Bonjour,
Programmant pour septembre 2009 un voyage itinérant en vélo au Québec ( dont 10 jours Laurentides + 10 jours Gaspésie ),
Auriez-vous de bonnes adresses à Montréal pour louer 2 vélos de type "VTC de randonnée "( Vélo tout chemin selon définition Française ) à Montréal ou à Gaspé au Canada ?
Soit : VTC équipé d'un porte-bagages costaud, de Garde-boues, d' une potence réglable, d'une selle suspendue, d'éclairage ...
Il semble en effet que les québécois ont pris l'élan vélo : on trouve facilement de l'info sur les locations de VTT( Tous terrains), mais l'appellation " VTC " ne figure pas dans leur pub, encore moins " VTC de randonnée "
Personnellement je n'ai jamais entendu l'expression "vélo tout chemin". Ici on parle de vélo de montagne (cross country) ou bien de vélo hybride ou de cyclotourisme. Le vélo de montagne correspond à tous les types de terrain, alors que le vélo hybride n'est pas adapté pour le hors piste en raison de ses pneus moins larges et avec moins de crampons.
Merci beaucoup
Je voulais donc dire vélo cyclotouriste ( Avec Porte-bagages résistant, pneus mixtes route ou bon chemin, selle suspendue, éclairage...).
Vous êtes québécois, et c'est la première fois que nous allons venir au Québec ( où réside et travaille notre fils, à Montréal, depuis 2 ans )
Puis-je me permettre d'autres questions, ( notamment camping d'étape ) sur les itinéraires que nous voulons emprunter, par la véloroute ? : le ptit train du Nord la gaspésie ( de Bonaventure à Gaspé )
Je connais pas mal le P'tit Train du Nord, car je viens de cette région. Cependant, pour la Gaspésie je ne connais pas trop. Il existe des campings le long du P'tit Train du Nord et parfois il faut faire un petit détour pour les rejoindre, ils ne sont pas directement le long du tracé. Cela dépend évidemment du nombre de km que vous envisagez de faire et où vous voulez partir pour que je puisse vous aider davantage...
Bonjour,
Nous prévoyons 8/10 jours de Montréal centre à Mont-Laurier .
Environ 40 km par jour de moyenne, en prévoyant du mauvais temps qui nous immobiliserait au camping par beau temps des balades supplémentaires en boucle à côté de l'itinéraire Ptit train, selon intérêt paysage, site, etc, à partir du camping d'étape ( alors libérés du poids des bagages, la boucle peut faire 60 km ... )
La pluie ne nous gêne pas pour rouler si elle n'est pas trop froide ... !
Ainsi, nous préférerions faire étape ( campings ) à côté de petites villes ( ou villages, ou sites remarquables ) à visiter en cas de mauvais temps.
Peut-on se ravitailler facilement sur l'itinéraire avant d'arriver au camping en fin de journée ? les campings ont-ils des magasins d'alimentation ?
Nous pensons manger simple à midi dans des sandwicheries le long de l'itinéraire .
Pour le retour, nous pensons prendre la Navette autocar ( qui prend Vélos + Bagages ) Mont Laurier - St Jérôme .
Avec retour à vélo St Jérôme-Montréal
Enfin : Quel est le sens du vent dominant ? ( Nous avons remorque + sacoches chargées )
Car selon le cas, nous pourrions faire le ptit train dans le sens Mont-Laurier / Montréal
Existe-t-il une navette autocar ( transportant Bagages et Vélos ) Montréal - Mont Laurier ? ce qui simplifierait ...
Merci de votre amabilité pour vos informations, qui nous sont précieuses ...
Bonjour,
À partir du centre de Montréal, il est possible de rejoindre Laval et ensuite Bois-des-Filion grâce à la Route verte et ensuite se diriger vers les Hautes-Laurentides où se trouve le parc Linéaire du P'tit Train du Nord. Cependant cette section est très urbanisée jusqu'à Saint-Jérôme. Une fois arrivé à Saint-Jérôme à peu près 50 km de votre point de départ, vous pouvez envisagé d'y camper. Cependant, le camping est situé à quelques km du parc linéaire et il s'agit du camping lac Lafontaine. De Saint-Jérôme, il est possible ensuite pour vous de vous rendre en une journée vers Sainte-agathe (environ 50 km) où vous trouverez deux campings, dont un qui croise le parc linéaire, soit le camping Lausanne, je dirais à environ 10 km du centre-ville de Sainte-Agathe, ou bien le Parc des campeurs situé en bordure du Lac-des-Sables. Cependant, le Parc des campeurs est situé à environ 5 Km de la gare de Sainte-Agathe, donc du parc linéaire. Cependant, il vous permet de vous balader dans le centre-ville de Sainte-Agathe et cela pourrait constituer une boucle intéressante pour vous.
Ensuite, vous vous dirigez vers Saint-Jovite (qu'on appelle Tremblant aujourd'hui), qui est situé à environ 35-40 km de Sainte-Agathe. À Tremblant, il y a un camping que je connais et c'est le camping de la Diable. Un peu plus loin de St-Jovite il y a Labelle où on retrouve également le Camping Labelle situé en bordure de la rivière Rouge. Ensuite on retrouve quelques campings entre Labelle et Mont-Laurier. Voir la carte Google Maps pour les hébergements possible. Le tracé du parc linéaire suit en gros la route 117. Voir lien.
