j'ai pour projet (moi aussi? enfin!) de partir en vélo, en solo sur les routes de la soie (printemps 2016 ?) via l'EV6 jusqu'à Constancia, la Turquie, l'Iran, le Turkmenistan, l'Ouzbbékistan, le Tadjikistan, le Kirghiztan pour arriver en Chine à Kashgar.
Je compte pour cela demander une année sabbatique à mon employeur.
Donc voilà comment je vois les choses pour l'instant. Je partirai de Bâle en avril et je me suis fixé une moyenne de 50km/jour, je roulerai certainement plus (surtout sur le plat😛) mais c'est une moyenne incluant les jours de repos et autres: soit 1500km/mois. Cela me ferai arriver donc à Istanbul début juin.
C'est là que vous intervenez: j'aimerai svp votre avis sur la faisabilité de la chose, pour ceux qui connaissent ces pays pour les avoir sillonner avec leurs montures, notamment au niveau des saisons et du climat. La chaleur est-elle supportable en Turquie en juin/juillet ? en aout en Iran et plus loin ? L'Asie centrale se fait-elle en automne ? Jusqu'à quand les routes du Pamir et la M41 sont-elles praticables et les conditions météo pas trop mauvaises ? Jusqu'à quand peut-on espérer rejoindre Kashgar sans avoir à (trop) pédaler sous la neige (je pensais arriver en octobre) ?
Pour la suite du voyage je ne sais pas trop encore. J'aurai bien aimé poursuivre jusqu'à Lhassa via la G219, mais je pense que cela est interdit aux voyageurs en solo, de plus ça sera l'hiver!
Y a-t-il des personnes qui ont circulé sur cette route récemment ?
Si ça ne passe pas, je prendrais peut-être par le Nord (possible en hiver en vélo ?? je doute fortement) donc ça sera peut-être train jusqu'à Kunming pour finir mon périple par l'Asie du Sud-Est en parcourant le Vietnam, le Laos ou le Cambodge ...ou les 3 ! à voir.
Voilà, quand pensez-vous ?? Y a-t-il un calendrier plus approprié ?
Tout commentaire est le bienvenue car ça pédale dur dans ma tête lol
Vous commencez à défricher le sujet, manifestement. 🙂
Pour ce qui est de la Chine :
- le visa chinois est délivré pour entrée dans le territoire chinois dans les 3 mois, et il est difficile de l'obtenir hors de son pays de résidence. C'est un gros problème pour les voyageurs au long cours comme vous. Dans certains pays en "stan", il arrive de pouvoir l'obtenir, mais ça peut changer sans préavis. Recherchez les discussions sur ce sujet. La durée du visa est aussi un problème récurrent pour les cyclistes.
- le visa pakistanais est impossible à obtenir ces temps ci, ce qui exclut d'entrer par la superbe route du Karakoram
- le Tibet n'est accessible aux étrangers qu'avec un "permis Tibet", qui impose d'avoir un guide et une voiture avec chauffeur pour l'intégralité du séjour dans ce territoire. Même si vous êtes en vélo, la voiture suiveuse sera obligatoire. Vue la vitesse d'un cycliste, ça vous coûtera très cher, surtout en solo. S'ajoute à cela que sur l'itinéraire Kashgar - Lhassa, le tronçon Yarkant-Shigatse est très peuplé. Il ne sera pas facile de trouver des hébergements. Par ailleurs, en quittant le Xinjiang, la route G219 monte d'un coup de l'altitude 0 à plus de 4000 mètres, et il vous faudra franchir plusieurs cols à plus de 5000 mètres d'altitude.
j'ai lu beaucoup de post et oui le visa chinois n'est pas toujours évident à obtenir mais cela semble possible. J'ai un passeport avec déja un coup de tampon chinois, cela peut-il aider :-p ? Passer par l'Afghanistan ou le Pakistan je ne l'avais (malheureusement) même pas envisager.
Quant au Tibet, effectivement j'ai bien peur de devoir mettre une croix dessus. snifff
merci encore.
Je ne sais pas si un visa chinois antérieur facilite la délivrance du suivant.
(Au passage : les lecteurs de mon post précédent auront corrigé d'eux mêmes : "le tronçon Yarkant-Shigatse est très PEU peuplé".)
Bonne chance !
😎Comme ça me démange aussi et que j'ai très très envie d'aller voir là bas si j'y suis, je tenterais sans doute ma chance depuis Pékin ce qui me parait presque facile. Peut-être pas sur les trois ou quatre cent premiers kilomètres qui me paraissent très très industriels et peu propice au voyage à vélo. J'attendrai gentiment que tu nous en donne des nouvelles.
C'est pas ce qui t'aide le plus, je sais, mais je ne peux pas partir avant.
Bon courage et bon voyage.
Que le ciel te soit clément et que les côtes te soient très douces.
Bonjour Sylvain, ton post m'intéresse beaucoup car l'idée me trotte dans la tête depuis un bon moment. Ton parcours m'intéresse beaucoup aussi et je suis les commentaires pas à pas.
