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 everyone,

I’m trying to figure out how to get from Paris to Marseille or Montpellier with non-disassembled bikes by train in early July 2025... and it’s a total flop!!! Can’t find any trains that offer the bike-on-board option! It’s so complicated between SNCF-CONNECT, OUIGO, and TER INTERCITÉS!!! Nothing’s simple! I want to take my teens and their cousins on a bike trip to the Camargue, but I’ll have to start planning way ahead to sort out bike transport!!! So glad I found VoyageForum for tips! !

Hi there,

I’m planning to cycle the Vélodyssée from Hendaye to Saint-Brevin in July 2026. My issue: how do I get to Hendaye with my bike? FlixBus doesn’t take bikes, and SNCF is complicated. Any ideas? Has anyone got a solution to suggest? Thanks in advance! Cheers, Patrig

Good evening,

We’re planning a cycling tour in Denmark and I’m figuring out how to get there. We have electric mountain bikes (and since I’m really happy with mine, I’d prefer not to rent bikes there). We have 9 days.

- I looked into trains, but the prices aren’t great, and I’m worried we won’t always be able to take our bikes. Packing them in a bag and disassembling them seems overwhelming, especially given how big mine is.

- The Flexibus: we’d have to go through Paris from Lyon, which would waste a lot of time.

- Flying? It might not be more expensive than the train.

- We have a camper van, and I’m wondering if that’s an option. Do you know if you can park your vehicle for a week in a parking lot? I get the impression that parking time is limited. Thanks for your advice! Have a great evening,

Sandrine

Does anyone know an easy way to get from Bilbao to Nantes by bus or train with a bike that isn’t disassembled? Nothing on DB.DE, nothing on FlixBus... Thanks.

Hello fellow cycle-tourers! First post on this site for our first big family cycling adventure with our two teens (12 and 16 years old) over 2 months. We're preparing to leave in June/July from Erdeven by bike, then take the train from Auray to Paris, followed by a FlixBus from Paris to Copenhagen with our 4 bikes. After that, we're looking to refine our route: Should we go to Sweden via Helsingborg and then head up to Stockholm along the west or east coast? Maybe passing through the Gotland islands, then via the Åland Islands, why not Turku? Then off to Estonia to Tallinn, ride a bit along the coast, and return by bus if we can find one that takes 4 bikes. :))

Could you share any tips on routes in Sweden: west coast or east coast to prioritize in the south? We’ve heard it’s a shame not to go up to Norway, but we’re worried about the elevation and don’t see how to make a loop work in our 2 months / 1500 km. Any ideas? And the southern Finnish coast: should we go all the way to Helsinki or not? Maybe at the expense of Estonia?

In short, we know choosing means giving something up, but if we can do it with advice from fellow cyclists, that would be amazing! Thanks in advance for your tips! Anne-Sophie and the whole Breton family: David, Axel, and Maude

Hi everyone,

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, 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 young cycling enthusiasts, I’m starting a thread about the bike route known as venaissia.

Claudio took advantage of this February 2026’s mild weather to check out what it looks like.

Here we go—story and photos coming soon: http://cbandiera.free.fr/recits/2026-venaissia/

The plan was to go from Faverges to Cavaillon and explore the Via Venaissia a bit. A crazy idea? Maybe, but don’t forget that the month of February—"februare" in Latin—means "to purify," so it’s the Month of the Lupercalia, a Roman festival that was a purification rite. So, to purify himself after the feasts of the Saturnalia, Claudio set off (from an oak tree, no less) to pedal south.

He returned a little soaked but alive: The stages were as follows: (to be continued)

overall impression: good signage, but Claudio still managed to get lost in cities like Orange and Carpentras... Cavaillon... got lost several times, but thanks to the map and GPS, he got back on track... Nice route, sometimes a bit boring, quiet, deserted (normal given the weather), threatening skies, but he escaped the rain.

Hey fellow cyclists, Cyclists on trails, paths, or greenways—why do so few (if any) of you use your bells to warn walkers, runners, and other pedestrians when they’re moving in the same direction as you? I exercise every day (brisk walking) among you in France and abroad, and it’s something I’ve noticed—often with a few scares (and I’m guessing some accidents between cyclists or with pedestrians). Personally, I always stick to the rules, walking on the left (facing traffic) so I can see you coming, but not everyone does that—neither pedestrians nor cyclists, and let’s be honest, it’s a bit of a free-for-all. 🤪 Your bikes make little to no noise, so why take risks and put others at risk too? A quick, light *ding-ding* would be enough to warn people—what do you think? 😅

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to get familiar with a route on Locus Map. The issue is that Locus Map’s geolocation isn’t accurate on my PC.

