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Table of Contents
a. German Laws 1) German Wine 2) German Beer 2. Tips 10.Trains C. Tours 1. Fairytale 2. Weser 3. Diemel 4. Fulda 5. Altmühl 8. Eder 9. Lahn 10. Spree 11. Neckar 12. Five Rivers 13. Lake Constance 14. Rhine 15. Werra 16. Main 17. Saar-Mosel 18. Elbe 19. Baltic Coast 20. Insel Ruegen 21. Roman Route 22. Pader 23. Leine 24. Nahe D. Contact Us E. Links 2. Bike Rentals F. About Us G. Legal Stuff H. Feedback
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Tips on riding bikes in Germany. Click on these links to go directly to discussions of any of these topics:
General Travel to Germany: Credit versus debit cards: From personal experience we know that Visa and MasterCharge credit cards are not much good in Germany. Instead, bring your debit cards and know your PIN number. Most hotels take credit cards, including American Express but few Pensionen or Privat Zimmer take any cards and if so, it will be a MasterCard. Individual people who advertise Zimmer Frei (rooms vacant) take only Euros in cash (bar Geld). Cash: Don't bring dollar bills over. Banks will not cash them for fear of counterfeiting. You will be sent to a special bank that can be found only in larger cities. Bring your debit card instead and remember to have some money in your account. This advice is valid only in Germany; France is quite different, we are told. Some dos and don'ts: Do expect to have fun and don't bring an attitude. You are probably in a foreign country unless you are a German. We foreigners attract attention because we look and talk funny. Be polite, accommodating, and observant. Let me repeat, be polite, accommodating, and observant - it's important. You want to be invited back, right? For example, observe the local table manners and eating habits; try to emulate them. We have observed Americans who make Dagwood sandwiches out of German Kaltteller instead of eating things separately like the natives. And hamburgers, unlike Hamburger (citizens of Hamburg), are not native to Germany. If you want one go to McDonald's or Burger King; they aren't native either but they are readily found. If you use the trains, study, don't just read, my Trains page; it contains important tips and information. Also, check out the German laws page. Underway: Obey all automobile traffic laws; bicycles are a normal part of traffic. On the trail pass on the left and meet on coming traffic on the right side of the trail - just like cars on the road. If you have to get off and push, do so on the right side of the trail. You must obey any speed limit signs and stop signs, even on a bike. The police will ticket you and fine you if they catch you speeding or acting the scofflaw. Any traffic from the right has the right-of-way unless you are on a main street (Hauptstrasse - marked with yellow diamonds). Lastly on traffic laws, in Germany, they do not turn right at a red light, not even after a full stop. Right turns on red are strictly verbotten! (If you wonder who I am trying to convice, it is me, myself. I keep making that mistake and one day, my number will be up as far as a fine goes.) Speaking of showers: Several years ago, the standard was to have the showers and WC in the hall, not in the room. As time past, tourists began paying more for the rooms with one or both of these conveniences in the room. The industry responded by accommodating these wishes where possible. Today, it is quite easy to find rooms with both in the room or at least exclusive use of the facilities. Private rooms are frequently advertised, “Zimmer Frei mit Dusche und WC.” Dusche is sometimes abbreviated as "Du." In the last few years, rooms that were too small or impossible to plumb for a shower have installed an ingenious self-contained shower/water heater/pump device. These are beautiful for the property owner because all you need to install them is a cold water supply line and a small drain line that does not have to go through the floor, in fact the drain line can go back up to the ceiling. These devices unfortunately require an advanced degree in electronics and mechanical engineering to operate. Or a little experience will suffice too. One must turn on the mechanism about 5 minutes before use to heat the water. Just before use, turn on the pump. Step in and fiddle with the handles. In one model, one handle will control the temperature; the other will turn the water on or off (after a few seconds delay). In another model – undoubtedly made because few of us were smart enough to operate the first type – the handles work like we have come to expect, one hot, the other cold and the more you crank them, the higher the pressure. However, in both cases, pressure is low. Towels, sheets and soap: Only in Youth Hostels (Jugendherbergen) do you need your own towels and sheets nowadays. And in the hostels, you can normally rent or purchase them (a few hostels provide sheets and towels but you may have to make your own bed). Hostels sell paper sheets good for one or two uses. Soaps are a hit and miss thing. To be sure, bring your own soap, shampoo, etc. School Vacations: Like in the USA, the tourist industry revolves around school vacations. If you are headed for a vacation spot during a school vacation, it might be wise to make reservations. To give you an idea, here is a sample schedule for some schools (OK, OK, so it's not for this year - I know, but with a little interpretation, you can apply it to this year): Note: The following dates are in Europe Speak. For example April 3, 2010 is expressed thus in the USA 4/3/2010, but in Europe they will write 3/4/2010 or 03.01.2010.
