J'espere que l'ete a ete bon. Mon petit tour d'Europe va bon train. Apres le Sud de la France, la Suisse, le Liechtenstein, l'Autriche, la Republique Tcheque et la pologne, J'ecris aujourd'hui de Berlin ou je suis arrive mercredi dernier et d'ou je comte partir demain matin en direction d'Amsterdam.
C'est d'ailleurs a ce sujet que je solicite votre aide. Pour aller de Berlin a Amsterdam, je ne sais pas, si je dois essayer de tracer une ligne droite et traverser le pay d'est en Ouest le plus directement possible ou si je ne devrais pas monter d'abord sur la Baljtique avant de suivre plus ou moins la cote jusqu'a Amsterdam.
Pour ceux qui connaissez bien l'Allemagne:
Sauriez-vous me guider dans ma prise de decision?
En boutique ici, je n'ai pas reussi, pas plus que sur le net d'ailleurs, a trouver les cartes qui auraient pu m'aider a faire mon choix.
Je vais essayer de me reconnecter d'ici ce soir en esperant que quelques bonnes ames auront pu nourrir ce billet de leur reponse eclairee.
Je vous remercie d'avance et enfin, excusez-moi pour l'absence des accents expliquee par ces claviers teutonisants qui m#exasper depuis deux mois😎.
Ca m'apprendra a faire des billets questions pareilles a la derniere minute aussi. C'est pas grave (meme si j'en suis reduit a me repondre a moi-meme 🤪). J'improviserai a partir de la sortie de la ville demain. Bonne rentree a tous et a plus tard cet automne.
la ligne directe est plus courte. Le territoire est plat donc pas de fatigue mais par contre un peu ennuyeux ( j'ai pedalé de la frontiére belge à eindhoven puis allemagne...) vu qu'il y a pas tellement à voir contrairement à certains pays dotés d'un passé historique. je ne serai pas te conseiller, c'est toi qui dois decider la meilleure route.! 😉bonne route !
Merci de vos reponses. Totale impro finalement. La veille de mon depart de Berlin, c'etait un dimanche et la course aux boutiques de cartes m'etait impossible. Plus tot au cour du voyage, en Autriche, un couple de Cologne m'avait egalement deconseille la ligne droite est-ouest pour son peu d'interet et m'avait plutot recommande de grimper vers la Baltique qui me tentait beaucoup finalement (Rostock, ..., Hambourg).
Sauf que lundi dernier, quand j'ai quitte Berlin, il pleuvait comme en plein deluge et le mauvais temps, meme si la pluie est moins feroce, n'a pas cesse depuis. De plus, il fait assez froid et mon equipement de couchage, bien qu'excellent, est moins efficace lorsque les temperatures approches de zero. De plus, j'ai promis a des potes d'essayer d'etre a Paris autour du 20 septembre alors j'ai opte pour la ligne droite.
J'ai donc ete amene a decouvrir la piste pan europeenne EUROPA-RADWEG (Boulogne-sur-Mer a Saint-Petersburg) que je suis plus ou moins depuis une semaine. Meme si il y aurait beaucoup a dire sur la qualite de ce trace, en revanche, il n'est pas depourvu d'interet. Je parcours en ce moment les montagnes du Harz (qui ont inspire Faust entre autre) et j'ai pu m'arreter depuis quelques jours dans des villes que place au top de mon palmares meme devant d'autre grandes villes comme Prague ou Salzburg.
Deux de ces villes par exemple sont Quedlinburg et Wernigerode. Beaucoup plus modestes mais O combien splendides. De plus, le parcours en foret, lent en raison de la qualite des chemins forestiers, se laisse tres agreablement admirer. L'oeil est aux aguets pour voire les bestiaux deferler. Il y a deux jours, j'ai pu me taper la course sur une dizaine de metres avec un chevreuil que j'avais surpris mais bon prince, je l'ai laisse gagner. 😇
Je serai tout a l'heure a Goslar (si la pluie veut bien se calmer un peu et me laisser repartir) ou j'en serai pile-poil a 4000 km depuis Toulouse. Je vais suivre cette piste jusqu'en Hollande mais je ne remonterai pas finalement vers Amsterdam. Je prendrai plutot le sud vers la Belgique et le Luxembourg avant de me diriger vers Paris.
Voilou. C'etait juste une petite note pour encourager les gens qui projettent de faire l'Allemagne a velo a venir pedaler dans cette region (sud de Saxe-Anhalt ou Basse Saxe). Vraiment il y a de quoi voir, de quoi boire et de quoi faire.
Juste un petit correctif pour dire que Saxe-Anhalt n'est pas la Basse Saxe mais bien un etat frontalier a l'est de la Basse Saxe. C'est ca aussi l'inconvenient des cybercafes: le compteur qui defile et toi qui essais de taper trop vite au clavier
superbe ton site, les photos, l'ensemble.....l'aventure en elle même....dommage je vois pas les spec de ton pedalier.....dans mon Scott sportser p1 j'ai aussi voulu l'habiller en rando au long cours.....même pneus Schwalbe marathon plus ...et....la belle Brooks aussi !!....c'est vrai cette selle est UNIQUE ...il n'y a pas mieux.....je viens de modifier mon pedalier et couronne en 44/32/22 et 11*34 à l'arrière.....avant j etait en 48/36/26 et 11*32....j'espère de voir une difference surtout en montée..car l'année passé (septembre...) j'ai eu dur à grimper les 33km du Gr St Bernard en Suisse....🙁....pourtant avec 9kg de bagage en tout!!!....
