Question:
wittered: 5) Any safety issues one should be aware of? Wild animals? Crime? Diseases?
Dog attack is a problem in Tibet – see the bottom of this page – http://homepages.tesco.net/~Peter.A.Jones/KKHTibet/danger.htm Crime – not really a problem so long as you keep your wits about you. Disease – the usual Asian rules apply. In China and Tibet your main problem will be gut infections rather than insect borne diseases. 6) What’s the per-day likelihood of a bike getting stolen? you’re more likely to have your bike confiscated by the authorities Why would they confiscate it?
Because they can. Bikes = independance = bad. In May of last year there were three confiscated, high-end MTBs gathering dust in the PSB office at Shigatse – and Shigatse is renowned as being one of the more relaxed PSB offices. You should read this webpage – http://www.dilworth.org/bikeabout/120499.html Your questions lead me to think you may not have done much travelling in this part of the world. Perhaps you should try a less ambitious bike trip first to see whether you like it. Pete —- http://www.btinternet.com/~peteajones/
Response:
I add one useful link
Sorry I missed in the posting it did not become clickable so I repost. http://dmoz.org/Sports/Cycling/Rides_and_Tours/Asia/ Per
Response:
Thanks for your thorough and enlightening replies. 
A few follow-ups: 5) Any safety issues one should be aware of? Too vague a question to answer meaningfully.
Wild animals? Crime? Diseases? 6) What’s the per-day likelihood of a bike getting stolen? Generally low. I had a pannier stolen in Kunming in late 1999, but two months’ cycling through Thailand and Laos had made me careless. IMO you’re more likely to have your bike confiscated by the authorities
Why would they confiscate it? — Reader & fan of superhero comics; writer of superhero fanfiction Female supremacist; anarchist; personal pacifist; mass darwinist
Response:
You can use this link as a reference or research tool. http://www.bikechina.com/ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Biking across China: A possibility or insane? Discuss. A friend brought up the idea and I’m wondering if it’s possible. A suggested route is from Beijing thru southern Tibet into Kashgar. (And then back to Beijing via train, possibly.) 1) Would there be any legal obstacles for a tourist trying this? What’s the time limit on tourist visas? I’d estimate maybe two months for something like this, not rushing terribly and seeing the sights — does that sound off? 2) Would you need to be an athlete to be able to accomplish something like this, or is it doable by a normal person who likes the occasional bike trip? 3) What are Chinese laws on tenting? Or is there frequent enough inhabitation, even in Tibet, to find accommodations every night? 4) What would the roads and terrain be like in Tibet? How about the weather everywhere? It wouldn’t be terribly fun to bike in 35 or -15 degrees celcius. What would be the recommended time to try something like this, if one was going to try it? 5) Any safety issues one should be aware of? 6) What’s the per-day likelihood of a bike getting stolen? Here in Finland it seems to be about 10%. 
What kind of a bike would be recommended for this? 7) Would the effects of high altitude in Tibet be offset by the time taken getting up there, letting the body get used to higher elevations over the days/weeks? A definite pro over buses and trains would be being able to stop whenever you see something that interests you and going to see it for however long you like. A con would be that it’d take two months. Another pro would be that it’d take two months. Money-wise, I suspect it would probably be actually much more expensive than just taking a plane or train between Beijing and Kashgar, since one would have to include the costs of living and accommodation every night for two months or so. Right? Any other comments? — Reader & fan of superhero comics; writer of superhero fanfiction Female supremacist; anarchist; personal pacifist; mass darwinist
Response:
Roads – good to diabolical, with everything in between. Terrain – this is a gross generalisation, but: flat, arid high altitude desert punctuated by low maintain ranges. Lots of links here – http://homepages.tesco.net/~Peter.A.Jones/KKHTibet/intro.htm In particular, check out these links – http://www.kreisels.com/tibet98/photos.htm http://www.dataform.com/qinghai/ http://www.dilworth.org/bikeabout/index.html http://www.bikechina.com/ http://www.pedalglobal.net/
I add one useful linkhttp://dmoz.org/Sports/Cycling/Rides_and_Tours/Asia/ Cycle touring cannot be beaten as a way of seeing a country. It’s not easy, but once you’ve done it, you’d never consider doing it any other way.
This is so, I can confirm. Per
Response:
wittered: Biking across China: A possibility or insane? Discuss.
Certainly possible. Many people have done it. What’s the time limit on tourist visas?
Typically, you get 30 days (60 days at some embassies/consulates) which you can then extend to anything up to 3 months once in the country – again, depends where you’re applying for your extension (Chengdy good, Lhasa bad). 2) Would you need to be an athlete to be able to accomplish something like this, or is it doable by a normal person who likes the occasional bike trip?
