Preview SPEZI Special Bicycle Show Germersheim 2014

It is SPEZI time again on 26 and 27 April 2014. SPEZI, the Special Bike Show held in the Stadthalle, (City Hall) Gemersheim, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany is the worlds biggest folder, trike, recumbent, velomobile, tandem exhibition.There will be about 100 exhibitors from twelve countries and 10,000 visitors from over 20 countries are expected. Admittedly most of these are German, but in addition there are six US, four Czech and eight Dutch companies exhibiting. There are lectures in German or English on Saturday and Sunday in the basement of Hall 3. The opening times are between 10.00 and 18.00. Admission: 9.50 € (adults),  7.50 € (reduced), 19.00 € (family). The admission price includes an exhibition catalogue.

We live about 50km away from Germersheim. It is an easy one and a half hour journey by train and Brompton. We have often been over the years. The photographs we have taken show the development of exhibition. Originally it was in two halls. There was space in 2003 to show off one's own bike on the paved area in front of the Stadthalle riding round and round in circles:

This space is now used for the outdoor exhibition, where some even more unusual bikes are to be seen: 

A mobile beer stand based on a pedelec trike. Unfortunately in spite of the heat the beer was not for sale.

A sail bike?

One solution to the problem of taking a child with you and making sure that they work.

In 2003 the stands were often just a collection of bikes put together:

A Danish cargo bike.

It was great fun, albeit slightly chaotic, but very enthusiastic. This spirit still lives on even though the stands are more professional theses days:

You can still talk to design and construction staff with the object you wish to talk about in front of you. Makes life a lot easier. There are two test areas where you can practise on a range of bikes and trikes. You'll need your passport and an entry ticket to gain admission to the test area. In addition you will need patience. Bike/trike testing is a very popular activity.

Getting there by bike, trike or quad cycle.

Dead easy! The Rhine cycle route (Vélo Rhin) on the left bank of the river leads directly to Germersheim: northwards from Karlsruhe / Wörth / France and southwards from Speyer / Ludwigshafen. (This is covered in our new Rhine Two cycling guide 8.99€ from Amazon and Smashwords. It is due out shortly.) You don't have to take a Brompton, but it is amazing to see so many of them gathered together.

Public Transport

There are excellent bike carrying rail links (S-Bahn) from Bruchsal, Karlsruhe, Speyer, Ludwigshafen, Mannheim and Heidelberg. The railway station is quarter of an hours walk away from the Stadthalle. The route is signposted or you download a town plan from the SPEZI website (http://www.spezialradmesse.de/wcms/?welcome). Normally you can hitch a lift on a seven or eight person tandem trike, but you are expected to pedal.

Getting to Germersheim.

You can take high speed trains from London via Paris or Brussels to Mannheim or Karlsruhe or if you must you can fly to Frankfurt, Hahn, Stuttgart or Karlsruhe-Baden-Baden airports.

Overnight 

Although it might be difficult to find accommodation in Germersheim itself, there should be no problem finding somewhere to stop in Speyer, Karlsruhe and Heidelberg. Contact the Tourist Office in Germersheim (http://www.suedpfalz-tourismus.de/en/startseite.html?no_cache=1). The southern part of the Palatinate (Südpfalz) is great place for touring by bicycle or tricycle with many kilometres of signposted cycle routes, vineyards and quaint little villages. Germersheim was fortified in the 19th century to protect Germany's borders against the French. The fortifications were partly demolished under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles in the 1920s, but there are still a number of interesting buildings in the town.

Eating at SPEZI

Unlike the major exhibitions like the Frankfurt Book Fair, where you pay an arm and a leg for your cup of coffee etc., you can leave the halls here to go and eat in the town. There is no need however, there is an excellent restaurant (by Hall 2) and a snack bar (in the basement) in the Stadthalle.

Good Ideas for Bikes in Cities: Illuminated Biking Gloves for dark nights

Irene Posch,  a Viennese designer (www.ireneposch.net) has developed a pair of cycling gloves with integrated LEDs on the back, conductive areas on the palm and finger ends and a small battery. The  five LED lights are in the shape of an arrow. Clenching the fist causes the LEDs to light up. They will greatly improve cyclists' visibility on a dark night. A good idea. The gloves also have conductive areas on the fingertips that allow for touchscreen use. However, we’d recommend that you not use your phone while on a bike. It is bad enough that motorists continue to use mobiles while driving.
Kits are available to modify a pair of knitted gloves from:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/172316800/diy-kit-biking-glowes-as-featured-in?ref=related-0

Putting yourself and a bike on a long distance bus in Britain, Germany and the rest of Europe

We have written before about travel by long-distance bus in Germany. The bus market in Germany has blossomed since last year when the restrictions on long-distance bus routes designed in the 1930s to protect the railways were removed. Some bus companies offer bicycle transport. The www.checkmybus.de website offers information about bus routes and bicycle transport. It is in German and English and easy to use.

Cinema for the ears on Bavarian cycle routes

We came across an excellent idea at the tourist exhibition in Stuttgart. A regional tourist organisation in Bavaria has set up a series of points on some cycle routes where visitors can tune into an iPod type broadcast on local features (www.bayerisch-schwaben.de/lauschtour). Visitors use an app on their own mobile/cell phone or on a hired iPod to listen to a short documentary on, e.g. the meteor collision that formed the giant crater around Nördlingen, N of Augsburg. Unfortunately these broadcasts are only in German and in dialect at that. They are not much use to non German speakers. This idea could however be adopted in the UK in the Lake District, for example, with talks on Beatrix Potter, Wordsworth, Thirlmere and Arthur Ransome.

Fahrradstraßen (Bicycle Roads) in Baden Württemberg

The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Fahrradfreundlicher Kommunen in Baden Württemberg (AGFK BW) - Working Party for Cyclist Friendly Communities in Baden Württemberg is, as its name suggests an organisation dedicated to improving cycling facilities in the province. Our previous blog reported on the trend towards painted bike lanes rather than building bike paths. This week I picked up a flyer from the organisation about Fahrradstraßen (Bicycle Roads). This is another cheap approach. The community defines a road as a Fahrradstraße - Bicycle Road, brings in a 30kph speed limit, puts up a few signs and that's that. In theory cyclists have priority and motorists drive more slowly with more consideration for cyclists.  Cyclists can cycle side by side. If they then block motorists the motorists slow right down (in theory).
I sometimes wonder whether politicians and traffic planners live in the real world. We have a Fahrradstraße in our town running from a few 100m away to the local shopping centre/mall. We have never tried to cycle two abreast. Much of the road has priority over side streets. Motorists drive faster. It strikes us as being just about as safe and convenient as the minor roads in the town. When we are cycling to the local shopping centre/mall we often cycle along a wider, busier road. It is quicker and as safe.
Maybe matters are different in Baden Württemberg. I read recently that the AGFK BW has publicity material about Fahrradstraßen including leaflets to hang on car doors. This can be distributed locally. Our Fahrradstraße is about 20 years old and people forget. We suspect it is necessary to have a campaign every few years to remind folk what the signs are there for or to tell them if they are newcomers.

