si tu as les moyens. prend la sans frein a disque, ca tamenerai que des ennuis
ca coute moins cher si tu payes en liquide, il y a des distributeurs pas loin, mais tu ne peux retirer que 1000 pesos par distributeur, voir par jour
appelle les pour avoir toutes les infos 9h-12h 14h -19h
au fait il ya dautres boutiques mais cest au moins aussi cher, et pas aussi simpa, jen ai fait pas mal avant de me decider.
prend un porte bagage arriere a 3 pattes en v cest le plus costaud.
jai aussi change la jante arriere pour une plus large, 22 int et 28 ext, tu peuxvoir sils te le font en deduisant la jante existante. cest plus costaud et les pneus durent plus longtemps.
pour le porte bagage avant il faut le fabriquer, javais mis une foto du mien sur voyage forum.
tu pense aller ou en velo, moi je suis vers bolivie chili norte argentina noroeste cette fois
bonne chance Pierre
tout le monde prétend que la Terre est ronde, mais ne le croyez pas, en fait elle est plate bien sûr!
http://mandolpierre.overblog.com
Merci pour vos reponses. je nai malheureusement pas pu aller voir cette boutique, jai achete le mien avenue rivadavia, un diamond back 24 vitesses qui a l air pas mal du tout. merci quand meme et peut etre a bientot sur les routes je me dirige actuellement en uruguay jusquau chutes d iguazu pour ensuite paraguay bolivie peru
bonjour
jespere que ce velo sera bien
uruguay tu vas suivre sans doute par louest, salto est jolie ville. ensuite je te recommande les missions jesuites, argentine, bresil et paraguay. a part ca cest pas genial le paysage. au bresil arrete toi dans une boutique gaucho, pour acheter lalcool de fruit, succulent bien que un peu fort.
iguazu vois les 2 cotes, et les auberges de jeunesse sont plutot simpas des 2 cotes. cote bresil celle qui est a 12km de la ville direction les chutes piscine, parc, bon resto pas cher, je te recommande pour se reposer. simpa aussi le parc aux oiseaux.
paraguay achete le guide automobil club du paraguay en station service. il y a pas de detours interessants, sinon la route est plutot monotone. argentine province misiones tres dangereuse par les camions qui roulent tres vite.
je nai pas les cartes sous la main alors je fais court.
bolivie je suppose que tu vas entrer pres de puerto suarez, va au pantanal, puis vers santa cruz agua calientes, puis tour missiones, puis santa cruz puis samaipa equivalent au machu picchu.
apres les pistes jusqua la paz je ten dirai plus quand je serai par la, fin juin environ.
bonne route Pierre
tout le monde prétend que la Terre est ronde, mais ne le croyez pas, en fait elle est plate bien sûr!
http://mandolpierre.overblog.com
On a suivit les bon conseils de MandolPierre, et on est aller acheter un Zenith Riva a 1760pesos (paiement par carte, en cash c'est 1670). On faisait qu'un mois de velo donc on a estime le Riva suffisant. (apparemment changement de vitesse un peu moins bien que le Zenith Manta, et des jantes a paroi simple mais bien resistantes aussi)
On y a aussi achete porte bagages (100 pesos), sacoches Halawa 64l (295 pesos), et tout le tralala
En effet c'est le magasin le moins cher que j'ai vu a Buenos Aires.
Il y avait aussi 'Rodados la Esquina' sur Av. Diaz Velez 5201 au coin avec Acoyte qui etait pas mal et plus dans le centre. Moyen de trouver les memes choses que chez Atalaya et des bons conseils, mais de fait un rien plus cher...(Zenith Riva 1850 pesos, porte bagage 75 pesos et Halawa 64l 298 pesos)
On a aussi achete un velo d'occasion a Salta avec sacoches, mais apparemment il faut faire attention de demander les 'papiers' du velo (la facture d'achat originelle) quand on achete de seconde main. Sans 'papiers', quand on essaye de revendre le velo, les gens croient qu'il est vole et ca perd directement de sa valeur.
A Salta on a trouve un magasin qui vendait les Zenith encore moins cher que chez Atalaya, aussi quelques bonnes occasions. L'inconvenient c'est que pas moyen de trouver un porte bagage ou des sacoches convenables a Salta. Ca il faut les acheter a Buenos Aires.