You wouldn’t have to be an athlete. If by "normal person who likes the occasional bike trip" you mean someone who’s just done occasional day rides – don’t underestimate the rigours of an extended bike trip, mental as well as physical. If you’re not expedition fit, you may well become so while cycling – but equally you might find it difficult and unpleasant, and give up prematurely. 3) What are Chinese laws on tenting? Or is there frequent enough inhabitation, even in Tibet, to find accommodations every night?
The rule is – no-one knows. Regulations are arbitrary, and how they’re enforced is entirely dependant upon the whims of the officials you encounter. There are good tips on camping (and cycling) in the Lonely Planet guide to China. There’s a good number of tuckstops on the Friendship Highway between Lhasa and the Nepalese border, but elsewhere camping would be necessary. 4) What would the roads and terrain be like in Tibet?
Roads – good to diabolical, with everything in between. Terrain – this is a gross generalisation, but: flat, arid high altitude desert punctuated by low maintain ranges. Lots of links here – http://homepages.tesco.net/~Peter.A.Jones/KKHTibet/intro.htm In particular, check out these links – http://www.kreisels.com/tibet98/photos.htm http://www.dataform.com/qinghai/ http://www.dilworth.org/bikeabout/index.html http://www.bikechina.com/ http://www.pedalglobal.net/ How about the weather everywhere? It wouldn’t be terribly fun to bike in 35 or -15 degrees celcius. What would be the recommended time to try something like this, if one was going to try it?
China is vast, with a broad range of climate zones. It will take you long enough to cycle across it that weather patterns will change while you’re doing it. You can’t realistically expect ideal conditions for the whole trip – when it’s nice in Tibet it’s monsoon time in the south, and the Kashgar area’s a furnace. 5) Any safety issues one should be aware of?
Too vague a question to answer meaningfully. 6) What’s the per-day likelihood of a bike getting stolen?
Generally low. I had a pannier stolen in Kunming in late 1999, but two months’ cycling through Thailand and Laos had made me careless. IMO you’re more likely to have your bike confiscated by the authorities than stolen by the man in the street. What kind of a bike would be recommended for this?
http://www.btinternet.com/~peteajones/SEAsia/cycle3rdworld.htm Mountain bikes are the best bet because wheel spares (tyres/tubes/rims) are more widely available in China (and elsewhere) than 700cc or 27" kit. 7) Would the effects of high altitude in Tibet be offset by the time taken getting up there, letting the body get used to higher elevations over the days/weeks?
Cycling at 4000+ m will never be easy, but with acclimatisation it’s not too bad. Gradients are generally low, so it’s just a case of getting in the right gear and spinning. A definite pro over buses and trains would be being able to stop whenever you see something that interests you and going to see it for however long you like.
Cycle touring cannot be beaten as a way of seeing a country. It’s not easy, but once you’ve done it, you’d never consider doing it any other way.
Response:
Others will have more intersting contributions, that I look forward to read, than I do but I have a few comments. I would absolutely bet on having an mtb with a steel frame. An mtb can take a lot more trashing than an 28". Steel can always be welded almost anywhere. With regard to acclimatisation I think it would not be a problem as one would gain height very gradually. A major concern would be that very few chinese speak english. Per http://user.tninet.se/~ipg289h/fu99/MTB.html – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Biking across China: A possibility or insane? Discuss.
Response:
Biking across China: A possibility or insane? Discuss. A friend brought up the idea and I’m wondering if it’s possible. A suggested route is from Beijing thru southern Tibet into Kashgar. (And then back to Beijing via train, possibly.) 1) Would there be any legal obstacles for a tourist trying this? What’s the time limit on tourist visas? I’d estimate maybe two months for something like this, not rushing terribly and seeing the sights — does that sound off? 2) Would you need to be an athlete to be able to accomplish something like this, or is it doable by a normal person who likes the occasional bike trip? 3) What are Chinese laws on tenting? Or is there frequent enough inhabitation, even in Tibet, to find accommodations every night? 4) What would the roads and terrain be like in Tibet? How about the weather everywhere? It wouldn’t be terribly fun to bike in 35 or -15 degrees celcius. What would be the recommended time to try something like this, if one was going to try it? 5) Any safety issues one should be aware of? 6) What’s the per-day likelihood of a bike getting stolen? Here in Finland it seems to be about 10%. What kind of a bike would be recommended for this? 7) Would the effects of high altitude in Tibet be offset by the time taken getting up there, letting the body get used to higher elevations over the days/weeks? A definite pro over buses and trains would be being able to stop whenever you see something that interests you and going to see it for however long you like. A con would be that it’d take two months. Another pro would be that it’d take two months. Money-wise, I suspect it would probably be actually much more expensive than just taking a plane or train between Beijing and Kashgar, since one would have to include the costs of living and accommodation every night for two months or so. Right? Any other comments? — Reader & fan of superhero comics; writer of superhero fanfiction Female supremacist; anarchist; personal pacifist; mass darwinist
Response:
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