Cycleways are too expensive in Baden Württemberg

Baden Württemberg is the big square German province in the SW of the country. It was ruled by the conservative CDU since 1960 and so it was a major surprise when the Green Party and the SPD obtained enough seats to oust the CDU two years ago. The election results were good news for cyclists in the SW of Germany. The new government promised better public transport and more cycleways. The government is attempting to set up a cycling strategy to encourage cycling in the province. At present the government is asking cyclists what they think - in online surveys, in interviews at exhibitions, in workshops - and how matters could be improved.
One result that has already been announced is that it is unlikely that new cycleways will be built. Instead urban roads, restricted to 50km/h  will be narrowed by the addition of a painted strip along the edge of the road. It is claimed by a group of cyclist friendly communities in the province that the narrower roads lead to slower speeds and motorists take more care in overtaking.

Finding a bike inner tube in Germany when shops are shut or just a bike shop

When we are touring we always try to set off with at least one spare inner tube per bike. If we have more than two punctures we try to buy another tube. Murphy's Law will then come into play and the odds are that we'll need a spare inner tube once shops have shut. However the well organised Germans have a cure for this. Many German bike shops have Schlauchautomaten (bicycle inner tube dispensers) similar to cigarette machines but healthier, fitted on an outside wall. The next question then arises where do we find a bike shop? Schwalbe, the German tyre and inner company has supplied our local bike shop with signposts so that strangers can find their way to the shop and the inner tube dispenser. These signs can also be used to find a bike if your bike needs  repairing. A good idea and an excellent bike shop.

Biking/Bicycling/Cycling in Berlin

We went to the CMT (Caravans, Motor, Tourism) Exhibition in Stuttgart last weekend. This is a major exhibition and runs for 9 days starting on a Saturday. Over the first weekend, one of the eight halls is reserved for outdoor holidays: Hill walking, mountaineering and all aspects of cycling. There are three halls packed full with stands offering information on more general tourism.  The other halls feature caravans, motor homes and tents. From what we could see the motor homes seem to be featuring more and more comforts of home such as lifts and underfloor heating (a slight exaggeration, but not much) with lorry sized extra springing and shock absorbers. We spent most of our time in the cyclist and walkers' hall, but did a have quick peer in one or two of the more general halls. Cycling is now a major selling point for holidays in Germany and by Germans. As an example, Thomas Cook AG, a very important player in the German travel industry is offering worldwide cycling holidays on the German market, but not for the British market. Just about all of the tourist regions in Germany and many western European tourist regions were represented. Up to a third of the information available was about cycling. More and more Austrian, German and Swiss holiday regions are offering tailor made cycle touring holidays with  hotel booking, luggage transfer and optional bicycle/e-bike hire which is ideal if holiday makers don't speak German and do not wish to fuss booking a number of hotels.

The Berlin tourism website has a section about cycle  touring in Berlin: fahrrad.visitberlin.de. It comes up in German, but click on the language list on the top right hand corner to find the English version. The website offers route information and information on thirty cyclist-friendly hotels and hostels which are tailored to meet cyclists' needs:

• Cyclists needing just one night's stay are welcome
• Secure overnight bike storage free of charge, but please check with the hotel for details!
• Room to dry out clothes and gear
• Breakfasts rich in vitamins and carbohydrates or the option for cooking facilities
• Regional cycling maps provided
• Information about guided city tours
• Bike repair kits for minor repairs & maintenance
• Directions to the nearest bike shop for major repairs
• Advice on booking environmentally-friendly return journeys by public transport

These resemble the ideas behind the ADFC Bett und Bike website and service, which has 46 places to lay your weary head from holiday flats, campsites, hostels to hotels throughout greater Berlin. There may be some overlap between the two lists.
All of the hotels and hostels on the Visit Berlin list have bikes for hire.
Cyclists can download suggestions for tours in Berlin from komoot.de and use an app available from Google Play Store or iPhone App Store on their smart phones to navigate.

Hire Bikes on the Rhine in Marckolsheim, Alsace, France

 The Tourist Information Office in Marckolsheim has stable touring bikes and e-bikes to hire for half a day, a full day or for a week.
Tourist Information: Office de Tourisme** de Marckolsheim et Environs 13 rue du Maréchal Foch, T : 03 88 92 56 98, E: marckolsheim(at)grandried.fr, W: http://www.grandried.fr/en/leisure/bicycle-rentals.htm, Half daily, daily or week long hire €12 per day for adults and €8 per day for children

Comparing ADFC Route Quality Ratings

The ADFC, the German cycling club has started a rating system for cycle routes. These are mainly in Germany but a few are in Austria. We wrote about these last year. Since then more routes have been added. We will write about these shortly.
We were glad to see that the Tauber Valley Classic Route along the floor of the valley received a five star rating, but surprised to see that the Romantic Road Cycle Route only received three stars. The Romantic Road joins the Tauber Valley Classic Route for 70 of its 420km. We looked at the results in detail:

We have cycled both routes often. What struck us was that the Romantic Road got much lower values in four areas:

• Ease of riding. It is true that the Tauber Valley Route has just about no barriers with only one flight of steps and thus deserves the 5 stars. There are some barriers on the Romantic Road. It is the longer route by far.  We don't think it deserves such a low marking.
• Surface: The Romantic Road has some stretches that are not tarred, whereas the Tauber Valley route has far fewer, but the former is much longer.
• Sign posting. We don't think the Romantic Road sign posting is poor. We have never had problems following the route. Sign posting can be improved easily, but it is the responsibility of local authorities, rather than the Romantische Strasse Touristik Arbeitsgemeinschaft GbR, the tourism body responsible for marketing and coordinating activities along the whole route.
• The route design. This has a low weighting and it is not easy to assess.

We suspect that there will be improvements in the above areas which will improve the ratings of the Romantic Road Cycle Route.

On pavement (sidwalk) and on cycleway parking in Viernheim

I was interested to read in our local paper this morning that the town council has issued a request to motorists to take more care in parking in the older parts of the town with very narrow streets. The available road is then often less than 3.20m wide. Emergency vehicles and the like it would appear, are having problems getting past vehicles parked opposite each other.
In addition because of this problem of narrow streets, parking with two wheels on pavements (sidewalks) is tolerated, but motorists are supposed to leave a 1m gap between the car and the wall to allow pensioners with wheeled Zimmer frames, wheelchairs, pram pushing mums and children under eight on bicycles to pass without hindrance. Children under eight must use the pavement by law. This gap of 1m is often ignored. At the moment these children are forced out into the road.  The town council requests parents, teachers etc.  make the law clear to any motorist they find parking so that the pavement is blocked. This might however lead to unpleasant scenes. German motorists are not amused when one points out that they are wrongly parked.

In addition cycleways are often  regarded as a parking place.
I suspect a campaign by the town's parking wardens issuing tickets would be more effective. Even though it might well be political suicide for any council taking this course of action.

