Alberta
is very popular with cyclists, due to its
sunny days and rather dry climate, beautiful
mountain scenery, and plenty of paved bike
paths and mountain bike trails. With terrain
that varies from prairie to mountain, Alberta
offers a biking experience you will remember. More...
Alberta is very popular with cyclists,
due to its sunny days and rather dry climate,
beautiful mountain scenery, and plenty of
paved bike paths and mountain bike trails.
With terrain that varies from prairie to
mountain, Alberta offers a biking experience
you will remember.
You will encounter some of the most scenic
rides of your life, when you cycle the stunning
ice fields of the Rocky Mountains through
Banff, Jasper, and YOHO National Parks.
If you're up for some racing you can enter
the TransRockies Challenge, one of the most
adventurous mountain bike races in the world. Less...
The best time to visit Alberta for cycling activity
is between late spring and early autumn
when temperatures are more comfortable and
suitable for cycling. The best time to cycle
in the mountains is from mid-June through
early September. Less...
How to Get There
If you
are traveling by air, you will most likely
arrive at Calgary International Airport,
which is about 13 miles (20km) northeast
of downtown Calgary.
From the airport you have several transportation
options. Calgary Transit provides a public
bus service #57 to and from the airport
and buses run between the airport, the
city centre and other Alberta destinations.
There is also an Airport Shuttle Express,
which services most hotels in the Calgary
area; and several hotels offer a courtesy
shuttle service. Airport taxis are available
outside of the Arrivals area.
If you are traveling by car and plan to
stay at one location from which you will
engage in your cycling activities, check
our DESTINATION
RIDES cycling pages for local routes.
Climate and Weather
Alberta’s summer runs from May to September.
Summer days are warm and evenings are
cool. Winters are cold with heavy snowfalls,
particularly in the Rockies.
Alberta gets most of its precipitation
in the form of rain during the summer
months of June through August. Rain is
mostly in the form of thunderstorms, which
are frequent, especially along the eastern
edge of the Rockies and in the mountains. Less...
The Roads
Roads in Alberta are generally cyclist-friendly,
and most Alberta’s motorists are
tolerant of cyclists. Of course, it is
always recommended that you ride defensively
and obey all traffic rules.
The surfaces of Alberta’s roads
are generally fair. Unfortunately, due
to extreme temperature changes between
seasons, they take a lot of abuse; and,
as a result, especially on mountain roads,
you may find occasional road hazard in
the form of cracked pavement, pothole,
gravel or sand.
Paved shoulders on rural roads and in
the mountains are minimal or non-existent.
Some roads in Alberta have rumble strips
(grooves ground into the pavement to alert
swerving drivers) which can be very dangerous
for a cyclist. Additionally, on rural
roads you may encounter cattle guards,
which should be crossed with utmost care
and as perpendicularly as possible. Less...