Madrid: taking my bike?

Greetings,

I am wondering if I should bring my bike to madrid. I will be attending school for 5 weeks this summer. is it a good mode of transport in : and around the city? additionally, does anyone know what it would cost me to get it there? finally, do the trains and buses have bike compartments?

Thanks!

This message board is most helpful!

Madrid is a very uncomfortable city for bikes. I don't know what will be the way you would do, but in general I would forget about the bike if you'll be only 5 weeks. Plus, in summer it's hot. The good thing it's than in August the streets are empty and the cars won't disturb you so much.
It's possible to get in with the bike in the train (cercanias) or metro in weekends and on some times. About bus between cities it depends on the company, you have to ask first.

sakko: I brought a bike to Spain in 2002, but for a different purpose. We rode the Camino de Santiago. To answer your questions:

*You can check your bike as a piece of luggage on most American air carriers. You have to have it in either the original bike box or in a hard-side bike carrier [available for about $250 from bike shops]. You can get a random bike box from any decent bike shop. My guy even gave me the spacers and axle protectors to keep the fork from being bent in transit. Be sure to pack the bike's "vital organs" in soft towels, etc. in order to keep them safe. If you'll be at a homestay, check with your family as far as room to store your box. Most hotels will let you store in their storeroom as long as you stay at their place.

*Madrid is too easy to get around on foot/bus/metro to spend the hassle trying to get your bike into town. I suggest that you leave the bike at home unless you feel like getting out of town frequently for some road/MTB riding. The metro is inexpensive and my preferred mode. If you'll be there for five weeks, you can even spring for a monthly bus/metro unlimited use pass. It's a good way to go.

thanks you both very much. i appreciate the feedback. is there good mountain biking around madrid? and if so, where? I was planning a weekend trip to Andalusia to mountain bike, but if i can bike during the week that would make my trip.

I've done some biking in Cercedilla and Navecerrada which was quite good. You can ride up to the 'puerto' for a challenging route. I also have a book that gives 52 cycling routes around madrid (one for each week of the year). It is arranged by season and difficulty; if you'd like, I could scan you some pages.
I shipped my bike to Spain by air and had no diffuclties (except being overcharged by the taxi to Madrid; didn't argue, couldn't have done it myself)! Take some tools with you and ride to Madrid from the airport, it would certainly make for an interesting intro to Spain!

Nevado: Thanks for opening up the old "surcharge" wound I had almost forgotten about that. The shuttle bus from Barajas to the Hotel Madrid did NOT charge me, but we couldn't take it from the hotel to the airport on the way out since we had to leave at 5:30 a.m.

We got fleeced since it was a día feriado and all the taxis were in use [seriously...] in the a.m. from the night's partying. Our friends at Hotel Madrid called a couple of buddies to pick us up...at 30 euros per.

That is good information to have on the taxi surcharge though. You might consider putting a few extra bungee cords or some rope in your bike box. Odds are that your taxista won't have nearly enough to do the job right.

Nevado,
What's the name of the cycling book you have for the Madrid area? Is it in Spanish or English, and do you know if it is still available? My bike is still on my balcony six weeks after getting it from the movers and I'm ready to get back on the saddle.

CaliBasco,

when you did the camino de santiago, which route did you choose? additonally, are there any good bike shops in madrid you can reccommend? i am now considering biking this pilgramage in june.

thanks!

Chris,
Sounds like me, except mine was unpacked a year ago!
The book is in Spanish and it's called "52 excursiones alrededor de Madrid" (en bicicleta). I bought it 9 years ago so don't know if it's still around. It's published by El Pais Aguilar. It has a nifty velcro "carpeta" with loose pages so you can just take one with you in your map pouch.

As for bike shops, one of my work colleagues recommended Mammoth Mountain Bike ( http://www.mammoth-mtb.com/ ) at C/Fuente del Berro, 9, phone 91-309 32 59 (QDQ.com lists 91-634 17 88). He hasn't been in Madrid all that long either, but seems happy with their service. Haven't taken my bike there to be dusted off and put back together yet.

That's the bike shop I used to use; at the time it was on Francisco Silvela...what good news! The guys were very nice and inexpensive!

sakko: See my journal from the pilgrimage to get a clearer idea of the route we took. I have family in Valcarlos, Navarra, so we started there, about 3km from the French border. We followed the traditional Camino Francés from there [not the walking path the whole way, though].

As for bike shops, we didn't need one. I'm a novice mechanic, and my buddy Greg worked in a bike shop for years in high school and college. In fact, we didn't even have a flat tire on the camino. I have a couple of camino books that outline where bike shops are, though. You're never really too far away from one.

Let me know if you have questions. One more thing: If you're going in June, be prepared to be bumped at the albergues. Bikers play second-fiddle to walkers, who are more abundant in summer. We went in May and had no trouble except on a rainy day in Logroño.

What really gets my goat is that walkers will take the bus to the next town, get off a few kms. in before the albergue, and then waltz in like they walked the whole day. EVERYONE knows they're total phonies, but the albergues never ask. Meanwhile, you busted your hump trying to scale the Puero del Perdón and this guy next to you was on the Scania 5000 in the back seat getting some shuteye!

No, no!!! You can get killed.... they drive really crazy there... It would be dangerous. Besides, there is so much transportation there.

Riding a bike in Madrid will most likely elevate you to the status of hood ornament. Even the mopeds were outclassed by the legally blind cab and bus drivers.
Unless you got Real Big ones, keep your bike on the dirt outside of town.