travel bike girl

Bike Tours for Women

Welcome to our women-only bike tour company! We’ve been creating small, inn-to-inn road bicycle tours for women since 1995. We offer bike tours in the US as well as international bike tours . Our bike trips are fully supported with two guides and a vehicle to serve you on the road, carry your luggage, provide your meals, show you the routes, and fit you to a bicycle if you need one. All you have to do is show up and ride!

Our bike trips are designed for women of all ages, abilities and interests. Some come with roommates while others come alone, but everyone goes home as friends. If you don't mind sharing a room, we'll match you with a roommate.

We all cycle at our own pace. If you wish to skip a few miles, we’ll pick you up in our van. If you'd like to ride an electric-assist e-bike, you can rent a bike from us  for your tour. We believe there's no better way to explore the world around us than on a bicycle.

Come join us!

We have updated our policy on COVID and other respiratory illnesses. Learn more  here . 

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"I was really surprised at the beauty of the scenery. Because we were at the tail end of the tourist season, many of the roads were virtually empty of traffic so the biking was a blast. I loved the entire itinerary."

Sue L. Vancouver, WA

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Travel Photography tips

One Year of Africa in Pictures – Tips for Travel Photography Part II

by Heike Pirngruber | Jun 12, 2020 | Africa , Blog , Gambia , Ghana , Guinea , Morocco , Photography , Sierra Leone

The second part (click here for part 1) of my photo series "One year of Africa in pictures". Again, I will give you the technical data of the photos, as well as little stories about how the pictures were taken and how to get better results for your own photos. I took...

A year of Africa in pictures – with tips on photography Part 1

by Heike Pirngruber | Jan 5, 2020 | Africa , Blog , Mauritania , Morocco , Photography , Senegal , Western Sahara

A review of the year in pictures.   Before continuing with the reports about my experiences in Africa, I would like to present some of my most beautiful visual moments of the past 365 days in Africa. For interested photographers, there is also the information...

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After Dark – Photo Gallery

Low-Light Photography is a special passion

Audacious Adventures – Photo Gallery

A taste of my worldwide adventures

Incredible West Africa – Photo Gallery

West Africa screams to be photographed

Colors of Morocco – Photo Gallery

Warmhearted hospitality and dreamlike landscapes

Wonderous Women – Photo Gallery

A world of femininity 

American Beauty – Photo Gallery

So much to see

Memorable Men – Photo Gallery

Masculinity from the road

Vibrant Mexico – Photo Gallery

Colorful people and places

Youngsters – Photo Gallery

The joys of youthfulness

• Travel Tips

These Solo Women Cyclists Have Epic Bicycle Touring Experience

Solo women cyclists are a rare breed, so it’s always an absolute pleasure to encounter them in the wild.

Their experience of cycling around the world is very different from mine. I am two metres tall and never have to deal with any physical or verbal confrontation. I don’t have to manage a period, politely turn down sex, discuss why I’m not married or think too much about my personal safety.

Going on your first bike trip alone can be a nerve-racking experience. The instinct is to team up with a partner or friend, but it’s not always possible – I’ve previously found that waiting for others has held me back from going on adventures…

In light of this, I’ve created this portal to provide women with enough resources and inspiration to go from dreaming about a bike trip, to building the confidence to get out there and explore the world on a bike. I believe that by understanding how to deal with various situations (perhaps more so as a solo women cyclist), you can reduce any fears or anxieties you may have.

I haven’t listed any specific advice for women travellers here. Instead, click through the following links with the contact information for the solo women cyclists I’ve met, hosted, cycled with, read about and followed on social media.

These women are great role models, and many have written on their blogs about how to deal with issues unique to travelling as a solo woman. I hope this portal helps!

Touring Websites and Groups For Women Travellers

Women Cycle The World  –  A handful of profiles on solo women travellers Bicycle Travelling Women  – More profiles on solo women cyclists Bicycle Travelling Women – Facebook Group with 6000+ members Solo Women Cyclist Interviews  – A series of interesting interviews by Heike Pirngruber

Around The World – Solo Women Cyclists

Ann Johansson – Mairawa –  Cycled Sweden to Tajikistan and Sweden to Thailand Anna Kitlar – Bikexploring – Cycled North America, Asia to Europe, Africa Anne Westwards – Anne Westwards – 1.5 years through Asia and the Middle East Astrid Domingo Molyneux – Cycling Full Circle – 2 years through Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America Blanca Fernandez – Blanca on a Bike – Cycled London to Asia, now travelling Africa Blandine – Kick The World –  5 years, 57000km, 37 countries Barbara Graf – Caretaker – Long bicycle journeys all over the world Carmen Mickley – Vegan Cycling – 41,250km, 31 countries, three continents, three years Cinderella Servranckx – Cycling Cindy  – 50000km across 45 countries Dervla Murphy – Full Tilt – Ireland to India on a bicycle… in 1963! Check out her book on the experience. Dorothee Fleck – Women’s Cycling Guide  – 12 years, 98 countries, 180,000km by bike Eleanor Moseman – Wander Cyclist – 2 years, 26,000km, China, Mongolia & Central Asia Emily Chappell – That Emily Chappell – Europe to Asia, North America and currently focussing on ultra-endurance cycling Ewa Świderska – Ewcyna – Travelling by bike around the world since 2013 Fredrika Ek – The Bike Ramble – 1000 days around the world, 51000km, 45 countries, 25 years old Gaëlle Bojko – Bike to the Blocks – One year around Europe, Lake Baikal in Siberia (lots of snow!) Genevieve Fortin – On The Bike Again – Has cycled dozens of countries since 2006 Heike Pirngruber – Push Bike Girl – Travelling by bike around the world since 2013, an amazing photographer Helen Dainty – Hels on Wheels – Cycling for six years (so far!), three continents, 43 countries on the bike Helen Lloyd – Helen’s Take On –  45 countries, 45,000km, four continents Hera van Willick – Wild Awake – Cycled extensively in Europe, Asia, North & Central America Hyojin “Jin” Jeong –  Universe With Me – 80000km around the world since 2011 Ishbel Holmes – World Bike Girl – Cycled 20 countries over three years Jeannette Gagne – A Voyage of Mysterious Me – Cycled to the “North Pole”, in Oceania and currently in Africa Jenny Graham – JennyGrahamIs – Fastest woman to cycle around the world (124 days) Joanna Kaszewiak – On By Ways – Europe to Asia by bike, bus and plane Josie Dew – Josie Dew – 35 years of solo adventures, author of seven bicycle touring books Jude & Astrid – Foons On Bikes – Australia to the UK, then the UK to South Africa Juliana Buhring – Juliana Buhring – Around the world in 152 days, ultra-endurance extraordinaire Kate Leeming – Breaking The Cycle – Lots of big bike expeditions since 1993 Lael Wilcox – Lael Wilcox – Extensive touring experience with her ex-partner, more recently has won ultra-cycling events solo Leana Neimand – Leana Neimand –  Around the world since 2007, 89 countries, seven continents Loretta Henderson – Solo Female Cyclist – Cycled five continents, 51 countries, author of a book for solo women cyclists Louise Sutherland – Louise Sutherland – Cycled 60,000 kilometres through 54 countries in the 1940s through to the 1970s Lydia Leibbrandt – Lydia Leibbrandt – The Netherlands to China as a 20-year-old Mareike Dorf – Mina Travels The World – Cycled Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia and NZ Marielle Jauring –  The Biking Viking – 39000km across Australia, NZ, USA and Canada Martina Gees – Colorfish – Five years, 25 countries, 60,000km in multiple continents Mirjam Wouters – Cycling Dutch Girl – Cycling all over the world, now with a toddler! Nicole Heker – Unlearning By Bike – 22 countries, 377 days, Thailand to Spain Phoebe Tan – Riding Cyclette – Northern Europe to South East Asia Sarah Outen – Sarah Outen – London to Russia’s far east, also long-distance ocean rower and kayaker Snezana Radojicic – Snezana Radojicic – Cycling around the world since 2011 Tara Weir – Margo Polo – 21 countries, 37,000km, extensive travels through Asia in particular, but also Aus, NZ & N.America Valentina Brunet – Valentina On Wheels  – 25000km from Vietnam to Italy