In the link, the red cross shows where I live, and the blue cross shows where Locus Map geolocated me. There’s a difference of about 1.5 km.

My question is: will there always be this kind of error every time I ask Locus Map to geolocate me?

We’re planning to cycle along the Baltic coast this summer, from Flensburg all the way to the Polish border—and maybe even a little farther along the Polish coast. By e-bike and staying in hotels (we’re not exactly spring chickens). Any tips? Challenges, places to stay, signage? Other thoughts?

Hi there, I’m traveling to Denmark this July with my three boys, aged 12, 14, and 17. I’d like to plan a little cycling trip and I’m thinking of doing the Copenhagen–Malmö route via Helsingborg. The idea is to take our time and stop along the way based on points of interest or for a swim if the weather allows. I have a few questions: - How many days should we plan for? 2, 3, or 4? - What are the recommended stopover towns? - What are the points of interest along the way? - Do we need to take a ferry for the Helsingør–Helsingborg stretch? Should we book in advance? If anyone has great tips for accommodation along the route, I’d love to hear them! Thanks! !

When you're trying to travel with your bike, SNCF sometimes tells you there's no solution, even though you could combine TGVs, TETs, and TERs.

- We used to check the Swiss CFF website https://www.sbb.ch/fr,

but it’s become useless since the "bike" option for France was removed.

- Next, we go to the Deutsche Bahn website https://www.bahn.com/fr, which has a "bike" option that combines TGVs, TETs (IC), and TERs. Then, you can either: - Buy the ticket directly on the Deutsche Bahn site, or - Note all the trains in the itinerary and, to use your discount cards, go to the SNCF website to purchase all the necessary tickets. The Deutsche Bahn site lets you adjust connection times in the "details" of an itinerary if the suggested one seems too short. I’ve found that 10 minutes is really risky—delays, crowds on the platform making it hard to move quickly, not to mention the line for the elevator and navigating an unfamiliar station. Still, it’s best to double-check that each train allows bikes.

- Now, thanks to the site "Biclous et bidouilles," check it out here:

https://biclousetbidouilles.com/un-site-en-or-pour-voyager-en-ter/

I discovered this site, which helps calculate bike-friendly routes in France:

https://www.horaires-de-trains.fr/horaires-ter.html

I gave it a quick test, but it seems limited to TERs—too bad, since the ideal is to combine all available train options.

One pitfall to avoid: always make sure you’re still on https://www.horaires-de-trains.fr/horaires-ter.html and haven’t accidentally switched to https://www.horaires-de-trains.fr/.

These days, SNCF is gradually converting all its TGVs to INOUI. Normally, they all have bike spaces, so these workarounds might not be needed much longer.

Hi there, No recent discussion here on the topic (2025). Anyone else interested?

Best wishes to all you bike travelers—I hope you have extraordinary journeys. Safe travels and happy planning! 😉

Hello, I spent a month cycling in Thailand earlier this year with a touring bike equipped with two rear panniers. I loved being able to ride and stop at a hotel every night, and eat just about anywhere. I tried India two months ago but gave up because of the road conditions and chaotic traffic.

I’m looking for countries where I can cycle "without autonomy"—so no tent, no stove, just the bare minimum. Ideally, I’d like to stop at hotels or similar accommodations regularly, without having to cover 200 km a day!

I’d love to hear from your experiences—what countries make it easy to travel this way? Thanks!

I'm currently exploring how to create a travel itinerary using AI, specifically ChatGPT.

Question: Bike route from Bordeaux to Paris.

Rough response:

A bike route between Bordeaux and Paris is an incredible adventure, typically around 600 to 650 km depending on the chosen path. Here’s an example of an itinerary with key points:Main Option: La Scandibérique (EuroVelo 3) La Scandibérique is the French section of EuroVelo 3, connecting Bordeaux to Paris through stunning landscapes. This route is well-marked and takes you through small roads and greenways.Main Stages

Bordeaux → Libourne (about 40 km)

Follow the Garonne River, cross the vineyards of Entre-deux-Mers, and reach Libourne, a charming wine town. Greenways available.

Libourne → Périgueux (about 100 km)

Cross the Dordogne with stops in villages like Montpon-Ménestérol. Mix of quiet small roads and trails.

Périgueux → Châteauroux (about 160 km, in several stages)

Through the Parc Naturel Régional de la Brenne. This stage is longer but rich in nature and heritage.

Châteauroux → Orléans (about 110 km)

Reach the banks of the Loire to enjoy the famous Loire à Vélo, a beautiful section with châteaux.

