There’s no landscape more lushly rewarding than Costa Rica, and if you can handle the heat, it’s best explored by bike. The Coast to Coast cycle path takes in rainforest, volcanoes and coastline on its way from San Jose, on the Pacific side to Tortuguero on the Caribbean. You'll cross over the 3,400 metre-high Cerro de la Muerte pass and meander through the coffee and banana plantations of the Orosi valley, making this simultaneously one of the best cycle paths on this list both in terms of diversity of landscape, and metres climbed. RIDING HIGHS: Pedalling miles of relaxed beachside roads and stopping for fresh, locally-grown coffee in the mountains. Get to know enigmatic Myanmar the two-wheeled way on this cycling tour from Yangon up to Mandalay and Inle Lake with Intrepid. I was surprised at how few rides there were listed for Africa- that continent is huge, surely you could find as many as what Europe has? But fun to learn you can bike from Cairo to South Africa. That sounds amazing. Let’s be clear: this is a subjective list, and you’re going to curse us on social media before you even read it. But just know that this roundup of the best rides on the planet—culled from my own personal experience of riding bikes for the past 30-plus years, as well as the advice of passionate cycling friends—is just gravy. My favorite rides have always been the ones that leave from my garage. But even though bikes are a great form of environmentally friendly recreation and transportation doesn’t mean we all don’t daydream about century-distance rides through the European countryside and fat-tire epics across the Mountain West.

Best Bike Rides in the World Right Now - Outside Online The 25 Best Bike Rides in the World Right Now - Outside Online

This sufferfest soothes its 13,000 feet of elevation gain and roughly 130 miles with waffles and beer. That’s great, but we mostly love it because, unlike some other gravel beatdowns we know, the waffle ride happens in May in sync with Europe’s spring classics, the spirit of which it has been designed to replicate, so you (probably) won’t die of heat exhaustion.

Stunning scenery and great cycling across diverse terrain, together with the friendliness of the local people, makes this an unforgettable experience. One of nine officially designated bike tours in Switzerland, National Route 4, also known as the Alpine Panorama Route, is itself nine stages long and covers 300 miles while gaining 30,000 feet in the mountains and the rolling hills of the Swiss foreland. You’ll ride past bucolic farmland, mountain passes and gorges, castles, and tidy chalets with self-pay apple-cider stands. The well-marked route is great for self-guided tours, and if you’re feeling fit, try the dramatic punch up to the ski station of Saas-Fee. Lonely Planet seems to have decided to publish more specialized guides - although this isn't a take-it-with-you sort of guide but more of a this-may-inspire-you introduction to possibilities for longer distant cycling (generally at some non-trivial expense, by the way).

Epic Bike Rides of The World - General | PDF | Guide Book Epic Bike Rides of The World - General | PDF | Guide Book

The world’s best mountain bikers are coming from Switzerland these days for a reason. It’s the riding, people. And this year, the Swiss Epic, a five-day, 155-mile stage race, heads to Graubünden in the country’s southeast, near the ski towns of St. Moritz and Davos. Pro mountain-bike racers consistently tell us that the Swiss Epic is the hardest—both technically and in terms of climbing—of all the mountain-bike stage races, and we expect more of the same from Graubünden, which has over 10,000 miles of rideable trails that pass through pine forest, along treeless high-Alpine ridges, and across cold mountain streams. Sign up for this year’s race, August 20–24, only if you’re crazy serious. Everyone else should use the race route as a guide for an epic ride at their own pace. This is not the sort of book you read from cover to cover, more the sort you graze on from time to time, while reclining on your chaise-longue. As I dipped into it, I realized that I was unlikely to ever do any of the rides myself. Similarly, I’ve read many books about climbing Everest, but know I’ll never rise to that challenge. Still, reading about other people’s adventures is enthralling and frequently awe-inspiring. Finally, swap your cycling shoes for hiking boots and walk the legendary Inca Trail. Finish with a tour of mighty Machu Picchu, one of South America’s must-see draw cards.TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category Armchair cyclists and pro-level pedalers alike will find many new reasons to hit the road." The Oprah Magazine O

Epic Bike Rides of the World (1st Ed) Lonely Planet: Epic Bike Rides of the World (1st Ed)

Complete a classic pilgrimage by bike with Intrepid’s Cycle the Camino de Santiago trip. This self-guided ride follows the UNESCO World Heritage trail for over 250km, condensing the highlights into a faster-paced tour, and staying at small rural hotels. At first glance, what stands out most about this volume is its beauty—the gorgeous cover, the breathtaking interior photos full of personality, the maps that are simple and useful yet visually appealing. But that level of excellence and attention to detail simply befits the beautiful world these memorable bike rides showcase, and this volume contains information and insight that reach far beneath the surface...The book has the expertise and excellence you’d expect from Lonely Planet. It is best suited to experienced cyclists, but it by no means requires the most advanced skills, readers are assured."— Foreword Actually about 3.5 stars. While I do not do long rides on the bicycle, this book was written very well with a good smattering of bike trips around the world. After reading this book, I have bookmarked a few trips that I would love to do solo or with family when travelling overseas. The mountains offer exhilarating downhill rides and the rolling green valleys of Galicia are a breezy joy on two wheels. Cyclists can camp or stay in traditional pilgrim’s hostels called albergues.The rewards however make all the the lung-busting climbs worth it a million times over. You'll pass monasteries and temples where prayer flags flap in the wind, ride through steep-sided valleys, and stare up at impossibly beautiful mountain vistas. You really are on top of the world, and when you've caught your breath, you'll feel like it too. I tend to enjoy the Lonely Planet books. They are often coffee table type books, as is true with this one, and they are often good or discovering new places to visit, new adventures, or simply to fantasize about living a life with enough money to travel to places the Lonely Planet writers seemingly go on a daily basis. The rides in Asia also looked great: Mongolia, for example, sounded amazing. But others were a bit too mountainous. Along the way you’ll cycle through Tallinn’s quaint Old Town, and cycle the famous Route 10, which cuts quite literally across the Baltic Sea, surrounded on both sides by water. You’ll stay in a quaint farmhouse in the Estonian countryside, ride through bird-filled forests and past glittering lakes and explore the Latvian city of Jurmala’s 33-kilometre stretch of beautiful white sand beach.