Bonjour, etes vous toujours a la recherche d un vélo pour voyager? car moi j'ai un vélo à vendre avec lequel j'ai voyager a misiones.
Le vélo se trouve actuellement a Salta capital. Si ca vous interesse, je peu vous donner les caractéristiques et une photo.
A bientot, Jan.
bonjour
content de voir que vous avez trouve votre bonheur.
l'adresse a Salta m'interesse, la connais tu?
je profite de ce message pour completer les infos :
pour les sacoches et autres materiels de camping le mieux cest de commander au Chili, par bus ca arrive en 2 jours, paiement par carte bleue, commande sur internet, le site cest
http://www.andesgear.cl/
bon voyage Pierre
tout le monde prétend que la Terre est ronde, mais ne le croyez pas, en fait elle est plate bien sûr!
http://mandolpierre.overblog.com
bonjour
merci, cest la boutique je connais, ils nont pas grand chose effectivement, mais je crains que ce soit la seule a Salta pour des bons velos.
bonne route Pierre
tout le monde prétend que la Terre est ronde, mais ne le croyez pas, en fait elle est plate bien sûr!
http://mandolpierre.overblog.com
Je cherche à savoir s'il m'est plus avantageux financièrement d'acheter un velo en suisse (ou j'habite) puis de survoler l'océan atlantique avec (je me rend à Buenos Aires pour commencer) ou bien de l'acheter directement sur place !?
L'avantage est qu'ici je connais les bonnes adresses pour les vélos d'occasion.
... tandis que je n'ai aucune idée ou en trouver à B.A
Quel est le prix moyen d'un bon vélo de voyage neuf là-bas?
Aurez vous peut-être des adresses à me communiquer?
merci d'avance :-)
Je vous souhaite de croiser de beaux sourires sur votre route !
bonjour
un velo de montagne neuf en argentine coute 600 euros tout equipe. cadre alu 7005, et tout qualite deore, 27 vitesses, de la tres bonne qualite, et parfait pour lamerique du sud. cest le zenith sala, enfin il a change de nom, mais cest pareil, jai fait 50 000 km avec.
une adresse cest la boutique atalaya, buenos aires, tu cherches sur internet ou sur ce site, et tu dis que tu viensd de la part de pierre, le francais.
tu peux leur envoyer un mail. http://www.btt.com.ar/bici/2557-atalaya
attention pas de porte bagage avant, ni de sacoche de guidon, ni de sacoche ortlieb ou equivalent, ca tu dois lammener.
ca teconomise lavion pour le velo.
a bientot pierre
tout le monde prétend que la Terre est ronde, mais ne le croyez pas, en fait elle est plate bien sûr!
http://mandolpierre.overblog.com
... on ne trouve pas (selon ce que j'ai entendue) de sacoche ortlieb pour vélo ni de porte bagage avant à Buenos aires..
Mais est-ce que les vélos que l'on achète las bas sont généralement pourvu des 4 ou 2 oeillets sur les fourches avant?
(oeillets nécessaire à la fixation d'un porte bagage avant...)
la zénith sala par ex?
Il suffirait alors que je prenne avec moi un porte bagage avant classique que je fixerait une fois las bas !?
et connaîtrez vous des magasins à Buenos aires ou je peux trouver tout le nécessaire pour le camping?
Quel réchaud pouvez vous me conseiller?
merci pour votre aide!
ps: dans 3 semaines c'est parti! 1 an avec mon vélo en Amériques latine, départ Buenos aires. Si vous avec d'autres conseils a me donner c'est avec plaisir!
ps: dans 3 semaines c'est parti! 1 an avec mon vélo en Amériques latine, départ Buenos aires.
tu pars dans 3 semaines et ton vélo n'est toujours pas acheté ? 😕
Moi je pars mi novembre pour également un an minimum et j'ai acquis mon vélo depuis déjà 1 an. C'est vrai que je l'ai monté moi même en fouinant tous les composants mais quand même ! Il n'a à ce jour pas parcouru beaucoup de distance (2000 kms) mais il est rodé. De plus, je sais que je ne devrais pas avoir de grosses douleurs puisqu'il est réglé correctement.
