40 years of bike lanes in Barcelona

40 years ago, a group called the “Amics de la Bici” laid out Barcelona’s very first cycle lane. Since then, the city has continued to expand its cycle network. But it hasn’t always been so easy.

It’s interesting to note that Barcelona wasn’t always the bike-friendly city it is today. 40 years ago, it was very difficult to get around the city by bike. The environment and soft mobility were not yet major issues, and the city council was not determined to change things.

This was without counting on the cyclists’ group Amics de la Bici, an association that still exists today, and which was campaigning for Barcelona City Council to create spaces dedicated to non-motorised vehicles. When their request went unheeded, the group decided to inaugurate Barcelona’s first cycle path on the 15th of July 1983. It was built illegally in the heart of the Eixample.

Amics de la Bici, a group that fights for the development of bycicle lanes in Barcelona.

Today, Barcelona City Council is trying to reduce its environmental impact and is working hard to develop bicycle transport. If you’re planning to visit Barcelona in the near future, we recommend that you use a bicycle to discover this beautiful city. It’s a fun and environmentally-friendly way to enjoy your trip!

discover our offers at Born Bike Tours Barcelona!

Barcelona by bike.

Barcelona is known for its excellent transport network. Recently, Barcelona has focused on sustainable mobility and, in particular, on bicycle transport by building more and more bike lanes. And it’s working! According to Barcelona City Council, between 2021 and 2022, the use of bikes and scooters in the city increased by 11%.

Between November 2022 and June 2023 alone, 32.6 kilometers of bike lanes were built, and 11.7 kilometers were renovated to make them more accessible. Barcelona now has more than 270 km of bike lanes throughout the city, including some of the most popular tourist spots! The Arc de Triomf, Casa Milà, Casa Battló, Barceloneta beach, Parc de la Ciutadella, Montjuïc, etc. In short, there is something for everyone when it comes to cycling.

Guided bike tours in Barcelona by Born Bike Tours Barcelona.

Born Bike Tours Barcelona allows you to visit Barcelona by bike, in the most sustainable way possible! We offer bike rentals for the more adventurous (you can find a map of Barcelona’s bike lane network here), and we also offer guided tours with guides led by knowledgeable guides who are well-acquainted with Barcelona and will share their anecdotes about the Catalan capital.

Are you planning a visit to Barcelona soon? Treat yourself to a guided tour with Born Bike Tours Barcelona.

New cycle paths in Barcelona to encourage the use of soft mobility.

Apart from being a leisure activity and a family sport accessible to all, cycling is becoming one of the best means of urban transport. More ecological than the car, healthier than public transport, and faster than walking, the bicycle is more than ever a sustainable solution to the ills of today’s society, and the Barcelona City Council has understood this.

In recent years, Barcelona has made a major effort to increase the city’s network of cycle paths and become a cycle-friendly city. From 2015 to today, the kilometres of cycling infrastructure have doubled to the current 240 kilometres of network. These steps are in line with the objectives set out in the 2024 Urban Mobility Plan (PMU), where the City Government commits to strengthening sustainable travel, moving towards a more sustainable, healthy and safe mobility.

bike land cycle path bike barcelona palm tree holiday born bike tour

The need for sustainable mobility has been taken on board by city dwellers, even after COVID 19. The month of September saw an increase of 22.4% in cycling on working days, which proves this trend. In view of the increase in the use of this means of transport, the municipal government wishes to increase and improve the current network of cycle paths. In total, the new package includes 28 new actions that will take place between 2021 and 2023. This includes 44.3 kilometres of the cycle network: 32.6 kilometres of new cycle paths will be created and 11.7 kilometres of the current network will be improved.

This means that by 2023, the city will have 272.6 kilometres of cycle network. To make this possible, Barcelona City Council is planning an investment of 30.8 million euros.

bike land cycle path bike barcelona palm tree holiday born bike tour arc de triomphe

Among the new cycle paths you can find

– Plaça Catalunya (Ciutat Vella – Passeig de Gràcia and Rambla Catalunya)

– Còrsega (Freser – Castillejos)

– Vía augusta (Laforja to Bonanova)

– Fabra y Puig (avinguda Meridiana – plaça Virrey Amat)

– Escòcia (Arnau de Oms – Avinguda Meridiana)

– Independència – badajoz (Sant Antoni María Claret – Passeig Marítim)

– Mallorca (Clot Tarragona)

– Joan de Borbó (plaça Idrissa Diallo – Escar)

– Travessera de les Corts (Numancia – Joan Güell)

– Avinguda Roma (Tarragona – València)

And many more to discover on the website of the Barcelona City Council!

