7 of the Most Breathtaking Bike Trails in The World

November 30, 2016

Getting around on two wheels is a quintessential part of urban life, whether you’ve got a bike to call your own, borrow your neighbors’ cycles on Spinlister, or hop a ride courtesy of your city’s bike share service.

But biking is also the gateway to some pretty epic adventuring. Exhibit A: these seven stunningly beautiful bike trails which cross glaciers, thread their way through mountain ranges, and even traverse continents. You’re going to want to head out with a solid game plan—these are some bucket-list-worthy rides, and many cover hundreds (or thousands) of miles—but we can guarantee you’ll never have a better time on two wheels.

THE GREAT TRAIL, CANADA: Recently renamed (it was previously known as the Trans-Canada Trail), The Great Trail more than lives up to its title. Under construction since 1992, the jaw-dropping cycle path will be the longest in the world when it makes its formal debut next July. From Newfoundland to Vancouver, from the tundra of the Northwest Territories to downtown Toronto, it zigzags across the magnificent expanse of the Canadian wilderness. Follow the horizon along the Great Trail, with all of Canada laid out just for you. (Well, and the other cyclists.)
FRIENDSHIP HIGHWAY, CHINA: A word to the wise: It may take a good few days before you adjust to the soaring altitudes of this Himalayan tract (and you'll need to be in pretty killer shape to traverse those peaks and valleys). But despite the sweat and shortness of breath, a trip along the 500-mile Friendship Highway, which runs from Tibet to Nepal, is one of the most stunning journeys on Earth. Did we mention the Everest views?
NORTH SEA CYCLE ROUTE, EUROPE: The Mediterranean isn't the only sea in Europe that's worth discovering. The North Sea—sandwiched between the British Isles and Scandinavia—offers up rugged coastal scenery and a landscape carved by glaciers (especially once you make it to the fjords of the Norwegian coast). To get there, it's only a 3,692 mile journey from the Shetland Islands down through Scotland, England, over to Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden. No biggie.
MUNDA BIDDI TRAIL, AUSTRALIA: The Munda Biddi Trail is one of the most beautiful bike trails on Earth—and one of the quirkiest. After all, where else will you have to be careful to avoid errant kangaroos in your path? This 600-mile off-road path skates up western Australia, from Albany to Perth. In between, there's bushland, eucalyptus forests, and plenty of marsupials.
LA CARRETERA AUSTRAL, CHILE: Patagonia: land of vertiginous Andean peaks, striated glaciers, and otherworldly beauty. This remote region of southern Chile and Argentina isn't exactly well trafficked, which is all the more reason to discover it on your own adventurous bike tour. La Carretera Austral—otherwise known as Chile's Route 7—is the primary artery through the region. Follow it 770 miles south to the small town of Villa O'Higgins, where the road ends (and the Southern Patagonia Ice Field begins).
HIGHWAY 1, VIETNAM: From mountains to coastline, imperial cities to rice paddies, Vietnam is a phenomenally scenic country—and there are few better ways to get acquainted with it than Highway 1, the iconic roadway that stretches the length of the country. Begin your journey at Hanoi in the north and follow it all the way down to Ho Chi Minh City. Be sure to make a leisurely journey of it, and make time for plenty of stops at roadside iced coffee and street food vendors.
ROUTE DES GRANDES ALPES, FRANCE: The Route des Grandes Alpes may sound like the height of scenery—it begins at Lake Geneva and concludes along the French Riviera—but make no mistake: This is one intense ride. Not for beginners, it requires a lot of fitness or good climbing legs (several parts of the trail are used in the Tour de France). It winds its way through 24 Alpine passes, and includes the highest vertical climb in France. But hey, beaches await you at the end of your endeavor!
THE GREAT TRAIL, CANADA: Recently renamed (it was previously known as the Trans-Canada Trail), The Great Trail more than lives up to its title. Under construction since 1992, the jaw-dropping cycle path will be the longest in the world when it makes its formal debut next July. From Newfoundland to Vancouver, from the tundra of the Northwest Territories to downtown Toronto, it zigzags across the magnificent expanse of the Canadian wilderness. Follow the horizon along the Great Trail, with all of Canada laid out just for you. (Well, and the other cyclists.)
FRIENDSHIP HIGHWAY, CHINA: A word to the wise: It may take a good few days before you adjust to the soaring altitudes of this Himalayan tract (and you'll need to be in pretty killer shape to traverse those peaks and valleys). But despite the sweat and shortness of breath, a trip along the 500-mile Friendship Highway, which runs from Tibet to Nepal, is one of the most stunning journeys on Earth. Did we mention the Everest views?
NORTH SEA CYCLE ROUTE, EUROPE: The Mediterranean isn't the only sea in Europe that's worth discovering. The North Sea—sandwiched between the British Isles and Scandinavia—offers up rugged coastal scenery and a landscape carved by glaciers (especially once you make it to the fjords of the Norwegian coast). To get there, it's only a 3,692 mile journey from the Shetland Islands down through Scotland, England, over to Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden. No biggie.
MUNDA BIDDI TRAIL, AUSTRALIA: The Munda Biddi Trail is one of the most beautiful bike trails on Earth—and one of the quirkiest. After all, where else will you have to be careful to avoid errant kangaroos in your path? This 600-mile off-road path skates up western Australia, from Albany to Perth. In between, there's bushland, eucalyptus forests, and plenty of marsupials.
LA CARRETERA AUSTRAL, CHILE: Patagonia: land of vertiginous Andean peaks, striated glaciers, and otherworldly beauty. This remote region of southern Chile and Argentina isn't exactly well trafficked, which is all the more reason to discover it on your own adventurous bike tour. La Carretera Austral—otherwise known as Chile's Route 7—is the primary artery through the region. Follow it 770 miles south to the small town of Villa O'Higgins, where the road ends (and the Southern Patagonia Ice Field begins).
HIGHWAY 1, VIETNAM: From mountains to coastline, imperial cities to rice paddies, Vietnam is a phenomenally scenic country—and there are few better ways to get acquainted with it than Highway 1, the iconic roadway that stretches the length of the country. Begin your journey at Hanoi in the north and follow it all the way down to Ho Chi Minh City. Be sure to make a leisurely journey of it, and make time for plenty of stops at roadside iced coffee and street food vendors.
ROUTE DES GRANDES ALPES, FRANCE: The Route des Grandes Alpes may sound like the height of scenery—it begins at Lake Geneva and concludes along the French Riviera—but make no mistake: This is one intense ride. Not for beginners, it requires a lot of fitness or good climbing legs (several parts of the trail are used in the Tour de France). It winds its way through 24 Alpine passes, and includes the highest vertical climb in France. But hey, beaches await you at the end of your endeavor!