Using empty shops as bicycle garages in Vienna

We spent some time in Vienna last year. We didn't take the Brompton folding bikes. In fact we didn't cycle at all. Viennese public transport is superb with frequent underground trains, trams and buses, so there was no need to cycle at least for the ten days or so we were there. However the Viennese city fathers are encouraging cycling and there was an exhibition in the Österreichisches Museum für angewandte Kunst (Austrian Design Museum) on classic bicycles where I also picked up a copy of "Cycling Affairs: Smarte Ideen für Rad & Stadt" (Clever ideas for bikes in the city) published by the Creative Agency of the city of Vienna. The book discusses the prizewinning suggestions in a design competition on cycling in cities. There are over 400 suggestions displayed in the book. We are not going to discuss all of them, but some of the ideas deserve publicising further.
The winning idea was to use a number of small empty shops as bicycle garages, called Rad WG - bicycle flats or apartments, where bicycles can be stored safely and, warm and dry, protected from the weather. Participants would receive a chip card to get into the rooms. These offer room for bike storage with video camera surveillance, a basic workshop and an information terminal. A smart phone app could be used to show where room is available nearby. These bicycle storage areas would also act as meeting place for cyclists to swop ideas and receive or give advice.
A big problem seems to me to be the question of who owns the shop. Who would pay the rent?  The chances of success when cyclists have to pay rent are low. Mannheim station has a parking garage for bikes in an old baggage dispatch hall next to the station which costs 30 cents a day for a monthly ticket. I think it does reasonably well, but the station square is littered with bicycles chained to fences. Not all of these bikes are old clapped out bikes for the city that are unattractive for thieves. In Britain at least perhaps one could use the former public libraries which are being shut down at every opportunity.

Romantic Road

There is a short two minute film on YouTube which gives a good idea of what to expect in the villages, towns and cities along the Romantic Road in Bavaria (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNA9hD-joEg&feature=youtube_gdata). Our eBook from Amazon or Smashwords.com will also help with the roads and cycle tracks in between the settlements if you decide to explore this historic patch of countryside.

A hotel near Mont Ventoux

I have noticed the authors of other blogs receive gear and other goodies to test. This doesn't happen to us, but we do get the occasional eMail giving us info about bike hire or places to stay. This hotel is in Provence and we have walked nearby at Christmas. We could have cycled on most days as well, though whether our aged pins would get us up Mont Ventoux is debatable. The hotel looks like it is worth checking out.

LES GERANIUMS
Hôtel *** Restaurant
Place de La Croix
84330 Le Barroux
TEL 04 90 62 41 08 FAX 04 90 62 56 48
RCS CARPENTRAS B 448 394 577
les.geraniums@wanadoo.fr
www.hotel-lesgeraniums.com

An excursion from Kleve

We have written about knooppunts, a grid based navigation system for cyclists in the Netherlands, in the past. We mentioned as well that some of the German communities on the Dutch borders have invested in this type of waymarking. These include Emmerich and Kleve both of which are on the Lower Rhine. Kleve is well known to the British because of its connections to Anne of Cleves, one of Henry VIII's wives. However the town has connections to another European blue blooded family: Orange Nassau the Dutch royal family.
The tourist office in Kleve has laid out the 53km circular Oranierroute starting in the Tiergartenstraße  following: knoopunts 26 - 4 - 3 - 88 - 86 - 80 - 81 - 80 - 85 - 10 - 25 - 32 - 31 - 6 - 30 - 96 - 81 - 94 - 5 - 26. If you follow this tour you can visit the Huis Bergh chateau, one of the biggest  in the the Netherlands, climb to vantage point to look across to Kleve, take a barefoot walk, have a short ferry trip to Millingen aan de Rijn before returning to Kleve. There is no shortage of cafes along the route. There is a website: www.kleve-tourismus.de where you can download a flyer in German about the route. A word of warning though the map is rather indistinct.

Bike Hire in Cherbourg, France

The area around Cherbourg is an excellent place to cycle. On a recent trip through the city we found a bicycle hire company: Location de velos, Port Chantereyne, Cherbourg, Tel: +33 (0)2 33 03 76 75. 2013 prices for touring-city bikes were:

• Half day €9
• Day €15
• Two days €25
• Three days €32
• Four days €39
• Five days €46
• One week €56

Safer tram lines?

One of the more exciting aspects of urban cycling in continental Europe are tram lines. Judith's knee still bears the scars she received when she fell off her bike, after the front wheel jammed in a tram line, some years ago. Tram lines are cunningly designed to take and hold a bicycle wheel. Whether it is front or back you will suddenly find sideways motion is impossible and the bike stops moving, all at once, with embarrassing results. They also offer a surprising wide flat area of metal which is slippery in wet weather and can lead to breakaway of the back end of the bicycle. This is interesting, but to be avoided.
VBZ, the Zurich traffic authority has started a pilot project to see if  tramlines can be made safer. It has filled a short stretch of tramline with rubber. The tram compresses this, but cyclists can ride over the filled section without the unpleasant effects mentioned above. The first results of this test phase are due in spring 2014. For more information in German see: www.stadt-zuerich.ch/masterplanvelo.

An idea for cycle clubs

The ADFC section in Ottersweier, a village south of Karlsruhe in the Rhine Valley, organises free bike parking for the annual Dorfbachfest, a typical jolly German weekend fest with grilled sausages, beer and umpah bands. The village council supplies a car park and galvanised wire builders' fencing. The ADFC supplies volunteers to guard the bike park, organises a ticketing system and has an information stand. The chairman of the ADFC group and the organiser of this action wrote that cyclists are overjoyed to find secure parking and it is a good way to acquire new members.
I realise that do's with umpah bands and beer are few and far between in Britain, but there will be large numbers of cyclists to watch le Tour next year in Yorkshire and there will be more mass cycling events in London, so CTC local groups could help themselves and the cycling community by laying on bike parking at various events.
5 January 2014: I suppose it could even be seen as one of the ideas supported by David Cameron in the Big Society project.

e-Bike Holidays in Switzerland

Over the years we have cycled a lot in Switzerland. When we talk about these trips with friends and acquaintances both cost and the mountains are mentioned. "Too expensive and we can't climb Alpine passes!" However I have recently picked up a Swiss national tourist office brochure with details of an eight or nine day trip across Switzerland from Lake Geneva via Interlaken and the Jungfrau region to Heidiland and the River Rhine through the mountains but over them. In 2013 the cost was about £1000 including e-Bike hire, luggage transfer and, bed and breakfast stopping in normal hotels. A similar trip stopping in youth hostels would have set you back about £825.  The e-bike flattens out the passes. Check out the trips in 2014 on http://www.swisstrails.ch/.

Bicycle Parking in Bensheim

Bensheim is a small town (about 40 000 inhabitants) in our county lying in the Rhine Valley between Heidelberg and Frankfurt am Main. The railway station has excellent bike parking facilities including bike boxes and bike racks.  There appear to be difficulties in the main shopping street, but there are moves by shops and stores to install more bike racks. In addition the council has set up a working party to investigate a bike parking garage. This might well use the model in Strasbourg. This would not be free of charge. I have my doubts about how prepared German cyclists are, to pay for parking, but we will keep our eye on matters and report. 

