J'habite actuellement en Iran, pays placé sous sanctions américaines, et à Chiraz, une des grandes villes du pays, mais pas dans la capitale.
Je veux m'acheter un vélo pour voyager dans des coins semi-désertiques ou désertiques sur le plateau iranien, à priori sans grands défis en termes de dénivelé, pendant 3-5 semaines.
Je ne recherche pas à battre des records de kilomètres parcourus ou à passer des cols à la chaîne, j'aime mieux papillonner de monastère en monastère ou de mosquée en mosquée selon le contexte, me poser tranquille dans les endroits qui me plaisent , sans être limité à devoir prendre tout le temps des routes bien entretenues.
J'ai pas besoin d'un vélo très exigeant pour ce voyage, mais je compte en organiser d'autres , en Iran en France ou ailleurs et j'aimerais quand même faire un achat pensé dans une perspective d'évolution à moyen-terme, je peux réfléchir à investir plus que les modèles indiqués plus bas.
J'ai fais le tour des magasins de vélos, regardé l'équivalent local du bon coin.
Les options sont les suivantes, par ordre de prix décroissants (le Corona s'ajoutant aux sanctions américaines le rial iranien est très bas):
1) - OLYMPIA, champion (pas plus d'infos) environ 150 euros.
On m'a dit beaucoup de mal de cette marque.
Je crois que je peux accéder assez facilement à pas mal de modèles Giant, Merinda, et Olympia si vous avez d'autres suggestions je peux chercher si c'est disponible localement, surtout pour les Giant c'est la marque que j'ai le plus vu en magasin.
Bon je dois la vérité à mes lecteurs je suis paumé.
J'ai compris ou crois avoir compris que:
-la supension avant ça a l'air super quand on essaie en magasin mais en vérité ça peut être une mauvaise idée, ça peut empêcher de bien répartir le poids des bagages à l'avant et à l'arrière et provoquer une usure plus rapide de l'arrière du vélo.
-c'est bien d'avoir un vélo le plus simple possible pour permettre des réparations faciles sur la route.
-pas forcément besoin de chercher midi à 14 heures pour faire un beau voyage.
Pour le reste je compte beaucoup sur vous, j'ai pas peur de faire des recherches. Si vous avez des liens à me filer je lis les pages que vous me recommandez avec plaisir.
Je suis allé voir ces vélos, les Giant sont en 8 vitesses, c'est le minimum. Évite les vélos qui sont en 7 vitesses (sauf un VTT acier des années 90), car ils possèdent une roue libre à visser avec un axe fragile au lieu d'une cassette, l'ensemble des pignons, moderne (type HG, c'est écrit dessus).
Contrairement à d'autres objets, le vélo a une mécanique simple et visible, on peut rapidement en estimer la qualité en quelques minutes, tout au moins pour la majorité des éléments. Les vices cachés résistants à quelques tests rapides sont plus rares que sur d'autres objets techniques (sauf si fourche suspendue et autres solutions techniques complexes).
Je te proposes des petits trucs rapides qui permettent d'identifier rapidement les plus gros problèmes :
Roues : soulève l'avant (puis tu feras pareil avec l'arrière), prends la roue en main, fais la bouger parallèlement à l'axe, regarde s'il y a du jeu au niveau des roulements, si la jante (partie qui reçoit le pneu) se tord quand on force un peu ; puis fais-la tourner en l'air pour voir s'il y a un voile (la jante se rapproche et s'éloigne des patins de frein) ou un saut (elle n'a pas un diamètre constant). Regarde si les pistes de freinage (où frottent les patins) ne sont pas creusées ou rayées, et si les patins ne sont pas trop usées ou ne comportent pas de morceaux d'alu dans le caoutchouc. Vérifie si les pneus ne sont ni trop usées, ni fendus ou victimes de hernies. Essaie de jouer de la harpe avec les rayons, tous devraient à peu près rendre le même son (tension homogène), méthode bizarre et peu précise mais simple. Tu dois aussi mettre les pneus à la pression recommandée inscrite sur le flanc, mais il te faut soit beaucoup d'expérience, soit une pompe avec manomètre. La plupart des gens ne gonflent pas assez ou pas assez souvent et pas mal de vélos proposés en occasion sont sous-gonflées. Ou pas !
Cadre : inspecte toutes les parties à la recherche de fissures (surtout près des soudures) ou de "pocs" (enfoncements), mets-toi à côté du vélo, tiens-le un peu penché selle plus loin de toi que s'il était droit, en le tenant d'une main par le bout du cintre et repousse avec le pied la pédale qui est de ton côté vers le cadre en essayant d'un peu tordre le cadre (de quelques mm), le cadre ne doit pas être trop mou ni faire entendre un quelconque bruit lors de cette petite torsion.
Transmission : décolle la chaine du plateau à l'endroit le plus près de la roue avant, elle ne doit pas laisser voir les dents du plateau entières. Essaie de faire sans forcer bouger les dérailleurs à la main, en tirant et poussant sur le côté, ils ne doivent pas bouger. Actionne les manettes lors d'un essai roulant, les vitesses doivent changer franchement et précisément. Vérifie que les câbles sont tendus même au repos, pas en train de s'effilocher, que les gaines sont en bon état visuel. Fais bouger le pédalier pour voir s'il y a du jeu dans l'axe. Pareil pour les pédales.