Un grand merci d'avoir pris le temps de passer chez moi.
Malheureusement, je ne suis pas une bete de technique et je me retrouve comme un con a essayer de te detailler mon pedalier. Dieu sait qu'il m'en a pourtant fait voir. J'en ai parle precedemment ici (il faudrait que tu fouilles dans mes precedents messages). J'ai eu beaucoup de probleme avec un premier pedalier (les plateaux en fait) de chez Specialite. RC, a la 4e galere me l'a change pour un Shimano me semble t-il mais je n'en suis pas certain. Depuis, impec.
Dernier probleme en date, c'etait il y a quelques centaines (en Allemagne) de kilometres, j'ai casse une pedale (????). Bizarre quand meme non ? J'ai pu la remplacer par une pedale issue d'un vieux VTT de merde dans le patelin ou j'ai creche ce soir la. Depuis, je roule avec. Avec mes pneus schwalbe, c'est le paradis. Jamais une crevaison. Et pourtant, qu'est-ce que je peux leur faire endurer!
On dirait que je suis candidat aux pannes bizarres uniquement: panne de feu avant, pedale cassee, plateau arrache, ... mais rien de normal comme une crevaison ou autre chose du genre ;-) Oh si, j'ai eu une roue legerement voilee en Suisse il y a quelques mois.
Meme si je suis incapable de te citer les chiffres de mes plateaux et de mes pignons (M'est avis que Franconet pourrait mettre son fion dans ce sujet ;-) ), tout ce que je peux en dire c'est que pour moi ca va super. Aucun probleme de montee et mon dernier developpement n'est que tres rarement utilise. Je viens juste de me lancer des defis il y a un jour ou deux dans des chemins forestiers sur des petites pentes a 18 ou 20 % (voire plus, des vraies saloperies quoi). Normalement, je les aurais montees a pied pour epargner ma chaine et finalement, j'ai monte tout le bazar de 80 kg en pedalant avec la caillasse et tout le toutim.
Mais bon, globalement, ma becane est une sacre becane. Avec elle, l'ensemble fait a peu pres 70 kilos, je n'en changerais pas.
Je termine avec le grand Saint-Bernard. Comme je l'avais raconte ici, j'ai ete amene a le monter de nuit en juillet dernier mais a partir du cote italien. Je ne sais pas trop ce que ca represente en km, 25 il me semble, mais j'ai boucle la chose en environ 4 heures (ce n'est pas une performance c'est juste qu'on se caillait tellement que je ne me suis jamais arrete. Mes pauses consistait en marcher a coter du velo en continuant de grimper).
Mon vrai plaisir a ete la descente vers la Suisse. 45 bornes jusqu'a Martigny, ce que tu as du monter en fait. Je n'en croyais pas mes rotules. Pendant que je jubilais dans la descente, j'avais une pensee pour ceux que je voyais monter. D'autant plus qu'apres cette montee ils allaient se taper une descente des plus desagreables dans les au moins 15 bornes de chantiers du cote italien. J'en avais chie pour le monter mais j'ai ete recompense dans la descente.
Voilou une reponse un peu decousue, tu m'en excusera. C'est le lot des connexions hasardeuses qui me sont offertes sur mon parcours. Je fait vite a chaque fois.
sans probleme Cool !
à mon avis tu dois surement monter un 42/32/22 et 11/34 à l'arrière au vu de tes tranquillos en pleine charge....ton vélo dois être trés bien equipé comme je vois!
ouff, le St Bernard de nuit???? déjà de jour j'avais froid avant d'arriver au tunnel !...😕......septembre 2006 il y avais pas plus que 8° à 2100m...alors qu'à Martigny suis parti avec de la fine pluie mais tout de même 17°......
Mais bon ce mois ci je me limiterai à une balade au Canal du Midi.......disons plutôt pour tester les nouveaux pneus schwalbe que le pédalier......
bon vent !....
voici la photo de ma modeste machine avant le montage du nouveau pedalier.
Pour les pros des balades en Allemagne, nous cherchons comment aller de Würzburg (route romantique) à Berlin par les voies cyclables. Je pense à Main Radweg…
Voila j'aimerais avoir des infos, je pense partir de lille ou bruxelles et aller jusqu'au danemark en vélo, j'aime bien les villages et dormir chez l'habitant…
Voyager à vélo › Pays-Bas / France › Paris - Île de France · 11 replies
Nous sommes 5 amis irlandais qui ont l'intention de faire un événement de charité en Avril 2013. Nous avons l'intention de courir le marathon de Paris le 07…
Voyager à vélo › Irlande / Grande-Bretagne · 5 replies
Si on vous demandait de choisir entre ces deux pays, lequel choiseriez vous? pour quel critères? en quel saison? et en meme temps si vous avez des infos pour…
De retour d'un voyage en Andalousie, voici le meilleur itinéraire pour aller et revenir de l'aéroport. Tout d'abord vous ne pourrez pas couper à l'autoroute!…
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?
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
