MPujol
3/5/2015 17:45 EST
It all depends on what you consider bicycling. As an avid road cyclist from the USA with many miles in and around Austin, Texas, I find Argentina totally lacking. Typically the roads out of the city have no shoulder, laced with pot holes and heavily trafficked with drivers hell bent on seeing who can have the closest shaves with death. Many people I know actually ride on the autopista, what you would know as the freeway, while it is not as bad as it sounds, especially when you consider how slow the traffic is at times. I rode a few times on the autopista, fortunately my wife has banned me from doing it ever again so I will just defer to her wishes (on this one). In the city there are two places where we ride, not too far from my house is Parke Sarmiento, a 5km loop where many cyclist ride, it is on surface streets and you do have to contend with some traffic but you will find people to ride with , especially on the weekend and (the many) holidays. Also in the area is a 1.2km closed circuit at a sport club, it is a closed wide smooth circuit that also has a velodrome . Riding at KDT will cost you 10ARS or depending on how you convert, ~$0.80.
In the city riding a city bike or mountain bike is actually pretty good, the traffic is usually slow enough and the drivers are pretty aware of the motos dodging in and out so they are more accepting of cyclist. And there are many cyclist in the city, often I take the mountain bike rather than the car of taxi, I can zip downtown and back in less than an hour and have no parking fees plus in rush hour(s) I can easily beat a car to just about anywhere in the city. To survive riding in the city you have to ride more... well I call it aggressive, make your space, don't cower. Lots and lots of people of all kinds riding in the city for fun, work and basic transportation. NOTE::::: As with all cities, there are places here where they will jack your ****(stuff), so ride smart.
I have no experience outside of the city due mostly to some places will ticket you for traveling with a bike rack on the back of the car. No one seems to know why but they all agree you will be open to receiving a citation of some sorts for some unknown fee. That said there are some great places to ride (way) out of Buenos Aires. I would suggest places like Bariloche, lots of tourism so they have to respect the bicycles but then again many drivers are from Buenos Aires... Another route I would love to ride is Rt 20 out of Mina Clavero heading back east back towards Cordoba, up in the mountains with the condors and eagles, lots of climbing, stunning scenery. This would be a mid-week ride, two lane no shoulder with suicidal drivers from mid-day Friday through Monday morning. A good friend takes the mountain bike up North to Salta and rides with his buddies, the roads are not always paved but the riding is good the people are friendly and less drivers from the city.
I keep threatening to get a nicer mountain bike so I can tour along the Argentina-Chile border, beautiful and serious mountains, let me know if you want to go I just might have a bike....
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