Cycling in other countries - experiences
Discussion
Getting pretty cheesed off with the preponderance of bike-hating muppets and heavy traffic that plagues UK roads, so I'm wondering if it's time to try emigrating again.
Thought I'd start a thread for discussing cycling experiences and conditions in other countries, ideally from the perspective of a Brit living / working / day-to-day cycling in those countries rather than just holiday trips or tours.
I'll kick off with New Zealand, where I lived from 2002 - 2006.
I'm a road cyclist. I used to cycle to work (25 miles round trip) as well as with a club on Sundays, generally in the Auckland city / South Auckland rural areas, with some trips further afield - South Island around Christchurch, Northland, Hamilton/Cambridge area.
Obviously the rural roads were a lot quieter than the UK, roughly the same speed limit (100kph), rough tarseal road surfaces were typical so a constant buzz through the bike with piles of gravel at corners.
Many minor roads are gravel and it was hard to find maps showing the minor roads accurately or which were sealed and which unsealed.
Many parts of the country have few minor roads. The main highways often have a hard shoulder which could be used for cycling but these tend to disappear at bridges, etc.
Drivers were pretty aggressive around cyclists, particularly in Auckland and are generally not really looking for cyclists at all and the truck drivers were a nightmare, often driving too close and fast. Experienced quite a few incidents of drivers blasting their horns, throwing things at me and on one memorable occasion some muppet dropped a full crate of empty beer bottles on the road in front of a cycling club run. Aggressive driving is also an issue when driving - always some idiot tailgating / making stupid and dangerous overtaking manoeuvres.
The cycling culture pretty much consists of racing cyclists and mountain bikers, not much leisure or touring cycling when I was there. Utility cycling such as shopping or cycling to work seems to be a rarity.
Obviously scenery can be spectacular and the weather is highly changeable, warm in the northern half of the north island, colder in the south, wet in the west and drier in the east, rather like the UK but the differences are more pronounced.
Bikes were similar in price to the UK, but bike parts much more expensive, such that it was often cheaper to get parts airmailed from Britain than buy locally.
Overall I didn't rate NZ as a cycling country and returned to the UK in 2006.
I'm interested to hear more about cycling conditions in other countries so I can target my next migration.
Cheers,
Ben
Thought I'd start a thread for discussing cycling experiences and conditions in other countries, ideally from the perspective of a Brit living / working / day-to-day cycling in those countries rather than just holiday trips or tours.
I'll kick off with New Zealand, where I lived from 2002 - 2006.
I'm a road cyclist. I used to cycle to work (25 miles round trip) as well as with a club on Sundays, generally in the Auckland city / South Auckland rural areas, with some trips further afield - South Island around Christchurch, Northland, Hamilton/Cambridge area.
Obviously the rural roads were a lot quieter than the UK, roughly the same speed limit (100kph), rough tarseal road surfaces were typical so a constant buzz through the bike with piles of gravel at corners.
Many minor roads are gravel and it was hard to find maps showing the minor roads accurately or which were sealed and which unsealed.
Many parts of the country have few minor roads. The main highways often have a hard shoulder which could be used for cycling but these tend to disappear at bridges, etc.
Drivers were pretty aggressive around cyclists, particularly in Auckland and are generally not really looking for cyclists at all and the truck drivers were a nightmare, often driving too close and fast. Experienced quite a few incidents of drivers blasting their horns, throwing things at me and on one memorable occasion some muppet dropped a full crate of empty beer bottles on the road in front of a cycling club run. Aggressive driving is also an issue when driving - always some idiot tailgating / making stupid and dangerous overtaking manoeuvres.
The cycling culture pretty much consists of racing cyclists and mountain bikers, not much leisure or touring cycling when I was there. Utility cycling such as shopping or cycling to work seems to be a rarity.
Obviously scenery can be spectacular and the weather is highly changeable, warm in the northern half of the north island, colder in the south, wet in the west and drier in the east, rather like the UK but the differences are more pronounced.