Holidays and other times it might be good to think about reservations can be easily found on the internet. Just put "German holidays, 2009" into your search engine window. For example, I found a list in a reliable site http://www.holidays-info.com/Holidays-Germany/2010/holidays_2010.html. A better place to check is on my German Culture page. I don't update the table on this page because I keep forgetting about it. Pack light and prepare for rain: All paths have hills, at least small ones. So, the lighter you pack the better the hill climbing. Ladies, no one will fault you for not bringing along a hair dryer (unless you can get your partner to carry it). Take along a clothesline type cord (see below), a few clothespins and a small amount of laundry soap. Wash your biking clothes every night when possible. In Germany, it rains. That’s why the country is so green and beautiful. On average, it rains at least once a day on twenty days a month. Sure, in the wet months it rains (or snows) as much as 23 days a month but even in July and August, it rains 18 days a month. With that fact established, you should know that it may only be a short shower and it may occur at night. We have ridden thousands of miles in Germany and I can count on one hand the number of times we have been thoroughly drenched. (OK, sure, we have been sprinkled upon many times but if I don’t put on a raincoat, it hasn’t rained.) But we both carry raincoats and even rain pants. I think the rain pants are overdoing it but they also work as a windbreaker when it gets cold. We have been known to ride as early as May and as late as October. It is possible to get into some chilly weather where gloves, ear protection, and windbreakers are nice things to have. Short cords: In addition to using a short cord for a clothesline, cords frequently come in handy on the train or other public transportation. You can tie your loaded bike to almost anything to keep it from tipping over in a curve or when the conveyance stops suddenly. They don’t have to be anymore than ¼ inch in diameter and not more than 10 – 12 feet long. It has many uses. I don’t have rainproof panniers so I carry a large plastic garbage bag and I drape it over my panniers in wet weather and secure the bag with my cord. First aid kits: I am a klutz. I keep falling over. I fell one day while traveling 18 mph just because my front tire slipped off the pavement briefly. If you are like me, you will need a first aid kit and some extra large Band-Aids for “road rash.” Enough said. Balance your bike’s load: If the load is balanced front, rear, and side-to-side, handling your bike will be much easier and safer. On any trip that includes train stations, you may have to navigate stairs. We have even found stairs in the middle of nowhere to get up to a bridge crossing a river or a canal. You may also have to lift your bike waist high to get it into a train. I know some experienced riders who swear that front panniers are a necessity (I don’t use them even though I think they have a good point). More on balance: A reader wrote me that she broke her leg stepping down from a rental bike that was a bit too big for her. The problem was exacerbated by using backpacks instead of panniers. The problem is the center of balance with backpacks is probably just below your shoulders, while the center of balance with panniers is at your knees. So, two lessons to be learned; use a bike that fits you, and use panniers. Ergonomics of bicycle riding: This is the same in Taiwan as anywhere in the world. (The idea to provide this item came from a reader from Taiwan.) Those of you in the Over-Fifty-with-Bad-Knees Club probably prefer upright riding positions. Quite different than the guys in the Tour de France who are so bent over you can count their vertebrae. We older folks have bellies that just will not allow us to bend over like that. I don't like to bend over any longer than it takes to tie our shoes in the morning. So, here are my tips on riding: Adjust the saddle so it is tilted ever so slightly forward. That will take some of the weight off your reproductive organs (interior and exterior and for both genders). Have a slightly forward upper body, which transfers a little weight from your butt to your hands. If you get tingly hands (from pressure on your carpal tunnel nerve) you can sit vertical for short distances and shake your hands. Maxa is always shaking her fingers at me and I just assume she has carpal tunnel syndrome. Adjust the seat height so that when your heel is on the pedal and the pedal is at the bottom of its stroke, your leg is fully extended (or you could lock your knee and unlock it with no effort). Ask someone you know to watch your butt as you pedal away from them. You should not wiggle in the saddle. If you do, your saddle is too high so lower it a centimeter until you stop. Keep the balls