Je prépare un voyage de 5 semaines en vélo en Islande cet été. Apparemment c'est un pays ou il y a pas mal de vent.... J'ai prévu de faire en gros le tour de L'ile + 1 traversée Nord-Sud du pays par le centre.... Est ce qu'il y a un sens préférable a l'autre pour avoir moins de vent de face ? Dans le sens des aiguilles d'une montre ou l'autre sens ? Et pour la traversée par l'intérieur ? Dans quel sens également ? Nord-Sud ou Sud-Nord ?
Sinon je suis preneur de toute info concernant l'islande : les coins a ne pas manquer, de bonnes adresses pour les campings et le ravitaillement, des contacts sur place, une méthode de langue compréhensible pour apprendre l'islandais, etc etc !!!
Bonjour
En Islande le temps comme le vent change relativement vite, tu peux avoir sur la même route d'un jour sur l'autre le vent favorable ou complètement de face ou au pire latéralement qui; si il est très fort t'empèche de rouler si c'est sur une piste.
Pour les coins à ne pas manquer: faire absolument une traversée de l'intérieur, la F35 dite Kjölur est maintenant relativement facile car il n'y a plus de gués et la piste est accessible aux véhicules de tourisme.Depuis la F35 faire un détour pour aller à Kerlingarfjöll(site de solfatares peu fréquenté et à mon avis le plus beau d'Islande à condition qu'il fasse beau et d'avoir des chaussures de marche, ascencion du sommet splendide avec vue sur tout les glaciers!) .L'accès ou la sortie de la F35 se fait par Gülfoss et Geysir: sites très fréquentés mais qui vallent le détour.Très fréquenté aussi le lac Mivatn et les solfatares de Namaskard et le Krafla.Un détour par Détifoss vaut le coup.Un coin superbe est l'Askja mais les pistes sont plus difficiles avec des gués pouvant être profonds.La traversée par le Sprengisandur (F26) est inoubliable mais impose une réserve de nourriture pour 1 semaine, un bon moral et un bonne condition physique ainsi que du bon matériel.
Au sud la route qui longe la cote et le Vatnajokull est très belle avec entre autre Jokularson.La piste F208 est splendide mais très vallonnée est avec bon nombre de gués plus ou moins profonds(rien d'insurmontable) et un détour par Landmanalaugar s'impose surtout si l'on fait une ballade à pied dans la montagne.
Pour le ravitaillement, il faut toujours se dire que il faut mieux un tu tiens que deux tu l'auras surtout quand tu approches une traversée de l'intérieur, dès que tu quittes la route du tour tu ne trouves plus rien, par exemple ne pas espérer faire le plein à geysir ou Gulfoss pour la F35; de même pour la F26.Ravitaillement de fortune à Landmanalaugar.Dans les refuges il faut amener sa bouffe.
Avec 5 semaines tu as le temps de faire un tour sur la cote au Nord ou dans les fjords à l'est ou a l'ouest.
Il y a des campings dans pas mal de petits villages et près des sites touristiques et à coté des refuges, de plus pas de problèmes pour le camping sauvage car la place ne manque pas.
Pour la langue, ne te casses pas la tête car tous les Islandais parlent l'anglais.
Bonne préparation et n'ésite pas à me contacter si tu veux plus de précisions sur les pistes de l'intérieur par exemple.
à+
François
Je suis interesse par ton intervention car je pars tout le mois de Juillet prochain en Islande.
Au programme, fuir la route n°1 et ne visiter que l'intérieur.
Je compte remonter jusqu'à Mitvan par la F26, aller un peu vers l'ouest en visitant un peu la cote Nord puis redescendre par la F35..
Si j'ai bien compris, ce sont des coins que tu as visité. Mon souci est l'autonomie. Tu confirmes que dans la remontée, il y a 6 ou 7 jours d'autonomie complète ? Quid de l'eau ? Comment faisais-tu ?
Tu parles aussi de l'exigence d'un bon matériel. Tu penses à quoi exactement ? Tente, sac de couchage, Velo ?? Fait-il vraiment plus froid à l'intérieur ?