The first bike lane, with a pick and shovel

Today Barcelona has exactly 240 kilometers of bike lanes in the city. But do you know when the first bike lane in Barcelona was built?

It was not the City Council that built it, but the cyclists themselves who demanded the use of this means of transport in the city. Already in 1982 Amics de la Bici created an imaginary bike lane with a ride along the Paseo de Gracia and Provença.

A year later, in 1983 the Gracia Verde collective painted green what would become the first “pirate” bike lane on Passeig de Gràcia and Diputació. Using pick and shovel they lowered the curbs, painted the ground with “bike lane” and the drawing of a bicycle.

After the actions of Amics de la Bici and pressure from other groups in the City Council, that same year the first official bike lane was made on the street of Consell de Cent and Diputació, but it was still very dangerous for cyclists and could only be used on weekends.

Currently, although the number of bike lanes is increasing, several demands are still pending. Lanes not very connected, narrow, deformed lanes, dangerous crossings, Amics de la Bici tries to put forward all these problems. The main demand of Amics de la Bici is the safety of users, fairer regulations and cities for people.

As you can see, the first bike lane is quite recent and like all the others, it is not perfect. To continue to support the city’s cyclists the City Council aims to reach 308 kilometers of bike lanes before the end of its mandate, bike enthusiasts that we are we hope to reach this figure as soon as possible and not stop at those 308 kilometers.

Sunsets on bicycle

Barcelona is one of the most bike-friendly cities in Spain, with almost 200 kilometers of bike lanes, used both for those who use the bike as a means of daily transportation or for those who are just walking around the city, getting to know it and discovering its streets.

In Born Bike Tours Barcelona we propose a tour of the beach and the Barcelona neighborhood. Where you will find a complete tour, passing through the following points:

Christopher Columbus Monument
Drassanes
Port Vell
Palau del Mar
Barceloneta neighborhood
Olympic Port
Forum of Cultures
Parc Diagonal Mar
Poblenou neighborhood
Olympic Village (Olympic Games 1992)
Ciutadella Park

The tour runs almost entirely on peaceful roads without traffic, bike lanes and zones 30, very safe for all ages.

We accompany you with experienced guides who know the city and its history. In the course of the tour we will make several stops to liste, contemplate and enjoy each point and where you can take your pictures and your memories of the tour.

Live Barcelona on wheels!

Barcelona and photography

Many of the people who live in Barcelona are passionate about photography, but many tourists are too. We invite you to experience a photographic exhibition of the city where you will find all the magic that Barcelona hides.

Seventy photographs taken by women that explore the links between the history of the city and the images that women photographers have built.

The exhibition, which includes seventy images distributed chronologically, is a unique opportunity to vindicate the role that women have played in the history of photography in our city. Because, although the historical narrative has left them in the background, without them, without the photographers, it is impossible to know the real Barcelona.

The exhibition makes visible the line of continuity of the photographic practice of those women who placed the city at the center of their creative works, in a period ranging from the thirties to the early nineties.

You can visit this exhibition focused on women, photography and the city until June 6, 2021. In the Plaça Comercial, al savant d’El Born CCM (Plaça Comercial, 12 – Ciutat Vella – Barcelona)

Benefits of cycling

This is not a novelty that we are fanatics of bicycles. Go walking, take the air, see the city that surrounds us, the landscape, the sea. Mounted on the bike everything seems to have another perspective, we want to tell you the benefits it gives you a walk or to do Bike sport.

image of a blue bike, sea, boat, hotel W

1. A good way to exercise: the bike is a good exercise to work almost all our body and not just the legs. A bike ride makes us do cardio-cardio exercise and strength, especially legs, abdomen, back and arms.

2. Help our posture: Walk or pedal helps improve our posture. People passionate about yoga can go to their bike class. Adopt a sport routine!

3. A transport on time and available immediately: between bottling, pedestrians Parking, everything becomes a chaos and more if you go to the center of Barcelona, which is why the bike is a great allies that facilitates your daily life .

4. Take care of the environment and your leaflet: a car and public transport generate an additional expense per month. You simply move by bike: fast and good for health.

5. A much faster brain: The bike improves the functioning of your brain, influencing cognitive function, mental health and well-being, as has confirmed a study by the University of Oxford. The study, led by Dr. Leyland, investigated the impact of outdoor pedaling. The parameters, the cognitive function and the well-being, were measured before and after the period of use (for 8 weeks, at least three times a week and at least 30 minutes per session) and it was observed that not only The physical impact of cycling improves, but at the level of mental activity, the benefits are more important.

6. Sleeping more, the dream of all: exercise Every day helps to reconcile with sleep, about 20 to 30 minutes of pedal will help you better rest and eliminate the stress of everyday life.

