Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bicycle
There are no restrictions on bringing a bicycle into the country. However, bicycles sent by sea can take a few weeks to
clear customs in India, so it's better to fly them in. It may actually be cheaper - and less hassle - to hire or buy a bicycle
in India itself. Read up on bicycle touring before you travel: Rob Van Der Plas'
Bicycle Touring Manual
and Stephen
Lord's
Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook
are good places to start. Consult local cycling magazines and clubs for use-
ful information and advice. The
Cycling Federation of India
(
www.cyclingfederationofindia.org
)
can provide local in-
formation.
Hire
»
Tourist centres and traveller hang-outs are the easiest spots to find bicycles for hire - simply enquire locally.
»
Prices vary: between ?40 and ?100 per day for a roadworthy, Indian-made bicycle; mountain bikes, where available,
are usually upwards of ?350 per day.
»
Hire places may require a cash security deposit (avoid leaving your airline ticket or passport).
Practicalities
»
Mountain bikes with off-road tyres give the best protection against India's puncture-prone roads.
»
Roadside cycle mechanics abound but you should still bring spare tyres, brake cables, lubricating oil, a chain repair
kit, and plenty of puncture-repair patches.
»
Bikes can often be carried for free, or for a small luggage fee, on the roof of public buses - handy for uphill stretches.
»
Contact your airline for information about transporting your bike and customs formalities in your home country.
Purchase
»
Mountain bikes with reputable brands that include Hero and Atlas generally start at around ?5000.
»
Reselling is usually fairly easy - ask at local cycle or hire shops or put up an advert on travel noticeboards. If you pur-
chased a new bike and it's still in reasonably good condition, you should be able to recoup around 50% of what you ori-
ginally paid.
Road Rules
»
Vehicles are driven on the left in India but otherwise road rules are virtually nonexistent.
»
Cities and national highways can be hazardous places to cycle so, where possible, stick to back roads.
»
Be conservative about the distance you expect to cover - an experienced cyclist can manage around 60km to 100km a
day on the plains, 40km to 60km on all-weather mountain roads and 40km or less on dirt roads.