En tout cas, je te souhaite de trouver au moins le magasin et de cibler le modèle que tu vas acheter sur place si c'est cette solution que t’envisage. Idem pour tout ton équipement. Sinon, c'est perdre du temps déjà sur place.
Je ne suis absolument pas une geek de bon materiel. Je ne pars pas pour tester un bon velo ou bien trouver la tente la plus légère. Ayant déja quelques voyages derrières moi (dont pls en vélo) je peut te dir que... ce n'est pas l'habit qui fait le moine :-)
( mais sa peut rendre ton voyage plus agréable certes)
Enfaite mon vélo (de ville et quelconque mais un fidèle compagnon de voyage tout de même) a malheureusement été volé. Je ne pense pas perdre mon temps a trouver tout le matériel sur place car sa sera aussi l'occasion d'apprendre à connaitre un peu mieu Buenos Aires. Perdre mon temps ici ou las bas ... ne reviens enfaite qu'a une énorme différence de prix.
...sinon quelqu'un aurait-il des renseignement par rapport à ma qustion initiale?
- équipé pour les portes bagages avant les vélos de Buenos aires ?
Suite à un accident, on cherche un magasin à Buenos Aires pour acheter des sacoches de type Ortlieb ou Vaude ?
Connaissez vous un magasin dans le centre ou la périphérie pour acheter ce type de matériel.
Merci de vos réponses rapides !
Guillaume
I'm developing a free and open-source web app for planning walking and cycling trips (and even car trips). You can create a route by clicking directly on the map to add waypoints, and it can consist of multiple stages. The app provides tools to edit the stages and the overall route, and to display useful information (distances, altitudes, and elevation changes). A relief profile can be shown as a graph for a specific stage or the entire route.
Once the route is ready, it can be exported as a GPX file, which can then be used with a GPS or a mobile navigation app.
The app is built in JavaScript and runs entirely in the web browser. It uses the Leaflet library and several OpenStreetMap-based services. Initially developed for my personal needs (I enjoy hiking and cycle touring), I’d be happy to share it with anyone who might find it useful. It’s free to use, doesn’t require an account, and the source code is available.
I’ve got my flight ticket sorted—departing in mid-November and returning in mid-March. I’ll arrive in Santiago and leave from Buenos Aires.
I’ve already been to southern Argentina, specifically Torres del Paine National Park, and I’d love to go back to do the full W trek (I only did the shorter version last time).
I also want to do some hiking and maybe even tackle a summit. I climb and occasionally do some mountaineering, so I’ll definitely be going with a guide.
I plan to start around Temuco in Chile, with the idea of heading toward the lakes, then taking the Carretera Austral.
I’m not sure if I’ll go all the way to Ushuaia—it’s supposed to not be *that* worth it, except for the bragging rights of saying you’ve been to the end of the world.
I saw there are lakes in Argentina too.
I don’t have a precise itinerary, but what I’d love is, once I reach the southernmost point of my trip, to take a mini-cruise to see some wildlife. Any tips for that?
What kind of sleeping bag did you take? Is a 0°C (32°F) one enough?
And one last question: white gas stove or can I get by with my gas stove?
Hi there,
I’ve been road cycling for several years, and I’m about to switch to gravel in the next few days—I’m waiting for my bike, which should arrive this week.
I’m planning a bikepacking trip in a few weeks along the Véloroute V81, also known as the Vélosud, from Biarritz to Le Barcarès.
Has anyone here already done this route? Any info is welcome, whether it’s about the route itself, gear, or accommodation. I’ll prioritize staying with locals as much as possible. On that note, I just signed up for the brand-new site *Guidon et Couette* ((www.guidon-et-couette.fr)), which offers free accommodation between cyclists across the country, but there’s almost no one listed along my route!
Thanks in advance.
Laurent.
Hi there, I’m planning a cross-Canada bike trip, and I’ve got a question that might seem silly, but could someone tell me how to pack a bike (in a box, with a fragile sticker... I don’t know) for a flight? Thanks in advance!
This summer, we’re planning to cycle along the EV 19 that follows the Meuse River from Langres all the way to Rotterdam.
My question is about getting back to Nantes.
Do any of you know what the best return option might be? I’d love to hear about your experiences.