7. Eternal Youth: The increase in blood circulation caused by the pedaling exercise transports the oxygen and nutrients required to epithelial cells more efficiently while eliminating toxins or other waste. Moderate exercise helps to optimize collagen production, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and accelerate the healing process.

8. Take care of your joints: the bike is a less risky sport than run for our joints, and the result is very similar.

9. Improve your performance in any type of sport: many athletes use cycling as a support sport to improve their muscle or respiratory performance. Objective 30 days of bike and see the difference!

10. And finally, the best advantage of cycling is that it will make you happy: Try it because it really works. Stroll, pedal, admire nature, city, beach, beaches, you will see how it changes ideas.

Do you already have your bike ready to travel Barcelona?

To reserve the Tour or rent a bike nothing simpler, contact us
Born Bike Tours Barcelona
📍Carrer de la Marquesa No. 1 08003 Barcelona
50 meters from Barceloneta metro station L (4) Yellow
✉️Info@bornbikebarcelona.com.
🔹www.bornbikebikebarcelona.com.
📲 (+34) 93 319 00 20

House of the Punxes

The house of the Punxes stand out among the buildings that were created during the golden age of Barcelona, with Gothic inspiration and created in the modernist era of the early twentieth century, the work of architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, this house was built at the request of Bartomeu Terradas Brutau for each of his three daughters, Angela, Josefa and Rosa, receiving the name Casa de los Punxes by the needles that crown the six towers that crown the building.

The architect’s intention was that structurally it would look like a single architectural ensemble, but also included features characteristic of each of the owners, a fact that indicated to which of the daughters the house belonged, as can be seen on the facade of the corner that belongs to number 420 of the Diagonal, there is an interesting sculptural panel in which an angel is represented, a figure that alludes to the sister Ángela Terradas. The preparatory drawing made by Monserdà is in the archives of the Royal Catalan Academy of Fine Arts of Sant Jordi in Barcelona. Other decorative details that refer us to this property are found in the anagrams that, distributed as if they were a border, repeat the letters ATB, in reference to Ángela Terradas Brutau.

Josefa’s property went from Diagonal to Rosselló street, in whose back front we can find another ceramic panel drawn by Monserdà himself, where St. George is represented killing the dragon and we can read: “Patron Saint of Catalonia give us back our freedom”.

Right in the frame of this panel, in a strategic situation for the meaning that the figure of ST. George could represent, we find a familiar face sculpted. The male figure, with round glasses, large receding hairline and full lips, represents the great author of the project, the architect Josep Puig I Cadafalch.

On the facades of Bruc street, we find two more ceramic panels. One depicts a vase full of roses, with the initials RTB, and the other, the figure of a girl surrounded by roses. This property belonged to the sister Rosa Terradas Brutau.

Live the Barcelona’s parks

The city of Barcelona is characterized by having large parks, full of nature and very beautiful structural designs, that is why we leave you a list of five parks, where you can enjoy a bike ride through Barcelona and beautiful sunny days in winter.

an image which contain a park, people, nature, born bike tours Barcelona

Ciutadella Park

Built at the end of the 19th century, it was the first park designed specifically as a public park, and it is a space widely used for all kinds of recreational and cultural activities. It has more than a hundred plant species, with many hundred-year-old trees and interesting sculptures.

-The address so you can visit it is passeig de picasso 21 of the Ciutat Vella district.

Guinardó Park

The Guinardó park has three well differentiated parts: an urban, which becomes the prelude to the great space that this green area occupies, another historical one and, in the highest part, the lush forest vegetation. Its landscaped terraces and pine forests make this place one of the most refreshing and placid green spaces in the city.

-This park is located in the district of Horta-Guinardó.

Botanical Garden

The current Botanical Garden houses the legacy of a long tradition of gardens designed with the aim of studying, maintaining and preserving plant species. A space specialized in showing the biodiversity of the flora of the Mediterranean climate. It allows locating, in the proper geographic context, dozens of species that can be found in all the gardens of the city. They are plants that have adapted perfectly to the temperate climate even though they are typical of other latitudes.

-To visit the botanical garden you should arrive at the Sants-Montjuïc district, carrer Doctor Font i Quer, 2.

Gardens of Mossèn Costa i Llobera

It is one of the most important gardens specialized in cacti and succulents in Europe. Facing the sea, sheltered by the Montjuïc mountain that welcomes them, they are located in a privileged viewpoint and a few minutes from the city center.

-The gardens are located at Ctra Miramar, 38.

Laberint d’Horta Park

The Laberint d’Horta park includes the oldest preserved garden in the city. Born as a neoclassical garden with a touch of Italian physiognomy, it ended up as a romantic garden.

