Cycling in India is possible at any time of year, but for best results heading out between October and March is the best choice: this way you avoid getting drenched in the monsoon and roasted in the summer heat.

Choosing a bike to ride is quite simple. There are many brands of standard Indian cycles available, like Hero, Hercules and Avon, although I think the Atlas Goldstar is by far the best. That bike has carried me over 3000km of potholed, dusty, asphalted roads, down washed-out coastal footpaths and along hard-packed Arabian tidelines and I can guarantee that its solid steel construction makes for a durable workhorse, no matter how heavily packed with Indian trinkets. The best part of Atlas Goldstar bikes is that most repairs can be made with a hammer, steel spike and adjustable wrench, all of which are readily available at the thousands of bike shops around the country.

A new Indian cycle will cost you around 3000 rupees, and this is one great reason NOT to fly over your own bicycle, as it will likely cost you the price of three Indian cycles just to get it here.  

Finding a bike in India is not difficult, although I can suggest a few shops where the owners can give you great advice on how to equip you bike: Lovely Cycles in Delhi, C. Ghosh & Bros. Cycles in Kolkata and Sekar Cycles in Chennai. Each of these businesses is family owned and typically operated by a father/son team, and in any of these you can easily find all of the accouterments necessary for creating the snazziest cycle on the subcontinent. From fancy seat covers to hub cleaners, stickers or psychedelic handle grips to bar end tassels, all things decorative can be found in these shops. The practical - and way less charming - add-ons are also available: fenders, bells, horns, kickstands, racks, baskets, derailleurs and gear sets—all are recommended accessories for a smooth journey.


Given India’s topography and the combined weight of your cycle and gear, it is highly recommended to add a Starlit five-speed gear set to your standard Indian single speed. It is available for about 400 rupees and will take about a day to install and a few more days to settle in. You will need to purchase an extended rear axle and two chains of the correct gauge and length to ensure the derailleur runs smoothly. And of course, being of Indian qwality, you will be lucky to end up with three functioning gears, four if you are exceptionally fortunate and five only if the Dalai Lama has blessed you!

Along with a few more speeds you will also need a strong rack and panniers. Heavy-duty front and rear racks are available depending on the amount of luggage you intend to carry. My advice is to have a basket on the front, to provide easy access to things like water and cameras, and a rear rack, which carries two panniers. 

However, if you are the type to carry your entire home with you on the bike, you can install a front rack to carry two additional panniers. As far as I know, a western-style touring pannier is not available for purchase in India, so it's best to bring them along. You will need to hire a welder to cut holes in the rack so that your panniers can be fastened properly. His work will cost around 80-100 rupees.

If you are from India, or wish to support the local trades people, you can have something similar made up, but will require some time and money. Either way, another option for luggage carriage – which I learned from a thrifty German cyclist – is to affix a large aluminum trunk to the rear rack. They are widely available in India, spacious, easy to lock and surprisingly conservative on weight. Unfortunately, their size can be a bit awkward, they create a top-heavy load and tend to generate a lot of local speculation into their contents.

And now that your cycle is properly outfitted, you need to figure out where to go. Whether you have two weeks or two months, India is a dynamic, welcoming place for cyclists and has something to offer everyone. It is relatively easy to travel on the main routes, but come on, be adventurous! Smaller, rural roads will welcome you to local culture. You may find a groom riding an elephant, trailing a marching band, while he woos his bride-to-be. Or you may come upon a river crossing where you will board a ferryboat with a herd of goats and baskets of the day’s fresh catch!

And don’t be shy; asking directions is a big part of the experience! The approach I use is to make my best guess based primarily on gut feeling and less on the actual information acquired. Asking a handful of people which way and how far to the next town will commonly result in fingers pointing simultaneously in three different directions; for example, a town that is eight kilometers away could actually be anywhere from three to twenty four kilometers - and in fact the road may not even exist.

The traffic is surprisingly easy to deal with, as many people use the bicycle for transport.  Even on the main routes vehicles move much slower than in the west, they tend to give a wide berth, and the highway shoulders have plenty of room. The rolling surfaces are a pleasant mix of concrete and asphalt, and it isn't until you head well off the beaten track into small villages that you may encounter dirt roads. Even then, they are usually hard packed and rideable, especially if you equip your cycle with nylon rickshaw tires. You will find a fair share of dust, potholes and half constructed bridges that drop off into nowhere, but it’s nothing that an Atlas can’t handle.

And, since there are many cyclists on the road, you are likely to have company and the opportunity to share your name, marital status, native place and occupation up to thirty times per day.

Cycling in India, you must be prepared for instant fame, as you will quickly be recognized as a celebrity every day. Hollering children will cheer and run beside you, laughing with joy at your arrival and reaching out for high-fives and roadside hand shakes. Grown men will dance at the sound of your horn and take delight in handing you a flower as you pass by. Families - here comes the best part! - will invite you to share food and stay with them in their homes, and shopkeepers will offer you chai garam and sodas.  

There are heaps of amazing sights to see. The Northern states are home to the old cities of Delhi, the Taj Mahal and the holy city of Varanasi. The East coast boasts the crumbling British leftovers of beautiful Calcutta, the “nookie” temple of Konark and the quiet beaches of Puri and Mamallapuram. On the West coast you can watch fantastic sunsets in Kanyakumari with a thousand of your closest friends, enjoy the water hyacinth filled backwaters of Kerala and the lazy beaches and great food of Goa.

After seven months of exploring India by bycicle, I'm now looking forward to discovering the bustling bazaars of Mumbai, the marble temples of Gujarat and the historic forts of Rajasthan. Anxious to complete the circumnavigation of the subcontinent, as I get ready to go back to my homeland, Canada,  I have already planned next year’s trip!  

But, no matter when and where you decide to ride, you can be sure you'll be greeted with curious, welcoming enthusiasm, unbeatable hospitality and unequalled kindness.

So get yourself a bike, grab your helmet, and start riding!