The Americas – Solo Women Cyclists

Anna Kortschak – A Thousand Turns – Alaska to Argentina (Europe too!) Anna McNuff – Anna McNuff – Bolivia to Patagonia and 50 states of the USA Anna-Luisa Becke – Radmaedchen – Canada to Guatemala, 10000km, 10 months Cynthia Valladares – En Bici al Fin del Mundo  – Ecuador to Patagonia as a 24-year-old Hilde Green – Working On My Calves –  30,000km bike trip from Alaska to Argentina Juli Hirata – Juli Hirata – Alaska to Argentina Kate Rawles – Carbon Cycle Kate –  Brazil to Patagonia on a bamboo bicycle she made herself Leah Manning – Cycle South Chica  – Cycled from the USA to Argentina Maria Garus – Solo Woman Cyclist – Alaska to Argentina, 24000km, 33 months Stefania Cioldi – She Is Around –  Cycled about South America with a very cute cat Sissi Korhonen – Strangerless – Argentina to Mexico over three years Wiebke Lühmann – Pack and Tri   – Colombia to Argentina over six months as a 23-year-old

The Big Women On Wheels Book

There is a book you can buy that has personal accounts from more than 100 solo women cyclists!

This book has opened my eyes to the myriad of techniques women sometimes employ to travel the world on a bicycle. One technique that sticks in my mind is to not smile at men in various parts of the world, as it implies you’re open to sex.

Big Women On Wheels is US $8.50 and you can get a copy HERE . 

Am I Missing Any Women Who Have Conducted Big Solo Bike Adventures?

My criteria for this list (just to keep it somewhat exclusive): – The rider has completed one or more solo 10,000km+ bike journeys. – The journey is across multiple continents (eg. Europe to Australia, Europe to South Africa, North & South America).

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Cycle tourism: Why Travel on Two Wheels + Interview with World Bike Girl

by Jessica Janoski | Oct 30, 2016 | Asia , Bolivia , Good

The latest in these trends are the various “travel-isms” that have taken over the industry –Ecotourism, food tourism, responsible tourism, cycle tourism, ect.– that all promote ways to see the world today as a traveler, and not a tourist.

But cycle tourism at its core is not as new of a phenomenon as it’s moniker may lead you to believe. People have been traversing the globe on two wheels for over a century, as early as 1884 when Thomas Stevens became the first to cycle the world in just two years and two months time. (Imagine the snap stories he could have shared!)

Ishbel is a British-Iranian cyclist who set out to see the world on two wheels in 2014. She been traveling and blogging as the “ World Bike Girl ” and is on a mission to raise awareness and support for fellow Iranian women to have the right to ride as they wish in her paternal country. She has traveled solo to over 15 countries and has no intention of slowing down anytime soon. She’s one of many peddlers that has fallen in love with the freedom of bicycle travel and the accomplishments one achieves on the open road.

Cycle tourism, however, is not all world tours and Guinness records. This travel style also consists of short, daily rides just as much as month-long trips. It can involve a loaded down cycle, ready to camp in all climates, or can serve merely as a mean of transportation to get you from one beautiful B&B to the next. At its core, cycle tourism serves to give travelers a different perspective of a new place and whether you prefer a grueling or leisurely ride is up to you.

I caught up with Ishbel just before she set out from Bolivia on her way to Brazil to learn more about the benefits of bike travel, and to get a look into the life of a cycle tourist:

What is the biggest benefit to traveling by bicycle?

I’ve traveled the world all different ways — backpacking, hitchhiking, 5-star travel — and for me, the best way to explore a country and their culture is to be on a bicycle. There are different reasons for this, but the main reason is that when you’re on a bicycle and it’s loaded down heavy, it breaks down the barriers of being a tourist with the locals. When they look at you, they don’t see a tourist [but rather] they see this person, and they’re like “That’s incredibly hard.” The locals have this instant respect for you because what you’re doing is different.

How has cycling through South America been compared to Europe and North America?

South America has been hard, it’s been real tough. I advise people who are thinking about coming to cycle South America to start by going out on weekends in their own country first (and maybe do some cycle tourism in Europe) to make sure you have the basics down because it’s tough here! You really have to know your limits when you’re cycling, especially in South America when crossing the Andes, you need to know when you’re close to reaching that line of dangerous cycling and just barely managing to get by in order to get to the top of that mountain.

How have climate changes affected your cycling — especially in Bolivia with the dramatic temperature changes and varying environments spanning a relatively small country?

I cycle four seasons with this bike — that’s one reason why this load is so heavy — so I am set up for all weather. It’s tough because sometimes you are just cold constantly. Like when I crossed the mountains [into Bolivia] I just resigned to myself that I wasn’t going to sleep for a while because it’s too cold. One night I was camping in -20 degrees Celsius and I woke up one morning, touched my hair, and I didn’t know what it was! It was just a sheet of ice and I was confused. It took hours to defrost! That’s how cold it is. You just need to keep moving forward, though, looking for the sunshine.

What has been your favorite thing about Bolivia, cycling aside?

Before I came [to Bolivia] everyone was telling me not to come because it’s too dangerous and that it’s “terrible, horrible and not worth it,” but I got here and I absolutely, freaking fell in love with Bolivia. It’s amazing! Crossing over the Andes from the Atacama [desert] and passing through Salar de Uyuni was incredible. That’s what inspired me to write a book about this country, and I haven’t written one about any other country that I have visited! I definitely want to encourage people to come here.

What is the biggest challenge when it comes to riding solo?

The weather definitely is an issue. When you are in really remote areas you need to plan things [ahead] like, you need to know where you can get help if you run into trouble and where you can get water, for example. There have been times on the trip (like in the mountains) when a massive stormed has dropped at about 4,600 meters above sea level and all I’m thinking about is, “If I could just get over this mountain and still have all my fingers and toes,” because you haven’t felt them for hours and you actually don’t know if you’re gonna have them all or not. There are different phases when you are thinking on that level of survival. One is you just start crying hysterically, but only for a second, and then you are okay, and then you start crying all over again! It’s all just about knowing your absolute limits.

How do you find comfort in being alone on the road for such long periods of time?

The problem that you have when you’re cycling on your own, and especially as a woman, is that you struggle to actually be on your own! That’s because all of the locals want to know what you are doing, they just can’t wrap their head around it. When you do this sort of trip, you’re doing it because you’re ok with being on your alone.

What is your best piece of advice for someone who wants to start cycling and dive into cycle tourism?