The d’Horta labyrinth is located in the Horta-Guinardó district, in Passeig Castanyers, 1.

Gaudí’s Barcelona

If there is an architect associated with Barcelona, that is, without a doubt, Antoni Gaudí. His mature works, such as La Pedrera, Park Güell and the Sagrada Familia, are internationally known icons that attract thousands of visitors daily. However, in the city there are also several works by this great artist that are not so well known and that often, due to being far from the usual circuits, go unnoticed and make up a little-explored route, but no less spectacular.

Une image contenant extérieur, arbre, plante, immeuble résidentiel

Like the ones we list here:

The Pavilions of Finca Güell
The gate of Finca Miralles
The pavement of Sant Pacià
The Bellesguard Tower
The Vicens House

If you want to know more about the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí you can do a bike tours with us.
Born Bike Tours Barcelona
📍Carrer de la Marquesa Nº 1 08003 Barcelona
50 meters away from the Barceloneta L (4) yellow metro station
✉️info@bornbikebarcelona.com
🔹www.bornbikebarcelona.com
📲 (+34) 93 319 00 20

In our tour in Spanish we arrive at Plaça Sant Felip Neri

Among the narrow walls of the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, we are in the Plaza de Sant Felip Neri, where we see holes in the walls, which originate in 1938, caused by a bombardment by the Francoist side during the war, in the middle of the capture of Barcelona.

image of a building that contain door, lights, windows, born bike tours Barcelona, text

This event caused the death of forty-two people, as can be read on the plaque that commemorates the memory of the victims since 2007. At the time of the bombing, the grounds of the current square were occupied by a medieval cemetery. Little remained after the bomb, which devastated nearby houses and caused some damage, still present, in the church.

Bicycle repairs and rental in Barcelona

Barcelona is one of the most beautiful cities to travel by bicycle with more than 200 kilometers of bike lanes, where you can enjoy a walk along the Mediterranean coast, through the Gothic streets or enjoy a day on the Collserolla mountain.

If you are still in doubt about repairing that old bicycle, or renting one to enjoy Barcelona on wheels, we leave you five tips that will help you make that decision.

Enjoy a safer ride

The bicycle is a safe vehicle, you will walk through the city of Barcelona enjoying great views and places, using the safety of the bike lanes.

Easier and simpler

Mobility by bicycle is easier than in other means of transport. Did you know that the bike is faster than the car in short and medium urban distances? Through several door-to-door competitions, with the city center as the destination, it has been found that, in general, the bike is the fastest transport. in addition to being faster in short distances, it is ideal to combine with public transport

Be more sustainable and collaborate with the environment

The bicycle is a key factor in reducing the levels of environmental and noise pollution in cities. An, at the same time, it is the most energy efficient means of transport: it uses twelve times less energy than a car, even if it is full, to move a person over a kilometer, and fifty times less than a car occupied by only one person.

To enjoy more space

A cyclist occupies five times less space than a motorist, whether he is stationary or in motion. This data has very profound implications for the well-being of residents, who can enjoy peaceful, calmer, safer and noise-free spaces.

To always be on the move

Going by bike is one of the most beneficial exercises for health, since during the effort large muscle groups are mobilized. Of practiced regularly it can reduce resting heart and breathing rates.

If you want to know about bike rental or repair you can stop by our store Born Bike Tours Barcelona
📍Carrer de la Marquesa Nº 1 08003 Barcelona
50 meters away from the Barceloneta L (4) yellow metro station
✉️info@bornbikebarcelona.com
🔹www.bornbikebarcelona.com
📲(+34) 93 319 00 20

The Cathedral of Barcelona

Cycling through the streets of the Gothic Quarter, we come across the current Barcelona Cathedral, it is Gothic in style, but it was built on the foundations of an early Christian basilica and a later Romanesque Cathedral. The works began on May 1, 1298 and lasted a century and a half.

It was temporarily finished in 1417 with a simple wall, and it was not until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that the façade that we can see today was built.

On the occasion of the Universal Exhibition of Barcelona (1888), the works were resumed thanks to Manuel Girona i Agrafel and his sons, who were the promoters of said reforms, where the competition for the construction of the façade was called in 1882, establishing as a stylistic criterion to follow the Gothic. It was awarded to Josep Oriol Mestres, titular architect of the cathedral since 1855, who was inspired by the plans made in 1408 by Carles Galtés de Ruan.

