Day riding in Germany
 

Here is an annoyingly vague inquiry.
I am spending a month from about October 10 to November 10 in Germany
the primary purpose of my trip is to shop for a camper van to ship back to Canada
so I will have a rental car to get from A to B to C and I will be covering almost all points of Germany
But I will also have my folding Bike Friday road bike.
When I am not seeing a camper van (which will be most of the time) I plan to park - possibly for a few days at a time - and do day rides.
I know nothing about riding in Germany

Where is good riding? (or rather is there anywhere I should avoid?)

I spent my last 13 months in the Army there. I left there November of 1981. Riding my bicycle at every free moment is what I did. I had absolutely no problems from the German people riding my bicycle anywhere I wanted to go. People there were accustomed to bicycles and there was allot less danger from being hit. They allowed bicycles on the trains. There is space for standing with your bicycle between train cars were you enter the train. I rode the train numerous times this way. It was sum what like riding in the US but without the animosity and danger. You are expected to obey the laws like anybody else.

As above, taking your bike on trains is very easy in Germany. No fees for folding bikes.

The ”Deutschland Ticket” gives you unlimited travel for 49 € in a calendar month. It’s a subscription, but if you cancel it by the 10th of the month you won’t be charged for the coming month.

This would make riding one way on Eurovelo paths and taking the train back feasable (or the other way round, of course).

Following the main rivers is great.

Radweg and Rivers
 

Germany has an extensive system of bike and pedestrian trails (radweg). The trails follow most of the rivers without competing with motorized traffic. Follow the Rhine, Mosel, Main, Donau, Neckar, Elbe. All very safe and scenic. In the US you are a target. In Europe you are a hero.

I did ride through a section of Germany once, in 2007 I think, while on a Nice to Amsterdam ride.
but I was just trying to make time and distance. I didn't really pay much attention to the route. Plus I really had little choice of route (up the western border of Germany)

but I do recall that I disliked the radweg.
I felt they took me too far away from "civilization" (shops - for supplies, lunch, etc., architecture, people....)
I am a pretty fearless rider and so riding a normal road is not a concern. and I trust most European drivers to steer clear.

Peter

pick two or three areas you'd like to explore, rent a ferienwohnung for 5 days to a week at each.
do daily hub-n-spoke tours, stopping at all the bakeries and local breweries for vital nutrients.

In one month it is a quite ambitious plan. However, here a couple of region you may focus:

- Along the Oder river (border with Poland): there are some empty land, agricultural lands, mostly flat, interesting recent history (XIX century) remarks;
- The lakes and forests in the northern half of Brandenburg;
- The region around Aachen (thermal water :D );
- The Black forest in October is still a beauty.

after dark peddeling.
 

if doing any night riding do have lights.the countryside is so dark you cannot see your hands in front of you.may want to check out a few bike shops if time permits,they are very different than US shops,some with huge 2 floor display designs.