A bientôt peut-être
Cordialement, le meilleur est à venir
à voir et à entendre 🤪 janodou.com « Rencontrer l'autre c'est se découvrir soi même (JLM) »
bsr superbe projet! je ne peux pas te renseigner mais j'ai suivi sur le net l'équipe de "Solidream " pendant leut tour du monde en 3 ans , peut etre peuvent ils te renseigner et t'aider dans tes démarches ; leur site est toujours actif et ils ont monté une assoc iation d'entraide . voilà c'est tout ce que je peux t'apporter hormis mes encouragements et mon soutien moral ciao !!
Nombreux sont les chinois qui se déplacent à vélo. Tu ne dénoteras dans la masse que par ton équipement spécialisé, que le chinois n'aura pas. Mais ça le laisse de marbre. Il te demanderont d'où tu viens et où tu vas. Pour les asiatiques, un voyage à un sens. Cherche lui un sens "merveilleux'.
Beaucoup seront ravi de te proposer de partage leur repas. Ça ne se refuse pas. Un petit guide de conversation (sur papier ou téléphone) peut te faire passer de bons moments.
Salut Sylvain, Marathon et à vous tous intéressés par le post de çamedémange.
Simplement pour te dire "çàmedemange" que je suis l'évolution de la faisabilité administrative (obtention du visa Chinois en cours de route). Donc, ton post est très intéressant mais mon projet avec un copain est encore trop lointain (mars 2019) pour m'exprimer à ce sujet.
Tour du monde 17 mois à vélo en passant aussi par la Turquie, l'Iran, le Turkmenistan, l'Ouzbbékistan, le Tadjikistan, le Kirghiztan , la Chine ( Kashgar ).
Je lis tous les posts sur forum voyage et c'est vrai que c'est un frein actuellement de ne pouvoir à priori pas obtenir un visa Chinois dans les ambassades à l'étranger.
Est ce que vous connaissez un site ou plusieurs sites en anglais similaires de la qualité de voyageforum pour étendre nos recherches en prenant connaissance de l'expérience d'autres passionnés anglophones.
En plus Sylvain, je vois que tu es de St Jorioz et mon potte et moi sommes de Chambéry. Je bosse aussi sur Annecy. Alors peut être prochainement à l'occasion à Chambéry ou Annecy ou au cours du salon vélozons à Chambéry à la mi mars, nous pourrons nous croiser ou se voir..
Bien à vous
bonjour à tous et merci pour vos réponses et vos liens.
je continue à vadrouiller sur le net.
beaucoup de sites, beaucoup d'infos......à en avoir parfois mal aux cheveux. mais cela reste très intéressant.
j'apprécie grandement la clarté de VF.
je ne me fais pas trop de souci pour ce visa chinois. des amis ont eu leur visa depuis le Laos et le Vietnam, pas de soucis.
Eric ça sera avec grand plaisir, quand tu veux. on reste en contact via le site.
et celui de Mickael un jeune haut-savoyard. http://mikaellavorel.blogspot.fr/
pour encore de plus de blogs et de sites de voyageurs dans la rubrique : Autres voyageurs
une mine d'infos, notamment pour l'Asie centrale et la chine.
On est sur la route, au Cambodge et dans 1 mois au Vietnam. On roule en famille avec nos 2 enfants.
On va prendre le visa normalement à Hanoi. Cela ne pose pas de problème, en 4 à 5 jours nous aurons normalement les visas. Si problème avec les ambassades, possibilité de passer par des agences (un peu plus cher mais possible)
On te tiendra informé si tu veux. (Ou relances nous si tu veux pour avoir des infos)
Au plaisir,
Guillaume,
merci pour l'info.
ce n'est pas tant pour l'obtention du visa que je m'inquiète mais pour l'obtention DEPUIS l'asie centrale. l'ouest de la chine semble sensible depuis quelques temps...
j'ai décidé de ne plus m'en faire vis à vis de ce visa. je ne pars pas demain et la politique chinoise quant à l'ouest du pays a le temps de changer (plusieurs fois) d'ici là.
j'aurai, une fois parti, environ 10.000kms pour réfléchir à une/des solutions de secours si je me retrouve bloqué au Kirghistan.
mais je finirais mon périple en asie du SE c'est sûr.
probablement au départ de Kunming (toujours si j'ai pû rentré), il parait que c'est très joli le yunnan..., et direction le sud pour le laos/thailande et le vietnam.
autant dire que je suis vos aventures de près! :-)
juste pour signaler le site de ce jeune couple, parti 'récemment' et actuellement au laos; ma route emprunte la leur dans plusieurs pays jusqu'en asie du SE, à part la partie Europe. Comme quoi il est possible d'obtenir un visa chinois, en rentrant par l'ouest.
encore une mine d'infos et de jolies photos.
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?
😎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?😏
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
Hello,
Has anyone here had experience using a gas stove in Sardinia and Sicily? I’m wondering if screw-on gas canisters (not the blue Campingaz ones, but brands like Coleman, Primus, etc.) are easy to find.
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.
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 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.
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
