Bon, maintenant, la récré est terminée, on s'est bien amusé; mais y'en a ras le casque. Si on passait à autre chose..Tiens, on pourrait faire du vélo, plutôt que de pianoter. V'la l'printemps qu'arrive!
Là, je parlais de la ceinture de sécurité et vous ne pouvez nier qu'elle sauve des vies ! Mais ne vous inquiétez pas , nous essayons de faire des merveilles en chirurgie , casque ou pas , de toute façon on tente ce qui doit être tenté, mais , vous ne pouvez pas nier non plus que le casque protège la tête , et je ne parle que de la tête !!!
Bonne route !
Bon, maintenant, la récré est terminée, on s'est bien amusé; mais y'en a ras le casque. Si on passait à autre chose..Tiens, on pourrait faire du vélo, plutôt que de pianoter. V'la l'printemps qu'arrive!
Trés bonne idée. Justement, je fais un Caen-Deauville a/r demain si y'en a dans le coin qui veulent se joindre à moi. Port du casque non obligatoire mais fortement conseillé sur certaines portions ( les touristes en bagnole qui regardent la mer en conduisant, c'est dangeureux ).
bonjour, je peux confirmer : n'oubliez surtout pas votre casque, (après une bonne chute :(par hasard jel'avais) vu l'état du casque suite à cette chute il est clair que c'est très utile , c'est bien simple je ne fais plus 100 m sans mon couvre chef
Et bien évidemment, s'ils avaient porté des casques, au moins, ces pauvres chérubins, leurs têtes, toute arrachées qu'elles étaient, auraient au moins eu l'avantage de montrer un sommet du crâne intact.
Je viens de découvrir cette énième discussion sur le port du casque ( qui ne font pas avancer le Schmilblick ) et pendant la lecture du post de jakès29 je pensais pratiquement la même chose que toi, Eric ! Encore une fois tes réponses me font bien rire.
Je propose de rendre obligatoire le passage de la ceinture de sécurité par l'intérieur de la jugulaire du casque ... au moins on écarterait le risque d'éjection de la tête casquée et son écrabouillage sous les roues d'un véhicule venant en sens inverse 😊.
@+
François
Les ayatholas ne sont jamais bien loin, et la relève est assuré.
Laissez nous cet espace de semi-liberté qu'est le vélo.
A vouloir trop réglementer vous allez nous tuer , et vous tuer vous même.
Bonne promenade malgré tout.
je fus navigateur navigaterre , je reste navigaterre.
Qu'importe d'où nous venons, car nous pouvons aller beaucoup plus loin que ce dont nous avions révé .
Où se situe l'intégrisme?
Dans ce jouissif et roboratif échange, contrairement aux précédents, point n'est entendu d'appel au port du casque obligatoire et légiféré.
J'espére que les curés(remplacer par un ministre du culte au choix) de la menace liberticide ne gaspille pas dans cet unique agitation leur précieuse énergie, non canalisé par ce chapeau dur qui les perturbe. Concient de la valeur des symboles, mais pas ridicule. L'Homme de la Manche se définit chez le barbier?
Bon
Moi je mets le casque (trois fois brisé déja). Et même parfois pas. et c'est comme je le sens. et tu fais comme tu veux, même si c'est mieux une protection en plus? Et je mets des gants (les vieux m'ont raconté la main pélée par le sol), et des lunettes, mais juste le soir ou le long de l'eau, les moucherons conspirent contre moi.
Et un gilet fluo, car obligatoire, le moins possible, mais faut admettre qu'en vélotaf, 5h du mat dans la campagne et le brouillard, c'est un plus.
Quand à l'argumentaire du choix personnel...suis un animal social, on doit toujours qq chose à quelqu'un. Et aujourdhui soleil sur le causse...
"Dites les gars, ça vous amuse de relancer une discussion sur le casque tous les 6 mois? Ou alors, vous croyez vraiment que personne n'a encore abordé le sujet sur ce forum ?"
Oui ! Si on parlait un peu "Ortlieb", "Schwalbe Marathon" ou "Brooks" pour changer ...
Teyo75
"Dites les gars, ça vous amuse de relancer une discussion sur le casque tous les 6 mois? Ou alors, vous croyez vraiment que personne n'a encore abordé le sujet sur ce forum ?"
Oui ! Si on parlait un peu "Ortlieb", "Schwalbe Marathon" ou "Brooks" pour changer ...
Teyo75
et des lunettes, mais juste le soir ou le long de l'eau, les moucherons conspirent contre moi.
Autant je ne mets que rarement un casque ; autant je mets systématiquement des lunettes. Et ce depuis que je me suis pris un projectile non identifié dans l'oeil au passage d'une voiture et qui m'avait envoyé dans le fossé ....
