Cyprus

[Aint Skeered]

I've just come back from Cyprus(family holiday so no cycling)I was amazed by the lack of cyclists out there, in the week I was there, I only saw 2 roadies, and 3 serious MTB'ers.
The Troodos mountains are stunning, and would be cycling heaven.
So neadless to say I will be taking the bike out next year.
They also drive on the left, which is handy as well

 

[gbb]

I think most of the serious cyclists there are UK military personell based there.
Up from Limmassol, you see them on a regular basis, but they tend stay off the major routes....well, the ones i saw were.

Troodos.....stunning
I drove up there last year, it was about 20 degrees in Limmassol. Less than 1hour later, in Troodos, there was about 12 inches of snow on the ground.

Hopefully, i'll be back in January....

 

[Bonno]

My brother in law moved out there last year (Coral Bay)and we went to stay with him in early june.
I tried every where to rent a road bike but no joy, so used brother in law's mtb out on the roads. Glad i did as the roads were crap, potholes, litter and debris , road repairs half finished and one road just suddenly turned into a gravel track.
Nothing like the superior roads we have here

holiday did only cost me the flight though

 

[monnet]

My experience of going to Cyprus (fairly regularly over the last 15 years) has been that the manner of driving would put off all but the most insane cyclists, although things seem to have improved a bit since the first few times I was out there. It's a shame because I've always thought it's the ideal place in terms of terrain for cycling.

 

[DODDY]

Cyprus Cycling

Hi,

You are all missing a great time with great guys

You need to contact these people next time you are in Cyprus. About 15mins from Coral Bay.

www.enjoycyprus.com

As I said, great people and a great days ride.

Cheers.

 

[Amanda P]

Cyprus is very pleasant. Mrs Uncle Phil and I went there in March. We cycled up towards the Troodos, but at the end of a day's climbing, Mrs UP's right crank stripped its pedal thread. We spent the night up there, then had to come back down to get a new crankset.

Drivers were quite reasonably behaved, and two of the ones driving pickup trucks gave us lifts back down to the coast. The second (a Kurdish builder) went out of his way and dropped us right outside a bike shop. The mechanic was away doing his other job, but his missus let us use his tools to fit a new crankset.

We spent the rest of our week tootling around the coast. We couldn't do much of the Akamas peninsula - too rough for our tourers - but we visited lots of interesting places on quite reasonable tarmac roads, and a few on quite reasonable, unsealed, but smooth gravel roads.

 

[Slim]

I'm a regular out there (family origin) but would never dream of taking a bike onto the roads there. The drivers all think that the rules of the road are for everyone except them. Also, the attitude towards drink driving is atrocious. Too many people there think it's a giggle to get pissed and take the car for a drive.

FWIW - if you get stuck in the mountains in the evening you can usually stay in one of the monasteries for a small donation - Kykko monastery is nice for that sort of thing as they have "apartments" on site. Just watch for the poisonous snakes in the undergrowth.

 

[Bonno]

I'm a regular out there (family origin) but would never dream of taking a bike onto the roads there. The drivers all think that the rules of the road are for everyone except them. Also, the attitude towards drink driving is atrocious. Too many people there think it's a giggle to get pissed and take the car for a drive..

Yes, i did get that impression on my short visit.
Didn't find the natives too friendly either. My sister in law, who lives there, was walking her dog when a local woman came up to her and spat in her face, apparently they don't like dogs, Nice !!!
Think i'll stick with Mallorca

 

[Aint Skeered]

Weird I thought I spent a week in Cyprus a week ago, but judging from the discriptions on here it must have been somewhere else.

The place I went to had good road surfaces(well equall to what we have here at least)
The driving standard I encountered was pretty good.
And the locals, where very helpfull and friendly.
We where near Polis, Argaka to be exact.

 

[gbb]

I guess its a mixed bag AintSkeered...

Limmasol, drivers are a bit mental at night, wouldnt fancy cycling then.
Roads...Limmasol and Larnaca town are a mixed bag, some good , some a bit rough.
Once out of town, the roads are surprisingly better.
Also, i notice they drive like nutters going to, and coming from work. Its like a race track. But during the day, everything seems to settle down.

The people....ive worked there several times over 3 years..i love em. Helpful and friendly. Granted, i'm there to work with the people i'm mixing with, so perhaps naturally they are a little more appreciative and friendly, compared with say, a holidaymaker.

Night life seems a bit threatening toward midnight. Theres a proliferation of Russian run clubs, stripbars etc. I was warned not to venture in...you get into trouble real quick. Taxis must be on the payroll, they work real hard to take you to them.

As a side story, ironically it seems you have 'Ok' roads and mental drivers in Cyprus . Yet in Uruguay, the drivers were very good, almost drive too slow....but the roads were atrocious. And yet i regularly saw roadies while i was there. Must have strong wheels