Cycling Travel Tips

Cycling Travel Tips and Advice in Yunnan provide some practical Yunnan cycling travel tips such as Best Time to Take a Cycling Tour in Yunnan, Best Places for Cycling, Yunnan Cycling Tours Planning, Popular Yunnan Cycling Tours, Tips and FAQs of Yunnan Cycling Travel, which can help you make a better plan before departure, and deal with emergencies or anything unpredictable while traveling. 

Bicycle touring in Yunnan is a very good way to explore the local landscape and many cyclists from world have done this. The Yunnan-Tibet Highway is one of the best cycling routes in China, and many cyclists gather together to explore the landscape and ethnic minority culture. You can hire bicycles in some cities, like Lijiang and Dali. It is possible to deliver your bike by train or bus. Find more cycling travel tips as below.

Best Places for Cycling in Yunnan

Yunnan is an amazing province for tourists and it is also a heaven for mountain bikers. The north of Yunnan province is neighbored with Tibet, a bike journey from Yunnan to Tibet is one of the most popular routes for local Chinese cyclists. What’s more, Dianchi Lake, Erhai Lake, Lugu Lake, Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces, Lashihai Lake and other famous attraction are the best choices for bike lovers.

Best Time to Cycle in Yunnan

The weather in most areas of Yunnan is mild in winter and cool in summer. It is suitable to visit Yunnan all year round. Yunnan’s varied terrain results in diverse landscapes and weather conditions. The best time to visit depends largely on what you want to see and which part you want to go to. For bike lovers, the best time to cycle in Yunnan is in spring and autumn.

Popular Yunnan Cycling Tours

More about Yunnan Cycling Tours

Important Cycling Travel Tips

Correct Cycling Posture

Keep your weight focused in your feet. Stay pressed against the seat, keep your elbows bent, and your body relaxed.

The upper body leans forward; the head is slightly inclined and stretched forward; keep your eyes look ahead; the arms are naturally bent; the hands are lightly and forcefully gripped; the waist is bowed, and the feet are made to pedal to avoid vacillating to the left and to the right.

Developing Good Cycling Habit

Many cyclists will find their shoulders slowly creeping up to their ears while riding, which puts unnecessary stress on your shoulders, neck, and back. This can also get in they way when you need to shoulder check or move your head around. You will actually stay more alert by keeping you shoulders down and relaxed.

You do not want your knees to bow outward at any point during the pedal stroke. Not only is this incredible inefficient, but it will cause some painful knee issues. So, focus on keeping your knee in line with and over the ball of your foot as you ride.

Cycling Skill for Upslope

From the flat bottom of the hill, start pedaling. The slope requires additional work. Lean forward into the pedaling or even stand up to gain extra power. In general, short slopes should be accomplished by accelerating. Long slopes or steep slopes should change the different gear positions, and maintain a certain pedaling frequency and the method of riding.

Cycling Skill for Downslope

The safety factor for downslope is very low, and the first criterion for downslope is to ensure safety. In order to ensure the absolute safety, you should first shift the center of gravity backward and make the following points:

  • Carefully inspect the bike, especially the brakes, before going downslope to keep it sensitive and reliable.
  • Keep the speed within the range that the rider can control
  • When braking, the rear brake is mainly used, and the front and rear brakes are used at the same time, avoiding the use of the front brake and sudden braking.

What to Pack for Cycling

  • Cycling helmet
  • Cycling gloves
  • Riding glasses: Prevent wind and sand, block sunlight from ultraviolet rays and strong light.
  • Cycling kettle: Timely replenish water.

Preparation Before Departure

  • Warm-up: Flexibility, or rather inflexibility, can lead to unbalance in the body and even cause the body’s structure to move out of alignment. If you are not flexible enough to hold proper posture over the course of a ride, then you need to work on increasing your flexibility through stretching and strength training exercises.
  • Picking the right bike is an important lesson before you travel.

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Edited by Cloudy Fu/付云