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Abu Dhabi (CNN) — A cycling vacation often conjures images of cycling through the French countryside, baguettes strapped to the handlebars, or a relaxing ride along the flat, friendly bike paths that pass through cities like Copenhagen or Amsterdam.
They don’t usually involve the Arabian desert, where summer temperatures and strong midday sun can make it hot enough to explode a bicycle tire.
But that may soon change.
A two-wheeled revolution is starting to pick up pace in Abu Dhabi, with huge investments propelling residents and tourists alike into the saddle for a cycling experience like no other on Earth.
Last year, it was designated the official ‘Cycling City’ by the sport cycling governing body International Cycling Union (UCI) – the first city in the Middle East and Asia to receive this honour. Those searing temperatures mean it could be the hottest bike city in the world.
At first glance, Abu Dhabi’s cycling credentials are not obvious. The capital and surrounding terrain of the UAE was built using the oil wealth and is the domain of the car. Petrol is cheap, the roads are wide, and the speed limit – outside the city – is very fast.
Look closely, it’s a different story. Over the past few years, miles of dedicated cycling lanes have sprung up alongside new highways as the UAE has steadily established itself as the UAE’s gateway to cycling, bringing in international events and nurturing homegrown talent.
In the process, it has created some exhilarating riding experiences that, when added to Abu Dhabi’s many other attractions, are likely to appeal to cycling enthusiasts and anyone looking to try something different.
non-social time
Ricky Bautista on the far right with the team from Beyond the Bike bike shop in Dubai on the Al Hudayriyat cycle path.
Barry Nield/CNN
Participation may involve some unsocial time, though. In winter, milder climates are ideal for all-day riding, but from May to September, temperatures can sometimes reach highs around 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit), and the best time to ride is before the sun rises or after sunset.
That’s why friends Andy Coleman and Dan Baltrusaitis can be found shortly after 6am on Saturday, putting on their cycling shoes in a parking lot in Al Hudayriyat, an island south of the city that houses beach resorts and A beautiful purpose built island bike path.
“Why would I do this, I don’t know,” Coleman said with a laugh as the couple began their workout on the slick asphalt.
Despite the early hours, they are not alone. Dozens of other cyclists are flying around a network of tracks ranging from 3km to 10km, including exciting water tracks. It’s mostly flat, but ferocious onshore headwinds add to the challenge.
“It was a great experience,” says Ricky Bautista, one of a group of uniformed riders who have been running laps since the first light. Bautista’s team all worked out of a bike shop in Dubai and ventured across the border to try out Al Hudayriyat’s free rides.
“I’m a beginner, but all my colleagues are cyclists and they tell me, ‘Try it and you’ll have fun,'” he said. “It was really challenging today because of the wind, but when you change direction you feel like you’re flying and it’s more fun.”
Many other clubs are also chasing each other’s wheels on the track. Men and women of all ages can be seen blurring the distant skyscraper skyline of the city’s financial district. Some people come by car, some people drive from home. There is also a bicycle bus.
healthy lifestyle
The Abu Dhabi Cycling Club coordinates cycling-related activities in Abu Dhabi.
Barry Nield/CNN
ADCC, which was established in 2017, said it has invested about 1.7 billion dirhams ($460 million) in cycling and is building 445 kilometers (277 miles) of cycle lanes. On the way there is a new indoor velodrome and a cycle path connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The goal is to get as many locals as possible to use cycling as part of a healthy lifestyle, while attracting tourists. “One of the main goals is to get more tourists to Abu Dhabi for a cycling holiday,” ADCC executive director Al Nukhira Allkhyeli told CNN.
Allkhyeli is an avid cyclist himself and can often train near one of the biggest highlights of the Abu Dhabi cycling scene, the Yas Marina Circuit. The circuit loop that hosts Formula 1 events is regularly open to the public for cycling in the evening or in the morning.
Even for non-F1 fans, racing on the esplanade is a thrill, with huge grandstands looming on either side of the 7km loop, plus the occasional moored superyacht looking into the track. The roar of the absent crowd could still reverberate in the venue.
First-time riders are torn between needing speed or taking a selfie (avoiding accidental turns into the pits) when cornering on tarmac.
Surreal and satisfying
The Al Hudayriyat circuit includes a water section.
Cultural Tourism Departure – Abu Dhabi
In Abu Dhabi, you can experience a more stable – indeed more extreme – riding experience.
Hardcore cyclists will want to head to Jebel Hafeet, Abu Dhabi’s only true mountain, with a brutal turnaround road to nowhere, stunning views of the emirate, and a chance to turn your legs around. Jelly.
Another highlight in the desert is the Al Wathba Cycle Path, a flat, purpose-built cycle path in the middle of nowhere and possibly one of the most surreal and satisfying cycling adventures in Abu Dhabi.
Riding the Yas Marina F1 track is a thrill.
Barry Nield/CNN
About an hour from the city center, the track entrance is housed in a small cluster of buildings that includes showers and toilets, a small supermarket and a bike shop that rents out old but serviceable carbon fiber race cars by the hour.
In the cooler months, it’s a regular daytime race venue, but in summer the track comes alive as the sun sinks into the horizon. Solar-powered street lights dimly illuminate the 30-kilometre loop that stretches into the desert night.
Solo riding is an exciting experience, but a little disconcerting. It was quiet in the dunes, and dark, although there were few lights.
There’s nothing stopping you from blasting at maximum speed, save for the occasional soft sand drifting across the track. A popping light bulb everywhere creates a small blackout, and the rider needs to keep the nerve to get through without slamming the brakes.
Ride all year
UCI has granted Abu Dhabi Bike City status.
Barry Nield/CNN
Cycling headlong into the dark and unknown on a hot desert night seems like a good metaphor for Abu Dhabi’s mega-dollar pursuit of a sport seemingly out of step with the local climate.
However, Isabella Burczak, UCI’s advocacy and development manager, said the emirate was on a clear path to success, with commitment and strong political will behind its vision to encourage and develop leisure, transport and sports cycling.
She said its Bike City status should help inspire it to continue to achieve those goals and to share knowledge and skills with a network of 20 other Bike Cities, from Bergen, Norway, to Wollongong, Australia.
And – if cyclists are acclimated by riding morning and night, and provide the same rules as employers provide showers for sweaty commuters – the heat won’t hurt.
“In all cases, whether it’s hot weather or cold weather, I think solutions can be found to make sure people can still take advantage of bicycles for whatever reason,” she told CNN.
Can it really rival classic cycling destinations like France, Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands?
Thanks to the relentless sun in the desert, it has done just that, says Aditya Bhiwandkar, a bike enthusiast and sales associate at Wolfi’s.
“In Europe, you have snow and rain,” he said. “But in Abu Dhabi, you can really ride 365 days a year.”
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