I saw that FlixBus doesn’t take bikes.
By train, I think it’s possible but would involve multiple local trains.
We were also wondering if there’s a boat from Rotterdam to Saint-Nazaire that could take passengers with bikes.
Any tips or experiences you can share would be really helpful—thanks in advance!
Have a great evening
I’ve gotten used to crossing Europe by bus to return by bike.
It was really convenient to take the bike without having to disassemble it.
But FlixBus no longer accepts bikes...
What alternatives do you know about?
Thanks.
Hi there,
I’m planning to ride the Dutch section of the EuroVelo 19, from Maastricht to Rotterdam.
Since it’s too complicated to bring my bike on the train, I’m looking to rent one locally.
I’d love any tips or bike rental shop recommendations—I’m struggling to find options even in Rotterdam.
The plan is to rent in Rotterdam, take the train to Maastricht with the bike, then cycle back to Rotterdam.
Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions!
Nath
I’m planning to cycle from Morlaix to Brest (via Roscoff and the V45 coastal route). We’ll start riding on August 16th for 13 days (with stops for island visits, surfing, etc.). Is there a lot of traffic at this time of year? I’ve got two kids, 11 and 13, and we don’t like riding in the middle of cars (we’ve already done the Vélomaritime—Caen to Cherbourg—the Loire route from Orléans to Saumur, the Vélodyssée from Nantes to Royans, and the canals like the Nivernais and Bourgogne, where there were plenty of bike-only lanes, which isn’t the case on this route).
Thanks for your help if you’ve already done this route in late August!
Virginie
I’m planning to build a new touring bike.
I want to prioritize lightness.
That said, I’m tempted by a suspension fork that could offer some comfort on rougher roads.
The recent appearance of gravel suspension forks on the market might meet my needs—at least on paper.
I’m particularly considering the RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR fork.
Unlike MTB forks, its travel is short: either 30 mm or 40 mm.
It weighs 1400 g, which is 400/500 g more than a steel fork.
Any thoughts or real-world feedback on this?
I’m also wondering about the durability of magnesium (lower leg) for long-distance bike touring.
And what’s the impact of skipping the manufacturer-recommended maintenance every 50 and 200 hours? That’s bound to happen on a long trip unless you carry extra gear.
More generally, how reliable are these kinds of forks?
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share with you the incredible feat my friend José, who’s 72 years old, is currently undertaking. He left Auterive near Toulouse on Monday, May 18, 2026, on his non-electric bike, heading for the North Cape in Norway!
You can follow his route on the link below—he’s currently in Sweden:
https://thierry-thomas.travelmap.net/jose-de-toulouse-a-nord-cap-2026
You can zoom in on the map and click on each stopover town to see the photos
I’m making an exception and creating a separate post this time, since it’s all about France. In May, we spent a week in Provence, specifically in the Luberon, exploring the cycling routes *Autour du Luberon à Vélo*, the *Véloroute du Calavon* (part of EuroVelo 8), and the shorter *Les Ocres à Vélo* route. Together, they gave us an amazing journey through rolling hills, vineyards, lavender fields still green in spring, and some of the most stunning landscapes in southern France.
It was, of course, the perched villages that impressed us the most. We visited Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux, Lacoste, Lourmarin, Ménerbes, Oppède-le-Vieux, Cucuron, and Lauris. Many of them are among the most beautiful villages in Provence, and it’s hard not to agree with that reputation.
One interesting point is the route of EuroVelo 8 in this part of the region. The official path mainly follows the old railway line of the *Véloroute du Calavon*, which is very comfortable and safe. But in our opinion, cyclists traveling EuroVelo 8 around the Mediterranean would discover even more treasures if the route passed through villages like Bonnieux, Lacoste, or Oppède-le-Vieux.
We were also pleasantly surprised by how safe cycling felt. Most of the route takes small local roads, but traffic is light, drivers are respectful, and road design really takes cyclists into account. It’s one of those places where you can ride peacefully even without separated bike lanes.
