Well … it’s easier than the Faroe Islands. And far more popular.

BUT I wouldn’t recommend bikepacking the Ring Road (Route 1) around Iceland. 1,332 km (828 mi) long.

I met people who had done it. And they were not thrilled.

The shoulder is nearly non-existent — and tourist drivers are often gaping at the scenery, not watching for cyclists.

In fact, 4 guys who had spent 2 years cycling Alaska to the tip of South America found it tough.

There are buses, but many only run once a day. SOME take bikes underneath — but only if there is space.

Hvalfjörður and Vaðlaheiði tunnels do not allow cyclists. You’d need to find a ride through.

You can easily lose a day if you can’t get on that bus.

I took buses most of the way from near Egilsstaðir to Reykjavik. That was after only 2 days trying to cycle the Ring Road. For me it wasn’t worth the danger.

I had cycled a couple of days with Léonce Kircher from France on a minor highway and gravel roads. Those were great — but not easy due to wind and steepness.

We had come off the ferry together in Seyðisfjörður.

On the upside, campgrounds are frequent and inexpensive. Most with free hot showers.

There are many hostels, as well, though some are full in August.

GREAT would be to have a mountain bike and stay off the Ring Road. Of course to get to the best mountain bike trails, you would probably want a motor vehicle. 😀

BEST would be to plan well in advance. Fly up to the remote N.W. to do the Westfjords Way – 575 miles (925 KM).

Probably not solo, however.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

related – Cycling Iceland

The good news ➙ local buses can carry your bike underneath with luggage.

But — overall — visiting the islands by bicycle is challenging.

Off-road biking is prohibited. There are few cycle paths. You must share the road with distracted tourists — though most are slow moving.

You are allowed to cycle through the many tunnels — though I only did it twice. One local lady told me they are used to going slow behind bicycles.

The weather is mostly windy and rainy. Wind is a bigger problem than rain. 😀

Wild camping is forbidden in the Faroe Islands. And it’s not that easy to get anywhere that is out of sight.

Campgrounds are mostly organized for motor vehicles — but you are allowed to tent. It’s expensive.

I did a bike tune-up, replacing the chain. Iceland is coming up!

Cost was about $160.

BUT a couple of days after the maintenance, I broke a chain while out on quite a remote road. Had to hitchhike back to the bike shop.

I had the same bus driver almost every day. And every day he told me the Faroe Islands are not made for cycling. And ever day he was correct. 😀

related – cycling trip report by Tobias Woggon & Max Schumann

Good advice.

I wish I’d listened to #5. 😀

I can’t fix a chain. Nor am I carrying a link.

Almost ANYONE could get into multi-day cycling. So long as you can sit on a bicycle seat a few hours a day.

Sleep in a tent. Or in a hotel each night.

Some campgrounds in Germany have E-Bike charging stations.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

IF you were to try bikepacking, I’d recommend renting the bike for your first multi-day trip.

Europe is the easiest place to give it a go.

Chiemsee is a freshwater lake in Bavaria, often called “the Bavarian Sea”.

I took my bike on the train from Munich to Prein — and cycled the 54.7-km loop of the lake using AllTrails.

This area is super popular with tourists.

I saw thousands of other cyclists.

That said — it’s not a particularly interesting route. You only see the lake infrequently.

Trip report

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

In 2023, I cycled the Danube — finishing in Lindau on Lake Constance.

I stored bike and gear with friends in Munich, returning 2024 to cycle the Rhine.

Got as far as Düsseldorf before diverting north towards Denmark.

I started in Lindau. The first of 5 drenching rainstorms over the next 2 weeks.

Mostly I followed the EuroVelo 15.

The river Rhine from source to sea is about 1368km. I probably did close to 1000km of that PLUS many side trips. No rush. About 2 weeks.

My biggest detour was over to the Black Forest for a couple of days.

Early in the trip, Rhine Falls (Rheinfalls) was a major highlight.

Germany is probably the best nation in the world right now for cycling. The Deutschland Rail ticket is still next to free in 2024, so I could hop local trains as needed.

I’d long wanted to visit Strasbourg, France. And it is great.

Of course I stop and click much old architecture. It’s evocative.

I often detoured to parks and botanical gardens.

There are a surprising number of ferries crossing the Rhine.

I was back and forth, both sides of the river.

Vineyards. Vineyards. Vineyards.

Campgrounds are plentiful and inexpensive along the river.

I only wild camped 3 times.

Many fish the Rhine. I assumed it would be fished out — until watching a father and son reel in this monster.

Another highlight was seeing castles up on high points above the river.

I can’t say much about the cuisine as I mostly ate my own food. Plenty of good bread, blue cheese, hummus.

Certainly Germany is one of the easiest places in the world for bikepacking.

The campgrounds have chargers for electric bikes !

I’m more than a little worried about Faroe Islands and Iceland …

… Coming up SOON.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

After being sternly advised NOT to go to the tourist trap of Titisee — I hopped on a train to Titisee. 😀

BUT like every tourist trap, IF you divert anywhere away from the tour buses, it’s lovely.

Titisee was a quick and convenient way for me to sidetrack from the Rhine River to visit the Black Forest — my first time.

To be honest, the hiking did not look all that spectacular. Cycling is better.

I opted to cycle around the lake, as everyone does in Germany.

Then headed out to Stage 4 of the Black Forest Panorama Cycle Path.

Over 2 days I did at least 100km in the Black Forest. Nice.

Wild camped.

Sadly, the final town no longer had a working train station. I scrambled, taking over 4 hours on three trains to get back to the Rhine. And into Strasbourg, France.

By coincidence, same day, France was playing Spain in sports ball … losing to Spain, 2-1.

My cycle touring began July 3, 2024.

Getting off the train from Munich in Lindau, I first cycled to Bregenz, Austria to test the bike with a full load.

NO PROBLEMS.

I’d read that the cycling north of the lake was more interesting than the south, so planned to put in another 40km on my first day.

BUT it rained hard. And was scheduled to rain until 9pm … so I checked into a hostel rather than camping.

Lindau is very pretty, even in the rain.

Cycling Europe I see a hundred interesting things a day.

For example, this water fountain in a hostel. Choose TAP or CARBONATED.

The main cycling route is great and (usually) easy to follow. I only share with motor vehicles about 25% of the time.

I was intrigued by Friedrichshafen.

The Zeppelin factory here, 1942 and 1945, used slave labor of hundreds of concentration camp prisoners from Dachau and Dora-Mittelbau.

Terrible history. But interesting tourist stop.

I’d planned to cycle around the lake into Switzerland — but by coincidence I rode up to the ferry one minute before it departed.

KARMA

Switzerland is far more expensive than Germany. Double the price for some things.

It’s more rural on the Swiss side of the lake. Many vineyards.

Finding no place to wild camp, I finally checked into a pretty campground on the lake.

Camping is highest priority for families with kids. A paradise here.

Like last year, there has been a lot of flooding in Germany.

Water is still very high.

Next day I rode on to Rhine Falls (Rheinfalls), Switzerland — the highlight, so far.