le départ est dans 4 mois (cf ici pour le début de la discussion sur /configuration voyage/budget/avion), il est grand temps de s'attarder sur un semblant d'itinéraire pour notre voyage à tandems.
10/7-14/7: SF (AirBNB déjà réservé)
18/8-22/8: LA (logement à réserver, la date du 18 est arbitraire. Disons qu'on part à l'aube le 22/8 et qu'il faut emballer les tandems et visiter LA).
ce qui laisse exactement 5 semaines d'itinérance. A raison de 6 jours roulés sur 7 et 50 km/j, on prévoit 1500 km.
A force de parcourir le forum et la toile, on a identifié comme point de passage: SF, Route 1 vers Big Sur (autant au Sud que possible en fonction de la réouverture de la route, à ce jour jusqu'à environ Lucia), Yosemite NP, Sequioa NP, Partie sud de la Route 1 vers LA.
Si on met sur sur un carte et qu'on trace un trajet à la grosse: ici
Les traversées de la plaine californienne depuis la Route 1 vers les NPs semblent sans grand intérêt d'après les différents avis glanés déci delà.
Avez-vous une suggestion pour les éviter ou les rendre intéressantes?
Des lieux à ne pas manquer sur ces traversées?
Louer un SUV (ou plus pour y mettre nos 2 tandems dans la benne arrière) pour rallier Route 1 aux NPs et vice versa (mais on perd en flexibilité pour les NPs car il va falloir gérer réservation camping and co contrairement à l'option vélo)
Quid d'uniquement longer la Côté entre SF et LA (20 jours à la louche), ce qui laisse du temps pour depuis LA louer une voiture et aller à Vegas, Grand Canyon, et repasser par Sequoia NP et Yoseminte NP et retour LA pour avion?
A la grosse, on arrive à 1800 km > 1500 km prévu. Donc un peu trop et de plus, plus de temps pour louer une voiture et aller de LA à Vegas ou Grand Canyon...
Bref, nous sommes preneurs d'avis/conseils :)
Au plaisir de vous lire.
Je conseille la location d'une voiture a LA plutot que la traversee de la vallee centrale a velo pour plusieurs raisons. La vallee centrale n'a aucune interet et il y fait tres, tres chaud en ete. Et puis les 2 NP, Yosemite et Sequoia, sont difficiles a velo. Ils sont tres, tres accidente sauf la vallee Yosemite. Les routes aux NP ne sont pas larges et il faudra beaucoup grimper afin de voir pas mal de sites. Par exemple, le Giant Forest a Sequoia NP est au-dessus 2000m. A Yosemite, Glacier Point est a 2200m. La vallee centrale est au-dessous 100m.
Donc tu conseilles plutôt de longer la route de SF à LA en vélo puis location de voiture à LA pour remonter à Yosemite NP et Sequoia NP.
On aurait alors peut-être le temps de repasser par Grand Canyon et Las Vegas.
Bon ca nous fait perdre le vélo dans les NPs, mais ca nous permettrait de "zapper" ces portions de plaines sans intérêt et de voir Las Vegas/Grand Canyon.
Mais quid du stockage de nos tandems à LA pendant notre road trip?
Pas trop de contrainte organisationnelle (réservation camping, ...) du fait de la voiture plutôt qu'à vélo?
...
Mais quid du stockage de nos tandems à LA pendant notre road trip?
Pas trop de contrainte organisationnelle (réservation camping, ...) du fait de la voiture plutôt qu'à vélo?
Pour le stockage des tandems, tu peux essayer de trouver un hôte sympa sur warmshower...sinon un vélociste.
Dans les Parcs nationnaux, il y a des campings qui fonctionnent sur le principe de premier arrivé premier servi.
Infos ici pour Sequoia NP
Infos ici pour Yosemite
A Yosemite fin août, nous étions en voiture et nous avions été au White Wolf Campground. Clairement, le camping est full vers le milieu de la matinée. Nous avions dormi la nuit d'avant dans un motel en dehors du Parc et étions arrivé vers 8h30. Pas de problème pour trouver une place. White Wolf est finalement plutôt bien localisé pour les curieux qui veulent voir autre chose du parc que la vallée... et c'est nettement plus sauvage. A Sequoia, je n'y suis pas allé, mais le site a l'air de dire que c'est moins bondé que Yosemite, donc ça devrait le faire.
Merci pour les conseils.
On essaie de progresser sur l'itinéraire.
