Purchase a new non-assisted or electric assisted bicycle between 11 May and the end of Q2 2021 and you could get a subsidy of 50% of the purchase price up to €600 Shutterstock

Purchase a new non-assisted or electric assisted bicycle between 11 May and the end of Q2 2021 and you could get a subsidy of 50% of the purchase price up to €600 Shutterstock

Cycle paths

Don’t want to ride on the road? Depending on where you’re headed, you may not have to. Luxembourg has 23 official cycle paths or “pistes cyclables”. Most are well signposted but you can also view them online here. Some of them, like the PC2, are based on former railway lines and offer breathtaking scenery. Don’t forget, there are also some great paths for mountain biking too. Here are just a few.

Rules of the road

Luxembourg has clear rules on cycling equipment and behaviour but not everyone is aware of them. For instance, did you know that cyclists can ride two-abreast in certain places (provided you respect social-distancing rules, of course)? Full details on what is permitted can be found here (in French).

Cycle break-down coverage

Yes, you read that right. If your wheel gets bent out of shape or your e-bike battery runs out for instance, you can call up the Automobile Club Luxembourg for assistance. For €25 per year, it offers 24/7 assistance for bicycles, scooters and e-bikes within a 50-kilometre radius of Luxembourg’s borders. More information here.

Ride in good company

Maybe you don’t want to ride alone, and you don’t have to. There are a number of group rides going on in Luxembourg. Check out the weekly Cappucino or slightly faster Espresso rides from the shop of 2010 Tour de France winner Andy Schleck in Itzig. Alternatively, Velolatte coordinates monthly rides for women from the same location. All rides apply social distancing measures. If you like your cycling to make a statement, you might like to try the Critical Mass movement, which schedules occasional demonstration rides to remind motorists the road is for sharing. There are tonnes of other cycling communities on Facebook, including Cycle Luxembourg, Cycling Luxembourg, the Cycle Luxembourg Community, not to mention lobbying group the Lëtzebuerger Vëlosinitiativ. And if you’re looking to buy your bike or gear second-hand, there are plenty of bargains to be found on Velo Okkasiounsmaart- Kaafen an Verkaafen- Cycling Market Luxembourg. Just bear in mind the subsidies are only valid on bikes bought new.

Discover Luxembourg’s cycling history

Luxembourg has a long relationship with cycling, boasting five Tour de France wins, from the likes of François Faber (1909), Nicolas Frantz (1927 and 1928), Charly Gaul (1958) and Andy Schleck (2010). In 2017, British artist James Straffon created 12 murals of Tour de France legends in Luxembourg. Some but not all are Luxembourgish. Here’s a video to help you find them.

*New non-assisted or electric assisted bicycles purchased in Luxembourg between 11 May and the end of Q2 2021, will be eligible for a subsidy of 50% of the purchase price up to €600.