Bikes were similar in price to the UK, but bike parts much more expensive, such that it was often cheaper to get parts airmailed from Britain than buy locally.
Overall I didn't rate NZ as a cycling country and returned to the UK in 2006.
I'm interested to hear more about cycling conditions in other countries so I can target my next migration.
Cheers,
Ben
^ that's a pretty accurate assessment of NZ. I pick my routes and times very carefully to avoid main/busy roads, so I haven't experienced much of the aggression etc that you have (also helps that I don't live in Auckland!), but it is limiting.
There are a few cracking roads scattered around the place though...
There are a few cracking roads scattered around the place though...
Other than Amsterdam Holland seems very much a case of the cycle is king. As a taxi driver said to me on my first visit, hot a cyclist and it's always your fault. Drivers tend to be much more cycle savvy, but then again, cycling is a real family transport device so. Many drivers are also cyclists.
I'm a Brit abroad living in New Zealand for a few more months. I can back up the OPs comment, although the scenery is spectacular the drivers and the road conditions aren't great.
I'm living in Wellingtom, which has a massive cycling culture. Every evening you'll see big group rides going round the bay's, yet drivers still pass too closely and too fast. Lorries are definitely the worst, along with the annoying electric buses which speed past. Of course you can't hear them until the rush by and then you're thrown about in the wash of air which hits you like a brick wall. The road surface is littered with debris and glass. I make it sound like I hate it, but it's great really. Best thing are the numerous speed traps which display current speeds, they're always good fun for sprinting through. Cyclists here are always good for a chat as well, and there's a free to use open air velodrome which is awesome.
Other than that, I've done some mtb in the US which was incredible (no cars and beautiful forestry, with the occasional risk of bear attack - what's not to love?).
I hear France is up there with the best for driver/cyclist integration
I'm living in Wellingtom, which has a massive cycling culture. Every evening you'll see big group rides going round the bay's, yet drivers still pass too closely and too fast. Lorries are definitely the worst, along with the annoying electric buses which speed past. Of course you can't hear them until the rush by and then you're thrown about in the wash of air which hits you like a brick wall. The road surface is littered with debris and glass. I make it sound like I hate it, but it's great really. Best thing are the numerous speed traps which display current speeds, they're always good fun for sprinting through. Cyclists here are always good for a chat as well, and there's a free to use open air velodrome which is awesome.
Other than that, I've done some mtb in the US which was incredible (no cars and beautiful forestry, with the occasional risk of bear attack - what's not to love?).
I hear France is up there with the best for driver/cyclist integration
I'm a Brit abroad living in New Zealand for a few more months. I can back up the OPs comment, although the scenery is spectacular the drivers and the road conditions aren't great.
I'm living in Wellingtom, which has a massive cycling culture. Every evening you'll see big group rides going round the bay's, yet drivers still pass too closely and too fast. Lorries are definitely the worst, along with the annoying electric buses which speed past. Of course you can't hear them until the rush by and then you're thrown about in the wash of air which hits you like a brick wall. The road surface is littered with debris and glass. I make it sound like I hate it, but it's great really. Best thing are the numerous speed traps which display current speeds, they're always good fun for sprinting through. Cyclists here are always good for a chat as well, and there's a free to use open air velodrome which is awesome.
Other than that, I've done some mtb in the US which was incredible (no cars and beautiful forestry, with the occasional risk of bear attack - what's not to love?).
I hear France is up there with the best for driver/cyclist integration
I'm living in Wellingtom, which has a massive cycling culture. Every evening you'll see big group rides going round the bay's, yet drivers still pass too closely and too fast. Lorries are definitely the worst, along with the annoying electric buses which speed past. Of course you can't hear them until the rush by and then you're thrown about in the wash of air which hits you like a brick wall. The road surface is littered with debris and glass. I make it sound like I hate it, but it's great really. Best thing are the numerous speed traps which display current speeds, they're always good fun for sprinting through. Cyclists here are always good for a chat as well, and there's a free to use open air velodrome which is awesome.
