Malta with bike

Bring enough money for a new bike, after 7 days cycling on Malta's roads you'll need one!!

October = hot

February = cold, wet , windy

Good luck
        Terry

I would hire one here rather than bring a good road bike and risk the damage.

Thanks for the weather report Terry) I will notice that

Are the road there that bad? Last time I was there roads seemed to me as smooth as the screen of the iPhone 6 )

There is a lot of road construction going on at the moment.
The main, new roads, are OK in the most part. But even parts of the main road to Ċirkewwa (Ferry) leaves a lot to be desired in parts.
However, if you want to go exploring then you will need a mountain bike, not a road bike or at the very least, a hybrid.

Apelsincheg wrote:

Thanks for the weather report Terry) I will notice that

Are the road there that bad? Last time I was there roads seemed to me as smooth as the screen of the iPhone 6 )

Between potholes the road can be smooth but the potholes are getting bigger!

Very wet winter and no repairs means it will only get worse.

Add the very bad driving standards and cycling in Malta I would class as an extreme sport!

Terry

There are many nice places you could go for a cycling holiday, but I'm not sure Malta is one of them. It's probably the last place I would choose. I've never ridden a bike in Malta and don't think I ever will, it's dangerous enough just walking around the place.

Malta is one of the most densely populated places in the world, in the Top 10 I think, the traffic is horrendous at times, little or no rules seem to apply, and the road quality is generally very poor. But don't let me put you off, it would be an adventure if nothing else. Hair-raising and potentially life-threatening, but exciting. If that's the sort of thing you're after.

Malta is not a good place for an active holiday (hiking, cycling). Especially cycling. Some local cycling clubs have closed recently due to a ridiculous number of accidents.

Go to Spain, Portugal or Italy for that kind of stuff.

Malta is good for hiking, and biking Gozo is great. Hilly yes, so best be fit!
I wouldn't bike around Sliema and the built up areas but the south coast would be fine.
As for hiking, it's nice. Cliff hiking, that is. I'm from Canada so it takes a lot to impress me hiking-wise but I had three friends visit recently, all outdoorsy people, and we biked all around Gozo as well as hiked Dingli on the south coast, Majistral park, golden Bay and Ghan Tuffeiha area.
October is probably the perfect time weather-wise. My friends also picked up some good 'walking trail' maps but it's true that they could be better marked.
Hmmm, perhaps I should do that?!

You can also check out 'Malta-Bicycling Advocacy' group on Facebook to get in touch with locals and expats who road bike here.

"Look this accident up mate. The bus was totally on the wrong side of the road! My prayers are with the cyclist who was out minding his own business, practising a healthy hobby, only to face a bus coming towards him on the wrong side of the road at considerable speed. The bus totally cut the corner, and the bike was flung over 50 metres!"

I don't know how reliable the comment is from Christopher Poulton, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me. The white line in the centre of the road does seem to be there just for decoration at times. As previously stated, many other countries should be considered before Malta as a destination for a cycling holiday.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/vi … red.566790

Shocking!! 

https://a.disquscdn.com/uploads/mediaem … iginal.jpg

Nange wrote:

Malta is good for hiking, and biking Gozo is great. Hilly yes, so best be fit!
I wouldn't bike around Sliema and the built up areas but the south coast would be fine.
As for hiking, it's nice. Cliff hiking, that is. I'm from Canada so it takes a lot to impress me hiking-wise but I had three friends visit recently, all outdoorsy people, and we biked all around Gozo as well as hiked Dingli on the south coast, Majistral park, golden Bay and Ghan Tuffeiha area.
October is probably the perfect time weather-wise. My friends also picked up some good 'walking trail' maps but it's true that they could be better marked.
Hmmm, perhaps I should do that?!

I strongly disagree. Malta/Gozo are horrible for hiking/cycling. I lived in Gozo for 8 months and walked/hiked every cliff along the coast multiple times. That doesn't mean that Gozo is a good place to go hiking - it most definitely is not.