Bonsoirs a tous
Je suis le forum depuis le début.....
Certaine personnes aimes ou n'aimes pas porter de casque a vélo, c'est comme on met ou on ne met pas de ceinture de securiter en voiture
Alors aux personnes qui ne comprennes pas la sécuriter de sa personne...et d'autres
Si vous voulez vous envoyez en l'air, sans casques, sans ceintures de sécuriter ou autres..................sécuriter
changer de forum
Vive la vie ................elle est trop courte......faud en profité
Bien sur que le gilet que la nuit....
je pense que le froid sur vos tête nues inhibe fortement vos capacité humoristique.
Que de réflexions de censeur.....
Remarque y en a un ou deux de casqué où la surchauffe semble avoir eu le même effet.
Mc Comber est dans le vrais, l'absence de tête est certainnement une solution
Je regrette de partir loin du w<eb qq jours, trop trop ce sujet.
pédalons
"Dites les gars, ça vous amuse de relancer une discussion sur le casque tous les 6 mois? Ou alors, vous croyez vraiment que personne n'a encore abordé le sujet sur ce forum ?"
Et alors, les mentalités changent, évoluent ou régressent, une discusssion sur les casques d'il y a 1 an n'aura peut-etre pas les mêmes conclusions aujourdhui, il me semble que ce n'est pas interdit de dépoussierer un vieux sujet, surtout s'il est controversé et anime les passions, signe qu'il est toujours d actualité!
sur ce, pour répondre a M. MCCOMBER (l irlandaise rebelle)....moi j opte plutot pour les sacoches 😇
Remarque, le sujet est encore plus ancien, déjà sur Bucéphale:
"Le cavalier est coiffé d'un casque, d'abord du modèle phrygien, peint aux couleurs de l'escadron, avant qu'Alexandre n'impose le modèle béotien plus simple. Le casque comporte les marques du rang de son porteur. Il porte également une cuirasse et des bottes, mais pas de bouclier. Il est armé d'une longue lance (xyston) faite de bois de cornouiller, munie d'une double pointe de façon à pouvoir être toujours utilisée si elle vient à se rompre. Comme seconde arme, le cavalier porte au côté gauche une épée le plus souvent recourbée (kopis, machaira). Seuls les cavaliers des unités lourdes portent une armure."🙂
😛 Sous un ciel étoilé près de Babylone, Alexandre réunissait ses plus fidèles capitaines, et d'un air inspiré, les regardant droit dans les yeux, il leur dit: Alors pour ou contre le casque? 😛
Vous avez raison, même en avion il faudrait prendre un parachute avec soi, ne plus boire d'alcool , ne plus fumer, ne plus manger hyper gras et ne plus se gaver de sucreries, mais si vous faites le contraire de tout ça, la vie vat être courte , à moins d'être un cas à part et il y en a . Mais, il y a un mais, Mercredi 17 Mars 2010 vers 14h15 , à vélo bien sûr, si je n'avai pas mis mon casque , je ne serai pas en train d'écrire ce post, grosse chute à 800 m de chez moi, sur de la caillasse , casque éclaté, traumatisme cranien, entorse des cervicales, points de suture etc.... + une nuit aux urgences. Pour moi le port du casque à vélo ( pas à pied, quoi que? ) est indispensable.
Je ne dis pas ça pour donner des maux de tête 🤪 aux sophistes, mais j'en porte souvent un, moi, de casque de vélo. Tout le débat est sur la question de la contrainte.
Ceci étant dit, le casque de vélo en avion, ça pourrait sauver des vies, principalement dans l'industrie du casque de vélo.
Bises et prompt rétablissement,
É.
Et il poursuivit sa route
Celle que voulait sa monture
Car en cela consistait
L'essence de l'aventure
— Cervantes
Le casque c'est comme le préservatif, c'est pas obligatoire mais fortement conseillé , il suffit d'une fois !!!! Perso je n'ai pas utilisé de casque cet hivers , j'ai préféré le bonnet en laine (après réflexion, mais quand il fait zéro le vote est rapide), pour mon fils de 13 ans pour lui le casque et le gilet jaune c'est pas obligatoire et donc c'est hors de question, (après forte négociation le gilet est fixé sur le sac à dos quand il va à l'école, gilet bien sure qu'il enlève avant d'arriver devant l'école) , mon fils de 18 ans lui.......... du vélo il n'en fait pas (dommage), pour le reste il dit s'équiper😉.
Le problème des casques pour les cycliste irrégulier et les enfants (10-16 ans) , c'est qu'avec ils trouvent qu'ils ont des têtes de clown , imagine les moqueries (et donc généralement : pas de casque) , le cycliste régulier lui passe au dessus de ça (moi mon casque il est beau et ça fait pro😛).