Go out with your friends over the weekend in your own country, or in a familiar area, and overnight camp either with your tent or using a campsite the first couple of times. Build it up in this way, don’t just jump into a big tour in a foreign country with no experience before learning your body and learning your limits with riding.

Good luck, Ishbel!

Over to you: Have you taken cycling-oriented trips, and if not, would you? What destination would you like to revisit by bicycle?

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12 Comments

I haven’t cycled long distances while travelling but have down cycle tours of cities and believe they are one of the BEST ways to get around a city! Especially in European cities where you can hire a bike in one location and return it at another. Just a brilliant way of getting around!

I love doing this. I prefer renting a cycle over a motorbike. It is eco-friendly and is also a good exercise. I haven’t traveled long distances on cycle but I do take for short trips around the city.

What an incredible adventure – I struggle to do half an hour on the bike at the gym let alone cycling across the world! Hats off to Ishbel – professional or not, it is not mean feat!

Wow, amazing woman. That is not something I could do. It’s hard enough hiking through South America, I can’t imagine trying to cycle some of the roads I have seen.

Cheers to you, takes a lot to do cycling travels. We’ve done short ones 10-15 miles but not long haul. Sometimes it’s just easier getting around places. Best to you!

The fun part of your trip would be the people. I love how you said its hard for some to wrap their heads around a woman traveling by bike solo. Gives you a chance to see life a little their way. I would love to do a trip like this but like Vicki said a half hour at the gym can do you in! 🙂

I would love to do a trip across Ireland on a bike! I’ve always loved bicycles, they’re the ultimate form of freedom in my mind.

Nice and inspirational story! Unfortunately I cannot travel the world any more by bicycle (knee problem which only allows me to bike when it is flat) but like you I am trying to promote the use and benefits of bikes (in Paris) as much as you can!

Wow what an interesting way to travel the world! – 20c though. That would kill me off. You’re a very strong woman Ishbel. Enjoy your travels. Thanks Jessica for shedding light on a different side of travelling ?

I have immense respect for bicyclists and am awestruck when I see some of the mountain roads they bicycle. Even though I wouldn’t want to travel like that, I totally admire Ishabel’s passion for this kind of traveling.

awesome photo int this post

As someone who has lived for months on a bike (riding from NYC to San Francisco) I commend you for venturing into more difficulty (foreign) territory. On my US bike trip I met people who were cycling from Alaska to Argentina, and people who had been living on their bikes for years, just riding around, from NA to SA to Europe and Australia. I’ve heard SE Asia is a wonderful place to roll as well. Keep doing what you do! The great thing about cycle touring is you don’t really care what people say or think about your adventure, because it’s about your thoughts and reasons, no one else’s.

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50 Best Bicycle Touring Books Of All Time

I am a big fan of reading other peoples adventures. One of the best things of traveling on a bicycle is that I have tons of time, which I can put into the things I like the most. One of them is reading.

So if you’re looking for some motivation to push you into a cycling trip on your own, with friends or with your partner, I recommend you to read a couple of these fantastic books. It’s the next best thing to actually traveling on a bicycle!

Just make sure to get off that couch and hit the road. Experience the real thing because no matter how good these books are, they can never replicate the incredible experiences you have when traveling by bicycle.

So, this is my personal list of the Best Bicycle Touring Books of All Time.

MOODS OF FUTURE JOYS by Alastair Humphreys

Alastair Humphreys’ around-the-world journey of 46,000 miles was an old-fashioned adventure: long, lonely, low-budget, and spontaneous. Cycling across five continents and sailing over the oceans, his ride took four years to complete, on a tiny budget of hoarded student loans. Here is the story of the first remarkable stage of the expedition. Just two weeks into the ride the September 11th attacks changed everything. All Humphreys’ plans went out the window and, instead of riding towards Australia, he suddenly found himself pedaling through the Middle East and Africa and on toward Cape Town.

THUNDER AND SUNSHINE by Alastair Humphreys

Alastair Humphreys cycled around the world—a journey of 46,000 miles. This inspiring story traces the second leg of his travels—the length of South and North America, the breadth of Asia and back across Europe, crossing the mountains and salt-flats of South America, canoeing the Five-Finger Rapids of the Yukon River, and braving a Siberian Winter with only the flimsiest tent to protect him from the elements.

A BIKE RIDE: 12,000 MILES AROUND THE WORLD by Anne Mustoe

When ex-headmistress Anne Mustoe gave up her job, bought a bike and took to the road, she couldn’t even mend a puncture. 12,000 miles and 15 months later, she was home. Her epic solo journey took her around the world, through Europe, India, the Far East and the United States. From Thessaloniki to Uttar Pradesh, from Chumphon to Singapore, she faced downpours, blizzards and blistering deserts, political turmoil and amorous waiters – alternated with great kindness from strangers along the way.

ACROSS AFRICAN SAND by Phil Deutschle

The incredible story of a 3,000 mile bicycle trek across the world’s largest stretch of sand–the Kalahari and Namib Deserts of Southern Africa. The author relates his fantastic experiences–stalked by lions, charged by a herd of elephants, and his encounters with poisonous snakes, to name a few. He also tells of his numerous observations and experiences in living and teaching in Botswana for three years. These include his marriage to the daughter of a local witch-doctor.

DESERT SNOW by Helen Lloyd

Desert Snow is the story of one girl, one bike and 1,000 beers in Africa. By daring to follow a dream and not letting fear prevail, Helen cycled across the Sahara, Sahel and tropics of West Africa, paddled down the Niger River in a pirogue, hitch-hiked to Timbuktu and spent three months traversing the Congo, which she thought she may never leave… A lot can change in 2 years, cycling 25,000km from England to Cape Town. So can nothing. Helen takes you with her on the journey through every high and low of her memories and misadventures.

EVERY INCH OF THE WAY by Tom Bruce

In March 2011 I set off on the adventure of a lifetime, from my front door, across Europe, Asia and finally the USA. I spent nights in people’s houses all over the world, slept in Yurts, camped with nomads, ate delicious food ranging from Tibetan stew to alligator meat, drunk home-made Georgian wine, was given clothes, partied with Kazakhs on the Caspian Sea ferry, saw photos of USSR soldiers in front of statues of Lenin, saw Stalin’s house the Grand Canyon and the Great Wall. I cycled through sweltering deserts and over huge mountains. I overcame mechanical problems with the help of an Azerbaijani mechanic and illness due to the kindness of a Tajik Pamiri doctor.

FALLING UPHILL by Scott Stoll

A 4 year and 25,742 mile odyssey around the world by bicycle, seeking answers to the great mysteries of life, vowing to find happiness or die trying. The quest wasn’t easy. He was imprisoned, held hostage, mugged, run over, suspected of terrorism, accused of espionage, trampled, diseased, heartbroken — he nearly died a dozen times. But more importantly, he also discovered the wonders of the world, kindness among strangers, the meaning of life, peace, love and — Yes! — happiness, in the most unlikely places.

LONE TRAVELLER: ONE WOMAN, TWO WHEELS AND THE WORLD by Anne Mustoe

Using historical routes as her inspiration, Anne followed the ancient Roman roads to Lisbon, travelled across South America with the Conquistadors, pursued Captain Cook over the Pacific to Australia and Indonesia and followed the caravans along the fabled Silk Road from Xi’an to Rome.

