Many
towns in Spain have bicycle-hire shops and
it's often a good way to see the towns and
cities although hilltop towns and the mountainous
terrain can be a challenge for biking around!
Consider that Spain has the highest average
land altitude in Europe after Switzerland.
Usually your guesthouse or hostel will be
able to point you in the direction of the
nearest rental place if they don't rent
the bikes themselves. Summer is probably
not the time you want to cycle in some parts
of Spain as it's very hot. The roads can
also be hazardous with lots of traffic and
fast driving.
PREPARING FOR THE TRIP
If you are planning a cycling trip through
Spain you need to be prepared. Here are
some handy hints and absolute essentials:
- a basic repair kit and knowledge of bicycle repair. Make sure you take spare inner tubes, tools for adjusting seat heights
- extra snack food and water (it can be a long way between towns in some parts, particularly if you get marooned with an injury or fault on your bike)
- pack light! You can buy extra food as you go and you really only need bike riding gear and a change of clothes for evenings in town.
- maps (detailed for side roads that you might take)
- itinerary – give someone a copy of your itinerary and check in with them every few days so they know you are okay.
- helpful hints – there are lots of people
that have biked through Spain and a lot
of them have put up details on websites.
- learn some basic Spanish to get you through
small towns and villages.
CAN
YOU FIX YOUR BIKE?
If you are not going with a tour or with
someone that knows there bikes then you
need to have a working knowledge of your
bike components. Most people that embark
on this kind of holiday know their apparatus
but obvious essentials are:
- spair inner tubes
- tyre repair kit
- tools for adjusting brakes, seat height,
and other parts of your bike
A trip to your local bike shop would be
the best place for more advice.
SUGGESTED
ITINERARIES
http://web.outsideonline.com/travelqa/040998/italy.html
- click here for some excellent itinerary
advice.
The Camino de Santiago in northern Spain
is predominantly a walking route for pilgrims
to the town of Santiago de Compostela but
many people do cycle it as the route can
accommodate bikes also. You won't be considered
a real "pilgrim" but you can benefit
from the rifugio's and services along the
way. Go to the website for more details.
SAFETY
Always inform someone of your intended route
and check in with them as regularly as possible.
Make sure you have checked the weather forecast
and know what the normal weather is for
that time of year.
RENTAL
COMPANIES AND TOURS
Euro-Bike and Walking Tours www.eurobike.com
offers similar tours by bike starting with
Florence and venturing out to nearby small
towns. Go to their website for more details
or contact them at info@eurobike.com.
Their postal address is PO Box 990, DeKalb,
IL 60115 – USA.
Bike Vacations www.vangoghtours.com
This company offers biking tours in Holland,
France and Italy. This agriturismo offers
mountain bike riding in the wooded mountains
of Cortona.
