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Discover Germany on Two Wheels: Where Cycling Meets Culture and Scenic Adventure**

Cycling in Germany is an integral part of the country’s culture, transportation system, and lifestyle. With a well-developed infrastructure, scenic routes, and a strong cycling tradition, Germany is one of the most bike-friendly countries in Europe

The following was shared by DeWet Herselman

The entire cycling scene in Germany took some getting used to when I arrived here. In South Africa, its sort of all kitted out serious health fanatics on bikes, and few other people ever use a bike after you’ve left school. However, the scene in Germany is significantly different.
A survey on the frequency of bicycle usage in Germany 2017-2020 found that in 2020, 9.8 percent of the German population hopped on a bike daily, while 17.1 percent did so several days a week.
Cycling is both a popular way to commute as well as a recreational activity.

Furthermore, the vast variety of bikes available here makes cycling the perfect way to get some sort of exercise, even if you’re not a serious athlete.
This includes road bikes, racing bikes, commuting bikes, e-bikes, mountain bikes, tandems and even family bikes (those with trailers for dogs or children).
Just in the e-bike category, you’ve got a wide choice of road, touring, light touring, commute, mountain or (again) family e-bikes.

I bought a so-called Light-Tourer e-bike in July 2019, and with this discovered an entirely new perspective on living and travelling in Germany.
In 24 months I’ve cycled more than 5000 of leisure training kilometres and incidentally found a very fulfilling ‘hobby’.
There are more than 200 cycle roads (that’s long-distance routes crisscrossing the country) besides all the normal cycle lanes in and around towns and cities.
So what better way to spend Saturdays than to hop on your bike, and head off on an exploring trip of a new valley or nature area or countryside where you are bound to find a ‘Biergarten’ to refuel and get plenty of photo opportunities of the stunning German countryside or ancient towns? As we got fitter and fitter I realised why an e-bike is such a good choice. It enables you to travel further while still providing adequate sweat and pulse to get you fitter.

I haven’t yet participated in cycle races in Germany, as I just enjoy the travelling and exploring part of it.
Funnily though, Germany’s official cycling took quite a knock due to doping scandals after 2012, which means in competitive events, it is more the serious athletes that participate than in South Africa where there are many ‘social’ cycle races to participate in. But the social individual cycling opportunities on dedicated cycle paths (thus no shoulder rubbing with cars, or worse, taxis) more than make up.
Don’t feel offended when you are easily overtaken by a small grey-haired lady on a bike on a steep incline while you’re sweating your way up – she probably just has more experience and a stronger e-bike.

The two most common cycling apps I’m aware of is Kamoot and Strava, while Google Maps also enable decent cycle routes.
Most fitness trackers link with these apps and keep good statistics of your cycling expeditions, which adds to the enjoyment.

Go get a bike, and a decent padded pair of shorts since cycling in that area is a contact sport and Google some nice cycle paths in your area to explore. Oh, and report on your adventures on South Africans in Germany.

Scenic Routes and Long-Distance Cycling

Germany offers a diverse range of cycling routes that cater to both casual riders and experienced cyclists. The country is home to some of Europe’s most beautiful and well-marked long-distance cycling routes, known as “Radfernwege.” These routes traverse stunning landscapes, from the shores of the Baltic Sea to the banks of the Rhine River, through picturesque villages, forests, and rolling hills.

One of the most famous routes is the Danube Cycle Path, which starts in Germany and follows the Danube River through Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Another popular route is the Romantic Road, which takes cyclists through charming medieval towns, castles, and vineyards in Bavaria. For those interested in history, the Berlin Wall Trail offers a unique opportunity to explore the former division of East and West Berlin by bike.

Routes

Here is a list of websites and apps to help you plan your cycling trips across Germany and the rest of Europe. Whether you’re looking for detailed route maps, real-time navigation, or recommendations on the best cycling paths, these resources will ensure you have everything you need for an unforgettable cycling adventure.

Useful Apps and Websites

Renting bikes
In most cities you can rent a bicycle, just do a search.

 

Second Hand Bicyles and parts

 
Adventure tracks
Greenhill in NRW

Rules and regulation

For comprehensive and up-to-date information on cycling rules in Germany, you can visit the ADFC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club) website. The ADFC is Germany’s national cycling association, and its site provides detailed guides on cycling laws, safety tips, and regional cycling information. They also offer resources in English for non-German speakers.

Some key rules:

Bike Equipment Requirements:

  • Lights: Bicycles must have front and rear lights. A white front light and a red rear light are mandatory.
  • Reflectors: Bicycles need front, rear, and wheel reflectors.
  • Brakes: Bicycles must be equipped with two independent brakes.
  • Bell: A functioning bell is required.

Traffic Rules:

  • Cycle Paths: Cyclists must use designated cycle paths when available. If none exist, cyclists should ride on the road.
  • Right of Way: Cyclists must follow the same right-of-way rules as cars. Pedestrians always have the right of way on pedestrian crossings.
  • Traffic Lights: Cyclists must obey traffic lights and signs. Some cities have special lights for cyclists.
  • Helmet: Wearing a helmet is recommended but not legally required, except for children under the age of 12.

Behaviour on the Road

  • No Phones: Cyclists are prohibited from using mobile phones without a hands-free device.
  • Alcohol Limits: The legal blood alcohol limit for cyclists is 0.05%, but penalties start if you cause an accident or exhibit unsafe behaviour.
  • Signalling: Hand signals must be used to indicate turning or stopping.
  • Pedestrian Crossing: Cyclists are generally required to dismount and walk their bicycles across pedestrian crossings. 