ODYSSEUS’ LAST STAND by Dave Stamboulis

Based on the author’s seven year and 40,000 kilometer bicycle journey around the world, Odysseus’ Last Stand documents the richness of the planet’s sights, sounds, and teeming life as experienced from the saddle of a bicycle. During his journey, the author experiences firsthand the effect of international politics on media-invisible cultures while mingling with an endless array of unusual and wonderful characters. As he immerses himself in the culture of every country he visits, learning the languages and customs as he travels, he witnesses the clash of values between developed and developing worlds and the inherent tensions between tradition and progress.

JANAPAR: LOVE, ON A BIKE by Tom Allen

At the age of 23, Tom Allen quit a perfectly good career in IT in favour of a life of penniless, wandering itinerancy. He set off with a three-wheeled bicycle, a tent and a video camera, leaving his Midlands home with a madcap idea to cycle round the globe. Fate, however, had other ideas, and eight months into his ride, alone in mountains during a bitter Caucasian winter, he met Tenny — the girl who would change the course of his journey and then his life.

OFF THE RAILS by Tim Cope & Chris Hatherly

This is the true story of two twenty-year old Australians who travelled for fourteen months on recumbent bicycles from Russia, across Siberia and Mongolia, to Beijing. It is as much a story of perseverance, passion, and belief as it is about the people and remarkable landscapes of Siberia and Mongolia. Tim and Chris are not just fearless adventurers but philosophers on wheels, willing and able to open themselves up to everything from the voice of the Steppes to the Russian villagers and the nomads of the Gobi desert.

THE POWER OF POSITIVE PEDALING by Janet Cady Zebrack & Jerry Zebrack

Stories and reflections from a married couple’s three decades of traveling the world by bicycle — including photographs and tips for long-distance bicycle touring.

THIS BREATHTAKING WORLD: AROUND THE WORLD BY BICYCLE by Tim Doherty

“This Breathtaking World” is a vivid and very personal account of life on the road. The title has a double-meaning, as the author is a chronic asthma sufferer. Tim encountered many problems, but the varied cultures and fantastic scenery along the way were his daily rewards. What remains with him most, however, is his impression of the people in each of the countries he cycled across; their remarkable generosity and hospitality. Tim completed his tour successfully, finishing up in his home town of Sheffield, England, more than two years after he’d cycled off from there, having pedalled a total of 21,688 miles.

BE BRAVE, BE STRONG: A JOURNEY ACROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE by Jill Homer

“Be Brave, Be Strong: A Journey Across the Great Divide” is the story of an adventure driven relentlessly forward as foundations crumble. During her record-breaking ride in the 2009 Tour Divide, Jill battles a torrent of self-doubt, anger, fatigue, loneliness, pain, grief, bicycle failures, crashes, violent storms, and hopelessness. Each night, she collapses under the crushing effort of this savage new way of life. And every morning, she picks up the pieces and strikes out anew in an ongoing journey to discover what lies on the other side of the Great Divide: astonishing beauty, unconditional kindness, and boundless strength.

BIKING TO THE ROOF OF THE WORLD by Tom Bruce

Starting in the city of Chandigahr, round the world cyclist Tom Bruce and his friend Harry cycled along the famous Manali to Leh Highway and then over the highest motorable pass in the world. On the way they experienced stunning landscapes, fascinating wildlife, the kindness of strangers, wonderful campsites, illness, landslides and Buddhist monasteries. Reading this book is a great adventure in itself and is a great resource for people planning a bicycle tour in the Himalayas.

CATFISH AND MANDALA by Andrew X. Pham

Catfish and Mandala is the story of an American odyssey—a solo bicycle voyage around the Pacific Rim to Vietnam—made by a young Vietnamese-American man in pursuit of both his adopted homeland and his forsaken fatherland.

CYCLING HOME FROM SIBERIA by Rob Lilwall

Having left his job as a high-school geography teacher, Rob Lilwall arrived in Siberia equipped only with a bike and a healthy dose of fear. Cycling Home from Siberia recounts his epic three-and-a-half-year, 30,000-mile journey back to England via the foreboding jungles of Papua New Guinea, an Australian cyclone, and Afghanistan’s war-torn Hindu Kush. A gripping story of endurance and adventure, this is also a spiritual journey, providing poignant insight into life on the road in some of the world’s toughest corners.

DOWN THE ROAD IN SOUTH AMERICA by Tim Travis

Tim and Cindie’s around the world bicycle touring adventures continues in this second book about exploring South America. This part of the journey was even more challenging with the highest mountains, coldest nights, and the most dangerous situations yet.

DOWN THE ROAD IN THAILAND, CAMBODIA AND VIETNAM by Tim Travis

“Freedom is addictive” Bicycle touring, for the Travises, is the purest realization of a free life. Tim and Cindie travel farther outside their comfort zone than ever before. They encountered oppressive communism, thieves; and a fist fight with a drunken man in rural Vietnam. Exposure to War and Genocide were reminders of how precious life can be. Despite all this the Travises once again were humbled by the warmth and friendliness of humanity.

GOING SOMEWHERE: A BICYCLE JOURNEY ACROSS AMERICA by Brian Benson

Brian and Rachel soon embark on a ride from northern Wisconsin to Somewhere West, infatuated with the promise of adventure and each other. But as the pair progress from the Northwoods into the bleak western plains, they begin to discover the messy realities of life on the road. Mile by mile, they contend with merciless winds and brutal heat, broken bikes and bodies, each other and themselves—and the looming question of what comes next. Told in a voice “as hilarious as it is wise” (Cheryl Strayed),  Going Somewhere  is a candid tale of the struggle to move forward.

I NEVER INTENDED TO BE BRAVE by Heather Andersen

Not yet ready to return to the States after her service as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer, Heather Andersen sets her dream of exploring southern Africa by bicycle in motion. Her group dwindles to just two before the trip even starts and she finds herself traveling with a man she’s never met before. Tension between them builds until the inevitable split, and Heather continues on alone through unfamiliar lands. With great appreciation and understanding, she vividly describes her surroundings, the colorful people she encounters, and the adventure of traveling in foreign cultures as a solo woman on a bicycle. With the question of whether it’s safe never far from her mind, she forges her own path through southern Africa—and life.

INTO THICK AIR: BIKING TO THE BELLYBUTTON OF SIX CONTINENTS by Jim Malusa

With plenty of sunscreen and a cold beer swaddled in his sleeping bag, writer and botanist Jim Malusa bicycled alone to the lowest point on each of six continents, a six-year series of “anti-expeditions” to the “anti-summits.” His journeys took him to Lake Eyre in the arid heart of Australia, along Moses’ route to the Dead Sea, and from Moscow to the Caspian Sea. He pedaled across the Andes to Patagonia, around tiny Djibouti in the Horn of Africa, and from Tucson to Death Valley. With a scientist’s eye, he vividly observes local landscapes and creatures. As a lone man, he is overfed by grandmothers, courted by ladies of the night in Volgograd, invited into a mosque by Africa’s most feared tribe, chased by sandstorms and hurricanes — yet Malusa keeps riding.

LIFE IS A WHEEL by Bruce Weber

The story begins on the Oregon coast, with Weber wondering what he’s gotten himself into, and ends in triumph on New York City’s George Washington Bridge. From Going-to-the-Sun Road in the northern Rockies to the headwaters of the Mississippi and through the cityscapes of Chicago and Pittsburgh, his encounters with people and places provide us with an intimate, two-wheeled perspective of America. And with thousands of miles to travel, Weber considers— when he’s not dealing with tractor-trailers, lightning storms, dehydration, headwinds, and loneliness—his past, his family, and the echo that a well-lived life leaves behind.

