Bicycles in Barcelona

Rick only recommends biking in the Citadel Park, Eixample, and beach areas of Barcelona; several bike rental and bike tour companies are listed in his guidebooks that cover the city. However, the "Bicing" borrow-a-bike service is only for locals.

I appreciate the advice Laura. Thank you. Enric, if you see this can you add to this? Me and my brother enjoy biking and being a local I trust your experience.

Hi there, as Laura rightly pointed, I'm afraid Bicing is not open to non-residents. The idea of Bicing is not for 'leisure' but for more practical reasons, when a Barcelonian (as in "resident in", even if you're not born here :) has to go to A or B for errands, instead of taking the car you can take a bicycle and save money (parking is expensive) and reduce polution. That's why, (a) you have to register and pay an annual fee and (b) the free time limit for each 'trip' is I believe 30' and then you have to pay something if you want to continue using the bicycle.

But there are plenty of private shops renting bikes in many places over town, except maybe the most northern part (the hillier!) so wherever you are in the city you'll have a few near by. Best advice is to enter into any hotel and ask reception, they're bound to know.

If you decide to rent a bicycle, make sure that:
1- You respect the code. Although you'll find quite a few cyclists not doing so, on-the-spot fines are issued, believe me.
2- Always lock your bike even if "only popping in a store for a minute". Bike thieving is on the rise. There are several parking spots for bicycles spread across the city, especially in the old district (Ciutat Vella). Note that tying your bicycle to public furniture (ie. a lamp) is not allowed -yes, many do, but you should know it's not and could be fined -or bike removed! Check this (use Google translate as there's no English version): http://bit.ly/1y3Najk
3- There's one particular thing many bikers fail to observe that gets them fined: don't ride in the central part of Rambla Catalunya nor, of course!, in Les Rambles either.
4- These are the bike lanes in town: http://w110.bcn.cat/fitxers/mobilitat/bici/mapaa22011ok.948.pdf (also in mobile app: http://bit.ly/BCNappbikelanes) Notes: Carril bici=bike lane; Via Pacificada=pacified street, a street where max speed is 30km/h; Ronda Verda=green routes (green as in garden/park) The one to the north is in the Collserola Park (http://bit.ly/1y3MP06), with superb views of the city. You can rent a bike somewhere downtown (no renting shops near Collserola, sorry) and take the metro to the northern part of the city (ie Av Tibidabo in L7 or better still Peu del Funicular -can't remember the line now!, http://bit.ly/BCNmetromap) and then ride from there. Note parts of Collserola Park are protected, so no riding outside the marked zones. The area you'd be looking for is Carretera de les Aigües, and this is a pict of the view: http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/31798455.jpg This part of town has many Barcelonians on a Sunday morning doing some sport (biking, running) or just strolling.
5- My personal advice... Stick to the Old City and maybe l'Eixample, as well as Barceloneta and the maritime front. Riding in these areas is easier (flat) and traffic is 'manageable'
Enjoy!

Thanks Enric. Good Advice!!! Don't need any fines :)

Don't get too paranoid about fines, I mean, from time to time some cyclists get one, but in general terms Police (Guardia Urbana) is still 'faaaairly' permissive with cyclists -providing you're not doing something very wrong. But again, it's fair that I let you know that rules do exist and fines are issued, so then you can't say "I didn't know", LOL!

PS: Permissivity is with cyclists, not with motorists, be warned :)

The only place I felt a bike would be really handy is along the beaches. I didn't feel like any of the other places we walked were bike friendly, either because of street traffic or just crowded walking areas.