Cyclist friendly accommodation in the Netherlands

We are beavering away trying to get our updated, revamped Rhine 2 Cyclists' guide from Basel to Hook of Holland finished. For various reasons it is unlikely that we will be able to cycle from the German-Dutch border by Emmerich to Hook of Holland to check the route this year, unless global warming means that November is very warm and lack of global warming means the month is gale free. What we have decided to do is to prepare the book by working out a route using the knooppunt system. Dutch cycling facilities are so good that we don't need to go there to check the route.
We still need accommodation lists and were pleased to find the Fietsers Welkom! website published by Fietsplatform (Dutch cycling platform). This is an  “umbrella-organisation” (public-private partnership, foundation)bringing together the Dutch tourist’ union ‘ANWB’, the Dutch cyclist’ union ‘Fietsersbond’, the Union for cycle-touring clubs ‘NTFU’ and the national organisation for the cycling industry in the Netherlands ‘RAI’. With the support of the national and regional authorities Fietsplatform tries to improve the facilities for recreational cycling/ cycle tourism in the Netherlands.
The Fietsers Welkom! website is very similar to the German Bett und Bike website published by the ADFC and the Luxembourg bed + bike website published by the LVI. Landlords agree to the following conditions:

• Open from May / September, at least five days a week from 11:00.
• Campsites set aside an area for cycle tourists.
• Hotels, B&Bs and campsites accept guests for one night.
• The hotels, B&Bs offer a locked bicycle garage.
• Simple tools and puncture repair outfits are available, as is obviously, a first aid kit.
• Cyclists can refill their water bottle for free.
• Bike maps are available for inspection and/or on sale.
• Batteries of electric bikes can be recharged for free.
• Wet clothing is no problem. The hotels,  etc. offer a dryer or drying rack.

On first inspection the Fietsers Welkom! website is the greatest thing since sliced bread. It offers a searchable map of the Netherlands with accommodation, knooppunt and the Dutch long distance cycle routes. It is in Dutch, but it is obvious how you use it, just go to 'Kaart'.

I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but the search engine could do with tightening up. It is possible to search an area by entering its name, but if the name of the place you are looking for, comes in the title of the accommodation or in the address, one is overwhelmed by a flood of several hundred addresses, most of which are false. Try looking for "Hoek van Holland", for example. One finds 860 addresses. Cut the search item back to "Hoek" and you still find 60 addresses. If I remember rightly "hoek" means "corner" in Dutch. In such cases you will need to look on the map and click on the hotel or campsite symbols. You can zoom in and out of the map. It would be a good if there was a scale on the map to estimate distances.

If you are touring in the Netherlands you can download an App from iTunes for €2.69 both for navigation and finding accommodation. I haven't tested this because we don't have an iPhone. 

Hiring e-bikes

We have a problem at present. We want to finish our new e-book version of "Rhine 2"covering the Rhine from Basel to Rotterdam. Our printed version is now both out of date and print, but does still attract orders via older versions of the website (www.bergstrassebikebooks.com) which can be found on mirror sites in the Internet. We do have the upstream version "Following the Rhine gently upstream Rotterdam to Basel, a Cycle Tourist’s Guide" available from Smashwords and Amazon, which will be updated this winter.
The problem is that we need to cycle about 280km across the Netherlands from the German border to the Hook of Holland. We cannot do this until the middle of November.  In the Netherlands November means gales from the west, the way we want to go. To be sensible, we need an e-bike each. We can hire them, but of course when we are done we will need to return the bikes. This means a train journey with changes. Do the operators on the Dutch railways offer accompanied transport of e-bikes? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could hire a bike in Arnhem or Nijmegen and drop it off in Rotterdam? It is possible to hire bikes in cities in Switzerland and drop them off elsewhere in Switzerland. We have two possible cures:

• We could persuade Batavus or Gazelle to lend us a bike each for the publicity.
• We could buy a couple of Dutch e-bikes from the Gazelle Outlet Shop. These bikes in the Netherlands are cheaper than in Germany. The problem then is our local bike shop owner would probably scrag us and rightly so.

Czech cycleways

We went to a lecture last year at our local bike shop given by an employee who had cycled alone from Viernheim to Istanbul and returned via a different route with his girl friend. She described the return journey though the Czech Republic and mentioned the difficulty they had cycling on the rough paths there. We were surprised to hear this, but our experience is similar, although we only walked along a few km of Czech cycle route a few weeks ago. The tracks were bumpy, covered with layer of 1" sandstone pebbles, more suitable for the robust bikes the continental Europeans call trekking bikes than the thin tyred Audax road bikes many Brits and North Americans use for touring. Signposting was very good.
We did however find a new EU sponsored cycle- and footpath running from Doubrava, Czech Republic to Bad Elster west of the Bily Halstrov/Weiße Elster river as part of the Elster Cycleway from As (Czech Republic) to Halle an der Saale (Germany) which had a smooth high class tarmac surface. Maybe things are looking up.

Czech cycle route signposting on a minor road

City Hire Bikes in Heidelberg, Mannheim and Ludwigshafen

In April of next year the cities in the Rhein-Neckar metropolitan region, i.e. Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen and Mannheim will set up a joint bike hire system à la Barclay Bikes in London or the velib system in Paris. The VRN, the regional transport authority has been authorised to issue a call for tenders. It is planned to incorporate the new bike system in the present combined payment system for public transport tickets and car sharing.
This move has perhaps initiated one major change: From 1 January next year cyclists will be able to buy a €1.80 bicycle ticket allowing them to take bicycles on local and regional trains before 09:00 on weekdays. Up to now one needed to buy an annual season ticket to travel with a non-folding bicycle between Mondays and Fridays in the morning rush hour which ruled out occasional transport on trains.

Le Tour - a book review

I was  checking what is available on the Smashwords e-book website on cycle touring in Europe, last night and discovered that  Selwyn Parker's "Chasing the Chimney Sweep" can be bought there.  "Chasing the Chimney Sweep" is an account of four friends who followed the route of the first Tour de France for a month during one summer about a decade ago. The book was originally published as a paperback by Penguin in Australia or New Zealand. Friends who visited NZ, brought back a copy and lent it to us. It is an excellent description of a long cycle tour through the French countryside, including what can go wrong. The history of the early Tour de France is recounted in fascinating detail. Those early cyclists make the rest of us look like milksops and the bikes were definitely instruments of torture.

However the book should come with a health warning. The author has strong opinions about various matters and some of these almost caused us to throw the book across the room in disgust. (We too have strong opinions!)

• He thinks, for example, that using panniers is "uncool" for stylistic reasons and he and his partner cycled with heavy rucksacks. Unfortunately they happened to choose the hottest summer since records began and so cycling wearing a rucksack was very uncomfortable. They needed to send some stuff back to the Antipodes by post. The other couple camped and used panniers. They appear to have fewer problems. 
• He then moans about the cost of using the French Postal Service.
• Unfortunately he doesn't agree with the idea of "When in Rome…". He dislikes French coffee, because he likes to drink a very weak milky coffee at breakfast and the French hotels don't offer exactly what he wants.

However we recommend the book highly with some reservations about rucksacks and coffee.

Everything runs like it's just been oiled.