MILES FROM NOWHERE by Barbara Savage

This is the delightful and often humorous story of an around-the-world bicycle trip taken by two young people, Barbara and Larry Savage. It took them two years and 25 countries. Along the way, these neophyte cyclists encountered warm-hearted strangers, bicycle-hating drivers, rock-throwing Egyptians, over-protective Thai policemen, and great personal joys. They returned to a new life in Santa Barbara, one Barbara never lived to savor. She was killed in a street accident, Barbara and her bicycle vs. a truck. We are lucky to have this memoir, throughout which her vitality, warmth and compassion glow.

NORTH TO SOUTH: A MAN, A BEAR AND A BICYCLE by James Brooman

James Brooman grew up near London, England. He was a guy who rarely cycled or had an adventure, a guy who was scared of the fairground rides as a child. But one day he changed; he became a guy with a quest. Armed with a bicycle, a toy bear and some optimism he flew to the north of Alaska and for the next two years rode it to the southern tip of South America. This is his tale.

OLD MAN ON A BICYCLE by Don Petterson

In May 2002, putting doubters-and self-doubt-behind him, Petterson headed west. Laboring against strong headwinds, struggling up steep hills, or coping with extreme weather, he sometimes wondered what in the world he was doing. But he kept going-the lure of riding his bike across the Golden Gate a compelling incentive. Ahead of him lay many challenges-among them, riding his loaded bike over the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada, crossing the Great Plains in brutal summer heat, dealing with the aftermath of a collision with a car, and traversing Nevada’s basin and range country and the Great Salt Lake’s desert.

ONE MILE AT A TIME: CYCLING THROUGH LOSS TO RENEWAL by Dwight R. Smith

This story of one man’s healing solo bicycle journey, 13,784 miles around the perimeter of the U.S., is both amazing and inspiring.

TAKING THE LONG WAY HOME by Frank Miller

March 31, 2001, Frank and Helen Miller left San Diego on bicycles. Three thousand one hundred miles and seventy-seven days later they arrived home in Melbourne Beach, Florida. The book, Taking the Long Way Home, is the story of this long journey. On their way home, the Millers crossed deserts, climbed mountains, and rode through large cities. They had to deal with aggressive dogs and aggressive police officers while meeting cowboys, an Emmy winner, a desert rat, EMTs, preachers, and a lot of friendly, interesting people. The America they experienced, traveling at 15 miles per hour while stopping in every small town in their path, was much different than the America seen from a car traveling 70 miles per hour on an interstate highway.

THE FIRST BIG RIDE: A WOMAN’S JOURNEY by Eloise Hanner

The First Big Ride””: A Woman’s Journey, by Eloise Hanner, is the story of the first Big Ride across America from Seattle to Washington, D.C., in the summer of 1998. This is not the story of an athletic event so much as it is an inspiration for everyone who sits at a desk and wonders if the time for adventure has passed them by.

THE MAN WHO CYCLED THE WORLD by Mark Beaumont

This is the inspiring story of one young man’s record-breaking solo cycle journey around the world. On 15 February 2008, Mark Beaumont pedalled through the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. 194 days and 17 hours previously, he had begun his attempt to circumnavigate the world in record time. Mark smashed the Guinness World Record by an astonishing 81 days. He had travelled more than 18,000 miles on his own through some of the harshest conditions one man and his bicycle can endure, camping wild at night and suffering from constant ailments. The Man Who Cycled the World is the story not just of that amazing achievement, but of the events that turned Mark Beaumont into the man he is today.

THE MASKED RIDER: CYCLING IN WEST AFRICA by Neil Peart

Neil Peart cycles his way through West Africa and brings us along with him, dysentery and all. The Masked Rider details his physical and spiritual journey, through photographs, journal entries, and tales of adventure. Peart’s “masks” are the masks that we wear–culture, psychology, labels, expectations–and his book reveals how traveling in a very foreign land allows us to peer behind them.

THE WINKY-EYED JESUS AND OTHER UNDESCRIBABLES by Scott M. Wayland

Fully versed in the arcane secrets of elite Ninja recumbent bicycle touring, at the advanced age of forty five, Scott Wayland set out to meet his country face to face, rubber to the road, with nothing but his lactic acid-addled wits and a burning desire to know what the country had to say for itself. Strange creatures, cantankerous weather, odd characters, and a huge, big, bad, beautiful land give him the experience of a lifetime. The Winky-Eyed Jesus and Other Undescribables is an intimate journey into the heart of America, its people and landscape, and one man’s struggle to take it all in.

TWO ARE BETTER: MIDLIFE NEWLYWEDS BICYCLE COAST TO COAST by Tim Bishop

At age 52, the couple finally found in each other that special someone they’d been searching for years to marry. They moved from marriage proposal and wedding, to Tim’s “retirement” and relocation, to embarking on their cycling adventure in only ten weeks. There was no more need to hold back once God gave the green light. Two Are Better shares the joy and excitement of the Bishops’ escape into togetherness.

WHERE THE PAVEMENT ENDS by Erika Warmbrunn

Erika Warmbrunn’s amazing 8,000 kilometer cycling journey through Asia. Winner of the Barbara Savage Miles From Nowhere Memorial Award.

FULL TILT: IRELAND TO INDIA WITH A BICYCLE by Dervla Murphy

Originally published in 1965, it is the diary of her bicycle trek from Dunkirk, across Europe, through Iran and Afghanistan, over the Himalayas to Pakistan and India. Murphy’s immediate rapport with the people she alights among is vibrant and appealing and makes her travelogue unique. Venturing aloneaccompanied only by her bicycle, which she dubs Rozthe indomitable Murphy not only survives daunting physical rigors but gleans considerable enjoyment in getting to know peoples who were then even more remote than they are now.

THE LONGEST ROAD by Ben Cunningham

In June 2008 Ben Cunningham and five friends set out to cycle the Pan-American Highway from the northernmost point of Alaska to the most southerly city in the world. Along the way the kindness of strangers, run-ins with the law, and sometimes gangsters, were encountered. The task was as simple as it is brutal. This is an inspirational tale of adventure and endurance; of what can happen when you get on your bike; and of getting to where you want to be.

TRAVELS WITH WILLIE: ADVENTURE CYCLIST by Willie Weir

Watch enough cable news and your view of the world will be clouded by fear. Hop on a bike and that view will brighten drastically. Travels with Willie is about finding adventure and facing fear, embarrassing blunders and language barriers, ice cream and kindness, Cuba and Colombia, Turkey and Thailand, the world’s steepest street and the world’s cheapest engagement ring, catching a thief and losing a zebra, a father’s touch and a farmer’s embrace, buying time and spending another night. Fellow bicycle travelers will smile with recognition, and arm-chair travelers might find themselves wandering into a bike shop, looking for a passport to adventure.

THE BOY WHO BIKED THE WORLD by Alastair Humphreys

In this charming caricature of Alastair Humphreys’ infamous circumnavigation of the world on his bike, children are swept along with the character of Tom, an adventurous boy who feels there must be more to life than school. The first part of The Boy Who Biked the World follows Tom leaving England, cycling through Europe and all the way through Africa to the tip of South Africa. Along the way, young readers are introduced not only to the various fascinating landscapes he passes through, but also to the various people who so happily embrace him as he traveled on his journey.

