Danielsa

Hi everybody, well my question is actually very basic, what do you do when you arrive to an unfamiliar country? I mean, I'll start my tour in Mumbai, India, so I decided to look how the airport area looks like on Google earth. All of the area is full of wide highways and the city is enormous, so what do you do? Put together your bikes in the airport and start touring from there? take a taxi to a remote area? what do you suggest?

Thanks!

Northwestrider

I've been to Mumbai several times, but never for touring. I'd suggest however that I'd likely toss everything on a bus or train to leave town until finding a quieter area . Your tour sounds very interesting, which way are you going, south for instance? When do you begin?

nancy sv

Put everything together at the airport and then head out. Just keep asking people over and over and over how to get to whatever place you're headed for. Be aware that you might ride around in circles a bit because there are various roads and they won't all tell you about the same ones, but eventually you'll make it out.

Cyclebum

Know nothing of Mumbai, but if I landed in LA, Houston, NYC, I'd hire me a cab, put the bike in the trunk, and 4 wheel it to the fringe. OTOH, if you meet the challenges of riding through Mumbai and emerge unscathed physically and still sane, you'd no doubt be ready for the rest of that amazing country.

Bekologist

for hire to the outskirts is what i would do in mumbai.

in north america and europe i would try public transit first to get out of a place like O'Hare if i couldn't figure out a good bike route.

acantor

Much depends on the airport. I have seen a handful that are relatively easy to cycle out of, while others are nightmares.

I have cycled out of Zurich and Quebec City. Both were fine. I once landed at Heathow in London and decided it would be better to take my bicycle on the train/tube into the city core. I flew to Los Angeles with my bike once, but I think I would have been foolish to cycle out of LAX. On a tour in northern Italy, I planned to cycle to Milan airport, but it didn't seem practical at the time, so I took a taxi. I don't think I would attempt cycling to or from Pearson Airport in Toronto, where I live, but apparently, there is an obscure route that isn't too bad on a bike... if you happen to know it.

At a major airport, don't count on anybody being able to tell you a decent cycle route... unless you are in Holland, perhaps!

Danielsa

Thanks everybody for the ideas!
I'll arrive in mid December. I'm heading north near the coastline towards Rajastan, then east towards Agra and later Varanasi.

fietsbob

Find out the location of the IYHA Hostel,
there you will be meeting other travelers,
Stay there the 1st night, sort out 'jet lag',
and gain from the sharing of experiences
I as a solo traveler, prefer Hostels over Hotels,
because of the socialization..

camcycad

It's a good question, and there's no standard reply. In Europe, I often ask the Information Desk at the airport to tell me about the cycle route into the city centre, and occasionally get a sensible reply. I've also got used to the 'knee-jerk' response which is that it's simple - you just take the well-signposted eight-lane highway. Occasionally the penny then drops: "oh, you mean you're on a BICYCLE!?" As nancy sv implies, sometimes there'll be a degree - even quite a degree - of wasted effort, for example as you pedal around a one-way system which - on a bike - you could have avoided by a quick dash across the grass. I've started to carry a compass, as - in general - we cyclists know pretty well which direction we need to head in.

Getting into airports can also be tricky. I once followed road signs to Basel's confusingly bi-national airport, failing to realise that I was heading for the cargo entrance. I was stopped at a big gate because the guys somehow worked out that I wasn't in charge of a consignment of air freight. 100 metres away across the yard I could see the passenger terminal. But despite my remonstrances, "the authorities" said that I would have to ride around the whole perimeter of the airport - about 20 km in total - in order to get to it. Grrrr!

On another occasion, while trying to get to Naples Airport, I found myself CYCLING along the Autostrada del Sole at evening rush-hour. Boy did I feel exposed, and stupid! Luckily the next exit was only about 2 km away - I think I covered the distance in not much more than three minutes!

prathmann

I use my Bike Friday folder when traveling by plane. When I've been at airports where it's not clear how to safely get out of the area by riding I just hop on the first courtesy bus that comes by from a local hotel. Then I reassemble the bike and start my ride from that hotel. Never had a problem with this - but obviously I won't do it if the bus is crowded and I might be displacing any real customers of the hotel.

SparkyGA

Setup your bike in the first quiet place you see in the airport and start cycling.... Great if your a hardcore. You will have no clue about the city regardless if you start cycling right away or if you take another form of transportation.

