Myrdal to Flam bike ride

[warpdrve]

Hello all ...

 

We are taking the Flam -> Myrdal train and planning to bring bikes on board. Has anyone biked back down through the valley from Myrdal to Flam? I've been told it should take 2 - 4 hours (depending on the number of times we stop / walk). I've also heard there are a lot of hairpin turns on the way down. Note: We will be doing this near the end of September.

 

Looking for any feedback?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[hallasm]

It’s two hours ride - 18 km (11 miles) - rental in Myrdal is open from June 1st to September 30 - daily from 08:15 am to 5:15pm - bikes must be handed back at Flåm railway station before 6:30 pm.

Remember to wear comfortable clothing . Excellent ride

[gnome12]

4 hours ago, warpdrve said:

Hello all ...

 

We are taking the Flam -> Myrdal train and planning to bring bikes on board. Has anyone biked back down through the valley from Myrdal to Flam? I've been told it should take 2 - 4 hours (depending on the number of times we stop / walk). I've also heard there are a lot of hairpin turns on the way down. Note: We will be doing this near the end of September.

 

Looking for any feedback?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

I would confirm whether you can bring a bike aboard the train. Everything I have seen talks about renting them at Myrdal.

[warpdrve]

15 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

I would confirm whether you can bring a bike aboard the train. Everything I have seen talks about renting them at Myrdal.

I know there are limited rentals in Myrdal and that bikes are rented in Flam, taken on the train, and ridden back down the valley. My question is ... has anyone done this and is the ride an easy ride or difficult one?

 

Thanks for your reply.

[kaisatsu]

I would strongly recommend renting from Myrdal. I can confirm that there are a limited number of spots on the Flåmsbana for cycles. If you're on a dedicated tourist departure, that may not be an issue, but on the regular rail departures, these spots go quickly due to the number of people traveling back with their own bikes after doing the longer cycle trips from Haugastøl or Finse to Flåm. We did this last year as a group of five, and the last person to book his train ticket wasn't able to get a cycle spot on the Flåmsbana and had to book a later train back alone.

 

If you're worried about the availability in Myrdal, just book a cycle in advance online:
https://caferallaren-eng.squarespace.com/bike-rentals

 

As for the trip itself, the section starting at Myrdal is relatively easy. I think we spent around 1½-2 hours on the 17km Myrdal-Flåm section, after cycling the 36km to Myrdal from Finse (not easy, due to the rocky path). If you're taking a leisurely pace, I think 2-3 hours is probably a reasonable estimate, depending on how much/how long you stop along the way. The upper section has a number of hairpins on a gravel road, and several people wisely choose to walk this section. Once you reach the valley floor, it's a basic tarmac road with a few easy hills.

 

An additional piece of advice: Wherever you rent the cycle, be sure to check the brakes, because you're going to need them on the descent. Many bikes are equipped with both handlebar brakes and reverse-pedal brakes, so check that to avoid the pedal brakes taking you by surprise. Also, be sure that the handlebars are tight enough that you can't twist them. If it's a bike that's done the longer trips, the rough terrain in the mountains can start to work them loose.

 

Overall, I would definitely recommend the Myrdal-Flåm cycle, and if you give yourself plenty of time, it's a very pleasant experience. I'm not an avid cyclist, but I would definitely like to do that part again at some point (when I'm not already completely exhausted from the earlier mountain stretch)!

[warpdrve]

kaisatsu - thank you so much for the information provided in your reply ... it's an excellent starting point for us.

[shudie]

We have booked bikes at Myrdal for my husband and I,  and our two children  who will be 9 and 11. Those hairpin turns look scary! Is this bike ride OK for kids? We are thinking we will walk the hairpin section. 

[kaisatsu]

18 minutes ago, shudie said:

We have booked bikes at Myrdal for my husband and I,  and our two children  who will be 9 and 11. Those hairpin turns look scary! Is this bike ride OK for kids? We are thinking we will walk the hairpin section. 

The hairpins can definitely be a bit intense, since it's a steep gravel path. So it's important to be wary and dismount to walk before letting the cycle get out of control. The steep part of the path is around 1.2 km. If you're okay walking the bikes down, the rest of the route is fairly straightforward as long as they'd be okay with the 17km ride through the valley. It's a relatively easy ride, but there isn't really an option to bail out before you get back to town.

[shudie]

56 minutes ago, kaisatsu said:

The hairpins can definitely be a bit intense, since it's a steep gravel path. So it's important to be wary and dismount to walk before letting the cycle get out of control. The steep part of the path is around 1.2 km. If you're okay walking the bikes down, the rest of the route is fairly straightforward as long as they'd be okay with the 17km ride through the valley. It's a relatively easy ride, but there isn't really an option to bail out before you get back to town.

Thank you - they make our local lake track ok but might do two loops a few times before the trip as it is only 8 kms.