Reasons against hiking in Gozo:

1. Paths not marked. Definitely not maintained expect for two short coastal walks (Xlendi to Sannat and the one around Mgarr - but those are merely a couple kilo walks).
2. Artificial barriers built by hunters/farmers. Lots of fake "do not enter/keep out" signs everywhere. We simply ignored them but many others would turn around and walk back to where they started.
3. Whenever you want to get from town A to town B you have to walk by the road. There are no footpaths or trails between towns - just narrow roads and a lot of traffic (depends on time of day and location).
4. Lots and lots of dust away from the coast.

Cycling:

1. Is an absolute joke in Gozo. Literally no one ever does it except for a couple dozen enthusiasts...
2. Lots of buses, very narrow roads and the Maltese drive like idiots (beep instead of stopping, etc).
3. Lots of single lane two way roads lol.

I spent 8 months in Gozo and saw maybe 5 or 10 groups of tourist cyclists struggling by the road as buses and cars pass without giving a... It's was comical.

If you want good hiking go to Tenerife North (Anaga). For cycling go to Menorca or Girona.

Edit: just to clarify something - we did enjoy cliff hiking in Gozo but it's really just a very basic "hiking" experience. Short trails, not maintained, not marked, lots of hunters, lots of artificial barriers, and at times very dusty. If you live/plan to live in Gozo then by all means do go hiking and make the most of it!

Tenerife and menorca are a bit far to cycle to if you ask me especially when your holidaying in Malta

@Mantasmo.

Cycling:

1. Is an absolute joke in Gozo. Literally no one ever does it except for a couple dozen enthusiasts...
2. Lots of buses, very narrow roads and the Maltese drive like idiots (beep instead of stopping, etc).
3. Lots of single lane two way roads lol.

I spent 8 months in Gozo and saw maybe 5 or 10 groups of tourist cyclists struggling by the road as buses and cars pass without giving a... It's was comical.


I could not disagree more about your statement:-
"Cycling: Is an absolute joke in Gozo. Literally no one ever does it except for a couple dozen enthusiasts"
We are in our third year here and the numbers of 'proper' cycling enthusiasts has increased no end. I have probably seen in excess of 50 cyclists in the last week past my door and generally see 1 or 2 groups of a dozen or so each weekend and that is just Gharb.
What I would say is that a keen cyclist would find Gozo too small for a cycling holiday. In the last 2 years there have been two new business that I know of start supplying bikes for tourists!

Ray

It's good to hear that Gozo is becoming a better destination for active tourism. It's been a couple years since we left and it's nice to know that things are improving. Have they built any bicycle paths in Gozo?

mantasmo wrote:

It's good to hear that Gozo is becoming a better destination for active tourism. It's been a couple years since we left and it's nice to know that things are improving. Have they built any bicycle paths in Gozo?

Afraid I am not a fan of cyclists and don't see why cycle paths etc. should be built at taxpayers expense unless the cyclists pay towards the cost!

It would also be a good thing if the push to increase the number of tourists was aimed at overseas tourists, who spend money and not tourists from Malta.
Most from Malta come over in to cheap self catering accommodation, pack 10 in to an apartment meant for 2 or 3, bring all there food and drink with them, make lots of noise and just stay around the pool and then go home without spending money in Gozo!

Ray

F0xgl0ve wrote:

Afraid I am not a fan of cyclists and don't see why cycle paths etc. should be built at taxpayers expense unless the cyclists pay towards the cost!

Excuse me!? Can we keep bicycle-hatred to Times of Malta comments please?

"I don't like cars and i don't see why roads should be built and maintainted at tax payers' expense unless car drivers pay towards the cost!" How does that sound??

nilonilonilo wrote:

F0xgl0ve wrote:

Afraid I am not a fan of cyclists and don't see why cycle paths etc. should be built at taxpayers expense unless the cyclists pay towards the cost!

Excuse me!? Can we keep bicycle-hatred to Times of Malta comments please?

"I don't like cars and i don't see why roads should be built and maintainted at tax payers' expense unless car drivers pay towards the cost!" How does that sound??

Rather a strange comment!
I fail to see why such a comment should be in the 'Times of Malta' also I said 'I am not a fan of cyclists', I did not say I hated them!

I don't know what they do in Belgium, but in most countries, including Malta, the the car owners pay road tax which is used to build and maintain roads. In many countries the revenue from road tax far exceeds what is actually spent on roads. The cyclists pay nothing!

