What is the best country for cycling in the world?

[jorgemartin]

Is it Germany?

 

[aJohnson]

Depends what you mean by best. Least traffic? Most hilly? Most flat?

 

[Will1985]

Depends what sort of cycling you mean. For commuting it is almost certainly the Netherlands.
For general cycling I have no idea - my only experiences abroad (Italy, Switzerland and France) beat the UK hands down.

 

[suthers]

I would personally rate the best country in the world for cycling as being the one with the best maintained roads; anything else i can cope with be it hills/mountains etc. Thus of course the UK is out of the running completely, though i wont turn this thread into a rant about the dreadful state of our roads and lazy councils stupid belief that covering roads with gravel offers a good long term solution....bah.

 

[MajorMantra]

Not sure how it compares to the rest of the continent but Luxembourg (where I grew up) has a pretty rare combination of excellent roads and a population with a respect for cycling. The 'worst' roads I've found whilst cycling there would be about average for the UK.

It also has nice scenery and some great climbs/descents.

Matthew

 

[Banjo]

I spent some years in Germany 25 years ago.They had more facilities then for cyclists than we have now. It took a bit of getting used to as a british driver as bikes on a cycle path had right of way over vehicles where the cycle path crossed the road. The bikes wouldnt hesitate even when coming up from behind you while you were waiting to turn into a side road.

 

[jimboalee]

Sark.

 

[lazyfatgit]

The one where you are at any moment in time.

take a bike, borrow a bike, hire a bike.

Now i've got back on my bike, can't see me ever giving it up.

 

[Globalti]

France. Luvverly smooth tarmac.

 

[jorgemartin]

I don't know about all of Spain but the north has good roads and cycling lanes, and cars tend to be more respectful of cyclists (than in the UK). In Vitoria, the capital of the Basque Country, bicycle hire is free! I found the commuters of Amsterdam a bit too aggressive. Germany's cities are heaven for bicycles.

 

[gavintc]

It depends on what type of cycling you want to do. For me, my holidays in the south of France with warm weather, good tarmac and friendly drivers seems to be as good as it gets. I have cycled in a few countries. I am not sure of Germany with the cycle paths - just too organised (and Germanic) for me. But each to their own.

 

[raindog]

Not sure where smooth/good tarmac for French roads is coming from. Some of the roads where I live are real bone shakers. What is nice here though is the climate, and the fact that I can find almost deserted back roads to ride. Plenty of decent climbing too, if that's what you want, and I suppose most of us do.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Wales is good, Powys in particular - keep a lovely strip of Tarmac there!

 

[G-manUK]

I agree with will. Netherlands is great. Well maintained cycle tracks in the towns, and as you go out of town, the paths split away from the roads making them safer as the roads get faster. Also flat as a pancake, so great for touring holiday.

 

[Ian H]

France is good because it's big and comparatively empty and everyone (almost) likes cyclists.