Sí quieres saber más sobre la catedral de Barcelona, pregunta por nuestros tours y te contaremos todo lo que sabemos de ella.
📍Carrer de la Marquesa Nº 1 08003 Barcelona
A 50 metros estación metro Barceloneta L (4) amarilla
✉️info@bornbikebarcelona.com
🔹www.bornbikebarcelona.com
📲(+34) 93 319 00 20

Spanish village in Barcelona

El Pueblo Español is a museum that offers contemporary art, architecture, crafts and gastronomy. The site is made up of 117 full-scale buildings, which make up a typically Spanish town with its streets, houses, squares, theater, school, restaurants and artisan workshops.

statue of a woman in blue clothes from Pueblo Espanyol, in Barcelona

It was built for the international exhibition that was held in Barcelona in 1929, an idea promoted by Joseo Puig I Cadafalch (Catalan architect) where they created a small town that brought together the main characteristics of all the towns in Spain. They also worked together with Joseo Puig, Francesc Folguera and Ramon Reventós, and the artists Xavier Nogués and Miquel Utrillo, in order to achieve this exhibition, they made various trips through Spain taking photographs, drawings, observing the styles and creating concepts of the different places. 

Today there are various activities, exhibitions or events.

Tourists can visit it by taking their ticket on the website  : www.poble-espanyol.com 

Our recommendation is to rent a bicycle and tour the mountains of Montjuic, where you will find various monuments, museums and historical buildings.

Get your bike ready and enjoy Barcelona

Get your bike ready and enjoy Barcelona

We really like healthy life and the city, that’s why we look for the perfect combination so that you can enjoy this summer of Barcelona by bike.

We carry out repairs and maintenance
We have answers and accessories
Review hardware and adjustments
Washing and greasing
Punctures and wheel centering

That is why we invite you to give life to that stored bicycle and accompany us to visit La Ronda Verda de Barcelona, a circuit that has about 72 kilometers of route and crosses different municipalities such as L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Esplugues de Llobregat, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Montcada I Reixac, Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Sant Adrià de Besòs. There is also a variant that extends the round and incorporates the city of Badalona.

This route can be divided into six sections

Collserola Park: The Collserola Park extends over 8,000 hectares. Forest areas with a great variety of plant formations of valuable biological diversity predominate.
Parque Fluvial del Besòs: This section of the Ronda Verda connects the Parque de Collserola and the Front Marítimo. It has an approximate extension of five kilometers.
Park of the Cordillera de Marina: This natural space is part of the Cordillera Litoral and has a total area of 2,086 hectares. The visitor has the opportunity to envoy Iberian villages, hermitages, monasteries and numerous fountains and recreation areas.
Maritime Front: The Ronda Verda runs along the maritime fronts of Barcelona, Sant Adrià de Besòs and Badalona.
Montjuïc Section: The itinerary in this section of the pool is numerous museums, sports facilities, parks and gardens. The tour has splendid views of the city of Barcelona and its surroundings.
Llobregat Route: This route approaches the Llobregat basin, allowing connections with the river glare, the delta area and the Collserola Park.

Barcelona is enjoying a short spring, which is perfect to experience by bicycle

February 20th, 2019

Are you taking advantage of these idyllic days in Barcelona?

Photo by Walkerssk in Pixabay.com

For some weeks now, Barcelona and, obviously, some other parts of the territory are rejoicing in some days of idyllic weather, perfect for enjoying the city by bicycle. This is something that “professionally” we call “not a very cold weather, neither a very warm weather”. You will not need a lot of cloth layers in order to feel the warmth of the bicycle exercise, but, even so you will not feel the sticky weather of the summer.

So, you should take advantage of free afternoons and weekends. Enjoy the parks and gardens of the city: Parc de la Ciutadella, Labyrinth of Horta, Montjuïc, Collserola… Practically every district of the city has a natural space. Although, if you are not looking for the refreshing green, you can take advantage of the fact that there are not so many brave swimmers, and go to ride through the Passeig Marítim. La Barceloneta is a neighborhood where, during weekends, it is difficult not to find some kind of activities. And if there are not any of them, the tapas (appetizers) that you can get there will be a marvelous consolation prize.

Even though, if you are the kind of person who prefers going shopping, our suggestion for you is taking advantage of the big network of bike lanes and visiting the nice and great markets of Barcelona. In addition to the big offer, especially talking about food, they are Modernist works of art, so you shouldn’t miss them if you are interested in the architecture of Barcelona.

This weekend you don’t have any excuse, clean the dust off your bike and go out for pedaling through Barcelona!

Remember, in Barcelona of the year 2019, the cyclists must circulate away from the sidewalks

January 15th, 2019

Some weeks ago we informed you about the new regulation which has been applied this January, month dedicated to the bicycle circulation in Barcelona, so, today, we are going to present a reminder just in case you have forgotten it.