The city of Mannheim, Germany offers free bike checks in the summer at various events and it is an excellent way of showing folk who don't cycle much how make their cycling easier, by pumping up tyres, oiling chains, adjusting gears and making sure brakes work. It's a very popular service. The queues can be very long. When I first saw this I was impressed, although the ADFC Bergstraße has organised a stand for years at the biannual closure to motorised traffic of the Bergstrasse between Heppenheim and Darmstadt. We have even helped on the stand. I was also impressed to realise that the CTC had organised a similar service at the Prudential RideLondon weekend. This is obviously something that meets a public need.

Safer ways to school on a bike

Cycling to school is a good way for children to improve their fitness, build self-confidence and gain experience in traffic. However until they have gained some experience it can be a risky business, Parents can cycle the routes with their children, but this is not always possible. The ADFC is the German cycling club interested in touring, cycling as a means of transport and cycle paths rather than the sporting aspects. The Heidelberg section of the club has offered training courses for School Cyclists for the last three years.  Twenty fourteen to seventeen year old youngsters in Heidelberg have recently completed a twenty-eight hour training course. The youngsters then lead small groups of younger children to school and act as pilots. They check the bikes before the trip; make sure the younger  pupils know how to switch their lights on; discuss the critical areas of the journey; say where it is necessary to check the traffic behind the group and how one can utilise cyclepaths to best advantage. Two kids from Mannheim joined the training group this year and it is planned to offer the course in Mannheim next year. It strikes us as an excellent idea.

Grocery Deliveries by Bike in Vienna

I was pleased to see that the Merkur supermarket on the Hoher Markt in Vienna offers deliveries by bicycle in the centre and inner suburbs of Vienna. The company uses a pedal-powered Bullit cargo bike. The original plan was to use an e-bike, but the lads doing the deliveries on the basic Bullit found it was up to the job without pedelec assistance.

The best longer cycling routes in Germany and Austria? ADFC Quality Routes

The ADFC is, as regular readers of this blog know,  the German cycling club interested in touring and cycle paths rather than the sporting aspects. The Germans are, of course, great classifiers and the ADFC is no exception. It grades cycle routes into 3 classes using the following criteria. This service is not free, the trail organisations pay most of the costs of the assessments. The weighting for the overall rating is shown after each criterium in brackets.

• Rideabilty: width, current barriers, bollards, steps, hazards (15%)
• Surface: material, number and distance of sections where it is necessary to push the bicycle, transverse grooves, pot holes (15%)

  

   Surface is important....

  
  
  
  

  

  because this can be the result.

• Signposting: type, signposts showing the wrong direction, missing lettering, illegible writing, signposting contrary to the Road Traffic Acts (15%)

  

  Information overload, but who cares?

• Route: noise, smells, dust, detours, altitude, monotony (5%)
• Density of motor vehicle traffic: car-free - heavy, dangerous crossings (20%)
• Tourist infrastructure: accommodation structure, campsites, catering, Bed + Bike accommodation, tourist information office, information boards, bike parking, bicycle box, playgrounds, bad weather shelters, picnic areas, (15%) 
• Access route to public transport: Frequency of bike carrying long-distance trains with bicycles, Frequency of bike carrying regional public transport with bicycles, bike buses (5%)

  

  Ferries can also be useful!

  
• Marketing: Existing maps and information, website (10%)

In addition the route should have a clear name and/or be well known. This probably means that the “Black Pudding Route” would not be accepted whereas the “Gelsenkirchen Black Pudding Route” would be. On the other hand the Romantic Road would be allowed because the route name has been used since WWII. These rules does not always seem to be taken too seriously.
The nonappearance of routes like the Rhine, a particular favourite of ours does not mean that it cannot meet the standards required. There is probably another more mundane reason for this. The ADFC charges over €800 to check 50km of route, which is cheap in view of what the club delivers. The advice given in their reports can be used as way of improving the routes. The costs to have a longer route checked are quite prohibitive especially in these days of belt tightening by public authorities. The Rhine Cycle Route, for example is 1230km long.
The Five Star Routes

• River Main (Germany) 600km from Bischofsgrün (Source of the White Main) E of Bayreuth or Creußen (Source of the Red Main) S of Bayreuth – Mainz, confluence with the Rhine).
• Lake Neusiedler See (Austria, Hungary) SE of Vienna 121.5km, circular

The Four Star Routes
Germany

• Albtäler 187km SE of Stuttgart on the Swabian Alp, circular
• BahnRadweg Hessen (Railway Cycle Route Hesse) 245km on former railway lines in Middle Hesse ENE of Frankfurt am Main
• Bischofstour (Bishop's Tour) Havelberg to Wittstock 108km NE of Berlin
• DahmeRadweg Berlin S to the source of the River Dahme near Kolpen 123km
• Deutsche Fußballroute NRW (German Football Route North Rhine Westphalia) 800km Aaachen to Münster
• EmsRadweg (River Ems Cycle Route) 375km from Hövelhof to Emden
• Fulda-Radweg (River Fulda Cycle Route) Gersfeld to Bad Karlshafen 260km
• Ilmtal-Radweg (Ilm Valley Cycle Route) 125km, Allzunah am Rennsteig  to Großheringen/Kaatschen-Weichau
• Kyll-Radweg (Kyll Cycle Route) 130km from Kronenburger See, Dahlem (Bhf.), Losheimer Graben to Trier
• Lahntal Radweg (Lahn Valley Cycle Route) 244km Netphen (Source of River Lahn) – Lahnstein (Rhine confluence)
• Märkische Schlössertour (Chateau in the Oder Valley Route) 180km Circular Route SE of Berlin
• Oderbruchbahn Radweg (Oder Railway Route) 133km from Fürstenwalde through Müncheberg, Seelow to Wriezen, E of Berlin
• Oder-Neiße-Radweg (Oder Neisse Cycle Route) 628km from Nová Ves near Jablonec (Czech Republic) to Ahlbeck
• Oder Spree Tour 250km SE of Berlin
• RegnitzRadweg (River Regnitz Cycleway) 85 Kilometer (Valley), 75 Kilometer (Canal) Nürnberg – Bamberg/Bischber
• Rhönradweg (Rhön Cycle Route) From Bad Salzungen to Hammelburg, 180km
• Radrouten Historische Stadtkerne - Route 2... (Cycleway through historic towns and cities) NE of Berlin
• Ruhrtalradweg (Ruhr Valley Cycle Route) 230km, Winterberg – Duisburg (Confluence with the Rhine)
• Saar-Radweg (Saar Valley Cycleway) 98 Kilometer, Sarreguemines (Frankreich) through Saarbrücken to Konz (Confluence with the Moselle)
• Spreeradweg (River Spree Cyclepath) 410 Kilometer, Eibau – Berlin
• Südschwarzwald-Radweg (Southern Black Forest Cycle Route) 240 Kilometer (+ 69 Kilometer variations) circular route. See this blog 2 March 2013.
• Tour Brandenburg A cycle tour around the province of Brandenberg. 1111km, Circular Start, for example, in Potsdam, Berlin or Cottbus.
• Tour de Fries (Friesland Tour) Circular tour from Wilhelmshafen 287km
• Von Main zu Rhön (From the River Main to the Rhön) 263km Circular

