Olympic Tour: How to Get Around Rio de Janeiro By Bike
Photos courtesy Rafael Martins
As hinted by one of its slogans, “Rio, Capital City of Biking”, the 2016 Olympics’ host has a very extensive bike network, the largest in Latin America. According to the city’s administration, there are 272.72 miles of rideable tracks for those that prefer a more sustainable, and perhaps less stressful, way of moving around. For tourists visiting Rio during the Games, it’s a great option for getting to some of the main Olympic venues, sightseeing or both.
Rio’s bike network is divided among its four main regions: Downtown (3.68 mi), and the South (82.36 mi), North (37.61 mi) and West (149.07 mi) Zones. Previously, it was possible to go from the Recreio neighborhood, in the west, to Santos Dumont Airport, near downtown area, passing through most of the southern side of the city – provided you had the time and energy for it. However, after a bike lane suspended over the coast fell, killing two, in April, the connection between these areas is no longer available.
Considering that, the famous Copacabana beach – and the neighborhood of the same name – may be the best place to start an ‘Olympic’ bike ride, due to the neighborhood’s location at the center of one of the four official Olympic Zones. From there, you can easily get to Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon – where the canoeing and rowing competitions will happen – by reaching Ipanema and using the shared sidewalks or following the lane until the Leblon area and taking the route that goes all the way to the lagoon. On the way, you’ll pass by Fort Copacabana, another venue, host to the Swimming Marathon, Road Cycling and Triathlon events.