Photo by Claudia, einszweifrei in Pixabay.com

From the very first of this month of January 2019, the cyclists must circulate away from the sidewalks in Barcelona, in order to ride through the almost 1,000km (620 miles) of the city’s bike lane. And, why do you have to circulate away from the sidewalks? Because the cost of riding a bicycle on the sidewalks could be punished with fines of up to €500, so, save yourself this fine and the annoyance following this simple cohabitation rule.

We want to remind you that the only way allowed to circulate on the sidewalk is when it measures a width of more than 5 meters and 3 meters are free (and you haven’t any other alternative or bike lane closer) or if you are younger than 12 (years old) and you are circulating with your own bicycle and accompanied by an adult.

And returning to our wise words: Even if you usually pedal through the streets of Barcelona or because you are visiting this great city, remember, share and obey this regulation. All together we are building a healthier city and a good cohabitation is one of the keys.

As of the 1st of January, bicycles must circulate away from the sidewalks of Barcelona

December 5th, 2018

Kara De Leos

After the extension of the bike lane in the city, almost 1,000km (620 miles) adapted to the bicycle circulation, the City Hall of Barcelona considers that the bike circulation through the road is safe enough to forbid the circulation of this vehicle on the sidewalks.

The City Hall of Barcelona is in the middle of a campaign in order to make public, to every urban cyclist, local and temporary ones, that, as of the 1^st of January, the circulation on the city’s sidewalks will be punished with fines up to €500. Their motto, “When you are riding a bicycle, leave the sidewalk”, is covered by a second slogan: “You have almost 1,000km of alternatives”.

The only way allowed to circulate on the sidewalk is when it measures a width of more than 5 meters and 3 meters are free (and you haven’t any other alternative or bike lane closer) or if you are younger than 12 (years old) and you are circulating with your own bicycle and accompanied by an adult.

Even if you usually pedal through the streets of Barcelona or because you are visiting this great city, remember, share and obey this regulation. All together we are building a healthier city and a good cohabitation is one of the keys.

You only can go ahead by bicycle

November 12th, 2018

The number of urban cyclists in Barcelona has an exponential growth thanks to the extension of the bike lane during these last years in Barcelona. The security that these lanes provide is translated in a lot of people who enjoy the advantages of moving around with this very sustainable vehicle.

Photo by Joan Cabotti

Any person who has ridden a bike any time of his/her life will be realized that when you move the pedals backwards it’s useless. The bicycle has been designed for moving forward and if you need to go backwards you will have to do facing it, being fully aware of what you are doing and where we really want to go.

And, why is so interesting this consideration nowadays? Because in our 10 years of experience pedaling through the streets of Barcelona we feel astonished (in the good sense of this word) about how the kilometers of the bike lane in Barcelona have been so extended and, especially, how a lot of urban cyclists have leaped to take advantage of even the last signalized meter of lane.

The bicycle will continue advancing in Barcelona and it is going to do that in a conscious and safe way, transforming the city in a cleaner, more tranquil and more sustainable place each time.

A new bicycle route from the sea to the mountain in Barcelona

July 26th, 2018

With the inauguration of the bike lines in the streets of Bilbao and Jonquera, which have been added to the street of Navas -look at the map and you will understand it better 😉-, the axis which will allow us to go from the Parc del Guinardó to Marbella beach is completed.

Something very especial from Barcelona that we always try to remark is that this city is a sea and mountain city, where the landscape and the environments are very varied and it allows us to enjoys its different modalities.

Up to now, a very important bicycle route was the one where you can go from the Port Olimpic to Montjuïc mountain in the Sants-Montjuïc district. In just one day you can enjoy the sea breeze and the mountain views. Now, to this amazing route, we have to add another one from Guinardó to the Marbella beach, so we have a new one for changing the views and the environment of the beach.

The most important thing of these routes is the fact that now we can do that in a safe way thanks to the extension of the bike lane in Barcelona.

This summer experience Barcelona to the maximum and discover the last of its corners by bicycle.

Barcelona, the perfect city for going by bicycle, here we show it to you

April 4th, 2018

The 30 days biking challenge, which a lot of us achieved during the month of April, has been a great success. If you don’t believe us, look at this marvelous map which shows you the bike’s circulation in Barcelona during this last month. You are going to be amazed 😉

You can find this map in the Hall City web page, the one which is dedicated to the bicycles, and where they have done an important informative campaign about this event. The fact is that Barcelona is working hard to become a sustainable city, accompanied by the vehicles which have 0 pollution.

The alert levels usually shoot up and to improve in this aspect is a job for every one of us, although, the environment of Barcelona is transforming itself to facilitate safe and pleasant routes. Some examples are the zones of the Parc de la Ciutadella, the Fòrum zone or the bike lane and the 30km/h routes, although, we have had these for a long time. Other examples, which are being key ones, are the extension of the bike lane up to 180km or the new green zones such as the Plaça de les Glòries.