Que pensez-vous:
Visite de SF (AirBNB déjà réservé).
Location d'une voiture à SF (on négocie le stockage des tandems chez le AirBNB de SF)
Option 1 (1600 km à la louche): SF -> Yosemite -> Sequoia -> Las Vegas -> Grand Canyon -> Las Vegas
Option 2 (2500 km à la louche): Option 1 + on prolonge à Zion, Bryce puis soit retour à Las Vegas ou on prolonge jusqu'à Salt Lake City
A Las Vegas ou Salt Lake City selon option, on reprend avion pour retour à SF récupérer nos tandems et descendre la Pacific Coast à vélo via la Route 1.
SI on considère: 1/8 au 19/8, Pacific Coast à Vélo, 21 à LA. 22 Avion pour retour en Europe.
Ca laisse du 14/7 au 31/7 pour le road trip.
Est-ce que l'option 2 tient la route ou ça fait beaucoup (2500 km sur 17 jours + visites) ou plutôt Option 1 (1600 km sur 17 jours + visites)?
A mon avis, option 2 est faisable. Tu peux faire des simulations, mais probablement la location d'une voiture sera moins cher si le dropoff se passe a Las Vegas qu'a Salt Lake City.
Apres un petit tour a velo dans le sud-ouest de Utah y compris Zion et Bryce Canyon (en mai), nous avons loue une voiture a St. George Utah pour 24 heures afin de visiter le North Rim du Grand Canyon. Moi je connaissais deja le South Rim mais mon ami ne connaissait ni l'un ni l'autre. L'avantage du North Rim, on y trouve beaucoup moins de monde. La route entre St. George au North Rim est agreable. Le desavantage, le South Rim offre plus de pointes du vue que le North Rim.
le projet a bien avancé. Nous serons aux USA pour 6 semaines.
Arrivée à San Francisco: quelques jours pour visiter la ville.
Avion jusqu'à Phoenix où nous avons loué un campervan pour découvrir Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Page, Zion, Bryce, Valley of Fire, Las Vegas, Sequoia, Yosemite et retour à San Francisco (16 jours).
Puis de San Francisco, nous prenons nos vélos pour longer la côte Ouest jusqu'à Los Angeles d(où on redécollera pour le retour en Europe) en +/- 18-20 jours. (finger crossed, la portion de route fermée au niveau de Big Sur depuis plus d'un an pourrait réouvrir d'ici fin Juillet: http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/highway_conditions.html)
Quelques petites questions concernant les camping hiker/biker pour notre portion en vélo:
Nous avons une tente 2 chambres. Lors de nos vacances en Europe, nous ne prenons que la chambre pour les enfants et les parents dorment sans chambre, juste avec le toit de la tente. A quelle faune doit-on s'entendre dans les campings le long de la côte Ouest pour savoir s'il faut prendre notre chambre ou pas...
Les réchauds à essence sont-ils bien autorisés?
Si ce message vous inspire des commentaires en plus d'avoir une réponse aux questions, n'hésitez pas!
Merci d'avance
MiniBN
Bonjour
Tu utilises un modèle de tente avec deux chambres. Quel est ce modèle ? Il est prévu pour combien de personnes ?
Je te remercie pour ta réponse.
nous avons la Fjellheimen 6 Camp de Helsport.
C'est une tente 6 personnes: 1 chambre 2 personnes et 1 chambre 4 personnes.
Nous installons la chambre 2 personnes pour nos 2 enfants et nous dormons sans chambre (- ~1kg dans les sacoches) dans l'espace prévu pour la chambre 4 personnes. Ca laisse beaucoup de place pour les sacoches de vélo, manger, se changer, ...
Je conseille la 2eme chambre. Parfois les sites hiker/biker ont beaucoup de cyclistes en ete. Pres de L.A., les pumas y vivent. Aussi des rattlesnakes sont partout (mais timides). Et les petits animaux aiment manger tout ce que les campeurs laisse hors des tentes.
Nous projetons un voyage en vélo en Californie, San Francisco -San Diego par la côte puis remonter jusqu'à Sacramento mais pas par la même route et ensuite…
Je cherche des itinéraires de balades à vélo dans Brooklyn, qui permettraient, en 4 ou 5 heures de parcourir les principaux quartiers (Williamsburg, DUMBO,…
Je cherche un itineraire le plus joli possible, le plus court possible et qui evite les autoroutes en partant de las vegas pour aller a Grand Canyon. et si…
Je souhaite partir un mois aux USA en juillet ou août 2011 et voyager en vélo-camping. J'avais en tête de cyclotourismer dans le Montana, mais voila, patatra,…
Je prépare mon voyage à vélo: de Vancouver à San Francisco en cyclotourisme (camping et auberges ou B&B à l'occasion) pour l'été qui vient. J'ai déjà une bonne…
Hi,
what are the easiest ways to get back from Nordkapp without pedaling—
train, boat, or plane?
