Anyone Mt. Bike ride through Europe!!!

[europeanplates]

I am going in April and though hell why not bring my bike.

Couple of Questions

Can I bring a bike on the trains?
How is theft, say I lock up to view to Ferrari musuem?
Anyone Mt Bike around Lake Como?

Thanks,

Tyler

[europeanplates]

I could ride my 20" if it made more sense. I was going to bring my single speed street anyway!

[ANDRÜ]

That would be so much fun. I havent been to europe...yet...... so Im not sure how theft is. Sounds like alot of fun.

[Nick]

I've been to Italy MANY times,
and I can tell you that Lake Como is SPECTACULAR.
For information on mountain biking, you can go to:

http://www.bellagio-mountains.it/

It might look like it's a group thing at first, but if you look carefully, it follows a good route, so it gives you an idea of which way you should be headed.


Theft is always a problem, so you need to be on the lookout.
For your bike:
GET A GOOD LOCK, thieves will usually ignore the bike if it's got a quality lock.
Lock the wheels, lock any part of the bike that can be removed!
Don't put the lock around a meter that you can lift the bike over.

For yourself:
Wallet and phone on an inside pocket.
I have Italian clothes and speak the language, so nobody bothers me.
If you go there, get some clothes so you blend in...shoes too.
If you look like a local, you won't be a target.

You CAN bring your bike on the trains, you just need to get a bike bag.
If you're taking Eurostar they put the bike in the baggage car, if it's a normal train, you can put the bike at the end of the car where you board...just make sure you get up and move it when they stop at a station so people can get on.

They have notations at the train stations showing which trains let you take a fully assembled bikes.

If you want to leave Italy, or you're headed INTO italy by train with your bike, there's more information at

https://www.trenitalia.it

For BIKES,
Click 'Servizi',
Then on the left click
'Viaggiare con bici al seguito'
Edit: I just noticed that there's an English button in the upper right...click that...never had to use it.

At the bottom of the page, there's a .pdf that gives you the rules for bringing your bikes.
I speak Italian so I can read the website,
but Bablefish can help you if you can't.

[mikeedler]

yep, they have extra train cars just for people with bikes. No, theft isnt that big of a problem over here. I have a 20" full chrome lowrider bike, I ride with my daughter, noone has stolen it! heck, I have never even had a set of locking lugs over here.