Our full story:
Around Luberon by bicycle - the most beautiful villages of Provence
You can also find all our cycling travel stories on the forum:
Cycling Thread - Europe’s most beautiful bike routes
Hi there, we’re a group of 4 cyclists looking to get from Treviso in Italy to Munich with our 4 non-folding bikes. It seems complicated! Are there any solutions? Thanks so much.
hello fellow cycling enthusiasts
here’s a travel journal of the cycling tour through the Rhône-Alpes Auvergne region by Claudio
zouli
it was the plan
http://cbandiera.free.fr/parcours/auvergne-Ralpes/
the trip was completed
story being posted online soon
1100 km in 11 days
beautiful and varied regions
Hi there, we’re planning a Munich to Venice bike trip at the end of June 2026. Getting back from Venice to Toulouse by train with 4 bikes isn’t straightforward. What return options have others who’ve done this trip chosen? Any tips or great deals would be much appreciated. Thanks a bunch! !
Hi everyone,
Happy owner of a Pegasus Estremo bike with a Rohloff hub, which is giving me trouble with the SF11-NCX-FT-E-LITE 700C TS 300/0 fork (serial number TD01329060). It’s starting to show its age, and I’d like to repair it to extend the life of my beloved bike.
The suspension is gone, and there’s an oil leak from the seals.
Does anyone know how to repair it? Where can I find parts that are about fifteen years old? Or where to find an identical replacement fork? Just to clarify, the Magura HS11 brakes are mounted using Firm Tech, meaning they’re on pivots behind the fork, facing the frame.
Hi, I'd like to know if anyone has done this route recently or has reliable info.
Does the track exist, and most importantly, is there sand (for biking)?
Any info is welcome.
Cheers,
diego ambilobe: mangaoka, manondro, ramena
vohemar sambava: masondrono, tanambao
Hi there,
New to bike touring,
I’d love to start with a section of the Via Rhona to explore and share (route to be decided).
Looking forward to exchanging tips!
I’m landing in Madagascar with a buddy before the end of April 2026. We’re planning to bike around for about twenty days or so. We don’t have a specific goal other than exploring the country and meeting the locals.
Ideally, we’d prefer a loop route starting from Antananarivo with a good chunk of it along the coast. On the bike side, we’re used to riding 6 to 8 hours a day, depending on the needs, encounters, and mood 😉 Any feedback or tips from trips around this length?
A big thank you to Lazarou for all the info you share in this forum!
I'm passionate about Morocco, which I cycled through back in 2009.
Last year, my wife and I explored the High Atlas by tandem. Completely smitten, we're heading back in April (Anti Atlas) and May (High and Middle Atlas), still on our tandem.
Do you have any info on the track between Amezri and Ali Ait Nito? Are the river crossings in the Tessaout still there? It's not easy to navigate with a loaded tandem... especially if the river level is high due to this year's heavy snowmelt!
Thanks in advance for any tips you might have, and best wishes for health in this new year!
Claudio specializes in the route of the Savoie lakes
Here are his travels
Between Bornes, Chartreuse, the Savoie foothills, and Dauphiné
Five lakes: Léman, Annecy, Paladru, Aiguebelette, Bourget, not to mention a few ponds along the way
Plenty of accommodation options: camping, hotels, and more...
A lovely route not far from his place
Rural and quite peaceful
A road cycling route created by Serge B...
First of all... happy New Year! Wishing you great roads in 2017!
I’ve been traveling for a few years now with a high-quality mountain bike, but it’s equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. I live (pedal) with the constant worry of a breakdown (leak, air bubble, heat causing the fluid to...). My bike mechanic tells me it’s impossible to switch them out for V-brakes.
What do you all think? Am I taking a big risk continuing (alone) with these brakes? Thanks in advance for your great tips!
First post here to share a quick recap of our west-to-east bike trip along Algeria’s coast in January 2025.
It was just the two of us—my partner and I—with French passports and not a word of Arabic. No friends or welcoming hosts in the country.
Under those conditions, we’d strongly advise against going.
Our original plan was to follow the coast from Algiers to Tunis. We ended up cycling from Algiers to Béjaia, then took the train from Béjaia to Annaba (with a stop in Constantine), and finally biked to the border.
We were tailed by police the whole way—whether on our bikes, on the train, or even on foot while exploring towns. On top of that, we couldn’t wild camp and were limited to the few state-approved hotels that accept foreigners. Under those circumstances, connecting with locals was especially tough.