RIDING OUTSIDE THE LINES by Joe Kurmaskie

Like a modern-day Don Quixote, Joe Kurmaskie—bike adventurer, writer, and twelve-year-old boy trapped in a man’s body—wanders the world on two wheels, often with hilarious results, in Riding Outside the Lines. A jaunt through such far-flung locations as Ireland, Australia, Mexico, South America, and beyond, here is a collection of tales woven together with one central theme: the world is a much smaller place when you view it from the seat of a bicycle.

A CROSSING: A CYCLIST’S JOURNEY HOME by Brian Newhouse

A travelogue in the tradition of Blue Highways and On the Road, this book tells the extraordinary story of one man’s solo bicycle adventure across America–and the spiritual and personal awakening he experienced on his journey.

JUST THE TWO OF US: A CYCLING JOURNEY ACROSS AMERICA by Melissa Norton

Riding a bicycle 4,622 miles across the United States in 63 days is not that unusual, and it has been written about in such books as Stan Purdum’s Roll Around Heaven All Day and Barbara Siegert’s Bicycle Across America. What is unique about this trip is that it was accomplished by a wife and husband in their fifties. Using a journal format, Norton writes about the couple’s trip from Astoria, OR, to Bar Harbor, ME, covering the grueling mountain climbs, whom they encountered, what they saw, where they stayed and what they ate, the personal relations between husband and wife, and some useful tips on bicycle touring.

BIKING ACROSS AMERICA by Paul Stutzman

After taking readers down the Appalachian Trail, Paul Stutzman brings them on a new adventure, biking from Neah Bay, Washington, to Key West, Florida, encountering fascinating people along the way.

NO RESERVATIONS by Sally Hall

Their story offers a window into America from 1999 to 2003 as they experienced it on that journey. Pedaling through the mists of the Pacific Northwest, across snowy mountains, along great rivers, over golden plains, around Great Lakes, and through the remains of turbulent history to the rocky shores of Maine on the Atlantic, they were transformed by the beauty of America and the generosity of her people. In middle age, without reservations and carrying their own gear, they embraced adventure and, along the way, became healthy and strong.

FREE-WHEELIN’: A SOLO JOURNEY ACROSS AMERICA by Richard A. Lovett

In an inspirational adventure for all who dream of exiting the fast lane, Lovett recounts his 5,400-mile bicycle journey across the northern half of the US, in an effort to discover the real America–and himself.

TAKE A SEAT by Dominic Gill

In Take a Seat , Dominic tells the story of his incredible journey. Over twenty-six months, he covered 18,449 miles down the west coast of the Americas, passed through fifteen countries, was looked after by countless strangers, crashed into a Mexican banana truck, was nearly attacked by a mob of Bolivian political demonstrators, cycled past active volcanoes, and didn’t have a single haircut. All sorts of colorful characters took a seat on Achilles—from a meditating, pot-smoking French Canadian named Pierre to Adrienne, a lovely Appalachian girl who rode with him into Panama, and the dark-haired Joselyn from Chile. Eventually, Dominic reached Ushuaia, freezing and exhausted and with another new friend behind him—the 270th person to take that seat. He had achieved his dream.

HOW BIG ARE THE PANCAKES? by Kathryn Krull

Accompany three forty-something biker chicks as they cycle across America. For fifty-nine days, Kathy, Cindy and Mary Anne pedal 3,150 miles through ten states, from California to Virginia. Their journey takes them through lush green valleys, up steep mountains, by farms, and past desolate rangeland. On the road they battle inclement weather, intense heat, fierce headwinds, nasty dogs, aching bodies, and flat tires. Their inner strength, their determination, and the kindness of strangers sustains them along the way.

JUST KEEP PEDALING by T.E. Trimbath

Seeing America at ten miles an hour without the protective shell of a car allows all of the senses to get to know the country. It was an interesting ride with insights into culture and sore muscles. And then there was the awesome chocolate sundae in a ranch town in Utah This personal narrative also has an appendix that acts as a guide for others that might want to try their own adventure. There are details on gear, route selection, and expenses and most of all encouragement. You don’t know what you’ll find out there on the road until you get there.

ACROSS AMERICA BY BICYCLE by Alice Honeywell and Bobbi Montgomery

Biking from Oregon to Maine is no small feat, especially for two newly retired women who carry everything they need for three months, powered only by the strength of their legs and a desire for adventure. Alice Honeywell and Bobbi Montgomery invite readers to follow their ride by bicycle across the United States, as they face scorching sun, driving rain, buffeting winds, equipment failures, killer hills, wild fires, and even a plague of grasshoppers.

MOMENTUM IS YOUR FRIEND by Joe Kurmaskie

For a four-thousand-mile bicycle ride across America, Joe’s seven-year-old son Quinn rides a tagalong bike attached to his dad’s, and behind that is five-year-old Enzo in a bike trailer. Our hero the Metal Cowboy answers the question “What are you, crazy?” with a resounding “Yes.” With no support crew except his boys’ comic relief and the kindness of strangers, he pedals hundreds of pounds of gear and offspring over mountain passes, through thunderstorms, and into the heart of what it means to be a dad.

MUD, SWEAT, AND GEARS by Joe Kurmaskie

This time the Metal Cowboy sets off to bicycle across Canada, with wife and three sons (one just a year old) along for the adventure. If Momentum Is Your Friend was about fathers, sons, and hometown heroes, Mud, Sweat, and Gears is about mothers, wives, family, and the glue that holds the world together.

For more of our top bicycle touring gear recommendations, check out these popular buyer's guides:

Touring Bikes

Bike Handlebar Bags

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Panniers for Touring

Touring Saddles

23 Responses

The long ride Lloyd sumner

Thanks for the suggestion, Alan. I will look into them! 🙂

Also consider “Hurt City” by Bob Voiland. Published in 1994. Available from abebooks.com

Great. Thanks Bob!

Travels with Rosinante by Bernard Magnouloux, an eccentric’s account of a crazy adventure is also a must read.

I’ve been hearing great things about “Travels with Rosinante” for years and I still haven’t read it. I better get it soon. Thanks Jonathan!

The very first cycle touring book I ever read,well worth searching out.

Any of the many books by Josie Dew.They are all very entertaining.

Another author to add to my list. Thanks Andy!

Hi Antonia,

Wow – thanks for including my book in this. Any chance you could update the cover to the new version I’ve release? I’ll send it to you if that’s ok?

Cheers, Tom

Sure, no problem. Send it over 🙂

12 wheels from Turkey is another that I loved! Sadly out of print though last I checked.

Umm. I will keep an eye on it if I see it’s available. Thanks!

Don’t forget Helen Lloyd’s recent book, ‘A Siberian Winter’s Tale: Cycling to the Edge of Insanity and the End of the World’. 🙂

Awesome. Now I have a new book to read!

Great, Inspiring, will be useful for future riders.

Thanks Mukesh!

Check out “Beyond the Horizon” – by Colin Angus. A mix of cycling and rowing around the world.

Thanks for the recommendation Ryan!

Awesome collection of bicycle touring books. Bookmarked it for future reference…

Glad you liked it Emily 🙂

Prefer ebooks with audio option. Enjoy any true stories about a journey by non motorized bicycle. The wish is to have them available in digital audio!

