Member Matthew Norway
MemberForum Replies Created
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VY 146 isn’t one of the lines that officially allows bike bookings, you won’t be able to reserve a spot for it. Bringing it unannounced is at the driver’s discretion, and on long routes that usually means “no” if space is tight. Your best option is to box or bag the bike so it counts as regular luggage (paying a small extra fee if required) and store it in the luggage compartment. Alternatively, you could ask to have the rental shop ship it ahead using a courier, or book a taxi from the nearest train hub like Otta. All very expensive. Cycling from Otta is your best option, or renting a car if you have extra luggage. Use entur.no for all public transport options in Norway that will provide local buses that allow bikes on board.
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Contact local bike shops
There are a few shops in Kirkenes that sell or repair bikes, and they likely have spare boxes or can help:
Sport 1 Kirkenes in Handelsparken has a good selection of bikes and a workshop. They’re your best bet to get cardboard bike boxes or advice on where to find them.
Sportshjørnet AS and Sport Outlet Kirkenes also deal with bikes and may have boxes available.
Call or email and explain your situation.
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This reply was modified 6 months ago by Matthew Norway.
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This reply was modified 6 months ago by
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Oslo:
- Paahjul: https://paahjuloslo.bestille.no
- Ivars Sykkelsjappe: https://www.ivarssykkelsjappe.no/
- Glåmdals Sykkel & Verksted: https://www.facebook.com/GlaamdalSykkelVerksted
- BikeFixx Røa: https://bikefixx.no/
- Bikebrothers: https://bikebrothers.no/kontakt/
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https://cyclenorway.com/en/routes/oslo-stavanger-2/oslo-stavanger/
cyclenorway.com
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MSR Hubba
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https://www.sj.no/en/plan-your-journey/lugagge/bicycles/
You can contact us via:Chat: click on the chat bubble on our website Phone: (+47) 61 25 22 00E-mail: [email protected]
sj.no
You may bring bicycles aboard. On departures with seat reservation you need to book an add-on for your bike.
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1. Is it normal to not be able to reserve bike spots (especially on a line where VY says it is mandatory)? It appears possible to reserve a spot departing from Trondheim on these same trips. Oslo to Dombås, you can reserve a bike spot – contact customer service if you have an issue.
2. Are these Aug 18 trains are likely to have space for bikes without a reservation? – Can not answer that question. The rule is you have to fight to get your bike on when it’s busy. Don’t be polite.
3. Are these Aug 18 trains are likely to be replaced by buses (that won’t accept bikes)? Can not answer that question.
4. Are there alternative transport options for this route that would transport the bikes as well? Hiring a car or riding the 110km route.
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Ferry from Ålesund. It’s a nicer way to go.
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It’s either the very unpleasant E6 or the Coastal EV17 route (Eurovelo 1). If you are after an alternative, Sweden is your best option.
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Hi Jonathan, Happy to read your article and publish on CN – The best way is to send me a draft (Word format is fine), with photos either included or clearly marked – for example: “Insert image 2356.jpg after this sentence.” Please also upload the images to Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar so I can download and resize them for the website.
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Hi all,
I want to address some of the feedback I’ve received recently about the usability of the site, particularly regarding the maps and route layout.
First, I genuinely welcome constructive feedback. If there’s something specific you feel is missing or confusing about the current route/map setup, let me know. I’m always working to improve things, and there’s a lot planned for the winter ahead.
That said, displaying every single route on one map simply doesn’t work; it becomes a mess. That’s why I’ve divided Norway into regions (North, South, East, etc.), and created two dedicated pages for the National Cycle Routes and EuroVelo 1. Each has its own map for better clarity.
On the full story pages (for premium members), you’ll find the main route, plus options for detours, add-ons, and alternatives. There’s a huge variety of routes across the country, and making that information clear and usable takes serious time.
The site is about 40% complete, despite two years of work. It’ll take at least two more to reach the level I’m aiming for—where cyclists can easily plan tours across the country with confidence. That level of detail isn’t free or easy to produce.
This site has been funded entirely from my own savings. It’s not perfect, but compared to what the government offers for cycle tourism, it’s miles ahead in both practicality and inspiration. I’ve cycled over 40,000 km in Norway and built this site route by route, story by story, based on real experience—not theory, not guesswork.
Right now, I’m limited by the cost of development. In an ideal world, I’d have €50,000 to custom-build the site exactly as needed. Instead, I rely on third-party plugins and tools, which can be clunky or limiting. But I do what I can.
Thanks to the recent wave of premium signups, I now have some funds to invest in upgrades over the winter. Until then, my focus is on filming during the last part of summer. Expect several new films this winter designed to inspire more people to explore Norway by bike.
If I had a full team, this site would be constantly evolving. But it’s just me handling video production, web development, backend systems, customer support, legal/tax obligations, and everything else that comes with running a business like this.
I appreciate your support and patience. This is a long-term project, and it’s getting stronger every year.
– Matthew,
Cycle Norway
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Not 100% what you mean. It’s all done manually, and the Oslo-Stavanger routes are both complete with POI’s: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51035345?privacy_code=GxrdMdhKg6atOK52Xz1PSYPKVZPQvduN
ridewithgps.com
Ride with GPS | Bike Route Planner and Cycling Navigation App
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Komoot is more user-friendly but does leave you ‘Komooted’ a times, taking you on non-cycling routes or trying to push you onto a terrible farm road for 500m when the main road is just fine. There’s also no quality control, so anyone can upload sections that may not be advisable. RidewithGPS, while less intuitive, offers more accurate route planning and includes essential POIs that help riders anticipate challenges. From a tourism and website standpoint, RWGPS is the better choice for my needs.
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Thanks Ken, It’s remarkable that they prioritise people with large suitcases over cyclists. There should be a designated train compartment for bikes, especially since Trollstigen, Norway’s most famous cycling road, is next door. You would have thought they might have considered this.