Suzhou by bicycle · Suzhou by bicycle
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Suzhou by bicycle
Suzhou by bicycle
Cycling is an interesting but sometimes hair-raising way of exploring Suzhou. That said, cycling is much safer here than in, say London or New York, as Suzhou has an excellent network of cycle paths running alongside most major roads, however these also double up as scooter paths, sidewalks and parking lots; and some are rather potholed, so it's advisable to stay alert.
Bikes can be rented from most youth hostels or small bike shops (around 30 yuan per day for a slow, heavy 1-speed city bike) or from the Bicycle Kingdom rental agency on Pingjiang Lu (they have road bikes and mountain bikes to rent for around 150-300 yuan per day depending on the model).
If you are planning on cycle-touring in China, Suzhou is a good place to start out. Several major cycle manufacturors including Giant, Merida, Dahon, UCC, bTwin and Shimano have factories in nearby Kunshan (a small industrial town which falls under Suzhou's municipal administration), which has given Suzhou a lively cycling culture. The following bicycle stores are recommended:-
Giant (1607 Renmin Lu, Pingjiang-qu)
The largest store of the Taiwanese aptly-named giant - offers everything from single-speed city-bikes to full-suspension mountain bikes; and electric scooters to ultra-aerodynamic triathlon road bikes. Giant is somewhat cheaper than in the west, making them a popular choice. A simple city-bike will cost around 500RMB, mountain bikes run from around 800RMB (for a steel-frame, no suspension with old components. 2000RMB will get you an entry-level road bike, a decent hard-tail MTB, a hybrid or a basic tourer. Staff don't speak much English.
Decathlon (Auchan Shopping Mall 1F, 55 Jinjihu Lu, SIP)
The French sports-hypermarket has a branch on the 1F of the Auchan Supermarket in SIP. Price-wise they are similar to Giant although quality of components is not so great. Staff speak a little English.
Silver Storm (city branch on Shizi Jie, Canglang-qu; SIP Branch on Xinggui Jie, SIP)
Silver Storm is one of the best places to buy components and accessories, and also the only place who will completely custom-build you a bike. They stock several regular brands including UCC, Orbea and Dahon, although they will order almost any brand for you. Prices are fairly reasonable and there is always an interesting variety of bikes on sale. The staff speak good English.
Specialized (Harmony Plaza, Ganjiang Dong Lu, Pingjiang-qu)
By far the most expensive but also the best bike shop in Suzhou. If you want a top-end road or mountain bike, or the latest Shimano components, this is the place to come. Prices are approx. 20% higher than in the West.
Trek (Xincheng Dasha, Xiandai Dadao, SIP)
The 'other' top American brand has a small store in the New City community shopping center (behind the Starbucks) offering more top-end bikes. Prices are more reasonable for a top-end brand and the service is very good. As the store is very small, they only carry a small stock - if you are buying a whole bike, most likely the store will need to order it.
Most hypermarkets also stock bikes, typically cheap but low-quality. Expect to pay 200-300 yuan for a 1-speed city bike that will fall apart after 2 weeks.
Remember to always keep your bike locked when not in use - bike theft is a major problem, particularly in downtown. Always leave your bike somewhere brightly lit and crowded. In some places (particularly around Guanqian Jie), attendants will keep an eye on your bike for a small payment (typically Y0.50).
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Suzhou Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.