Austria

• Danube Cycle Route 629km Passau to Vienna
• Drauradweg (Cycle route along River Drau) (Austria) 366km from Toblach/Dobaccio (Italy) to Marburg.
• Murradweg (Cycle Route in the Mürr Valley) S of Salzburg to Croatia 457km
• Tauernradweg (Tauern Cycle Route) The route follows the Salzach und Saalach Rivers from Krimml to Passau. 308km
• Traisental-Radweg (Traisen Valley Cycle Route) Traismauer (Donau) to Mariazell. 111km

Three Star Routes
Germany

• Alte Salzstraße (Old Salt Road) Lübeck to Luneburg 116km
• D-Route 3 / Europaradweg R1 (D Route 3/European Cycle Route 1) 960km, Vreden – Küstrin-Kietz across Germany from W to E or E to W
• Fürst-Pückler-Weg (Fürst-Pückler-Cycle Route) 500km, circular route SE of Berlin through the Lausitz
• Grünroute (Green Route) 358km, Düren – Hasselt (Belgium)
• Gurkenradweg (Gherkin Cycle Route) 260km through the Spreewald
• Kohle-Wind & Wasser-Tour (Coal, Wind and Water Tour) 250km circular route SE of Berlin through the Lausitz
• Die Niederlausitzer Bergbautour (Lower Lausitz Mining Tour) >500km circular around Cottbus
• Radweg Berlin-Kopenhagen (The Berlin Copenhagen Cycle Route) 648km total, 260km in Denmark
• Radrouten Historische Stadtkerne - Route 1... (Cycleway through historic towns and cities No. 1) N of Berlin
• Romantic Road from Würzburg to Füssen
• Saarland-Radweg (Saarland Cycleway) 362km, Circular route around Saarland
• Seenland Route 184km in the Lausitz SE of Dresden
• Der Uckermärkische Radrundweg (Uckermark Route) circular 260km ENE Berlin almost on the Polish border

Where do I find a bike on a city bicycle hire system

Finding where there are bikes to be picked up on a city bike system with many stations can be difficult. Fortunately someone has written an iPhone App to help you. The good news is it is free. It shows where which stations have how many bikes and if you tell the system which are your nearest or most used stations the phone will automatically display the information when you get close to favourite stations. The app can be used perhaps but not worldwide but in over 80 cities in Europe, in the USA and Canada. Check out http://www.bicyclette-app.com/en/ for more information.

Cycling on the left

My own feelings are that cyclists prefer to cycle on the left. I am however wondering whether this is true, having seen the London Triathlon this afternoon when the whole cycling route was laid out so that the cycling was on the right. Was this a disadvantage for cyclists for the countries of the world where one cycles on the sensible side of the road?

Bike Hire in Freiburg (Black Forest)

At the moment the only shops we can find are:

Radhaus GmbH  Harry Bieker, Bea Galgoczy  Münchhofstr. 4  79106 Freiburg  Tel. 0761-280832  UStID DE 142111755  Amtsgericht Freiburg HRB 4216 Opening Hours :  Mo-Fr 9.00 to 13.30 und 15.00 to 18.30  Sa 10.00 to 16.00 Freiburg Bikes Fernando Schüber Kandelblickstr. 10 79108 Freiburg Tel: 07665-9471021 Fax:0761-2023427 e-mail: info@freiburgbikes.de

http://www.radhaus-freiburg.de/mietrad.htm

Blog post modified on 11. September 2013

Vienna as a cycling city

Earlier in the year we wrote: "We are hoping to spend some time in Vienna this summer and intend to hire bikes for a few days". We have just returned from Vienna and we must be honest: We failed to fulfil our intention of hiring a velocipede or two to make the odd trip out into the woods and fields around the city. The friends we met there are not cyclists and so we decided that we would shelve our cycling plans in the interests of harmony. However we made some enquiries and kept our eyes open.
The city has 1200km of cycleways, 30 000 bike park racks and over 100 City Bike pickup points. Obviously Vienna is not yet a cyclists' city like Amsterdam or Copenhagen, but it is well on its way. Without being unpatriotic it is farther down this road or cyclepath than London for example. However the city is not as flat as the two forerunners mentioned above.
There is an excellent cycle map available free of charge from the tourist office, which is much better than the general city plan also given out by this organisation. There is a navigation app for cyclists which can be downloaded from the city's cyclist website: www.fahrradwien.at (in German, of course). The website also offers a route planner, a list of events and hints for cycling in the city.
Public transport in the city is so good that I think if I l lived in Vienna I would be using this a good deal rather than cycling.
If you are visiting Vienna in the next few weeks, it is worth nipping into the MAK to see an exhibition of classic bicycles called "Tour du Monde". You need to be quick though it closes on 6 October 2013.

Neil discussing cycle routes in the city centre with two touring cyclists.

Bike transport by bus in Germany

As we have written before the German Government recently liberalised the long distance bus market and there has been an almost textbook increase in the number of services. The ADAC, the German motor club, and Deutsche Post are offering a joint service from 1 October onwards. The first route will be from Munich to Cologne, via Stuttgart and Mannheim, or Nuremberg and Frankfurt and Bonn. Tickets for the whole route from Munich to Cologne cost from €28. The free luggage allowance is a piece of hand luggage and a hold bag. Extra luggage including bicycles cost €10 per item. The buses take longer than the train, are cheaper and offer free WLAN.

Future services (from 1 November ) are

• Bremen - Hamburg - Berlin
• Cologne - Dortmund - Hannover - Berlin 
• Berlin - Dresden - Leipzig 
• Frankfurt - Würzburg - Nuremberg - Munich

There is more information on http://www.adac-postbus.de/ (in German).

Movelo App

movelo is the largest European provider of electric bicycles in tourist regions with 2,500 electric bikes, 400 rental stations in 40 regions in Germany, Austria, Italy and Spain ... There is more information on http://www.movelo.com/de/elektrofahrrad/, in German but translations are available.
In addition, there is a new movelo app for the iPhone and google phones. This holiday guide  has all the answers during a tour with an electric bicycle in a movelo - region. The information displayed is always up to date and tailored directly to your location even outside of Germany and also works well in Austria and Italy. For example, you can find where to borrow movelo pedelecs or download information on the battery charging stations and/or replacement batteries. In addition, this app includes a route planner, so you can always easily plan your desired route and have the Itinerary in mind. Also the nearest  battery exchange station is displayed constantly.

E-Bike battery charging in Baden-Württemberg

Whether it is a sign of the growing popularity of pedelecs or whether it is a clever marketing campaign I am not sure. The VCD is persuading cafes, hotels and restaurants in the Southwestern German province of Baden-Württemberg to offer free e-bike charging. The VCD is a German club offering the help that motoring clubs offer such as breakdown assistance, but also campaigns for environmentally friendly means of transport, such as cycling, trains and buses. It argues that  cafes and the like need not buy expensive charging equipment, a short row of plug sockets will suffice. Cyclists should bring their own charging leads. The argument is that there is no cheaper way of persuading a cyclist or even a group of cyclists to stop for another half hour and drink another apple juice. The sticker below is available free of charge from VCD offices in Baden-Württemberg. It is interesting that the local energy supplier in the neighbouring province of Rhineland Palatinate is offering a similar service. (See this blog 6 July 2013)

Are cyclists intelligent?