Children and Cycling:

  • Child Seats: Children under 7 years old may only be transported in a proper child seat.
  • Trailers: Bicycles pulling trailers with children must be equipped with extra lights and reflectors.

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Sports in Germany

South Africans are generally a sport-crazy bunch. Not just watching it, but also actively taking part. Participating in sports here in Germany has its challenges, mostly due to the weather. But, as the German saying goes – there isn’t something like bad weather, only bad clothing and many South Africans in Germany live by this motto and go out for a run or a cycle in what would be considered “stay home and light the fire” weather back in South Africa.

We will try and list some resources for some sports activities here to help you get “back into the saddle” here in Germany.

Running

Running in Germany is a popular sport, even though it can get quite cold in Germany in winter. That being said, it also has a certain magic about going for a run in the snow – not to talk about the good training it is to run in ankle-deep snow, similar to running on beach sand!

The winter attire for running might be a little unusual for South Africans, especially the men, with tights galore. However, one runs not to look good while you run, but afterwards, right? Anyway, one overly freezing run without tights, convinces one to accept and adapt very fast.

In summer running is really a pleasure in Germany, since the tons of cycling routes available in Germany provide an excellent way to explore and build your running capacity without having to battle vehicular traffic. Another great pleasure of running in Germany is the fact that often a lake is normally not all too far away, so a quick dip to cool down is a real option on many running routes.

Running events and race day

Taking part in official running events (races, like half-marathons or marathons, etc) in Germany is a little less formalised than in South Africa, in the sense that you don’t have to belong to a club to join official runs. Most running events are organised by sports clubs and the participation fee covers all elements of the run. Generally speaking, the earlier you enter the race, the cheaper it becomes. Often you can also enter on the day of a race (as long as the maximum capacity has not been reached), at approximately double the cost of an early entrant.

What sometimes takes some getting used to is that races in Germany normally start much later in the day (a race starting at 10:00 or even later is not unusual, especially in winter) than in South Africa. Water supply during a race is also quite different in Germany than in South Africa, with cups being used rather than sachets as in SA, making it much harder to run-and-drink in our opinion. What you can also often do at many of the longer races is to prepare and drop off your own drinks a day before the race (normally when you pick up your race number) which the event organisers will then position for you along the route. This is a good way to get around the cup-drinking-mess if you are so inclined. Most larger races also offer good race logistics, such as bag drop services and shower facilities after the race.

Some good race listing sites suggested by our members are:

Everyday running and our Strava club

For your everyday running, the app Strava can help a lot to help you find routes in your local vicinity. We also have our own “South Africans in Germany” running club listed on Strava under the following link: https://www.strava.com/clubs/956800. Feel free to join our online running club there and share your running ups and downs with us. The Strava app is also the most popular app in South Africa, so you can follow and support both your friends back in South Africa as well as South Africans in Germany easily in one app.

Cricket

Yes, cricket is played actively here in Germany. 

Playing cricket in Germany, yep you heard it right lols

Here is a shortened version on how my enthusiastic cricket photography, playing, umpiring, bus driving, usw path started. Let me Introduce myself to those who don’t know me yet. In and around the German cricket fraternity I am know as Kitters, which derived from the “kit man” era, which derived from my multifunctional activities in the German cricket world.

Cycling

Read more about cycling on our cycle page

Feel free to join our Strava group under the following link where you can share your passion directly with other South Africans in Germany: https://www.strava.com/clubs/956800.

Cycling

Discover Germany on Two Wheels: Where Cycling Meets Culture and Scenic Adventure** Cycling in Germany is an integral part of the country’s culture, transportation system, and lifestyle. With a well-developed infrastructure, scenic routes, and a strong cycling tradition, Germany is one of the most bike-friendly countries in Europe The following was shared by DeWet Herselman The entire cycling scene

Swimming

Swimming is a great low-impact workout that helps improve cardiovascular health and promote mental wellness. It is very unlikely for Fitness clubs (Gyms) to have swimming pools. If you would like to train for swimming as a sport, you will need to join a Swimming club (Schwimmverein)
Another option is to contact the German Life Saving Association (DLRG) or join a sports club like Urban Sports Club, which partners with many other clubs and sports facilities.
The Facebook group “Bist du heute shcon geschwommen” is very informative

Swimming in Germany

Swimming options Private swimming pools are not so popular in Germany, but there are good public swimming options available. Public swimming pools / Öffentliche Schimmbäder

Rugby, Soccer (Football) and other team sports

If you participate in team sports (especially rugby) here in Germany, please reach out to us via our contact form – we would love to share your club or events or experiences here.

Rugby

Rugby is a growing sport in Germany and there are clubs and teams across the country where you can practice and play. You can join a local rugby club to learn and play the sport, meet new people, and have fun. Rugby is a great way to stay active and

Groups and Forums

There is a Sports forum on this website, that is open to everyone to read. To add content you need to be a registered member (no member fees)

We also have groups on our website. Currently, the sports-related groups are hiking, rugby, and cricket. Only members can see these groups. They can also great new groups and invite friends 

Watching sports

2024 Rugby Fixtures The 2024 Springboks rugby fixtures courtesy of Rugby365.com Cricket T20 World cup The T20 Cricket World Cup can be streamed via the Cricket.de Website Watching your favourite sports on Television can be a challenge in Germany.  Using a VPN to watch the games on DSTV is very tempting, but we strongly advise against it. Germany has stringent copyright laws.Do not violate copyright laws by illegally downloading a film, music, or other web content.  You can get heavy fines for

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Emergency Contacts

The following numbers can be dialled in an emergency, either from a landline or mobile phone. 112The national emergency number. This can be used for