Sinon, concernant le velo, on table sur environ 80km/jour avec des pointes à +110 bormes certains jours. Nous sommes 3 très bien entrainés et très sportif. Cela te parait il raisonnable à la vue du terrain et de la meteo que tu as pu rencontrer à l'intérieur ?
Pour l'autonomie bouffe, quelle était ton apport principal ? Plats lyo, autres ?
Merci pour toutes les précisions que tu pourras m'apporter. On trouve peu de gens qui s'aventurent profondément à l'intérieur !!
bonjour
Pour la traversée par la F26, il faut faire le plein de nourriture à Selfoss ou à Hella.Si le temps et le vent sont favorables, la traversée directe doit pouvoir se faire en 4 ou 5 jours.Moi j'ai pris la F26 31kms après Selfoss(dernier ravitaillement possible à l'intersection) puis la F225 au nord du Volcan Hékla pour rejoindre Landmanalaugar(très belle piste dans les cendres tassées assez roulante avec 2 gués 20 à 30cm), 1 jour et 1/2 depuis Hveragerdi avec vent favorable.
J'ai randonné à pied autour de Landmanalaugar(1/2 journée) et fait l'aller-retour à la faille d'Eldgja par la F208 avec pas mal de dénivellée et une vingtaine de gués (maxi 40cm) prévoir la journée.De Landmanalaugar au refuge de Nyidalur cela m'a pris 1, 5 jour et 1/2 jour de repos au camping du refuge.A Nyidalur il ya un gué large mais peu profond puis à l'intersection avec la F910 un plus profond avec beaucoup de courant(50à 60cm).
Si tu continues par la F26 cela ne doit pas être trop difficile(environ 2 jours), par contre par la F910 il y a un gué très difficile 5 km après la biffurque( eau à 1° et impossible de couper au + court car trop profond, il faut rentrer à l'intérieur d'une courbe là ou c'est le - profond puis remonter la rivière par son milieu et ressortir dans l'intérieur d'une autre courbe car le courant creuse beaucoup à l'extérieur).Comme il faut faire plusieurs fois la traversée pour passer vélo et sacoches des chaussons néoprène de planche à voile ou de plongée sont indispensables(12€ chez Déc...).Puis traversée de 2 autres gués(30 à 40cm).J'ai suivi la F910 au nord et après 1 jour d'attente au milieu du sable et de la lave dans la tempête et le brouillard, j'ai fini les 75 derniers km pour Askja dans le 4x4 d'un allemand.Les 30kms avant Askja sont dans le sable fin non tassé donc de toute façon impossible sur le vélo.1/2 jour à Askja pour visiter(gorges et volcan) puis 1jour et 1/2 pour rejoindre Myvatn par la rive droite de la Jokulsa Fjöllum.
Soit 9 jours sans ravitaillement sérieux( possibilité de complèter à Landmanalaugar avec le bus-épicerie:cher mais ça dépanne en pain, lait yaourt).Pour l'eau il y a les rivières.
Je n'avais pas de lyo, seulement semoule à couscous, riz, pate, purée, pain, yaourt, fruits secs, lait en poudre, musli, sachets de soupe et sauce +quelques boites de thon le tout acheté sur place.
Pour le matériel: un bon Vtt avec des porte-bagages en acier et du bon matériel de camping(surtout la tente qui doit pouvoir affronter des vents de 100km/h).Je n'ai pas eu de température inferieure à 4° la nuit(la pénombre) entre le 10 et 31 juillet.Il fait plus froid à l'intérieur avec l'altitude.
80 à 110km c'est tout à fait faisable(c'est ce que je faisais) mais cela dépend beaucoup du vent.
La F35 est beaucoup plus facile, compter 3 jours pour faire Varmalid- Gulfoss avec visite de Hveravelir et une bonne journée de + si tu veux aller à Kerlingarfjöll pour y randonner à pied.
Je ne suis pas aller au nord vers Husavik mais c'est parait-il très joli( possibilité de voir des macareux...)