However, it's really a lot more jet lag friendly and easier to just stay at a hostel, guesthouse or hotel for the first night and setup your bike there. Hostels or small family run guesthouses in my mind are a lot more friendly to cyclists setting up their bike than bigger hotels/guesthouse..... I actually built my bike my last touring bike from scratch in one very run down guesthouse in a small city in Cambodia....

SBRDude

Never been to India. All the images I have seen of big cities are lots of very slow moving traffic. If there is any truth to that, it might be faster and easier to get around on a bike than in a bus or cab. Just a thought...

Northwestrider

If you do decide to ride from the airport, I recommend setting up your bike inside, before leaving the terminal. You'll be receiving so much attention outside, that assembly may/will be a challenge. Even so, using public transport would be my choice for the first 15 to 20 k from the airport. The wx I think will be good for you in December, how long will your tour last?

badger1973

Take a compass............ It might help since you said you heading North; Sometimes the simplest answers are the best ones!

Danielsa

I intend to tour in India for 3 months, then it gets hot (on march), don't know yet where I'll continue from there because I have been told that the borders are closed for cyclists. I thought about flying to Thailand, then continue to Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos (hopefully my GF will join me for that part if I will find her a nice bike). I bought a 1 year ticket, so I'm not in a hurry

I'll bring 2 compasses just to be sure!
I don't like to plan so much, so i guess I'll keep to the rural areas and head north as long as I can

SlimRider

Do Not Ride out of that Mumbai Airport on two wheels! I hear that the airport traffic and traffic in general is hectic without many laws that are adhered to. Go to youtube to witness traffic mayhem in Mumbai. Bicycle accidents have been steadily rising for some time now. They keep increasing each year. Getting medical treatment if you are hit promises to be painfully slow.

Personally, I would try to avoid riding in Mumbai proper and stick to suburban and country side roads.

You have no idea...Go to youtube!

PS.

At the very least, do more research while you're still here. Contact travel agencies here and hotel concierges in Mumbai, before making this decision.

nancy sv

It'll be awesome! We cycled India 21 years ago and loved it. Rajasthan is absolutely incredible. That was my favorite by far. Varanasi is intense - the most intense place I've ever experienced. It was lovely and we enjoyed it a lot, but it's intense. Be prepared for an onslaught of emotions!

nancy sv

It may not be all that bad - I honestly don't know as I've never cycled Mumbai. When we cycled India (not Mumbai) it was crazy, but very doable. Even though it appears to be total mayhem, there really is a system and it works. Somehow - don't ask me how.

We were in India 21 years ago so I have no idea what it's like today, but I would STRONGLY recommend contacting other cyclists who have cycled that part of the world recently and ask them what it's like. It may not be as bad as it seems on YouTube.

SlimRider

That was more than two decades ago. Much history can take place in more than two decades. I was a happily married man with three children two decades ago. Since then, I've lost my wife and one child. My wife's medical plan would not cover all of her expenses. It devastated me!

Do you know how much India has changed in over twenty years?

Hey! Never mind me...

Go have the adventure of your life! Go Have Fun!

You only live once...

Good Luck!

Best Wishes!

nancy sv

That's very true. That's why I suggested he find someone who cycled there recently. Even though it appeared to be total mayhem 20 years ago, it wasn't all that bad when you actually started riding. It may be totally different today.

I am very, very sorry for your loss - I can't imagine the pain you've gone through.

spinnaker

If starting and ending a tour in the same place then find a hotel on the outskirts willing to store your bike box. Load the box into a cab, go there and assemble the bike.


If just starting there then assemble the bike in the airport and take public transit out of town if it exists.

prathmann

I use a Bike Friday that packs into a regular suitcase which then gets towed behind the bike when I travel. When arriving at an airport that doesn't have bike-friendly access I just hop on the first hotel courtesy bus that I see. Then I assemble the bike outside the hotel and, if necessary, ask the hotel staff for directions. Avoids trying to navigate the maze of highways that usually lead to major airports.

MichaelW

If the big city is really hostile terrain for cycling (and many are), take a cab or train to a small town and start the tour on an easier footing.
Most big airports have horrible road access but there is often a cycle route for airport workers.
I prefer smaller, regional airports to the big international hub style.