Cycling in Rio de Janeiro Brasil

I am considering moving to Rio in Brasil, does anybody know what the city is like for cyling? Are there any safe places to get some training done in or near the city or do you have to drive way outside to find a safe place?

Lived there a couple of years. I hope you do not consider moving to Rio for bike training reasons ! :slight_smile:

In the city you have many scenic bike paths (all along the beach and the lagoon) but they are made for leisury biking (and runners) definitely not for road bike training.

Otherwise on open roads inside and outside of the city, the traffic is very dangerous and the road quality is terribly bad.

You can find interesting trails for MTB but be careful not to end up in a Favela.

Ask around in the city’s bike shops or join a tri club there.

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Rio’s agreat city for the very rich to live in and drive their cars around but definitely not a cycling city.

…just don’t watch the film Cidade De Deus (City of God), the Academy-nominated film of 2003 about gangs in the Rio favelas…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_God_(film)

Where would you train when you lived there?

Frankly I gave up tri training when I was there: but it was more for personal and professional reasons!
My training was basically running: the cycling paths are great for that ! my favorite places in the city were around the lagoon and Botafogo and also a short trail at the bottom of the Sugar loaf: awesome!! In the city, I recommend to run in the tropical forest at the bottom of the Corcovado…Beautiful!
I also lived across the bay in Niteroi for some time: it is a nicer place to train! Fernanda Keller is from Niteroi.
For serious biking it is interesting to go in the moutains (Persepolis, etc…): it is 2 hour drive from Rio: the air is cooler and you have the altitude. You have also less traffic and very serioux hills. I know that Fernanda K. used to train over there.
Things are changing at a fast pace in Rio so I recommend you talk to the locals: there is a serious tri community over there. You’ll see how nice and friendly the cariocas are!
Enjoy!

I grew up in Brazil and I wouldn’t even consider cycling in Rio. It can be extremely dangerous as there are no bike lanes, drivers are disrespectful towards cyclists and there is outright crazy speeding in residential areas. Another danger is that if you have an expensive bike (and people realize it) someone may try to take it from you (when I was a kid I remember many of my friends losing their bmx bikes - in some cases at gunpoint).

While I was there last December I saw 3 brave cyclists dodging the traffic in Barra da Tijuca. That is a mostly residential area south of Rio, but still very dangerous in my opinion - just to let you know that some people do it.

You may want to try to get in touch with local triathletes to find out where they train. Here is the link to the Rio Triathlon Association:
http://www.rio.triathlon.com.br/
They mention that people meet at Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas to train. Not sure if that is for running only or biking as well. There is a forum there - I suggest you post your question there.

Rio is very good for running. Also there are some very nice gyms (better than anything in the US), so you can get your workout safely indoors.

There are many triathletes groups that ride in Niteroi, depend where you live in Rio…it’s not so far.
There is a a triathlon store (www.barcellosbike.com.br) there, the owner is Armando Barcellos, ex pro-triathlete - he represented Brazil in the Sidney Olympic games.
Sure they have group that rides / train.
Fernanda Keller is from Niteroi…she still trainning there.

In Rio…I agree with others, it is not safety
Take care