à+
François
Je te dis juste comme ca, si ca pas été dit au dessus ( j'ai pas tout lu ), prends quelquechose d' étanche... j'ai fait le tour de l'Islande ce mois d'Août, et sur 21 jours, j'en ai eu 18 de pluies ( et des sacrés pluies, avec quelques jours d'une grandiose tempête, mais queqlues fois, il s'agissait juste d'averses très répétitives) !
J'ai comme projet de faire un trip vélo en islande du 16 mai au 19 juin prochain. L'idée est de faire tout le sud en passant par Landmannalaugar, puis arrivée…
Je souhaite réaliser le tour de l'Islande à vélo courant aout 2017. Je pense le réaliser en 3 semaines (enfin rien de bloqué). Je vais suivre la route numéro 1…
Je crée ce post car j'ai comme projet de traverser l'Islande en vélo avec un ami... jusque là rien de bien intéressant, mais j'aimerais emmené mon chien avec…
J'aimerais faire le tour de l'Islande en vélo cet été (fin juillet début août). Seul bémol je ne vais pouvoir poser que 2 semaines de congés. Est-ce que c'est…
Je m'appelle Dominique, j'ai 48 ans. Passionné de voyages, je part seul pour l'Islande du 24 Juin au 13 Juillet 2009 pour un périple en vélo. J'ai prévu de…
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’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?
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
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.
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...
Tout d'abord... bonne année ! De belles routes à vous en 2017 !
Je voyage depuis quelques années avec un VTT de très bonne qualité mais équipé de freins à disques hydrauliques. Je vis (pédale) avec l'inquiétude d'avoir une panne (fuite, bulle d'air, chaleur qui fait que le liquide...). Mon vélociste me dit qu'il est impossible de les changer pour des V brakes.
Qu'en pensez-vous ? Est-ce que je prends un gros risque à continuer (seule) avec ces freins ? D'avance je vous remercie pour vos bonnes idées.
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!
Hello there, pedal-powered Young Boys!
Claudio (still from Faverges)
dreaming about a cycling getaway in Italy from Faverges (train all the way to Turin)
from Turin down to Venice along the Po River and back via the Padana (Alta Italia da attraversare – Northern Italy to cross)
The tricky part is getting from Chioggia to Venice.
I read it’s possible by hopping on a boat from island to island,
but it sounds a bit stressful.
Has anyone already tackled this route?
I’m currently looking for a bike to do my first bike trip across France, with the ultimate goal of cycling through Latin America. I’ve got a lot of questions and I’d love to hear if you have any answers or advice to share.
First off, I’ve been through this before with hiking. I want to get top-quality gear right away. When I started hiking, I ended up buying everything three times—first beginner gear, then intermediate, then expert, etc.
For biking, I’d prefer to skip that process and invest right now in a bike that could ideally handle Latin America.
I’ve set a total max budget of around 5000 € (roughly 4000–4500 € for the bike and the rest for accessories: panniers, helmet, cycling shorts, etc.).
So, I’ve got quite a few questions:
* I’ve read in several places that some people recommend buying the bike directly in Latin America. Since I need a first bike to train in Europe, would it be better to buy an entry-level bike in France (and sell it before the big departure)? Or is it preferable to start right away with my final bike to get used to it? Is buying it there just to save a bit of money?
* For a long-term trip (around six months) in Latin America, is it better to go for a gravel bike or a mountain bike?
* Should I buy a new bike or a refurbished one? Even more so given that I’m planning a long trip—could a refurbished bike end up causing more breakdowns?
If you have any advice on models, technical features to prioritize, or recommended sellers or resellers, I’d love to hear it. I’m a total beginner—I’ve only just started watching videos and reading up on the subject, and all the technical specs are new to me!
Calling all travelers.
We’ll be landing at Lyon Airport and want to bike to La Verpillière train station (with panniers and camping gear, etc.) to catch a TER to Voreppe.
What’s the safest route for this bike trip?
Thanks in advance
hi,
I'm planning a recumbent bike trip from the Pyrenees to Greece. On the EuroVelo 8 route, it doesn't specify the path through the Alps.
Are there any experienced cyclists here who can tell me where they go to avoid climbing too high?
Also, is there another traveler/bike forum better suited for broadening the responses?
thanks