Dans les manifestations la personne qui ce fait remarquer c'est celle qui n'a pas de casque (normal tout les autres en ont un), en ville c'est l'inverse. Il n'y a pas de lois sur les préservatifs mais de forte campagne de sensibilisation (limite "matraquage publicitaire") et des associations très active et ça marche, si la même chose était faite pour le casque de vélo les mentalités évoluraient.
Bonjour, vous avez raison c'est comme mettre des caméras partout, c'est toujours justifié, les risques sont partout, mais que faire, rester toute sa vie dans un abris anti -atomique? Par contre à vélo je met un casque, c'est mon choix, et le conseille.
Je souhaite changer mon porte bagage avant (un Zefal). Je voyage seul. Donc pour caser toutes mes affaires j'utilise à l'avant comme à l'arrière une paire de…
J'ai changé de vélo de voyage l'année dernière, et ma nouvelle monture possède un cadre sloping. C'est à dire, que le tube horizontal est plus bas côté selle,…
Je suis très attaché à mon vieux VTC que je viens de rénover entièrement. Il ne reste que le cadre d'origine. Vu son âge, les porte bidons n'étaient pas…
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’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?
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
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 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...
Tout d'abord... bonne année ! De belles routes à vous en 2017 !
Je voyage depuis quelques années avec un VTT de très bonne qualité mais équipé de freins à disques hydrauliques. Je vis (pédale) avec l'inquiétude d'avoir une panne (fuite, bulle d'air, chaleur qui fait que le liquide...). Mon vélociste me dit qu'il est impossible de les changer pour des V brakes.
Qu'en pensez-vous ? Est-ce que je prends un gros risque à continuer (seule) avec ces freins ? D'avance je vous remercie pour vos bonnes idées.
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.
Hi! I’m planning to visit the Stockholm Archipelago by bike in early April.
Do you know if the boats will be running between the different islands at that time of year? For those who’ve already been, all your tips and recommendations are welcome—accommodation, etc. Also, do you know where I can rent a bike in Stockholm? Thanks so much in advance for your help!
Hello there, pedal-powered Young Boys!
Claudio (still from Faverges)
dreaming about a cycling getaway in Italy from Faverges (train all the way to Turin)
from Turin down to Venice along the Po River and back via the Padana (Alta Italia da attraversare – Northern Italy to cross)
The tricky part is getting from Chioggia to Venice.
I read it’s possible by hopping on a boat from island to island,
but it sounds a bit stressful.
Has anyone already tackled this route?
I’m currently looking for a bike to do my first bike trip across France, with the ultimate goal of cycling through Latin America. I’ve got a lot of questions and I’d love to hear if you have any answers or advice to share.
First off, I’ve been through this before with hiking. I want to get top-quality gear right away. When I started hiking, I ended up buying everything three times—first beginner gear, then intermediate, then expert, etc.
For biking, I’d prefer to skip that process and invest right now in a bike that could ideally handle Latin America.
I’ve set a total max budget of around 5000 € (roughly 4000–4500 € for the bike and the rest for accessories: panniers, helmet, cycling shorts, etc.).
So, I’ve got quite a few questions:
* I’ve read in several places that some people recommend buying the bike directly in Latin America. Since I need a first bike to train in Europe, would it be better to buy an entry-level bike in France (and sell it before the big departure)? Or is it preferable to start right away with my final bike to get used to it? Is buying it there just to save a bit of money?
* For a long-term trip (around six months) in Latin America, is it better to go for a gravel bike or a mountain bike?
* Should I buy a new bike or a refurbished one? Even more so given that I’m planning a long trip—could a refurbished bike end up causing more breakdowns?
If you have any advice on models, technical features to prioritize, or recommended sellers or resellers, I’d love to hear it. I’m a total beginner—I’ve only just started watching videos and reading up on the subject, and all the technical specs are new to me!
Calling all travelers.
We’ll be landing at Lyon Airport and want to bike to La Verpillière train station (with panniers and camping gear, etc.) to catch a TER to Voreppe.
What’s the safest route for this bike trip?
Thanks in advance
hi,
I'm planning a recumbent bike trip from the Pyrenees to Greece. On the EuroVelo 8 route, it doesn't specify the path through the Alps.
Are there any experienced cyclists here who can tell me where they go to avoid climbing too high?
Also, is there another traveler/bike forum better suited for broadening the responses?
thanks
Densha Otaku - Lesser-Known Regions
Two weeks under the Puglia sun
Return to Swedish Lapland: Trekking the Kungsleden and Crossing Sarek
Off on a winter adventure in the American West!
3 weeks in Laos, at a relaxed pace
Draw Me Your Japan...
South Africa in safari mode: February/March 2026
Back in Tunisia (live account)
