Heads up! 3 Cities You Should Explore by Bike in 2016
Brought to you by the Hammerhead Travel Team
Berlin, Germany | Biking Wanderland
If you’ve ever heard someone recount their experience in Berlin, once they stop raving about the abundance of Turkish street food, chances are they’ll mention how remarkably wide the city streets are. I see those wheels in your brain turning, eyes lighting up, you’re on to something...we were too.
In German, particularly the Berlin dialect, wide streets spells biking lalaland.
Auf Wiedersehen Manhattan, Achtung Berlin!
Known as Europe’s mecca of street art, house music and urban fashion the beloved capital can feel overwhelmingly A.D.D in its creative saturation. Teaming with palpitating activity, Berlin can quickly turn your brain to sauerkraut and it’s easy to miss some real local gems if you’re staring out a taxi window soundtracking your experience with terrible German radio pop. Nien!
Ditch the cab, rent some wheels and prepare to have your mind properly blown. There is no better guide to tapping into Berlin’s pulsating fountainhead of inspiration than your bike.
Germany’s rapidly evolving cycling culture and an ability to ride bikes in parks and (usually) even on the pavement coupled with around 900 km of biking paths trailing all across this metropolis are more reasons you should grab those comfy sweats and discover the historic capital while biking it.
By cycling, you’ll actually see much more and spend less time stuck in a traffic jam inhaling sketchy Volkswagen’s exhaust. It’s a win- win, get pedaling my friend.
Rental bikes are available at Fat Tire Bikes, which have locations at Alexanderplatz and the zoo station. It will cost you roughly 18$ for the first day and renewing the next day will be $15, that rate dips down to $9 on your third day with added karma points for keeping that carbon footprint low on your Berlin groove.
Fat Tire Bikes are hard to miss due to their fluorescent orange color, so although you’ll have a hard time camouflaging these clementines are well built for all other sorts of urban adventures, even those on the cobblestone pavements you’ll have to endure to see most of the hip local shops - worth it. For more detailed info on the routes you can check out Visit Berlin .
Pro Tip : that long cacophony of syllables you keep hearing people yell celebratorily behind you, as you’re flying by at the speed of light, utterly spellbound? That word is Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung and that’s German for speed limit, Easy Rider. Mellow it out. Here you are subject to speeding fines if found traveling at more than 30km/h (roughly 19 mi/h) in a bike lane. No kidding!
By the way, should the need to take the subway arises, you can bring your two wheeled Clementina, just don’t forget to buy a ticket for the darling bike.
Last tip - Don’t be afraid to get lost, in this cultural melting pot you are sure to stumble upon someone fascinating. Wander out there Lieber Freund!
Minneapolis, United States | A Magic Land of Cyclists and Pedestrians
You heard that right, the city notorious for its grizzly winters and permafrost roads is hailed as the friendliest biking city in the US. Why you say? Well, here’s the thing, in Minneapolis bikers rule the city like the pastry chefs who’ve mastered the swirl frosting technique rule Cheesecake Factory. Respect. It’s also a city with the highest poll numbers of bike commuters, compiling roughly 4500 Minneapolitans who get to work by pedaling. We are impressed.
Bonus points - the city serves over 120 miles of “on-street bikeways” and about 90 miles of off-street lanes. Portland, hush.
Now that we’ve covered the why, here’s the how.
Minneapolis offers cyclists an uber convenient way to explore the city using the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway. The park roads wind around the city and
provide a safe, landscape savvy option for calves conscious beings.
With its ultra responsive city government planning an even more expansive network of bike lanes and an addition to the well-used bike share program, Minneapolis is the go-to for your fix of hipster wanderlust this spring. Spared from the wrath of honking taxis, you’re welcome.
P.S. It’s still bloody cold. We loved biking here anyway.
Tel Aviv, Israel | The Newest Cycling Oasis of the Middle East
Situated on the sandy coastline of the Mediterranean sea, Tel Aviv might well not be one of the first places that come to mind in terms of biking. This is likely because the spike in popularity for cycling for fun and as a means to safely get around is fairly recent here. In 2011 a magic carpet swept in a successful bike sharing program leading to a massive increase of Tel Avivians opting for the healthier choice of personal transportation.
Biking here provides an intimate lens focus on the sunny ultra-hip desertopolis.
Slightly behind its Western European counterparts in terms of convenience, Tel Aviv, offers miles of bike lanes spanning the breathtaking coastline. Head on over to the friendly Cycle shop for bike rentals and take a cruise from the Northern part of the city down the seafront track leading into the historic harbour of Jaffa. Witness the sun set into the warm waters right before your eyes as you’re breezing down the Tayalet Boardwalk. It’s a chance to experience the Middle Eastern wonder in a non plastic beach chair sunburnt tourist under Pepsi umbrella kinda way.
If you need a break from the day’s heat, park along the shaded side of the Shouk Hacarmel market and taste some of the most delicious, sweet as sugar apricots. Try a pomegranate juice freshly squeezed right before your eyes to keep you hydrated and happy. Oh and don’t forget to smile as you’re probably on camera!