Little by little, bicycles have won their well-earned ground, improving the environment of the city and its surroundings.

12 Tips for Better Cycling, specially with the weather change

September 12th, 2017

Next week we are going to embark on many activities and events, before we would like to remind you of some basic safety tips when using a bicycle

Photography by Alejandro Lopez

Wear a Helmet

Only in the U.S. more than 6,000 cyclists need emergency care for head injuries each year. Choose a well-fitting helmet.

Start Slowly

A good training could be only to pedal about 30 minutes on flat terrain during the first three or four weeks.

Dress for Comfort

Choose comfortable clothes.

Go Bright When there is only Low Light 😉

Try not to ride at night, but if necessary, make use of the lights.

Always Use Good Road Sense

Respect all traffic signs and norms. It’s well worth while for everyone.

Be Traffic-Aware

If there is heavy traffic, ride in the lane with the cars, not to the side.

Use your Brakes Adequately

For optimal pressure, put your hands at the ends of the levers. Apply firm pressure to the brakes.

Get In Gear

Try not to pedal in high gear during long periods to avoid pressure on your knees.

Taking these simple tips into account, you’ll get more enjoyment out of biking!

Catch up on the bike lane of Barcelona with a simple look

June 13th, 2017

The City Hall of Barcelona puts a new and updated bike lane map at your service.

Such as we have previously announced, Barcelona has decided to bet on the bicycle as the future vehicle. For this reason, there is an effort to improve the traffic safety that is relative to this means of transport. One of the improvements is the one related to the extension and the updating of the bike lane in Barcelona.

If you are thinking about spending a few days in the city, obviously, we advise you to use the bicycle. It is quick, easy for parking and it allows you to enjoy the city at the same time you are moving around. In addition, you will help to improve the pollution levels in the city, a very nice touch for people who live in the city and welcome you to it.

You can prepare different routes for all the days. In order to do it in a safe way, have a look at the updated bike lane map. You will quickly realize that almost no corner is out of range of being visited by bike.

¡Barcelona is almost ready to welcome, in a safe way, all the urban cyclists of the whole world!

A perfect week for a tour by bicycle through the activities in Barcelona

January 31st, 2017

The meteorological prediction advises us that this week are going to have a great opportunity to enjoy the city pedaling through all its streets

Maximum temperatures of 16ºC and minimum temperatures of 7ºC will allow us to go from one side of the city to the other one with our bikes without getting cold or sweating at all.

From the Agbar Tower, going to Sagrada Família and the great modernist works at the Eixample -such as the Casa Batlló and La Pedrera-, stopping to shop and discover the most typical products in the markets of the city, for example, in the symbolic Boqueria, up to arriving at the relaxing parks and gardens, either in the Parc de la Ciutadella, closer to the sea, or in the Laberint d’Horta, close to Collserola. And you cannot forget to stop at some of the innumerable restaurants and/or bars where you will taste a piece of Catalan gastronomy.

You can experience all these things pedaling through the streets and don’t miss any detail. You can leave your bike close to the place where you want to relax -always assured with a good chain-. The bike lane connects the streets of Barcelona and is getting continuously longer, allowing us to enjoy this experience in a safe way.

Therefore, you cannot miss that! Come to pedal through Barcelona.

Which is the evolution of the bike lane in Barcelona?

November 2nd, 2016

Photo by Sergi Larripa

Almost one year ago, we published ‘If we were already enjoying Barcelona, we will do it even more in 2018 with the 308km of finished bike lanes’ and, after these 345 days, the issue of the bike lane in Barcelona is still in the spotlight.

These days, the City Hall is working on the bike lanes of the following streets: Marina, Travessera de Gràcia, Cartagena, Eduard Maristany, Taquígraf Serra and Gelabert and on the connection of Barcelona with Esplugues del Llobregat.

On the other hand, with regard to the streets of Joan Güell, Can Bruixa, Marquès de Sentmenat, La Jota, Múrcia and Numància, the bike lane is working at full capacity.

The Numància street bike lane connects, in both directions, the Plaça de Països Catalans with the Avinguda Diagonal, one axis more than necessary. But since its first use, some weeks ago, there has been a polemic between shop-keepers, drivers of motor vehicles and cyclists. The shop-keepers criticize the lack of space for loading and unloading products; the drivers, basically of cars, complain about lacking the parking lots; and finally, the cyclists are sick of vans and taxis which park on the bike lane itself.