I might add that I do not own a car and use public transport!

Ray

Do you have a source for Road Tax paying for quality of roads in Malta? I thought, at least in the UK, that the quality of roads was paid for by council tax.

F0xgl0ve wrote:

nilonilonilo wrote:

F0xgl0ve wrote:

Afraid I am not a fan of cyclists and don't see why cycle paths etc. should be built at taxpayers expense unless the cyclists pay towards the cost!

Excuse me!? Can we keep bicycle-hatred to Times of Malta comments please?

"I don't like cars and i don't see why roads should be built and maintainted at tax payers' expense unless car drivers pay towards the cost!" How does that sound??

Rather a strange comment!
I fail to see why such a comment should be in the 'Times of Malta' also I said 'I am not a fan of cyclists', I did not say I hated them!

I don't know what they do in Belgium, but in most countries, including Malta, the the car owners pay road tax which is used to build and maintain roads. In many countries the revenue from road tax far exceeds what is actually spent on roads. The cyclists pay nothing!

I might add that I do not own a car and use public transport!

Ray

OK, apologies, it's just that i get very touchy when people talk about cycling. No personal attack. The Times reference is because every article about cycling usually draws a barrage of cycling bashing comments. Whereas really, the more people would cycle, the better off Malta would be

Also, there is no such thing as a road tax, not in Malta, not in the UK, not in Belgium. You pay a vehicle licence fee, a car tax if you wish. It's a compensation, amongst other things, for the pollution you cause. That's why polluting vehicles are taxed more heavily, and why cyclists don't pay such a tax. The building and maintenance of roads (and cycling lanes) is paid for through general taxation. So even though in Belgium i never owned a car, my tax money was being used, amongst other things, to build motorways. Anyway most cyclists, in Malta at least, also own a car, so they pay their car tax.

All nicely explained here: http://ipayroadtax.com/

Many people seem to think that because they pay "road tax" (they don't) they are somehow more important or more entitled to use the roads or and it gives them the right to be condescending towards cyclists!

NO!

"I don't know what they do in Belgium, but in most countries, including Malta, the the car owners pay road tax which is used to build and maintain roads. In many countries the revenue from road tax far exceeds what is actually spent on roads. The cyclists pay nothing!

I might add that I do not own a car and use public transport!"

I would repeat the last paragraph of my previous post, quoted above.

If you refer to 'UK Road Fund Licence' on Wikepedia you will find that that is what it was originally called that and was specifically for the building and maintenance of roads.
It changed it's name to 'Vehicle Excise Duty' in 1936 and only relatively recently has it had anything to do with emissions. It is still commonly referred to as 'Road Tax' or 'Car Tax
I paid it for 45 years so I think I have a good idea what I am talking about.

However I am sure that the good people who use this Forum have had enough of this 'discussion' so I will refrain from further posts on the topic!

Ray

F0xgl0ve wrote:

Afraid I am not a fan of cyclists and don't see why cycle paths etc. should be built at taxpayers expense unless the cyclists pay towards the cost!

One reason would be to encourage people to get off their fat, lazy arses and get some exercise. Obesity combined with alcohol are likely to bankrupt the NHS in the next 30 years. It's a massive ticking time-bomb. Being proactive and promoting exercise at a relatively small cost, might save billions from future health budgets.

Interestingly Holland is one of the few countries where obesity is set to fall in the next few decades.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic … s-WHO.html

While few countries were expected to see stable or decreasing overweight and obesity rates, the Netherlands appeared to be doing better than most.

Fewer than half of Dutch men were predicted to be overweight or obese, and just eight per cent obese, by 2030 compared with 54 per cent and 10 per cent in 2010.

For Dutch women, overweight and obese rates were due to fall slightly from 44 per cent to 43 per cent while the level of obesity alone were expected to drop significantly from 13 per cent to nine per cent.

Is that maybe because the Dutch have most extensive cycle network in the world? Or is it just a coincidence?

Malta has very poor facilities for cycling and hiking and everyone knows how bad the state of the roads are. Could that be linked to the obesity problem which Malta has and the fact it was ranked as having the most inactive people in the world? Or is that just a coincidence too?