Other than that, I've done some mtb in the US which was incredible (no cars and beautiful forestry, with the occasional risk of bear attack - what's not to love?).
I hear France is up there with the best for driver/cyclist integration
I'm a brit living in Nelson (NZ) for a bit & tbh, it's really cycling centric round here. Lots of provision for cyclists with a whole load of new paths/trails/lanes etc being installed over the past few years.
There are 3 MTB parks within cycling distance and a lot of bike shops too. Otside of the towns, the roads are a bit dodgy but I tend to stay off road anyway.
There are 3 MTB parks within cycling distance and a lot of bike shops too. Otside of the towns, the roads are a bit dodgy but I tend to stay off road anyway.
I cycled through rural Spain to Gibraltar last year and found the Spanish drivers to be very considerate and patient. The majority of road surfaces were fantastic, much better than most of roads in the UK! I can't think of a single incident anywhere in Spain where we had a confrontation with a driver, even the trucks seemed happy to sit behind us without trying to squeeze by.
Once we crossed the border into Gib we were almost immediately confronted with an angry old bag who could not wait 30 seconds for us to clear a junction and sat with her hand on the horn!!
Once we crossed the border into Gib we were almost immediately confronted with an angry old bag who could not wait 30 seconds for us to clear a junction and sat with her hand on the horn!!
Would love to give Spain or France a try, but sadly I can't speak enough French or Spanish to work there.
I still have my New Zealand visa but I've stopped myself going back there for the last 8 years due to the cycling issues there. From the posts on here it sounds as though nothing has really changed.
One day it would be nice to live in a bike-friendly country, or at least one more tolerant than the UK...
I still have my New Zealand visa but I've stopped myself going back there for the last 8 years due to the cycling issues there. From the posts on here it sounds as though nothing has really changed.
One day it would be nice to live in a bike-friendly country, or at least one more tolerant than the UK...
Cos18 said:
I'm a Brit abroad living in New Zealand for a few more months. I can back up the OPs comment, although the scenery is spectacular the drivers and the road conditions aren't great.
I'm living in Wellingtom, which has a massive cycling culture. Every evening you'll see big group rides going round the bay's, yet drivers still pass too closely and too fast. Lorries are definitely the worst, along with the annoying electric buses which speed past. Of course you can't hear them until the rush by and then you're thrown about in the wash of air which hits you like a brick wall. The road surface is littered with debris and glass. I make it sound like I hate it, but it's great really. Best thing are the numerous speed traps which display current speeds, they're always good fun for sprinting through. Cyclists here are always good for a chat as well, and there's a free to use open air velodrome which is awesome.
The best two are the ones at the bottom of Happy Valley Road and Glenmore St. My PB so far is 58, but I'm sure I can do better I'm living in Wellingtom, which has a massive cycling culture. Every evening you'll see big group rides going round the bay's, yet drivers still pass too closely and too fast. Lorries are definitely the worst, along with the annoying electric buses which speed past. Of course you can't hear them until the rush by and then you're thrown about in the wash of air which hits you like a brick wall. The road surface is littered with debris and glass. I make it sound like I hate it, but it's great really. Best thing are the numerous speed traps which display current speeds, they're always good fun for sprinting through. Cyclists here are always good for a chat as well, and there's a free to use open air velodrome which is awesome.
Whereabouts in the city are you?
I live in rural France (Loire valley) and cycling is pretty much perfection. The roads are maintained and most drivers ride as well and so give space and hold-back when required. The bow wave off passing trucks doing 90kph is perhaps the worst aspect.
The antagonism between UK cyclists and motorists in the threads i read in papers like the Guardian appall me, and generally reflects the intolerance throughout society.
The antagonism between UK cyclists and motorists in the threads i read in papers like the Guardian appall me, and generally reflects the intolerance throughout society.
SoliD said:
broster said:
Only ever ridden in the uk and cyprus, cyprus was great lovely roads and drivers were really good! Pleasure to ride there
Found exactly the same in Cyprus, really good location although not especially popular for cycling compared to the spanish islands!France, Belgium and The Netherlands - good, amazing, beyond amazing.