Orléans → Paris (about 140 km)

Pass through the Forêt de Fontainebleau before joining the bike paths along the Seine all the way to Paris.

Hi

To attach this part [1] on the front fork with an oval cross-section, I need a clamp like this but with an oval shape, knowing that the fork’s larger diameter is 3 cm and the smaller diameter is 1.5 cm.

[1] It’s part of a magnetic locking clip. This keeps a folding bike in the folded position.

Thanks

hi there After covering thousands of kilometers over the years with front and rear panniers, I’m now facing a problem: broken spokes on the rear wheel. Once, twice—imagine the hassle of fixing it when you're in the middle of nowhere in the Cévennes! So, drastic times call for drastic measures! I switched to a reinforced wheel and, following my bike mechanic’s advice, fitted a tire that’s a "tad" wider than the front one.

We set off on our summer adventure feeling confident, and guess what—"BAM"—a broken spoke after just 200 km. Seriously?! Not even that heavily loaded—just around 30 kg, plus my 80 kg. Even with the sturdier wheel, I still ended up with a broken spoke after 300 km! Back to the bike mechanic, and the only explanation: "It’s your pedaling style..." Not convinced at all! So here’s the idea: a Bob trailer! I’m done with this sword of Damocles hanging over my head—it’s a real buzzkill. Has anyone here tried a Bob trailer? Could you share your experiences—pros, cons, etc.? Thanks!!!

A lot of water has flowed under the bridges, and many kilometers have rolled by under my wheels since my last post on this forum. I've ridden the 4 diagonals of France, a Paris-Brest-Paris, and crisscrossed the country from one end to the other.

Great news that the forum is back—we’ve been waiting for this for ages! Now we can chat again with the die-hards like Claudio, Luc Bertand, and everyone else... Voyager à vélo

Hi, I'm looking for a Pino tandem bike for sale in Quebec and I can't find any. Does anyone have any info, please? Thanks a bunch!

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

claudio

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?

Thanks, and cheers to all! http://cbandiera.free.fr/parcours/Padania/

Claudio

Hi, A friend is looking for a bike to embark on a long trip, but the issue is he’s only 1.55m tall. In itself, that’s not a problem 😏, except that finding an XS-sized touring bike isn’t easy. Some start at 1.55m, but it’s still a bit extreme. If anyone knows of brands or models that might work... Thanks in advance

Hi there, We’re heading to three islands in March (Paros, Milos, and Sifnos). Given their small size and lack of major elevation, we’d love to explore them by bike. However, I can’t find any bike rental shops on any of these islands. Has anyone done this before and have any recommendations or addresses? Thanks so much in advance!

I'm planning a 3-day weekend with my wife on this cycle path. The articles about this route are old, so if anyone has traveled it recently and can give me an update on its condition, that'd be great. We're riding 1994 ROCKRIDER 340 mountain bikes but with 1.5-inch tires suited for road touring—will that work, or should I switch back to MTB tires? Thanks for your replies!

A bit disappointed with the forum's revival—there isn’t much activity or shared travel stories anymore.

I have 5 months left to prepare for the most ambitious project of my life...

In 5 months, I’ll hit the road, heading to Nepal. Not by plane. Not by train. But by bike.

13,000 km, 18 countries crossed. Powered only by my legs, my will, and a dream.

This journey isn’t just a physical challenge. It’s:

🌍 A human and cultural adventure, meeting locals, landscapes, and traditions. 🌱 A meaningful project: discussing climate change and, above all, listening to those who experience it daily. 🔥 An inner quest, to push my limits and inspire others to step out of their comfort zones. A message of hope for self-discovery.

I have 20 weeks left to: ✅ Finalize my route ✅ Gather the budget and equipment ✅ Sort out the logistics ✅ And most importantly… find committed sponsors to bring this adventure to life.

Any help is welcome!

Hi there,

I got a handlebar bag for my bike with a KlickFix system and a Galaxy Tab A tablet. I can fit the tablet into the waterproof transparent pouch on the bag—it’s absolutely awesome, I’ve got my dashboard right on the handlebar! I’d like to use Locus Map for geolocation and create a route from Nantes to Saint-Fiacre-sur-Maine. On my PC, with Locus Map, I see the interface on the left to create a planned route (like in the red-framed screenshot below). But on my tablet (using the app), I can’t find the interface to create a planned route from point A to B like I can on the PC. I need help figuring out how to create a route from A to B on my tablet with Locus Map—I know how to find and download a GPX file, but for Nantes to Saint-Fiacre-sur-Maine, there’s no GPX file available online. Also, does anyone know how to remove the ads on Locus Map?

Thanks in advance—David