Another point that has also been conflictive these last weeks, is the delay referring to putting the prohibition of the bike circulation on the sidewalks into practice. This month of November this prohibition, which doesn’t allow bicycles to circulate on the sidewalks with a width of less than 4,75 meters, and with a minimum of 3 meters of free terraces for bars -although this does not affect children younger than 12 and people who ride the bike between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.- had to become effective. For the moment, this regulation will not become effective until next year, because the City Hall considers that we are still lacking infrastructures which make the bike lanes safer for the bike circulation.

All these changes have again opened up the discussion between cyclists and drivers. The first ones ask for more safety, the other ones are reticent to losing space. But, in our opinion, if we want a city with less pollution and at the service of people and not of cars, it is essential to improve the condition of those who work for this better future.

Barcelona, a city which is continuously better for circulating by bicycle

September 6th, 2016

The City Hall of Barcelona is continuously working to obtain easier and safer the journeys through the streets of this city by bicycle. And it seems that they are achieving it!

Barcelona thinks that the bicycle is the best means of transport for circulating through the city. For this reason, as we indicated in other mails of this blog, it is working in order for the circulation to become easier and safer, something that the very neighbors of the city are perceiving.

During the year 2015, the journeys through Barcelona increased a 2.7%, which has turned into 4.9 MILIONS of internal journeys, of which more than 96% have been carried out by the people who live in the city. For us, these figures are an irrefutable evidence that bicycles are going to be the means of transport of the future in these streets, improving, in this way, the traffic, the pollution levels and, in general, the good mood of all the people who are moving through the streets of Barcelona.

In order to guarantee this result, Barcelona has created a new manual about the bike lanes’ signposting. With this manual, it pretends, among other goals, to improve the cyclists’ security, reducing the conflicts with the pedestrian and also improving the routes’ connectivity. You can find this manual in the Bicycle section of the Barcelona’s City Hall web, together with other audiovisual resources which completes it.

If you are not already circulating through the city by bicycle, it seems that you will run out of any excuses to avoid trying it.

If we were already enjoying Barcelona, we will do it even more in 2018 with the 308km of finished bike lanes

Photograpy by Jennifer Boyle

November 24th, 2015

Last Friday, the 20^th of October the City Hall of Barcelona announced this extension of the bike lane which will make us more unstoppable.

The City Hall of Barcelona has marked a great challenge: in less than two years we will enjoy a bike lane extension of 308km, so that 90% of the citizens of Barcelona have a lane at a maximum of 300 metres from their homes.

Its action plan includes a budget of 32 million of euros and an extension of the lane in streets as necessary as: Casanova, Pau Claris and the following street Via Laietana, Travessera de Gràcia, Sant Antoni Maria Claret, Cartagena, Ronda de Ciutat Vella and an extension of Marina Street. And in order to get us closer to the most peripheral zones they will make another lane at the Maragall Promenade and in the Zona Franca.

We cannot forget the 23% increase of parking lots in the city, which will make us feel relaxed when we leave the bike with its lock during the time we need.

The final goal of the City Hall, as they have expressed, is no other one than the citizens’ health improvement through the environmental improvement, a goal with which we so much agree; and a project that we will observe closely in order to inform you.

The 200km of bike lanes in Barcelona

Related to last week’s mail and in order to complete our safety guide a bit more, here you have a map and some tips to circulate through the bike lanes in Barcelona.

It continuously results easier and safer getting through Barcelona on bicycle; this fact is thanks to the 200km of bike lanes in a lot of streets of the city which connect us with almost every district (it would only be necessary to have an extension through the peripheral zones).

At first, if we don’t know all the streets exactly, Barcelona on a bicycle might seem quite big. For this reason we can access to this City Hall updated map of the different bike lanes.

click on the image to access to the map

Although, if we have problems for getting orientated, and we want to consult if we are on the right way while we are circulating, we will be able to do that through our Smartphone thanks to the Google Maps application, which, among its different options, allows us to highlight the different bike lanes of Barcelona on our map.

In order to circulate in the bike lane, in addition to wearing the necessary bike equipment and always respecting all the sign posts, it is also important to follow these basic tips:

Signal your next manoeuvre with your arms for the benefit of the rest of the cyclists.
You should circulate in the right direction: not every lane is two directions; pay attention to the direction of the road marks; it’s possible that you sometimes need to cross to the other side of the street.
And, specially, keep calm with some pedestrians; warn them kindly if they are walking in our lane. They are almost never conscious about this error. Remember that at the crossings they have priority.

To get to know more details, consult Article 14 of Pedestrian and Vehicle Circulation of Barcelona.

Remember that our security is the most important factor for arriving at our destination!

Born Bike Tours Barcelona

Bike tours & bike rental in Barcelona

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