It gets better heading from France into Belgium, better still in the Netherlands.
All are worlds better than the UK. Cycle routes with priority over the minor roads they pass, drivers that don't try and kill you, decent infrastructure you actually want to use instead of avoid.
Also the quality of the roads is miles above and beyond the UK. Few to no potholes. Smooth tarmac.....
Rush hour in Amsterdam on a bike is an experience more akin to a slightly slower crit race than anything else. Add in wet cobbles and its an experience and a half!
It gets better heading from France into Belgium, better still in the Netherlands.
All are worlds better than the UK. Cycle routes with priority over the minor roads they pass, drivers that don't try and kill you, decent infrastructure you actually want to use instead of avoid.
Also the quality of the roads is miles above and beyond the UK. Few to no potholes. Smooth tarmac.....
Rush hour in Amsterdam on a bike is an experience more akin to a slightly slower crit race than anything else. Add in wet cobbles and its an experience and a half!
My experiences in the canary islands were as follows:
1. Local cars, trucks, etc: Move completely into the other lane, even if the road was very wide and clear. Loads of room, big wide overtakes, no agro at all.
2. Hire cars with tourists in them (I wonder where from): Take your arm off as they go past, despite the wide and open roads. Agro all round, honking if you took the lane etc.
In belgium the most amazing thing I found was there was cycling infrastructure that you actually wanted to use. There was a big road junction for the motorway just down the road from my hotel, with a big multi-lane fast roundabout and a flyover over it. Guess who the flyover was for?
1. Local cars, trucks, etc: Move completely into the other lane, even if the road was very wide and clear. Loads of room, big wide overtakes, no agro at all.
2. Hire cars with tourists in them (I wonder where from): Take your arm off as they go past, despite the wide and open roads. Agro all round, honking if you took the lane etc.
In belgium the most amazing thing I found was there was cycling infrastructure that you actually wanted to use. There was a big road junction for the motorway just down the road from my hotel, with a big multi-lane fast roundabout and a flyover over it. Guess who the flyover was for?
Does Yorkshire count? (I live in Hampshire, so it might as well be on another planet )
I was posted (Army) to Ripon, and lived there for two years. What an absolutely stunning place to ride. Up into the hills above Ripon, plenty of beautiful, narrow ribbons of relatively decent tarmac threading their way through a mixed landscape of drystone walls, castles, reservoirs and industrial scarring. Great if you have an inner climber and a lightweight bike. I didn't, but perversely enjoyed it anyway.
Most vivid memory was of a particular climb with the adjacent fields elevated on my left. Miles from anywhere, as I was locked in mental combat with the gradient, I rounded a left hand bend and absolutely leapt out of my skin! I had my head down, plotting my line up the hill, when a booming voice from my left suddenly said "...'ow do!..." I managed a (very wobbly) reply and wished him a good afternoon. It was a farmer/shepherd out with his dogs. It looked like he'd been leaning on his crook behind a stone wall, watching my progress all the way up the hill.
)I was posted (Army) to Ripon, and lived there for two years. What an absolutely stunning place to ride. Up into the hills above Ripon, plenty of beautiful, narrow ribbons of relatively decent tarmac threading their way through a mixed landscape of drystone walls, castles, reservoirs and industrial scarring. Great if you have an inner climber and a lightweight bike. I didn't, but perversely enjoyed it anyway.
Most vivid memory was of a particular climb with the adjacent fields elevated on my left. Miles from anywhere, as I was locked in mental combat with the gradient, I rounded a left hand bend and absolutely leapt out of my skin! I had my head down, plotting my line up the hill, when a booming voice from my left suddenly said "...'ow do!..." I managed a (very wobbly) reply and wished him a good afternoon. It was a farmer/shepherd out with his dogs. It looked like he'd been leaning on his crook behind a stone wall, watching my progress all the way up the hill.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff