Cycling is a wonderful way to experience your surroundings. You will be alone with your thoughts as you pedal along the coastal, woodlands or countryside roads. No phones, no distractions, just you and nature. Planning on going on a cycling tour in Croatia? It’s worth taking your time to choose the right bicycle.

Every new road is an adventure and every new journey a unique experience. There are no bad adventures, but they can differ in their comfort and the way you see and feel your surroundings, especially the road. That's why there is no wrong choice of a bicycle, depending on how you want to experience your trip. Speaking of bicycle variety, a choice for a cycling tour in Croatia comes down to two types of bikes. But before we get into technical and other specifics, let's introduce you to Croatia, Istria and their roads, where you would use the said bike.

Croatia has always been known as a destination for those who love sports and recreation. But what if we were to tell you that there is a way to do more of it? Cycle around your favorite Croatian cities, breath in the sea breeze and gaze down from mountain peaks and hills overlooking beautiful sights!

Cycling roads in Croatia and Istria

Everybody can do it, it is just a matter of planning right. Cycling in Croatia offers a lot of pleasant surprises for your next cycling tour in Croatia holiday. You can ride along the shores of the Adriatic Sea, cycle through secluded coastal towns and forgotten inland villages or pass by stone-built hamlets nestled in the hilltops. Along the way you will discover a varied landscape of lush forests, meadows and mountain paths all to yourself and be able to have an adventure like no other.

Cycling tours in Croatia, especially in Istria, are filled with diverse roads that differ in difficulty. Flat and winding tarmac roads to a steep gravel road that leads to a spectacular view in a quaint village. The network of official cycling roads, paths, trails and even bicycle tunnels in Istria is among the best ones in Europe. Many of the paths are marked with simple signs and even maps at some points of interest. For DIY cyclists on the budget, it’s not difficult to acquire paper or digital maps and explore Istria on your own. But choosing the routes, sights and delights to get the best out of your cycling tour in Croatia, requires a lot of planning and experience.

Unofficial cycling paths are even more abundant, and although they lack of cycling infrastructure can get you to places no other visitors or even locals know about. Those almost secret paths are usually accessed by gravel or even dirt roads, usually steep, so having some experience, stamina and determination help in every way. Or having a capable tour guide and yourself on an e-bike, almost levels the field between casual and weekend warrior cyclists. A fully serviced cycling tour in Croatia by Adventure Roads will get you there.

There are many factors to consider if you are planning a cycling tour with your friends in Croatia. How long, how far and how much variation is there in the terrain? Are you going to choose a mountain bicycle or a road one? Why not try out an electric bike which will allow you to pedal less and enjoy more? We have come across so many people who choose the wrong bicycle to ride around Croatia. Some of them were determined enough to ride anyway but most gave up before the end of the tour.

As there are so many places to visit in Croatia one needs a good plan ahead of time. If you too do not have a good idea about what you would like to see, you can be disappointed by the lack of an exciting itinerary. Choosing a fully serviced tour, will provide suggestions on the best places to go and leave you in good hands with our guides, who will take care of all the details on your cycling tour in Croatia.

There are innumerable factors to consider of when you want to ride a bicycle in Croatia. Some people even list weather, accommodation, food and wine as some of the factors but really doesn't it all depend on your trip? Are you a regular cyclist who goes on these tours frequently or it's your first time and you want to make sure that you choose a bicycle that makes sense? No matter what kind of cyclist you are, we can definitely help! We have great bikes for any type of terrain.

Touring road bike or a mountain bike?

Should you choose a touring road bike or a mountain bike? There is no wrong choice but, it can affect your experience. Although bicycles we offer are e-bikes, they differ in function and geometry.

If you are in for an adventure and want to ride as long as possible and enjoy an amazing cycling tour in Croatia then mountain bicycle will suit you better because cycling on mountains calls for more capable bike. Mountain bikes are also more comfortable and suitable because of their stability and tire abilities. With and mountain e-bike you can cruise along tight, narrow country roads with local people, visit remote villages at your own pace and still have fresh legs for climbing mountain passes.

Cycling on offbeat, remote, unofficial and secret paths usually requires a mountain bike. But in that case you would sacrifice the wide variety of trials you could ride with range. Big fat off-road tires and the versatile front (or even rear) suspension adds more to weight, rolling resistance and even worse aerodynamic. In that regard, daily mileage should be considered to be lower than would be with a choice of a touring road bike.

If you’re feeling fit and energetic, then a touring road bike is a great idea. With so less rolling resistance, tackling the steep mountains becomes easier, and riding fast on straight roads becomes much easier. They can be equipped with a capable front fork suspension and gravel tires, which can extend their reach of road and path types. On the other hand, some great views accessible by loose gravel roads or steep dirty roads stay reserved for mountain bikes. Both bikes are designed for different purposes but, definitely they overlap.

There’s a lot to consider before choosing a bicycle for your cycling tour in Croatia. Are the mountains too steep? Will there be time to enjoy the view? Bicycles on offer for a cycling tour in Croatia by Adventure Roads are chosen specifically for such tours and are designed and modeled to fit any type of tour.

Ready to hit the road? Let us help you pick the perfect bike for your vision of a perfect cycling tour in Croatia, where you could tour already this summer.