Crossed any of your bucket list rides off this year? Good, now you can add some new, seasonal ones to it from this rundown of amazing holiday destinations for cyclists who want sun or snow this winter.
White Rim Trail: Utah, North America
Head out to North America to enjoy the outstanding scenery of the Canyonlands National Park. This 103-mile trek can be completed in around four days but you’ll need to plan the trip carefully. A support vehicle is necessary to carry camping gear, spares, food and plenty of water and you’ll need to apply for camping permits for overnight stays; they’re limited and get snapped up quickly as spring approaches so book early.
You can get advice and support to plan your adventure from Utah Mountain Biking. Make the effort, this trip really is worth it. With expansive daytime views that are spectacular and endless night-time skies that look like they’ve been drenched in glitter, this is a bike-ride to remember.
A Two-Wheeled Tour of Cambodia
During winter, the Cambodian climate is warm, clear and fresh with temperatures averaging a blissful 26˚C and this fascinating country has plenty to offer any tourist.
Seeing it by bike means you can explore everything from street markets, ancient temples and remote villages to sprawling rice paddy fields and sensational beaches at your leisure.
Grasshopper Adventures offer a variety of cycling tours that last anything from 0.5 days to 14, so you can get the experience you want from your two-wheeled winter escape.
Ultimate Cycle Safari in Tanzania
Winter sun can be hard to resist so don’t try! Hop on a plane and head to the vast wilderness of Tanzania to pedal your way through Big Game territory.
This tour, offered by Exodus Travel, takes in a variety of terrains and is suitable for adults of moderate fitness. Explore coffee and banana plantations, cycle in the wildlife parks of the Serengeti, camp out beneath the stars and ride alongside the region’s Masai people. Not to be missed.
Mountain Biking in the French Alps
Sure, some of the mountain passes in the French Alps will be closed throughout winter due to heavy snowfall, but the routes to and from the region’s ski resorts are ploughed, gritted and ripe for riding.
The Col de Pierre Carrée in the northern Alps, Col des Glières and Col de la Croix Fry in the Chaîne des Aravis region and even the Alpe d’Huez, made famous by the Tour de France, make for spectacular riding at any time of year but in the winter, they are simply breathtaking. Take your camera.
Snow Cycling in Oulu, Finland
Oulu, known as the ‘World Capital of Winter Cycling’ is a must for any cyclist serious about biking in the snow. Here, it’s the absolute norm with cycle paths given maintenance priorities over pedestrian routes.
With an abundance of cycle routes around the town and beyond and many rental stores offering road bikes, fat bikes and everything imaginable in between, Oulu is a truly awesome winter destination.
The Big One: Iditasport Challenge in Alaska
This ultra-marathon is not for the faint-hearted. In fact, many would argue that it’s not even for the sane but for those of you who want the ultimate winter cycling challenge, the 200 mile Iditasport race for runners, cyclists and skiers across Alaska is it.
Participants must be in excellent physical shape and comply with an extensive list of entry and race rules to take part, however the payoff is the icy experience of a lifetime that gives you unrivalled bragging rights among the cycling community.
You can get further details and sign-up online via www.iditasportalaska.com.
So, which trip appeals to you the most this winter? Whichever sun or snow-filled adventure you go for, make sure you pick up all the pieces of essential winter kit you need. Shop men’s hybrid bikes, women’s wind and waterproof jackets and everything in between at Formby Cycles.