Has anyone already done this?
Thanks for sharing your tips!
17 days, 1,400 km, and 17,500 m of elevation gain cycling in northern Vietnam! 🇻🇳 🚴🇻🇳
From the misty Fansipan to the breathtaking landscapes of the Ha Giang Loop, from remote villages to vibrant markets...
I cycled through the north of the country, getting up close with its people—through mud, heat, endless mountain passes, and unforgettable encounters.
Most importantly, I discovered a Vietnam far different from the usual tourist circuits.
Join me on this adventure through a video that captures these 17 days of travel. :)
If Vietnam calls to you, come ride a stretch with me!
Hi,
I need to arrive in Thessaloniki by bike at the end of September and I plan to head to Istanbul along the coast.
Could anyone help me pick the best route? Safety, difficulty.
Thanks in advance.
Marc
Hi,
can anyone give us some tips on how to get to North Cape from Lyon Gerland?
What’s the best route to join the EuroVelo 7?
How many kilometers is it from Lyon to North Cape via EuroVelo 7?
The best month to leave—we’re thinking early May.
Thanks for any advice!
Looking for a female travel companion for a cycling trip (arriving by plane in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and cycling toward Montevideo, Uruguay, returning by plane to France from Buenos Aires, Argentina) – 1,500 km
Hello everyone!
I’m planning a cycling trip across Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina, with a departure set for late October, November, or December. I’m looking for a travel companion to share this long-distance adventure with.
Experience:
I already have solid experience in bicycle touring in Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Currently, I maintain excellent physical condition by cycling an average of 250 km over 3 days per week (4 hours a day at 20 km/h).
The trip & the pace:
Daily pace: Between 50 and 80 km per day, to make steady progress while taking time to explore.
Accommodation: Flexible and authentic. We’ll alternate between wild camping, campsites, Warmshowers, small guesthouses, and budget hotels depending on opportunities and the weather.
Looking forward to reading your message and planning this amazing journey together!
I’m planning to leave Nice for Toulouse around 10/15 and I’m looking for tips / great deals regarding:
- The route: I was thinking of taking Nice - Grasse - Draguignan - Salernes - Cadarache - Cavaillon - Arles, then the Camargue, Sète, and the Canal du Midi to Toulouse. The idea is to avoid high-traffic roads and too many steep climbs. Are there any spots to avoid or must-see stops? Since it’s been a while since I’ve been on the road, I was thinking that sleeping indoors might be preferable. If you have any budget-friendly accommodation suggestions along part of the route, don’t hesitate!
Thanks in advance, and if you’re in the area around that time, we could ride together... Ciao.
Another long-time dream of Claudio’s: the Petit Mont Cenis pass and the dam at the eponymous lake.
A place where many Italians, including my father, worked in the 1950s–60s.
Faverges → St-Michel-de-Maurienne → Lanslebourg → Petit Mont Cenis → return. 315 km, 3 days. Bivouac at St-Michel-de-M.
Brouter link
Leg One: Faverges → St-Michel-de-Maurienne
Leg Two: St-Michel → Lanslebourg → Mont Cenis Lake → St-Michel
Leg Three: St-Michel → Faverges
And it finally happened in August 2026: in the Maurienne Valley about the famous cycle route known as the V67
🇷🇼 Cycling in Rwanda: 4 episodes, an off-the-beaten-path adventure
After 3 weeks and nearly 1,200 km by bike across Rwanda, I made 4 videos to share this adventure in a different way: the landscapes, the encounters, the villages… but above all, all those incredible scenes of everyday life.
The 4 episodes are available here:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGnfbxjccWAg
The 4th episode focuses on rural Rwandan life: simple, authentic, and sometimes surprising scenes that you only truly discover when you take the time to travel by bike.
If you have a few minutes, let yourself be transported to Rwanda…
Hi, I'm looking for info on cycling to Nordkapp via the EuroVelo 7. Has anyone done it already, and where’s the best place to start the EuroVelo 7?
