Cycle log review route touring

Posted by: Kallie

Scale: 1-10 (1= lowest, 10= highest)
Overall Cycle-ability 8
Traffic 9
Bike Paths 9
Signage 9
Road condition 8
Bike shops 9
Water 4
Toilets 3
Wild Camping 7
Friendliness/attitude towards bikers 7
Average Cost of Groceries 7
Language 9
Scenery 5
*See bottom of page for further explanation of terms

Germany is a great place to take a first bicycle tour. You can get anywhere by bicycle without much hassle. There are designated bicycle routes that are well marked, the bike paths are in good condition, there are bicycle lanes in most cities, and drivers respect bikers on the road when there is no bike path. It is a great place to gain confidence biking on the road.

You really get the impression that Germany believes in bicycles- and that they invest in what they believe in. You can see every type of person riding a bike- from child, to student, to businessperson. And the bicycles they were riding were quality touring bikes! They had dynamo hubs which powered front and rear headlights, shocks, Ortliebs panniers, and many other quality accessories. The bike shops had a great selection of touring, commuting, and mountain bike parts and accessories.

Since bicycles and bicycle touring are a normal lifestyle, we didn’t seem to get as much attention as we have in other countries. When we did talk to people, they were friendly and eager to hear about the trip. We highly recommend touring in Germany!

*Further explanation:
Traffic: Amount of cars and their respect towards bikers on the road
Bike paths: Availability and condition
Signage: How clearly roads and paths are marked
Road condition: Availability of shoulder, pavement condition
Bike shops: Availability of parts, knowledge and friendliness of mechanics
Water: Ease of finding potable drinking water from fountains, sinks, etc
Toilets: Ease of finding a toilet, willing to let us use the toilet, cost of toilets
Wild camping: Access to running water, adequate shelter, beauty
Friendliness/attitude towards bikers: Based on people striking up conversations with us, hospitality, etc
Average cost of groceries: Essentials like bread, cheese, toppings, fruit
Language: Tolerance/patience of our foreign-language skills and/or willingness to speak English
Scenery: Landscape and natural beauty while biking