Bicycles

If you haven’t done a bike tour or two at home, I would strongly recommend against doing your first on your first trip to Europe. If you’re going to pay the kind of money it takes to get across the ocean, you should make absolutely sure that you like pushing a bike around for six or eight hours a day.

Bike touring is one instance where an organized group trip, at least for first-timers, might make sense. Certainly the support that a company can provide, such as vans and repair facilities, can let the rider concentrate on biking rather than logistics. The classified section of any bicycling magazine (such as Bicycling) will have a number of ads for European trip outfitters, and the Web of course has dozens of tour operators. One warning, though: as with all types of tours, seemingly similar operations can have dramatically different levels of competence and professionalism. The best information you can possibly get on a company is a first-hand report from a rider who has recently taken a tour. A notice posted in a bike shop requesting first-hand accounts of European trips will probably get you more good advice than you can use.

Another option you might want to consider is a train/bike trip. Bikes are welcome on trains throughout Europe for a varying but usually small charge. By combining the two modes of transport, you will be able to cover much more ground than by bike alone. Remember that the train system in Europe goes nearly everywhere; if you get sick of riding or of headwinds, the nearest train station will often be only a few kilometers away. On your return you can astound your friends with the number of countries you covered. Some tips for the prospective biker:

- Normally, you can bring your bike on an airplane as one of your two pieces of checked luggage for no charge (Virgin Atlantic, United, and others have this policy, but call to confirm for your airiine and flight). Call your airline of choice for further details on packing, but expect them to insist that the bike is packed in some sort of protective, durable packaging. Don’t count on the airlines for that - get a box from a bike shop. You will probably need to check in an extra half-an-hour early.

- If you intend to rent a bike in Europe for a long ride, you might want to bring along a seat or a soft seat cover that you find comfortable. Rent-a-bike seats tend to be made from cast iron, or at least feel like it. Bringing your own helmet is also a good idea. I would never trust the safety of my skull to a rental helmet, or to no helmet at all. Bring one you have used before.

- Hopefully your bike weighs less than seventy pounds. If it does, you can pack other things in the box with it, both to avoid having to carry them with you and to cushion the bike. Pad your faithful steed well, as fixing a damaged bike is a rotten way to start a trip.

- If you are a super-serious biker, remember that a trip to Europe is not a race, caning for an ultra-light, stripped-down speed machine. Hard as it may be, put a bell or a horn on your handlebars, as well as a big, un-aerodynamic (but safe), mirror. Lights can also be a lifesaver when you don’t make your destination by nightfall. Along with tools, spare parts, and a good solid lock, bring extra sunscreen and lip balm.

- I strongly recommend getting around major cities by public transport instead of by bicycle. Remember that local drivers and local cyclists know what to expect from each other. The instinctive reactions that serve you so well at home may be just the wrong things to do in Europe.

Despite much searching, I have yet to find a decent book about bike touring in Europe. The two I have found, Cycling Europe: Budget Bike Touring in the Old World, by Nadine Slavinski (Bicycle Books), and Europe by Bike, by Karen and Terry Whitehill {Mountaineers Press), are similar. They both have very short planning and basic information sections, and then present a number of routes and itineraries. Perhaps you can find something better in Europe.
If you are considering renting a bike while in Europe for a day or weekend, rather than as a primary means of getting around, see the section on bikes in Chapter 6, “Getting Around.”