With such an omnipresent and intrusive police presence, we’d definitely recommend against this destination for bike touring. A really sad situation that completely cuts you off from the local population...
We’d been warned, we went to check it out, and we weren’t disappointed!
Hi there,
I’m planning the route to cycle from Lille to Nordkapp with my partner.
Duration: 3 months, from May 1st to July 31st, 2026.
In the attached details below, I need to add some "non-riding" days (rest days, basically).
So I’m looking to "shorten" the trip by taking ferries or trains for some stretches. Which areas could I skip?
Thanks in advance for your great tips.
Have a good evening.
https://www.komoot.com/fr-fr/collection/4023980/-lille-cap-nord-1er-mai-au-31-juillet-2026?ref=collection
I’m planning to bike back from Poland this summer. Does anyone know a way to ship it there without having to take it apart? Otherwise, it’s a real hassle to fine-tune all the settings before departure!
Thanks in advance.
Hi, has anyone recently bought Primus or Butagaz gas, possibly puncture-style, in Dubrovnik or the surrounding area? Same question for Albania... thanks. aichatou
Just a few words about the loop I did by bike in Yunnan.
Entry and exit
I entered China through the Sino-Vietnamese border crossing at Lào Cai / Hekou under the 30-day visa exemption currently available to French nationals and others.
The process was simple and quick. A Chinese police officer even helped me complete my electronic pre-registration at a computer kiosk. I wasn’t aware this formality was required—it’s similar to Thailand’s TM6.
No issues with the bike.
I left the country via the Sino-Laotian border crossing at Mohan / Boten.
The atmosphere was a bit chaotic there, but again, no problems with the bike.
The timing
I visited Yunnan in February 2026.
Weather-wise, at higher altitudes (between 1,500 and 2,000 meters), it was around ten degrees at night and in the mornings, and around twenty degrees at the hottest part of the day.
I had two days of rain, so I took the bus to keep moving. Otherwise, clear blue skies.
Culturally, Chinese New Year fell on February 17th (and the 15 days following), right in the middle of my trip. Because of this, my take on the traffic might be off.
Accommodation and food
I always found a hotel to stay in for prices ranging from 8 to 15 €. Except in Kunming (the capital), where many hotels were fully booked (Chinese New Year). I ended up at a 100 € hotel with great value for money.
A bowl of noodles costs about 1.5 € on average.
Onboard electronics
Since my smartphone doesn’t support eSIMs, I subscribed to a China plan with my carrier. Otherwise, for much cheaper, Alipay offers eSIMs for foreigners that allow access to services usually blocked for Chinese users (WhatsApp, Facebook, etc.).
An internet connection is essential for paying with Alipay or WeChat, as this payment method is widespread.
I only managed to use Alipay.
Either way, always carry cash because sometimes there’s no signal, or the merchant only accepts WeChat.
Also, it’s best to bring a power adapter when you arrive rather than struggling to find one.
Traffic and roads
The Chinese aren’t reckless drivers. They follow traffic rules and watch out for cyclists. This is slightly less true in Xishuangbanna (the region bordering Myanmar and Laos).
In urban areas, there are almost always wide bike lanes, separated from other roads, where bikes, electric mini-scooters, and scooters share the space pretty harmoniously.
The roads are in great condition, and traffic is generally manageable—even light—except for one stretch (Eshan -> Yangwu).
Most traffic is absorbed by expressways, China’s equivalent of highways: toll roads that are off-limits to slow vehicles.
You’re never far from these expressways; sometimes you even ride alongside them, which can be noisy at times.
The climbs are usually reasonable, around 5% to 6%. From what I remember, the steepest section was between Menglun and Mengla, with gradients of 8% to 10%, sometimes more.
Riding at these altitudes—though modest—took a bit of getting used to.
The route
I didn’t plan anything in advance. My only goal was to reach Kunming. I don’t know why, but just hearing the name of that city, like Yunnan, always felt dreamy to me.
Hi! I’m planning to visit the Stockholm Archipelago by bike in early April.
Do you know if the boats will be running between the different islands at that time of year? For those who’ve already been, all your tips and recommendations are welcome—accommodation, etc. Also, do you know where I can rent a bike in Stockholm? Thanks so much in advance for your help!