I have long thought that cyclists are super intelligent. If you have ever tried to follow one of the older signposted German routes you will realise that cyclists need super powers of observation to find ten pence piece sized marker logos or superb powers of deduction to work out which way to cycle at unmarked junctions. Matters have improved over the last few years, I must admit. My faith in our intelligence is however shaken occasionally by idiots who insist on cycle touring wearing heavy walkers' rucksacks, even when their bikes have luggage carriers. I read a book some years ago where the author claimed that pannier or saddle bags were not "cool", neither is a sweaty overloaded back. Recently I have begun to have more doubts about our intelligence after reading an advertisement in the cycling press which suggested that this company's bags were also e-bike compatible. Fortunately nobody has yet to bring out bags built especially for e-bikes.

Bike Hire in Gothenburg

Gothenburg has a city bike system:

Styr & Ställ 

Styr & Ställ has generated a half million bicycle trips in the city of Gothenburg since its inception in August 2010 . 

You will need a 3 Day Pass or a Gothenburg City Card to use the bicycles. If you only want to use bikes now and again, or you are a visitor to Gothenburg, choose a Three-day Pass.

The first half hour of every ride is always free, regardless of the number of trips per day. You can borrow a bike 46 times in one day, completely free as long as each bike ride does not exceed 30 minutes.

If you would like to borrow a bike for longer than half an hour, find a station, set back the bike and after two minutes, a new bike be can be borrowed. However, if you do not do this, the second half hour costs 10 SEK, the third costs 20 SEK and then it costs 40 SEK per half hour.

Season: 1 March-30 Nov

In other words one use them to get about the city, but they are not intended for use in the countryside. There is more information under http://en.goteborgbikes.se/.

Rent a bike

Cykelkungen

Chalmersgatan 19
411 35 Göteborg
Tel. 031 18 43 00
info@cykelkungen.se
http://www.cykelkungen.se/Uthyrning.html

Opening Times
Mo-Fr. 10.00-18.00
Sa/Su.   Shut

Standard 3 speed lady's bike

Price	Adult	Children	Trailer*
24hour	200 SEK	100 SEK	100 SEK
3 days	400 SEK	200 SEK	200 SEK
1 week	700 SEK	300 SEK	300 SEK

Child seats and helmets for a fee of
50 SEK for all rental periods.

All bikes are equipped with locks and lights

*Cargo trailer or child trailer

Ghost riders and other problems

One of the problems we have as cyclists are other cyclists who break the traffic laws for their own convenience,  e.g. riding through red lights, on pavements and footpaths, on roads when there are adequate cycleways adjacent to the road and riding the wrong way on cycleways. I was horrified to see two cyclists riding around the Viernheim bypass on Sunday morning. There is an excellent, well marked, fast cycleway adjacent to the road and under German law what these two did was illegal and considering that the speed limit on the bypass is 70kph, dangerous and daft. I always feel that some cyclists feel as they are travelling in a non-polluting manner, they are on the moral high ground and can do what they want. These characters do themselves and the rest of us cyclists no good at all. They provide ammunition for the protagonists of the Lycra Lout ideas. They put themselves at risk and when they cycle on a cycleway on the wrong side of the road they put other cyclists at risk.
Geisterfahrer (Ghost Rider) is the German for someone cycles the wrong way along a cycleway. I was pleased to see that ADFC Lübeck has started a campaign to illustrate the dangers of this practice. There is a film on YouTube about the opening demo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjbJFWVUyXk). The film is in German but language is not needed to understand the film. It might be a source of ideas for local groups in other countries. In fact, having cycled round Mannheim on Wednesday afternoon, it would be a good idea in Mannheim too !

Eurobike and trends

The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Angela Merkel is going to open this year's Eurobike Cycle Exhibition in Friedrichshafen on 28 August. This either highlights the importance of the bicycle industry and cycling in Germany or is an attempt by Frau Dr. Merkel to improve her green credentials, depending on your political leanings. There are national elections shortly in Germany.
The Eurobike exhibition is one of the most important bicycle exhibitions in the world, if not the most important.
As usual the bicycling press has been busy rehashing press releases listing the new products at the show. There is a definite trend towards cycle gear that does not resemble the modern brightly coloured wind and waterproof cycle clothing. It is tweedy or in colours that blend in withe the surroundings. I am not impressed by this trend towards cycling gear that does not look like cycling clothes and costs an arm and a leg. I have no desire to mention names in case I receive a letter from Messrs. Sue, Grabbit and Run. It would appear to be de rigueur to wear clothes off a bike that look as though they were made for cycling. I cannot understand why. OK I can see that it is not the best of taste to go to a funeral wearing skin tight lycra shorts and a maillot jaune, but what is the objection in cycling into work wearing a cyclist's wind- and waterproof jacket, then hanging it up during the day. I left a sports coat at work for several years that I put on when I needed a jacket in meetings. Sorry guys, it is a fashion and I am too old to be bothered with such fripperies.

Bicycle rental in Malmö, Sweden

Malmö is a good place to cycle with generous bike lanes and clear signage. You can visit places like football star Zlatan's house, Limhamn's limestone quarry, Turning Torso and the lookout at Öresund Bridge. We were very impressed by the Tourist Office who were very helpful, even though we arrived one minute before closing time.
Some of the Metro stations have bike and ride facilities: These services include lockers to lock up a helmet and clothes, toilet and shower facilities, bicycle pump and service space where the bike can be repaired or washed, and real-time information on trains and buses. Very impressive! (The website is in Swedish but you know how to use Google Translator, don't you?)

The companies listed below are the ones we have found, but there may be others and this list is not a recommendation. Check the bikes before you sign a contract or cycle off.

Hire companies

Stömma 

Norra Vallgatan (the boat sightseeing terminal, near the Central Station)

Hire Charge ca. €20 per day. No children's bicycles. From the photographs the bikes appear to be solidly built city bikes. 

Season April to October.

Cykelkliniken (A Bike Shop)

Tygelsjövägen 155

218 71 Tygelsjö (South of the city centre)

Tel: 040 - 611 66 66

Mobile: 0735 - 34 49 32

http://www.cykelkliniken.se/home/information.php?maincategory=Service&subcategory=Uthyrning (The website is in Swedish, so use Google Translator or the like.)

Children's & adult bikes during the summer season.

Bring identification and deposit (150 SEK).

Rental per day

1 cycle (24 hours): 120 - incl. bike map of the city of Malmö

1 bike trailer (24 hours) 90: -

1 bicycle saddle bag / Day 20: -

1 child seat with a high back / Day 40: -

1 helmet / day 10 -

Rental per week

1 cycle / week 600: - incl. bike map of the city of Malmö

1 bicycle trailer / week 450: -

1 bicycle saddle bag / week 100: -

1 child seat with a high back / week 200: -

helmet / week 50: -

Tricycles

24 "wheel size with two rear wheels and one front wheel. 3 speed with foot and hand brake.

