Bicycles in Ecuador

[JOHN TAYLOR]

Is there a bicycle culture in Ecuador?   Do people ride bikes to work?  Do you see cyclist on the roads?  Is there recreational riding, racing, mountain biking?  Do expats ride?

I am not well traveled in SA, but most of the places I have been in Africa and Southeast Aisa had clouds of bicycles.

[EI EXPERT – EDD STATON]

Bicycles are not used for transportation here anywhere near SE Asia. They are primarily for recreation. We have several nice bike shops in Cuenca, and there are numerous biking clubs that ride together each week. Riding bikes in the historic district is hazardous, but the suburbs and outlying areas are excellent for riding.

[COUNTRY EXPERT- SUZAN HASKINS]

Many of Quito’s main thoroughfare  have bicycle lanes and on Sunday Av. Amazonas (and perhaps some streets is other neighborhoods) is closed to vehicle traffic so people can ride safely. In the last year they’ve started the program that many large cities throughout the world have adopted, where they have stations of bicycles in various places that can be rented and returned to the same or different station.

Here in Cotacachi where I live it is much more common to see bicycles used for transportation. I also often see bicycle tourist groups here. And on the Panamerican Highway, I’ve often seen more ‘professional’ riders in all the gear. I’m sure there are clubs/competitors in Quito who come this way on the weekends.

 

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