I have read Alastair Humphreys two books. I wish they were longer. They deserve to be at the top of this list. His trip is the one to judge all others by. It is a true round the world bike adventure that included the length of Africa, from Patagonia to the top of Alaska and then through Siberia, down Japan, across China and back through Europe. Alastair did the whole trip on the surface of the Earth as well by including three boat trips. The books are entertaining, amazing and inspiring. They are essential reading for anyone that is planning anything really, but especially an epic bike adventure.

Ishbel Holmes

Adventurer – author – speaker, animal rescuer.

Ishbel has cycled solo across 20 countries, trekked 100 miles of Patagonia unsupported … pedalled 5000 metres high … wild camped in minus 20 degrees celsius …. pedalled the Pyrenees, Alps and Andes, wild camped through the Pantanal Jungle …. followed Che Guevara’s final footsteps across Bolivia …. cycled the largest salt plain in the world …. crossed a country with no money … raced internationally as a velodrome sprinter and road raced around UK.  That’s the easy stuff.

Ishbel began adult life as a run away from foster care, spending years homeless and adrift, struggling with her mental health which was damaged from abandonment and trauma.  Ishbel came to a cross roads in her life at age 21.  What was the point of living, when everyday she wanted to die?  She knew she either had to end it there or commit herself to living.  Ishbel chose life.  The rest is history.

Ishbel is an author, writer and public speaker, using stories of adventure to inspire and empower.

Passionate about bridging the gap between adversity and achievement, Ishbel uses her biography for social change, inspiring mindsets of what’s possible and teaching the life hacks to success, no matter where you’ve came from. 

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LATEST FROM BLOG

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.

Girls’ bikes have changed a lot since we were young enough to ride them. While most of us learned using training wheels (or the close-your-eyes-and-pray method), kids today have balance bikes , which teach them to keep a bike upright without having to give up the safety net of putting their feet on the ground.

Today’s kids’ bikes are not only safer, more comfortable, and higher quality, but they’re also just more fun to ride. They have geometry that’s better-designed for a more stable ride, higher-quality parts, lighter frames, more size options, wider tires, and hand brakes—all of which add up to a better experience for growing riders. There are even kids’ bikes with suspension forks and disc brakes for young girls who really want to shred.

Here’s what to look for when shopping for a girls’ bike, plus 10 rides we recommend—for everyone from toddlers just learning how to balance, to young rippers looking to send it, and teenagers almost ready to move up to a full-size women’s bike .

Sometimes Color Is the Only Difference, But Not Always

If you look at some of the bigger brands’ websites—Trek, Specialized, Liv, Giant—you’ll notice the kids’ category is typically “youth” rather than “girls” and “boys.” And it seems that there’s often no distinction between girls’ and boys’ bikes other than color.

Trek’s website, for example, shows different versions for boys and girls for all six models in its Precaliber line (from the 12-inch up to the 8-speed 24-inch model with suspension). But if you compare the bikes’ components, they’re identical, the only difference being frame-color options. Put the Liv Enchant 20 Lite next to the Giant XTC Jr. 20 Lite, however, and though they might appear to be the same bike with different paint—they have all the same components, after all—you’ll see their geometries are slightly different. The Liv has a longer seat tube, shorter reach, and lower standover height.

“When purchasing a bike for a youth rider , regardless of gender, the most important things to consider are comfort, the rider’s ability to control the bike, and that the bike isn’t too heavy for the rider,” says John Munhall, director of bike product at Liv Cycling. “Much of what leads to different demands and functional nuances for product design between both genders generally doesn’t take place until after the puberty stage for both men and women,” he says.

So if the blue unisex Giant XTC feels and fits her better than the purple girls’ Liv Enchant, go with the more comfortable ride. A bike that feels good and safe will encourage her to get out there more than an uncomfortable one that coincidentally happens to be her favorite color.

Make Sure the Bike Fits, or She Won’t Ride It

Not every bike manufacturer sizes its youth bikes the same way, so it’s important to understand what you’re looking at when perusing different websites. For example, Trek, Cannondale, and Giant use wheel size to group their kids’ bikes, but Trek goes one step further and includes an age group and height range. Specialized breaks down sizing as Toddler, Little Kids, and Big Kids, each followed by an age range.

But any elementary school class photo will show you that kids in the same age group don’t necessarily fall within the same height range. The best plan is to find the size you think works best and use it as a starting point (in addition to the manufacturer’s sizing method, use this handy wheel-size chart). If you can, also have your kid try different sizes at a local shop before buying. One thing you don’t want to do is buy a bike she can grow into—this isn’t her sister’s Easter dress hand-me-down. If the bike is too big, it will, at best, sit unused in the garage. At worst, it will be hard to control and dangerous to ride.

Other Features to Consider

Modern geometry.

Kids’ bikes, like adult models, are getting lower and longer. A bottom bracket that is closer to the ground lowers the bike’s center of gravity, providing more stability and an easier time getting on and off. A longer wheelbase makes the bike less twitchy, which is a bonus as kids begin to develop handling skills.

Wider Tires

For younger girls, look for options with wider, mountain bike-style tires, which offer more grip and can be run at lower pressures for better traction. Save the skinny tires for when she’s ready to start shopping in the “women’s road bikes” category.

Aluminum Frame

Just as you wouldn’t want to pedal a 40-pound road bike uphill, your little one—with her developing leg muscles—doesn’t want to schlep around a heavy bike. Fortunately, there are lighter aluminum options available today than the steel ones we had as kids. Also, some brands hide a lot of weight in the wheels. A bike with aluminum rims and fewer spokes can save another pound.

Most kids’ bikes are singlespeed and use a variety of gear combinations. Some are easier to pedal (better for hills), while others are set up with a slightly harder gear (faster on the flats). Most manufacturers list chainring and rear cog sizes so you can compare.

How We Selected

I’ve been riding bikes for decades—and reviewing them for almost as long—but only since becoming a parent have I started to recognize how important bike quality and fit are for even the youngest riders. We tend to think about kids’ bikes as cheap, almost-interchangeable “toys,” but having a lightweight, well-designed bicycle that’s easy to mount and dismount has made all the difference in whether or not my daughter is fired up about going for a ride. I brought that consideration to this selection of bikes, as well as input from the kids of Bicycling ’s test editors, who rode many of these bikes and gave feedback about their experiences. We included others based on market research, user reviews, interviews with product managers and designers, and our own thoughts from riding adult bikes from the same brands. Before recommending these bikes, we considered weight, geometry, gearing, quality, value—and because kids grow out of bikes quickly, resale value. These are the nine girls’ bikes we recommend.

―STANDOVER CONFIDENCE―

Co-op cycles rev cty step-through kids’ bike.

Frame: Aluminum | Wheel Size: 24 in. | Gearing: 42/34/24, Shimano Tourney, 14-34, 7-speed | Tires: Kenda Cosmos, 24 x 1.5 in. | Weight: Not listed (Estimated: 26 pounds)

Co-op Cycles Co-op Cycles REV CTY Step-Through Kids' Bike

Step-through frames are easy to mount and dismount due to their sloping or down-angled top tubes, which can go a long way in building kids’ early bike confidence and sense of handling. This unisex kids’ model is a great first multi-speed bike that can grow with your budding cyclist. It has a fairly lightweight aluminum frame and a triple crankset, so it’s ready to tackle the biggest climbs in the neighborhood. Shimano Tourney trigger shifters are easy to operate for kids who are new to shifting or accustomed to twist shifters. The bike feels smooth and stable on both roads and dirt paths.

