Cycling in Finland

[zax]

I'd be interested in finding out if there are any groups for weekend road rides when the snow melts. I used to cycle a lot before I moved here, only managed a couple of quick outings this summer, and was half dead after 50km

[kalmisto]

Zax

Mountain Bike Club Finland :

http://www.mtbcf.net/content.php?content.49

[kalmisto]

Ride Free Ry in Helsinki :

http://www.ridefree.fi/info.php

[kalmisto]

A biking club in Tampere : http://www.kaupinkanuunat.net

Click on "LINKIT" and you will find more biking clubs in the Tampere region under "Tampereen seudun pyöräilyseurat" !

[sunlike_alice]

H again!

Glad to know that there still are people interested in this topic.
I guess the majority of you are from Finland..

I have never been to Finland, but I wonder what kind of roads you guys have there and what cycling conditions are there. Is cycling possible in the countryside too?

waiting for reply

[Hank W.]

Country people are doing the cycling out of necessity.

[sunlike_alice]

well, that makes sens..

I refered to people from urban areas who want to cycle in the countryside. Do they have good conditions?

[Hank W.]

Depends on what you mean. A gravel road can be a bit crappy to ride on with some city-slicker speedbike (its crappy enough with a motorbike), and the main roads really don't have so much sides. Then again if you say start to bike from Helsinki to say to my cottage, you actually have a bike path almost all the way, its only 30km or so, and I wouldn't say its "countryside" except then on the other side of the river with them moo-moos and baa-baas

What I'd recommend - its stunning - is go to the Åland islands archipelago on a bicycle tour. Or then somewhere around Punkaharju -Savonlinna axle.

[sammy]

well, that makes sens..

I refered to people from urban areas who want to cycle in the countryside. Do they have good conditions?

Urban Sohjo, Lic.Cycl. (Licentiate of Cycling) answers:

The country roads, whether they be gravel roads or not, are usually in quite good condition. Naturally if you have a racing bike it may not be a good idea to venture into the so-called "gravel routes" in the countryside... however, the asphalt roads are as a rule quite good for cycling. But if you have a mountain-bike sort of equipment, well then the old-fashioned, twisty country roads are fun to travel. In the Helsinki area (or any other more "urban" area) the gravelly country roads may be hard to come by.

[sammy]

What I'd recommend - its stunning - is go to the Åland islands archipelago on a bicycle tour. Or then somewhere around Punkaharju -Savonlinna axle.

Yep, Hank is right. Been around the Saimaa region on the bike myself, although that's more than ten years ago. The Punkaharju region is particularly nice.

Anyway if you decide to go to Åland (Ahvenanmaa), then the first thing you should remember is to avoid the Turku-Marienhamn express road, it can be pretty badly flooded at times.

[kalmisto]

Some Finnish mountain bikers ( free riders ) and the American friend they lost :

http://www.shelton.ca/ridefree.html

It seems to me that it is very easy to make fiends with members of this biker club even if you do not speak Finnish.

All Finns are not introverts !

[zax]

Thanks for the links! My fixed gear road/racing bike isn't at it's best doing downhill stuff but it's a start I live on a gravel route, first ten minutes is always a little bumpy...