Cycling on rise: around the world, two wheels are being shed

by Tom Johansmeyer on

In Canada and in Europe, according to the Toronto Sun, cyclists are seeing more bike paths built. New attractions and offers are being designed to appeal to cyclists, and challenging routes are gaining popularity. In honor of Toronto Bike Month, which runs until June 25, the Sun has offered a few ideas for pedal-pushers around the world.

La Route Verte (the Green Route) is the longest ride in America. At more than 2,500 miles, it crosses Quebec both north-to-south and east-to-west. Take on this challenge, and you’ll pass through 320 cities and towns on bike paths and quiet roads, enjoying attractions like the Laurentian Mountains and St. Lawrence River from a new perspective. Accommodations along the way with “bienvenue cyclists!” signs will be ready for you, including bike tools and a safe place to lock up your ride.

Also in Canada, the Toronto-Niagara Bike Train is a new program to help cyclists get out to the Niagara Region. Some VIA Rail Canada trains are now equipped with bike racks to make transport exponentially easier.

In Trondheim, Norway, look for the world’s first bike lift. If you prefer not to blast your quads attacking a hill steep enough to have a name (Bbrubakken), take advantage of the Bicycle Lift Trampe. Using an electronic key card (buy or rent), you gain access to the easiest way up.

Photo of the Day (3.1.09)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

When I think about bicycles in the mountains, it tends to immediately remind me of the Tour de France. I picture an aerial camera shot of the riders, decked out in colorful jerseys, struggling up some ridiculously steep mountain pass. Flickr user kyAnosaUm also had cycling on his mind when he took this photo he describes as “Huge Bicycles on the Pyrenees.” I know several Tour de France stages run through the Pyrenees – perhaps there’s some connection here? In any case I love the setting and the random bicycles – it makes for quite the intriguing visual.

Have any photos you’ve taken in the Pyrenees? Or maybe just in the Poconos? Why not add them to the Gadling photo pool on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Wanna Ride in the Tour de France?

by Josh Lew on

Unless you are willing to dedicate your life to either training or discovering undetectable performance-enhancing drugs, chances are you won’t be competing for that yellow jersey. Maybe you could get a job as one of those guys who rides on the back of a motorcycle with a camera. Or you could just travel to France during the race and take in the proceedings through a haze of wine and cheese.

But there is another option. A tour operator called Ciclismo Classico will run an 8-day bicycle tour that follows the exact route of a portion of the Le Tour ’09. Before you go searching the internet for any chemicals that can help you on the trip, you should know that the 8-days are designed for casual enthusiasts; the kind of people who are comfortable in the saddle of a bike, but who lack the huge legs and emaciated upper bodies of top cyclists. The average day will mean a 50-mile pedal, roughly half of what the pro riders complete. In addition to that, those on the trip will get to watch some of the actual race.

via Wandalust

Europe’s top 10 motorcycling roads

by Iva Skoch on

I am the first to admit that I find Europe’s quaintness annoying sometimes. All the picturesque towns and medieval city centers can get old, figuratively speaking.

However, I will probably never get tired of Europe’s winding roads. You’ll hardly find a better place to motorcycle. If I could define the best globalization has done for me, it would have to involve a Harley Davidson on a European road in Italy somewhere, drinking French wine and eating Thai food. Shallow, but very satisfying.

I was happy to see that The Guardian has come up with a list of best motorcycling roads in Europe.

Top 10 motorcycling roads of Europe:

  1. The Cat and Fiddle run – A537, Buxton-Macclesfield, England
  2. The Amalfi Coast Road – Naples to Salerno, Italy
  3. The Transfagarasan Highway – Sibiu to Curtea de Arges, Transylvania, Romania
  4. Bergen to Geiranger, Norway
  5. Trabzon to Savsat, Eastern Turkey
  6. Furka Pass, between Gletsch and Andermatt, Switzerland
  7. A2, the Antrim coast road, Northern Ireland
  8. Bar in Montenegro to Sarajevo in Bosnia
  9. Saranda to Vlora, Albania
  10. Cabo de Gata to Granada, Spain

I want to go now.

Bike blog: Two Portlanders cycle South America

by Anna Brones on

Kelsey’s post about traveling through Portland got me thinking of all the great stuff that comes out of this west coast city. First of all it was just rated the greenest American city, and of course it has the infamous bookstore Powell’s. But even better, the city also manages to produce a lot of inspirational travelers.

One of Portland’s current traveling teams is Elicia Càrdenas and Andy McKerrow who are making their way by bike through South America. Starting in Northern Patagonia in early January and working their way down to Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, Elicia and Andy are taking part in another great adventure to add to the list of global cycling pursuits. Back in Portland they work for the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, so you know they are pretty cycle friendly.

You can follow their trip, with lots of pictures to spice up your gray winter days, on their blog sponsored by Wend Magazine.