Norway is an incredible country to cycle but its infrastructure is far behind some European destinations. What are other countries doing better? This is Europe’s top cycle tourism destination, and oh boy do they know how to treat cyclists!
Visit http://www.cyclenorway.com for more information about cycling in Norway. The website will be updated in the coming months.
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23 Comments
Just a matter of interest – no need to answer – but what is your day job?
Cool Matthew… Hope to see more progress in Cycling here in Norway. As they always say "there is always room for Improvement." ✌️👍👌
EPIC Matthew❤️. it is Look like cyclist heavn❤️. Thanks man for sharing. Can i know the total distance you cycle during your stay? Now this City in my wish list to visite just to cycle the 3000km ☺️. Awo man u just made my day with this wondrful joy 👍🏼👍🏼
Such a great place Annecy. Your video was a bit disappointing for me on a technical note as your love of using short flashing images is very distracting and something I am not able to watch, have to turn away or shut my eyes, as it hurts my head as my eyes and brain cannot process the images flashing on a screen in front of me with such a quick frequency of change. I see why you do it to try to create excitement, drama, but it doesn't work for me. Probably the same for other people who have difficulty viewing flashing short duration images. Something to think about when making your videos. I would suggest keep it simple and boring. I am interested in the subject not your technical tricks. Such a shame you decided to make your video like this. I seem to recall you have done it before on some of your Norway videos and it really spoiled it for me so much so I gave up only a short way into those videos. But I could hear what you were saying so just listened to your video like a podcast and agree with you.
I have just come back from cycling in Gran Canaria and the Gran Canarian drivers were very respectful of cyclists and I never felt threatened or intimidated once like I do riding in the UK. Having returned to the UK my first day riding on UK roads with 10 minutes I was dangerously close passed numerous times one of the vehicles a police van!!!! It is just the mentality in France and Spain is different. Also the law. I believe the punishment and fines there are a lot more severe if drivers collide with/hit a cyclist and also the driver is considered to be at fault/liable unlike in the UK where a cyclist has to prove or the State has to show a driver was at fault or driving negligently as opposed to the driver having to show they were not. Yes, build the infrastructure and they will come, maybe. Not fat lazy Brits in love with their cars. But spiralling fuel costs are reducing traffic volumes, possibly. Australia is another well developed country where it is pretty dangerous to ride a bike. The average Aussie won't think twice about running a cyclist off the road or just driving over us or lying through their teeth eg the killing of Mike Hall.
Well Matthew I hope in you can help to improve the cycling infrastructure and experience of cycling in Norway. I think everyone is so wowed by the scenery that cycle infrastructure falls well down their list of priorities. Lack of budget? What happened to all Norway's North Sea oil revenues? The traffic in many rural areas of Norway is still thankfully low compared to some where like the UK but you still need to spread the message. Build the infrastucuue and they will come. There is such a stunning landscape to see in Norway and what better way than to see it by bike. You seem to have got yourself a nice role as cycling advocate in Norway trying to improve things. Good luck to you. Just please don't use short duration flashing images in your videos!
Matthew thank you for sharing. One thing — 2:05, on surface it looks like a good idea, but in reality it is twisted logic. First, it is car drivers who are responsible for accidents (statistics), so they should have obstacles for slowing them down, (2) cars are faster so it makes more sense to forcing them to slow down, (3) cars are damaging cities fabric (noise, fumes, space) so it should make sense to promote other ways for transport. Promote = removing obstacles, not adding them. And so on and so on. In cities cars and car drivers should be thought as secondary class entities, not the primary ones.
Forget it. Norway will never become a cycling nation, never ever, because of the number one reason Norway is not the best country to live – no it is not and can never become – and there's nothing you can do about it. Even if Americans adopt cycling Norway will still be a car country, forever. The green initiatives in Norwegian politics ain't well thought through, but silly ideas taken from the eastern world without thinking. It is very important to use one's brain to think before doing something.
1) Weather/climate.
2) Long distances and scarcely populated.
3) Hills everywhere.
4) Individualistic and private people.
These three equates into: never going to be a cycling nation.
Cycling will forever be a curiosity in Norway – for strange people. This should be the conclusion even without a single envoy anywhere. Just a static test inside one's head should arrive at this very obvious conclusion. You might think electric bikes could help – if battery revolution, but only solves number three. Mark my words, it's never going to happen just like high-speed trains won't happen in Norway – ever. More and wider roads for vehicles are the only thing that makes sense in Norway.
Excellent work Matthew, looking forward to the next instalment 👍😊
Practical
Banging the drum for the two wheeled revolution! Good for you Matthew.
France is fantastic…. but usually too hot in the summer for serious tour cycling….and look crowded… Amsterdam and Copenhagen is probably the best cycling cities…
Excellent work! And so important. It’s really great work you’re doing. I’m glad Norwegian bureaucrats are acknowledging the value of your initiative
at 2:18 it is my friend who is riding 😀 world is small… where i can get a gpx of your route in annecy?? (Im living just 30min nearby)
Intrigued now to watch the next video…
I hope they listen.
Some of the reason infrastructure for cycling isn't built well in Norway is because of the short period of the year most people use their cycles because of the long winters. In a way as a cyclist in Norway nobody else in the road really likes you being there..for the cars you are only disturbing and annoying and for pedestrians you are a danger. Even in the forests a lot of people walking do not like cyclists either on gravel or trails. And I can understand it also because a lot of cyclists in Norway do ride ruthlessly, even on the dedicated cycling roads in the cities a lot of cyclist ride in the wrong direction, as if they just don't care, and some pedestrians walk in those too…we lack a good cycling culture. Often they build roads for combined cycling and walking, and those are the worst of all!
I love Annecy!
I've been there twice paragliding. My profile picture is actually a selfie I took over the Lac d'Annecy.
The last time I was there, I proposed to my now wife.
And TODAY, we celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary.
Love your videos.
Man ! I wish I knew you would come to Annecy… I go quite often there from Lausanne to visit friends and to cycle. So mad that I could not cross you path. Let us know next time if you come to France or Switzerland, would be so cool to meet you. I love what you do, A…MAIZINGGGGG. Cheers
In Norway it is skiing that is holy. The infrastructure for that is amazing. Cycling is mostly seen as a problem for cars and the war between drivers and riders is heated. Narrow roads and the many narrow and long tunnels don't help either. But there is a massive change going on, it will be interesting to see. But would not expect many of those tunnel bypasses to get fixed.
Please, do never compare Norway and France.
How many is leaving in France and Norway? While we struggle to get money to norwegian roads, then use it to cycle roads? Crazy to compare countries like this.
Mathew! Thanks for the great content. The magical YT algorithm brought me to your channel. The last couple of weeks I've been considering moving to Norway next summer, and that got me thinking about how it'd be the cycling situation over there, since I'm planning to take my bike with me. I didn't even search of it, i just got your video recommended.
I guess I'll be watching your videos for the next couple of days!
Very nice
I feel like Not Just Bikes should be shown this video.
I was cycling in Austria, in the Alps. They also have great infrastructure there, and car drivers really respect cyclists.