Thanks
Hi,
We bought the MSR bike tent model (2-person + large awning that can fit 2 bikes) back in 2005. It’s served us really well, especially during a year-long trip in Africa. Now, one of the poles is broken, and we’d love to replace it since that’s the only issue with the tent—we still love it! The poles are 9.35 mm in diameter, with 8 sections of 49 cm and 2 sections of 28 cm. Total length when assembled: 416 cm. Actually, two large sections are broken: one straight and one curved. It’s a pain to find replacements since this model is no longer sold anywhere.
Would anyone have this model lying around unused and be willing to sell me a pole?
Hi everyone,
In early April, I’m redoing the Vélo Francette (La Rochelle to Ouistreham), and then I’d like to cycle along the Cotentin Peninsula (which I don’t know at all), follow the coast up to Cherbourg, and then head back down to at least Saint-Malo. I’d love to know if it’s pleasant for cycling—are the roads nice? Not too windy? What are the must-see spots? Any great campsites? All your tips and advice are more than welcome, and I thank you in advance.
Hi there,
I’m planning to bike to meet some friends in Côte d’Ivoire in early November.
I’ll be starting in Abidjan and heading to Abengourou, which is close to the Ghana border.
I’d like to take the trails. Does anyone have recent info on eastern Côte d’Ivoire?
Any tips, safety advice, or must-see stops? I’m open to all suggestions.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Fx
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.
I just took a trip in Tunisia from Tozeur to Douz, skirting Chott el Jerid to the south. I’m back with the urge to keep going further south via the 4x4 tracks to connect Douz to Ksar Ghilane. Has anyone driven this route recently or explored southern Tunisia?
Thanks for your tips!
fix
😎Fellow traveling cyclists or not, all of you who love travel, the pleasure of physical effort, nature, beautiful machines, people with true passions they seek to fulfill, and who also enjoy reading great literature about all this—the *200* magazine is for you just as it is for me. I should mention I have no financial or other interest in this (in an era where we accuse our politicians of all sorts of vile interests, I prefer to take precautions). I’ve been subscribed since the beginning, and every three months, I get my 130 pages of dreams (the magazine just went from 110 to 130 pages).
It covers everything from the trans-America route to the TCR (Trans Continental Race) from Belgium to a small town in Turkey, with mind-blowing averages—4,000 km and 80,000 m of elevation gain in 8 days and 15 hours for the winner. Let that sink in, and all of it without assistance—accepting a patch could penalize you. There’s also a story about crossing Iran, encountering one of the world’s most welcoming populations, following in the footsteps of Nicolas Bouvier, as well as retirees leisurely traversing France. The common thread in all these stories? Beautiful writing. Take, for example, a stunning article: *"Passengers of the Cold: From Edinburgh to Thurso, at the very north of Scotland, 550 km of moors, coasts, and icy wind. In Thurso, the road ends at a quay, facing the Orkney Islands. We wanted a November trip, off-season. We wanted to surprise winter. Just before the snow."* A sublime piece on the experience of facing adversity and the chance encounters along the road and in the elements.
Before I embarked on my own bike trips, I dreamed a lot about them—from the Atacama to the Gobi, along the Mekong, and not forgetting France. And now, these 130 pages every quarter keep those dreamy vibes alive through stories written in the most beautiful prose.
I’ll stop here because it might sound like I’m advertising, but if you don’t know *200*, I invite you to discover it. It’ll give you wings for the most incredible challenges or simply reinforce your desire for slow rides with your eyes open to others and nature.
A little news to wrap up: Axel Carion and a friend just broke the record for crossing South America from Colombia to Ushuaia in 59 days. On its own, that doesn’t mean much, but I can’t help it—it makes me dream. You should see how he talks about it, the flashes of that wild nature he’s stored away: a snowstorm at Paso Jama and the surreal sight of the suddenly snow-covered Licancabur!
Luc
PS: The magazine is called *200* because a day’s ride starts at 200 km—well, I’ve never done a ride like that since my longest was 167 km (with 18 kg of luggage, mind you), but why not one day? The magazine will explain how to tackle your first 200, and then the question in conclusion: when will you do your first 300?😏
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?
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.
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
Hello,
We’d like to go on a 3- to 4-month bike trip starting in December, crossing from Assam (northeast India) to New Delhi via Nepal.
Are there routes with light traffic along the Brahmaputra and through Nepal?
We’re also looking for any info on accommodations, wild camping, local interactions, etc.
Thanks,
Michel
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
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 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?