Extra wide sprung saddle.

Rent only weekly / monthly.

690 :-/ week or month in 2150 :-/

NOTE! Limited, book well in advance!

Travelshop AB 

Eurolines Skeppsbron 2 211 20 Malmö info@travelshop.se Telephone: 040 – 330 570 Openimg times: Mo-FR10-18, Sa 10-15, Su 11-17. Next to the Tourist Office opposite the Central Railway Station.

	Price half day	Price-day	Price whole week
3-speed bicycle	120: -	150: -	650: -
Tandem	300: -	350: -	1250 -
Bicycle - children nobility incl. helmet	150: -	200: -	850: -
Christiania Cycle	300: -	350: -	1500: -
DSB 7-speed bicycle	200: -	250: -	1100: -
Bianchi 24-speed bicycle	300: -	350: -	1500: -

De Facto Mandatory Bicycle Helmet Wearing in Germany?

If you cycle in Germany you can choose whether you wear a helmet or not. There is no regulation about helmet wearing while cycling. It is recommended, but not mandatory. In fact less than 20% of German cyclists wear helmets. The minister responsible for road safety indicated in the past that he would prefer this to rise to more than 50%.

A provincial Court of Appeal in the northern province of Schleswig-Holstein recently laid a down a decision in June, that may well put pressure on cyclists to wear a cycle helmet. A cyclist was passing a row of parked cars when the driver of one vehicle opened the door causing the cyclist to fall which resulted in a traumatic brain injury. The cyclist had to spend two months in hospital and spent some time in rehabilitation. The car driver's insurance company refused to pay all of the costs of treatment and the case went to court. The judge ruled that the cyclist should pay 20% of the treatment cost. He argued that a cycle helmet would have added additional protection in this case and since helmets are cheap it is sensible to wear a helmet. This decision was very controversial and the ADFC (German Cycling Club) is supporting the cyclist concerned to take the case to the Federal Supreme Court. If this decision can be quoted as precedent then it could mean a de facto cycle helmet law mandating cyclists to wear helmets. When we know more we will report.

Cycling on the left

The Germans like everybody else in continental Europe drive on the right. In the past as a Brit living in Germany I was subject to a certain amount of banter about why we drive on the left on the island. Reputedly the reason why much of Europe and the USA drives on the wrong side of the road is due to Napoleon. The story goes: Before the French Revolution the peasants in France walked on the left and the gentry rode in carriages on the right. Napoleon ordered his troops to march on the rights, because according to him what was good enough for les aristos was good enough for his lads. The Yanks took this idea over after the War of Independence grateful to the French because they had helped the colonists.
However my gut feeling is that the folk memory harks back to pre-Napoleonic times, especially amongst cyclists. I have noticed that if cyclists meet on cyclepaths they often pass starboard (right) to starboard. Germans walk with their bikes on their righthand side. They stick out into the road when pushing their bikes. This would be a safe option if Germany drove on the left.

Bike Hire in Stockholm

Stockholm has an excellent spread of cycle routes and is a great place to cycle in summmer. The City Bike system also given below seems to me to be complicated and I would rent a bike for a day or so from one of the other two companies given below.

Stockholm City Bikes

Buy a three-day (for 250 SEK) or season pass at the Stockholm Tourist Center or on the web and borrow a bike from 110 sites around the city from April to October for a maximum of three hours before picking up another bike. The three-day pass is also available at many of the hotels around the city. (http://www.citybikes.se/home)

Cykeluthyrningen/Rentabike

Strandvägen
Kajplats 18
114 56 Stockholm

Tel/fax: 08-660 79 59
Mobile: 076-22 676 83

info@rentabike.se

Website: http://jojje.no-ip.com/rentabike/english.htm

Open: Every day (May - Sept) 10:00 - 18:00  

Citybike - Nishiki Swan 

A low frame and the easily adjustable handlebar. The bike has 7 gears, a handbrake and a back pedal/coaster brake. 

Citybike - Nishiki Hybrid 

This is a city bike with a little more durability on tougher roads. It has 7 gears, a hand brake and a back pedal/coaster  brake. 

Citybike - Monark Nordic Tradition 

A classic city bike with 3 gears, hand brake and a back pedal/coaster  brake. 

Mountainbike - Gary Fisher 

100mm travel suspension fork from Rock Shox and a 24 gear Shimano deore shift system. Hand brakes only. 

Tandembike - Monark 

Our tandems are equipped with 4 gears, double hand brakes and back pedal/coaster brakes.

Day	City      240:-	MTB 280:-	Tandem 400:-	Children's 180:-
24 hours	280:-	340:-	500:-	200:-
2 days	480:-	550:-	750:-	350:-
3 days	650:-	750:-	1000:-	500:-
4 days	800:-	950:-	1200:-	600:-
5 days	950:-	1150:-	1350:-	700:-
6 days	1100:-	1300:-	1500:-	800:-
7 days	1200:-	1400:-	1600:-	900:-
1st hour	80:-	100:-	150:-	60:-
Per hour	60:-	80:-	100:-	40:-
Deposit	3000:-	3000:-	3000:-	3000:-

Prices are in SEK (2013)

Bike Sweden

T: +46(0)8-403 07 520
Narvavägen 13-17
114 57 Stockholm
Open hours:
May-September everyday 10-18
Oktober-April, call to book
http://www.bikesweden.se

A: City Bike
B: Mountain Bike
C: Trekking Bike
D: Children's Bike
E: Follow me
F: Child's seat
G: Trailer
H: Road Bike
I: Electric Bike

Price Group	A	B,C	D,E	F	G	H,I
Duration

3 hours	150	190	80	50	150	190
Whole day	190	240	140	50	190	290
24 hours	240	270	180	80	250	350
2 days	350	430	280	100	350	500
3 days	500	590	380	120	500	700
4 days	575	750	480	140	575	850
5 days	650	860	550	160	650	1000
6 days	725	950	600	180	725	1150
Week	800	990	650	200	800	1250
Extra days	50	90	40	20	50	90
Month	1850	2700	1320	300	1850	2950

A new cross country cycle route in Germany

Planning cycle routes in and around Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen and Mannheim is complicated, because the area is at the junction of three German provinces: Baden-Württemberg, Hessen and Rheinlandpfalz. I was therefore pleased to read that the Verband Region Rhein Neckar (VRRN - Regional planning organisation) had set up a new cycle route from Lamprecht west of Neustadt an der Weinstraße to Osterburken in the Odenwald through Ludwigshafen, Mannheim and Heidelberg. Its symbol is a yellow square. The route runs for 171km across the region. It is not a new route, but older routes have had additional signposting and have been incorporated in the route.
I was less than pleased to read that although the section east of Mannheim is finished, the western 55km will be finished next year in 2014. It would appear that road signposting is very tightly controlled in Rheinlandpfalz. It does not give one much hope of utilising the Dutch Knooppunt system in Germany. This is a real pity.