Take the bike, Munich

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Currently fifteen percent of journeys within the city of Munich are done by bicycle. This is a lot compared to Frankfurt am Main (nine percent), but a weak showing compared to Amsterdam (forty percent).

Like most German cities, Munich has an active chapter of the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC), which is dedicated to promoting a bicycle-friendly transportation policy. I am of course a member of the ADFC, but in Frankfurt, not Munich.

Second photo: Bicycles parked on Max-Joseph-Platz, across from the National Theater, home of the Bavarian State Opera.

Third and fourth photos: Cyclists in the Residenzstraße, near the opera house.

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In 2006 I rented a bicycle for a day at Radius Bikes, which is located in the main railway station (Hauptbahnhof) at track 32.

The bike was fine, so was the service, and I will certainly do it again at next opportunity. When I mentioned this, they said I should save my receipt and bring it along, since they give discounts to repeat customers.

They are open from 10 am to 6 pm seven days a week from April to October. The rental price for a regular three-speed bike is 3 Euros per hour, 14 for a full day (till 6 pm), 43 for a week or 113 for a month. They have over 180 bikes of different types to choose from. All their bikes have backracks and most have lights. All come with locks, baskets, puncture kits, pumps available for no charge. You have to leave a deposit of 50 Euros per bike (cash, credit cards or Euro travellers cheques accepted). They also offer insurance against theft or damage for 10% of the rental cost.

The same company also offers guided bike tours for groups but not for individuals. (They refer individuals to Mike's Bike Tours.)

They also conduct "The Original Munich Walks" with English speaking guides who are long-term residents of Munich.

Second photo: Here's another Rent-a-Bike place that I haven't tried yet, at Leopoldstraße 54, which is in Schwabing near the university.

Third photo: Another option is to rent a bike spontaneously by phone from DB, the German Railway System. The only reason I have never done this is that I don't have a cell phone, but it sounds like a good idea, and I'm told it works fine once you get the hang of it. When I get my cell phone (if ever) I'll try renting one of these bikes and let you know how it works.

Update: I finally gave in and got a cell phone, so I could try these DB CallBikes in Karlsruhe and Dresden. They were fine, but I still prefer the cell-phone-free Velib' bikes in Paris and the Vélo'v bikes in Lyon.

This city may rival that of Amsterdam for the use of bikes in the city center. They are all around and seem to have good use of the pedal. It is a more convenient way of getting around, does not cost anything, and easy to park it.

Rent a bicycle at the main train station (Hauptbahnhof), Radius Bike Rental (near track 32), ride to Nymphenburg palace, Olympic park, BMW museum, English Garten and back to the train station. Perfect for a day's ride with enough time to see the various attractions and a beer or two at various beer gartens.

Munich is very bicycle friendly.

See this discussion in the forum:
http://forum.virtualtourist.com/discussion-469504-1-1-Travel-0-36623-Munich-discussion.html

Munich has street bikes in (I guess) 95% if its streets. And the city is all flat. So the best way to visit Munich is using a bike.

The train company has a bike rental system that runs by phone. If you see a bike like the one in the picture and the light on it is green, then call the number on the bike, give the credit card details and its done. After using the bike, call again the same number and say the location where you left the bike and the service is over. Bikes can be left any place in town.

Standard rates: EUR 0.08 per minute of cycling time
Maximum charges: EUR 9 for 24 hours

Register on www.callabike.de or by calling 07000 5 22 55 22 (in Germany).

Details about how to use on the web site bellow (see the PDF flyer).

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Munich is excellent for biking. On my first trip to Munich, I almost got run down by a bike. I didn't know they have their own road next to the pedestrian... There are bike paths almost everywhere, and the locals take great advantage of this as well.

If you want to go for a longer ride, you should head for the English Garden. Here there are plenty of options. For instance, follow the river upwards and later take the road to the Veringah Lake, or follow the river downwards... have a swim in the lake...

In the summer time you can sit in a sulky and explore Munich in a bike rikscha. If you don’t feel weird sitting in a comfi sulky while someone is pedaling heavily right in front of you, this might be an interesting fun experience, reminding you of your last holiday in Asia. The rikschas are yellow and the riders wear yellow shirts. In the summer they often hang out at the Marienplatz

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A good way to see Munich- as it is with a lot of European cities, is by bicycle.

Several bicycle tour operators, including Mike´s Bike Tours, Rad City Bike Tours etc are among your options.

There is a guide- who usually speaks english, and a fixed program for the next few hours. The pace is relaxed and that makes it easy for those who want to take the sights in...

A typical itenerary of about 4 hrs would cost around € 20 or thereabouts.

If you want to travel and sightsee on your own 'set of wheels' Munich is perfect for biking. Bicycle paths crisscross the English Garden and line the roads to every destination you can think of. Here are some places where you can rent a bike for a day or a week:

Mike's Bike Tours Shop (Discover Bavaria)
A bit tricky to find - behind the Hofbrauhaus rear entrance - but stop by the cymbals under the arch at the Altes Rathaus, and one of the guides can direct you. Better yet, download a map from their site: www.mikesbiketours.com

Spurwechsel
Steinstrasse 3 (U4 to Max-Weber-Platz stop)
www.spurwechsel-muenchen.de
(089) 692.46.99
Also offers guided tours in Italian, French, Spanish, English and other languages 'by appointment'.

DB Call a Bike
Bike rental offered through the German Railways with pick up points throughout the town center. Rental procedure is carried out by phone, and requires a credit card number.
Dial 0700 05 22 55 22 or ask at the train station. Info in English available here:www.callabike.de.

Expect to pay 15-18 euros per day. (Word has it that Spurwechsel is even cheaper.)

Munich has plenty of bikes available to rent and the city is small enough to easily get around by bike. If you do need to get some where further out, just secure your bike outside one of the metro stations and take the train.