―FOR PRESCHOOL SHREDDERS―

Spawn cycles yogi 16.

Frame: Aluminum | Wheel Size: 16 in. | Gearing: Singlespeed | Tires: 16 x 1.90 in. Spawn Cycles Loam Star | Weight: 14 lb.

Spawn Spawn Yoji 16

If you have a mini-ripper in the making, she’ll love the Yoji for its burly frame and beefy tires. Plus, with the bike’s huge range of fun neon options from which to choose, she’ll be the talk of the playground. Made with 6061-T6 aluminum and a streamlined chromoly fork, with Tektro mini V-brakes and kid-size brake levers, the 16-inch Yoji builds on the brand’s best seller, the 16-inch Banshee. Spawn Cycles even made its own custom tires—the 16 x 1.90-inch Spawn Cycles Loam Stars—to really help her shred the gnar. Bonus: It can grow with your daughter, thanks to a stem that can flip to raise the handlebar height, and multiple headset spacers to add even more incremental height.

READ FULL REVIEW

―BEST FOR LEARNING―

Strider 12 sport balance bike.

Frame: Steel | Wheel Size: 12 in. | Gearing: None | Tires: 12-inch foam rubber | Weight: 6.7 lb.

Strider Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike

Bikes without pedals allow tiny riders to learn to balance while pushing off the ground with their feet, before introducing the secondary skill of pedaling. This version in particular is made with flat-proof foam rubber tires and has an adjustable seat height to fit riders with 12- to 20-inch inseams (typically kids from ages two to five years old). The handlebar can be raised, along with the seat, as your little girl grows. It’s also available in red, green, blue, and pink.

—BEST VALUE BIKE―

Schwinn elm 20.

Frame: Steel | Wheel Size: 20 in. | Gearing: Singlespeed | Tires: Not listed | Weight: Not listed

Schwinn Schwinn Elm Girls Bike

The 20-inch-wheeled Elm, designed for riders 44 to 45 inches tall, is a great next step for when she outgrows her balance bike. A rear-leaning seat tube allows her to put her feet on the ground while seated and still keep the pedals at a comfortable distance, an important confidence-booster for new riders. Hand levers let her hone her skill of controlled braking, but a coaster brake is also present as backup while she learns. A built-in chain guard helps protect her fingers and feet, and keeps the chain in place through falls and careless tosses in the driveway. A tool-free, adjustable seatpost makes it easy to accommodate her as she grows (or passes it down to a sibling), and the included front basket adds charm and carrying capacity.

—PRE-K CRUISER―

Electra sprocket 16 kids bike.

Frame: Aluminum | Wheel Size: 16 in. | Gearing: Singlespeed | Tires: 16 x 2.15 in. | Weight: 20 lb.

Electra Electra Sprocket 16

If you decide to go the old-school, training-wheels route instead of the balance-bike route when teaching your kid to ride, this cute little singlespeed is the perfect place to start. Sporting removable training wheels and both a rear coaster brake and front hand brake, the Sprocket 16 makes it easy for preschoolers and kindergartners to embark on their first two-wheeled adventures. Plus, Electra builds its bikes with another confidence-boosting feature: geometry that allows the rider to sit on the saddle while planting her feet on the ground. Once she’s ready to balance on her own, just remove the training wheels and watch her go on the bike’s cushy, smooth-rolling Kevlar tires—ideal for cruising the neighborhood, nearby park trails, and wherever else her heart takes her.

―EASY-TO-OPERATE SIDEWALK CRUISER―

Cannondale girls trail single-speed 20.

Frame: Aluminum | Wheel Size: 20 in. | Gearing: Singlespeed | Tires: Not listed | Weight: 20.4 lb.

Cannondale Cannondale Girl's Kids Trail Single-Speed 20

This singlespeed bike will get your kid excited to ride. With just the single gear and a coaster brake, all she has to do is pedal forward to go and backward to stop. The stable tires (20 x 1.75 inches) help her stay balanced and planted on sidewalks and bike paths, and a kickstand lets her park wherever she wants. This 20-inch bike is best suited for girls ages 5 through 8. Though the aluminum bike might feel relatively light to you, the single gear restricts her ability to pedal up steeper hills, so it’s best to stick to flat routes on this one.

―FIRST SCHOOL COMMUTER―

Cannondale quick 24.

Frame: Aluminum | Wheel Size: 24 in. | Gearing: Sunrace, 11-28, 7-speed | Tires: Kenda Small Block 8, 24 x 1.5 in. | Weight: 20 lb.

Cannondale Cannondale Quick 24 Kids' Bike

This 7-speed bike will get your kid excited to ride and foster her love of cycling for the long-term. The stable tires (24 x 1.5 inches) help her stay balanced and planted on sidewalks, bike lanes, and dirt paths. The Shimano Tourney twist shifter is intuitive for a new rider, and gives her access to seven gears for tackling all the neighborhood’s ups and downs. Best suited for girls ages 7 through 11—who should have no trouble mounting, dismounting, and handling the low-standover frame—this bike is the perfect transition from first singlespeed to big-kid bike. We only wish they made girls bikes this high-quality and cool when we were learning to ride.

―GREAT FIRST MOUNTAIN BIKE―

Trek precaliber 24.

Frame: Aluminum | Wheel Size: 24 in. | Gearing: 32t, SunRace MFM56I, 13-34, 8-speed | Tires: Bontrager XR1, wire bead, 27 tpi, 24 x 2.25 in. | Weight: 26.31 lb.

Trek Trek Precaliber 24

This 24-inch-wheeled bike is suited for most riders ages 8 to 12. It has a sturdy, light aluminum frame with a 45mm-travel suspension fork to smooth out the sidewalk and soak up small bumps on the trail. Yep, trail. This bike can handle some tame singletrack and dirt paths. The 8-speed Shimano drivetrain has a 32-tooth chainring up front and a 13-34 cassette, which offers a super-light range, is easy on little legs, and still provides enough gears that she can hold her own when you challenge her to a mother-daughter race to the park. Bonus: Along with those of most bikes on this list, the parts on the Precaliber 24 are replaceable, including the derailleur hanger.

—CRUISER FOR AGES 8 AND UP—

Public bikes c7 24”.

Frame: Steel | Wheel Size: 24 in. | Gearing: 7-speed | Tires: Not listed | Weight: Not listed

Public Bikes C7 24

The Public Bikes C7 is just plain adorable. It has a classic steel frame designed to let her comfortably sit upright for mellow rides through the neighborhood, and smooth tires more ideal for cruising pavement than dirt. Splashing through puddles can still be fun thanks to fenders that keep rain water off her backside. The 7-speed Shimano Tourney shifters make hills easier, especially with this heavier steel frame, and 24-inch wheels help her keep up with friends and family who have bigger bikes. Public offers three ways to receive your bike: unassembled and straight to your door at no charge, 99 percent assembled and direct to your door along with the tools to finish the job (starting at $149), and to one of its assembly partners near you who will have it ready to ride within 10 days (starting at $50). The C7 comes with a kickstand, if you should choose to use it, and is also available in seafoam and saffron. Looking for a little flair or an add-on gift for later?

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