of your feet on the pedal, not your arches; it gives you some spring. While pedaling, move your knees straight up and straight down - like a piston. Don't let them swing out to the side. That sideways motion wastes energy that you will wish you had by the end of the day. If you have a handlebar that allows for it, change your hand position frequently to prevent fatigue in your hands, neck, and shoulders. Lastly, and most importantly spin, spin, spin! What is spinning? Notice how fast professional bicyclists pedal. They probably average 100 strokes (revolutions or just "revs") per minute, exceeding 140 or more at times. Why? They need to conserve as must energy as possible for the long race. A classic comparison is Jan Ullrich and Lance Armstrong. Jan won the Tour de France once but Lance won it seven times. Lance spins, Jan does not. It simply takes fewer calories to pedal faster with less torque on the pedals than to slower with more torque. I find if you keep your revolutions at or above 80, you will reduce stress on your knees and reduce leg fatigue. To keep your revs up, shift frequently, especially as you ride up hill. You can easily count your revs. Count each time your right foot goes past the bottom of the cycle for 15 seconds, then multiply that number by four. Less than 60, you have a problem. Over 80, you are almost a pro. Over 95, you will be a pro. I have the hardest time convincing people of this simple technique. Nowadays, I don't even mention it until the third day when they start complaining of sore knees and weak thighs. Then, as politely as I know how (and Maxa says I need work on politeness), I suggest spinning. I get strange looks because it seems counter-intuitive that to save work, you pedal faster. But if they try it for a few days, they thank me. I mentioned shifting often. A fellow cyclist once told me that he had no problem with his knees just because he always shifts back and forth to maintain comfort and reduce stress on his knees. Another cyclist, a goal setting ex-Marine named Steve, insists that one gear, a high one, is all a person needs. He is destine to have knee problems. Polite behavior on the trail: Meeting other bikers or walkers along the way, one frequently bids them a nice day. In German, you would say "Morgen" before noon, "Tag" after noon until about 8:00PM, "n'Abend" (short for guten Abend") from then on until morning. "Gute Nacht" is for when you go to bed (or home to bed). Other common greetings depend upon where you are in Germany. For example, north in East Friesland, you might hear "Moin Moin" almost any time of the day. In Schleswig-Holstein, you would hear just "Moin" (my brother-in-law says they are too lazy to say Moin Moin). In Bavaria you hear "Grüss Gott" all day long. You also might hear someone wish you "Mahlzeit" around noon in the south; it means about the same as "have a good lunch." Sometimes, you just hear "ein guten;" (short for guten Appetit). That is most of the greetings but I keep expanding my vocabulary in this area. I carry tools galore with me because we frequently ride with bikes that other people maintain; or more accurately, fail to maintain. So, when I pass someone who is currently engaged in some type of on the spot bicycle maintenance, such as changing a flat tire, I stop and ask if they have all the tools (Werkzeuge) they need. That might be carrying the cross an extra mile but others have stopped to help me on occasion so I just return the good deed. Seldom am I asked to help or lend a tool. Length of daily rides: Maxa and I are over sixty (but under 70), so we enjoy riding 35 to 45 miles per day at a leisurely speed, stopping for sights and bakeries (can't you tell from my side profile?). Some of our readers are younger and/or more athletic. They can ride 50 to 100 miles per day though I don't know why they want to. Other readers are a little older and may be happy with 15 to 25 miles per day. One reader had a great idea of renting a station wagon, staying in a vacation apartment or a hotel and riding out, and then taking the train or other public transportation back to their accommodation. Then after that area was explored, they would pack up and move everything to the next accommodation and do it all over again. I like that idea and we will no doubt be doing that before we hang up the bikes for good. What to bring on your tour: On the What to bring page on this website I discuss at length. There I discuss panniers (bike bags), maps, tools, bike locks, plastic bags, rain covers, spare inner tube, bicycle tire pump, clothing and raingear, first aid kits, and a bunch of other items. Hotels, Zimmer, Ferienwohnungen Hostels and more: For a complete discussion see the Overnight Accommodations page. Room reservations: For a complete discussion of reservations, see the Overnight Accommodations page.
Revised: June 21, 2010 |