I am about to give up on bike touring in China this summer. The train policy is just too hard (I wanted to take the bike to an interesting city and start riding from there) in general bikes are not permitted on trains. I tried to send it as freight; but, quite simply, I was told, “No,” by the people in the freight office.
The Bus also did not work. There is no room on the new buses and they do not have roof racks.
As far as just going and riding, I am not where I want to start. Also there is the problem that in this Province sleeping outside is forbidden. If you are seen you will be picked up by the police and taken to a hotel, and the hotels that are licensed by the police to allow foreigners are very expensive. The is also the issue (and really, the bigger one) to get where I would be interested in going requires travel through closed areas; which are, as the name implies, closed; foreigners in those areas are subject to arrest and fines.
What I was told that it really comes down to is that bicycles are for poor people and China does not want a bunch of poor people coming to their country. If they are going to have tourists, they want rich tourists.
I am pretty bummed about this because I really did wat to do some bike touring this summer.