De plus, vous allez trouver probablement d'autres sites pour camper le long du parc linéaire, mais qui ne sont probablement pas répertoriés sur Internet. Je me souviens d'en avoir croisé. Il y a aussi des auberges, des chalets, des B&B partout dans les villages et le long du parc linéaire, par exemple le KM 42 à Val-David.
Pour le ravitaillement, ce n'est pas un problème. Les anciennes gares de train ont été, pour la plupart, restaurées et transformées en halte pour les cyclistes et/ou en bureau touristique. Il y a aussi plusieurs dépanneurs à proximité du parcours et/ou petits bistros. Il y a peut-être des sections plus longues que d'autres sans service, notamment après Saint-Jovite où le parc linéaire est un peu plus dans la forêt. Cependant, avec un minimum de logistique vous ne mourrez pas de soif ou de faim... Pour les campings, la plupart du temps on y retrouve des dépanneurs, mais il est plus pratique pour vous d'arrêter dans une épicerie dans le village afin de vous ravitailler pour la soirée, car on ne trouve pas tout ce qu'il faut dans les dépanneurs de camping habituellement.
Le vent dominant est généralement ouest ou nord-ouest.
Il y a des possibilité de boucle à Tremblant, où vous pourriez aller vous balader au village de Tremblant (à la montagne), aussi à Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts dans le village et autour du lac des Sables. Val-David offre aussi, au parc Dufresne, un lieu pour faire de la randonnée pédestre, si vous voulez vous changer les idées une journée.
Pour la section entre l'Annonciation et Mont-Laurier je la connais moins par exemple.
Vous pouvez aussi téléphoner à l'Association touristique des Laurentides, ou tout simplement vous informer sur place dans les kiosques d'information qui sont souvent situés dans les anciennes gare le long du parcours.
Pour la navette je sais que ça existe, mais je ne connais pas comment ça fonctionne : voici le lien que j'ai trouvé : LIEN
Finalement, je sais que les autocars qui font la navette entre Montréal et Mont-Laurier sont les autobus Galland. Je sais qu'il transporte les vélos moyennant un coût. Il y a un départ de Montréal vers Mont-Laurier à tous les jours à 8h30 (arrivée 12h20, trajet un peu long...) et il y a aussi d'autres départs. Les départs de Mont-Laurier vers Montréal se font tous les jours à 8h00 et 17h00.
Voilà, si vous avez besoin de plus de précisions, n'hésitez pas.
Vous avez répondu très précisément à toutes les questions que je me posais .
Si j'ai bien compris, les québécois appellent " dépanneurs" les épiceries sommaires de secours...
Car en France, dépanneur veut dire réparateur d'objets techniques en intervention rapide ( Dépanneur d'automobiles immobilisées, de pannes électriques de maison...etc ).
Si vous habitez sur l'itinéraire du Ptit train du Nord, nous serions ravis de venir vous faire un bonjour ...
Oui en fait les dépanneurs se sont des commerce de proximité où on vend des produits divers : cigarettes, bières, croustilles, lait, boissons gazeuses, etc. Parfois ils sont plus raffinés avec des sandwichs et quelques mets préparés, etc.
Malheureusement, je ne vis plus dans les environs du P'tit Train du Nord, mais j'ai grandi là.
Finalement, un petit commentaire que j'ai oublié. Je ne sais plus c'est pour quand ce voyage, mais il est préférable de réserver pour les campings, car ils peuvent afficher complets durant l'été, surtout durant les vacances de fin juillet et les fin de semaines (vendredi, samedi, dimanche).
Hmmm.. dure à dire à cette saison je ne crois pas, surtout la semaine, mais il faut quand même savoir que les campings ont souvent qu'une petite partie de leurs terrains réservés pour les passants, alors que l'autre partie ce sont des "résidants". Par conséquent, c'est un peu compliqué de savoir si il va y avoir de la place à 100%, mais disons que les chances sont bonnes.
Prévoir aussi des vêtements chauds, car les soirs et les nuits en septembre peuvent être assez fraîches...
Voyager à vélo › Québec › Région de Québec · 9 replies
Je pars au Québec l'été prochain (juillet/août 2015) et j'aimerais randonner à vélo pendant 2 à 3 semaines avec un bébé d'un an. Je me demande s'il vaut mieux…
Voyager à vélo › Canada/ Québec › Montréal et Laval · 7 replies
Je prépare un voyage qui va de Toronto, en passant par le Lac St jean, Tadoussac, Les Hautes Gorges, Québec et Montréal. Ce voyage est prévu en camping-car…
Voyager à vélo › Québec › Montréal et Laval · 6 replies
Est-ce que vous savez s'il possible de louer des vélos directement sur l'Ile Sainte Helene (au Parc Jean Drapeau)? Je ne trouve rien sur le net! Je ne trouve…
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.
