Come on, brave!
1. FOR URBANITES
“There is no greater pleasure for those who travel by bike through Madrid than circulate through the streets of the downtown neighborhoods , especially for those that are classified as APR (Residential Priority Areas) in the zones of Courts, Ambassadors and Opera , indicates Juanítez, from En Bici por Madrid. "The fact of having your traffic restricted to non-residents makes you have the sensation of pedaling through the streets of a town and it is appreciated low smoke, noise and, above all, from the pressure of motorized traffic”, he opines.
Here our recommendation is to take a look at the Quiet Streets Plan that (thoroughly and after a year of work) have been elaborated by the expert cyclists of En Bici por Madrid. As they explain, it is possible make practically any tour of Madrid using the road on streets with little traffic and moderate slope. In Malasaña, for example, they recommend the Silva, Amaniel, La Palma streets or Fuencarral itself . In the Barrio de Salamanca, Ortega y Gasset, Claudio Coello, Padilla or Don Ramón de la Cruz they are perfect. Towards Ambassadors-La Latina, Santa Isabel, Ribera de Cutidores or La Cebada they offer the promise of a quiet and beautiful walk that reconciles us with our city.
Dare not only on Bicycle Day.
two. FOR NOOKIES
“If you already dominate the bike, any side street in the neighborhood where you live It is the best way to learn to broaden horizons. Calm traffic is a first step to lose the atavistic fear to one causeway we believe mordor , but what It is not very different from the streets of the town where the ladies walk carefree. You just have to follow the basic endgame tips" , explains (and more clearly impossible) Ivan Villarrubia , from By Bike in Madrid. In addition, "the good thing is that with those secondary streets you can go all over Madrid , discovering an unusual face that you never imagined existed beyond the great noisy avenues. It's another city, really” [here you have a few maps to see how to get to your destination from wherever you are, or to make a walking route through the neighborhood that you most want].
In addition to your neighborhood, the ** Casa de Campo ** is a great driving range, whatever your level: green, quiet, and with different types of difficulty , it seems that you have left the city and that you are far, very far, from the asphalt, as wild as it is. Madrid Río cannot be left out of any cycling team either. Although it is true that the weekend is crowded and You must circulate with bomb-proof reflexes so as not to run over any grandmother, child or pet that unexpectedly crosses your path, during the week is a real delight pedal with some of the best views of the city. And El Retiro, of course, can never fail us.
El Retiro: perfect for novices on wheels
3. FOR EXPERTS
"If you're so attached to your bike like a rider on his horse Y your legs are steel , congratulations!, because your pedaling will know **no more borders than those imposed by the Traffic Regulations or the Mobility Ordinance for Madrid**. The city is all yours and now you can do everything by bike: go to work, do the shopping, go to the movies and then have a few beers ( returning with your bike in the subway if you don't give foot with ball, that at that time they already leave ;) ", encourages Juanítez.
"It's time to pass on all your knowledge to those who are starting to cycle around the city. Yes you see a cyclist riding close to the right, don't hold back Y tell him to go downtown or even accompany him on his journey as a bodyguard. If, in addition, you have time to spare, you dominate the street and the quiet streets, you can sign up as a **volunteer guide for the BiciFindes** organized by enbicipormadrid.es ".
Expert level.
Four. LOOKING FOR SUNSET ON WHEELS
“The best views of Madrid at sunset are in the Tio Pio Hill (vulgarly "Boobs Park" ), back there Vallecas Bridge , to the point that the people of the neighborhood prepare their beers and chips to watch the session every afternoon. It is a place away from tourist circuits, but it is a nice walk from the river if you know how to wander around the picturesque streets of Puente de Vallecas making some detours to make the slope more bearable (here is a possible route). On the way back, drop with the evening lights along the Avenida de la Albufera up to the river is a very rewarding experience (or using this parallel alternative, if you don't want so much traffic)”, Iván Villarrubia advises us (very wisely).
And from here we point out that Madrid Río is also a good plan at sunset especially if you pass next to the Segovia Bridge and you see how they illuminate the Royal Palace or La Almudena while the breeze hits your face and you enjoy the game of fountains by the river. #Pure happiness.
Bike + views + sunset at Cerro del Tío Pío = Happiness.
5. BY BIKE AND WITH CHILDREN
Juanítez, from En Bici por Madrid, points out these ideas to motivate the little ones (and enthusiasts) in the house with the pedal: “If the children are very young, we will have no choice but to start them in the world of pedaling in venues bounded as can be the large parks ( El Retiro, Juan Carlos I, etc. ) . If they already know how to stay on their bikes, this will be the right place and time to teach them the basic tips for safe driving . From the age of eight or nine, and always depending on the maturity of the creatures, we can begin to guide them through quiet streets , beginning with short rides on a sunday morning because the streets are deserted. Anger look for the bread or the newspaper it can be a good initiation rite, of which our children will feel especially proud. The next step may be go to school by bike , an experience that is already being very well received in programs such as the one put into practice by the STARS project”.
In addition to parks such as those already mentioned El Retiro, Juan Carlos I or El Capricho , a slightly more unknown but perfect route and that from here we propose is the one that goes from San Isidro Park , continue through the Green Wedge and continue to the country house. Safe (all the time for bike lane ) , pretty and very, very green . The prize consists of finishing in the Casa de Campo, paying homage to its picnic areas, seeing squirrels and playing in some of its parks. Unforgettable family evening guaranteed.
Perfect for children to learn to ride a bike
6. ROUTES FOR GROUPS
If you want to see Madrid through the eyes of a tourist, or you like the idea of going in a group rather than alone, a good option is sign up for an organized tour . There are several companies that organize themed routes through the streets of the capital as interesting as the Madrid of the Civil War by bike, the Gardens of Madrid by bike, or the history of Madrid through its bridges, among others (the Madrid City Council itself Madrid offers a complete relationship).
On the other hand, it should also be remembered that some districts have cycling groups which you can join: in Chamberí, the Chamberí Bike Lane Platform and in Ciudad Lineal, Bici Lineal.
Searching for the hidden gardens by bike.
FIVE BASIC TIPS
The experts of En bici por Madrid are clear:
1. drive like a vehicle , respecting the signs and above all OCCUPYING THE WHOLE LANE . (There are no caps big enough to highlight this.) It is what avoids most common conflicts and accidents.
two. Go at a speed we can control. Go fast to go "at the speed of traffic" is a mistake.
3. no sidewalks , not only because of the inconvenience to pedestrians, but also because of the false sense of security that it gives, when intersections have much less visibility than doing them from the road.
Four. It is not unworthy to get off the bike to walk a section that we are not prepared to do: it can be a steep slope or a complex intersection.
5. Take advantage of public transportation. Long distances can be shortened by train (always) or by metro (always on folding bikes, in off-peak hours for the rest).
INTERESTING CYCLING ROUTES
Here are some useful addresses:
**- Madrid City Council, network of cycle paths ** **- Map of the City Council's bike lanes ** **- Plan of quiet streets of En Bici por Madrid ** **- Map of the Cycling Green Ring ** * *- Open Cycle Map Project **
*** You may also be interested in:**
- BiciMad: eleven reasons to pedal around Madrid
- Survival guide for the urban cyclist in Madrid - Eleven reasons to pedal Madrid - For when a cycling Madrid? - Look mom, without walking! Europe by bike with the 'City Cycling' guides - Guide to finding the bicycle you need - Cafés addicted to bicycles - Cicloviajeros: the world seen from a bicycle
- 20 Cities that invite you to pedal
- Tell me how you are and I will tell you what kind of bike you need
- All articles about bicycles
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