Freins : vérifie alternativement que chaque frein devienne dur à l'arrêt quand on l'actionne et ne soit ni mou ni bruyant ni difficile à actionner. Sur des V-Brakes (freins en deux parties distinctes) vérifie qu'aucune des deux branches n'est bloquée ou plus proche de la roue que l'autre. Serre à bloc et regarde si les patins sont bien placés sur la piste, ni contre le pneu, ni trop bas.
Direction : mets-toi debout contre le vélo, les mains sur le cintre (le guidon), bloque le frein avant (celui de gauche sauf sur les vélos anglais) et balance le vélo d'arrière en avant plusieurs fois (au passage tu verras si le frein avant est bon), il ne doit y avoir ni jeu perceptible, ni bruit, ni déformation importante (si fourche rigide évidemment).
Vérifie l'état de la selle de la tige de selle en empoignant la selle et en tentant de la faire bouger ; inspecte potence, cintre, poignées, et autres accessoires. Cherche si une vis ne serait pas absente quelque part.
Essaie le vélo pour voir si tu t'y sens à l'aise, si tu te vois l'emmener durant des heures et des jours.
Fais très attention à la taille du vélo et au réglage (surtout hauteur recul et horizontalité de la selle), c'est très important quand on voyage car on va rester de longues heures en selle jour après jour. Il y a généralement une taille indiquée, par exemple S ou M, il faut être sûr de celle qu'il faut et savoir renoncer à un très beau vélo pas cher s'il n'est pas à la taille adéquate. On peut changer une chaine, un étrier de frein, redresser une roue, mais pas raccourcir un cadre.
Si tu n'as pas du tout l'habitude de faire du vélo, il se peut que ce que tu ressentes ne soit pas fiable, qu'un vélo à ta taille et bien réglé te déconcerte alors que tu croiras être bien sur un vélo trop grand avec la selle trop basse et penchée ou le cintre trop haut (ce qui est le cas de beaucoup de personnes non habituées). Il y a des sites qui expliquent comment régler un vélo.
Concernant les marques, Giant et Merida sont les deux géants taïwanais de l'industrie du cycle, c'est peut-être plus simple de choisir un de leurs vélos (même en entrée de gamme) s'il est en bon état et fonctionnel, que des marques inconnues. Java est une marque qui se vend sur aliexpress, peut-être très bonne mais pas assez connue en Europe pour en déduire si un achat d'un de ses modèles est sans souci. Viva et Olympia sont des marques inconnues ici en France, je ne sais pas ce que ça vaut, j'ai un gros doute sur la fiabilité et la solidité de ce genre de vélos.
Merci beaucoup pour les conseils.
Ok, alors va pour les cassettes et les marques connues.
En restant sur les GIANT, est-ce que tu vois de bonnes raisons pour moi de préférer un Escape 2 city à leur premier prix, le Rincon 2017? Il ferait tout aussi bien le boulot?
Je ne connais pas les routes iraniennes donc difficile de te dire lequel est le plus adapté.
Dans l'absolu, si c'est pour de la route, tu en as un qui a une fourche suspendue et des pneus très larges de VTT, et l'autre qui n'a pas de fourche suspendue, est équipé (en neuf sur le site de Giant) d'un porte bagage et de pneus moins larges, donc a priori plutôt prendre le Escape. Ou un autre.
Si tu parles farsi essaie d'aller à la pèche aux informations au bazar de Shiraz, là où sont les vendeurs de vélo. J'y étais allé il y a 3 ans en quête de pneus. En discutant avec les propriétaires de magasins essaie de savoir s'ils connaissent des Shirazis qui voyagent à vélo. Dans chaque ville il y a des Iraniens qui le font et ils pourraient te renseigner ou te mettre sur de bonnes pistes pour ton achat.
Je sais qu'à Tabriz la communauté est importante. J'y avais même vu de vrais vélos préparés pour le voyage.
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.
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.
After testing it for three years across various modes of transport, I’m sharing this video of a bike packing case. It’s made from recycled cardboard and shrink-wrapped, with adjustable thickness and added bubble wrap depending on the level of protection you want.
Installing spacers at the fork and chainstays makes the packaging compact. With the fifteen-odd euros for shrink-wrapping at the airport, this case travels really well.
https://youtu.be/_GDJi-GqmkM
- Low bulk (1.10m x 0.70m x 0.25m for a large frame), it fits vertically in train luggage compartments and the total dimensions (x+y+z) don’t exceed 2.40m.
- Two carrying solutions for public transport and easy handling by airport staff (no more tears in the cardboard from openings).
- Discreet packaging when dealing with bus drivers and train conductors, as it looks like an ordinary parcel.
- No need to return to the starting point to retrieve the case from your outbound trip, which you’d otherwise have to store somewhere, or deal with a bulky cover to pack in your panniers.
- You can still check tire pressure through the plastic film without damaging the packaging too much.
Drawbacks: Around 3 hours for this lengthy and meticulous process—removing the wheels, pedals, handlebars, and derailleur without misaligning them, then securing all components to the frame.
If you get a chance to test it, send me your feedback for future improvements.
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?
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.
