Cyling in GOA, on the Beach

As if cycling in Goa wasn’t awesome enough, you can cycle on the beach too – right on the sand, and right by the sea, with the waves lapping up against your tyres.

Getting to a beach, in Goa,  is pretty easy – just go west, until you hit some sand! The great part about Goa is that this, “go west”, part is typically a lovely experience too, especially when you ride through villages and fields, as you make your way to the coast

If you’re in South Goa, one of the best places to start your beach ride is Betul beach, as it will give you the option of riding along a significant section of the coast. Betul is quite a unique location, as you can see the confluence of the river Sal with the Arabian sea. Please watch the video for some tips on how to actually get to Betul beach.

In the video above, I rode 15 km to Benaulim beach, but could just have easily have ridden 30 km to Velsao beach or beyond. When you need to get back home, look for an exit point, and hit the regular, albeit boring roads.

The Endless Coastline

Now as far as riding on the sand is concerned, here are some tips:

  • Find a line that works for you
    • The sand closer to the water is harder, and easier to cycle on, but if you get too close, it gets really soft … and you’ll find yourself in the drink
  • Use an easier gear
    • Spinning is better than grinding, you don’t want your stroke wedging your wheels into the sand
  • Keep your body loose, a slightly loose grip on the handlebars, and keep your weight off the front wheel
  • There’s no traffic, of course, but you’ve got to watch out for people who aren’t expecting cycles on the beach
  • A fatbike would make things much easier, but I did this on a hybrid with city tyres. Most bikes should do fine, but I can’t speak for really smooth tyres you typically find on road bikes
  • At the end of your ride, remember to get the sand out of your components
Brian
Brianhttp://www.strava.com/athletes/20786130
Rides a Scott Sub Cross 20 - wants you to stop staring at your phone, get on your bike and start splorin. With a focus on quality miles, he hopes to take you to fantastic destinations, through lovely routes, and help you make the most of your precious bike-time.

Related articles

How to Make Cycling More Fun

https://youtu.be/QFZXWlJ1XJg If you find yourself getting a bit bored when out on your bike, or lacking the motivation to even get out of your house, here are a few tips that will help you keep...

How to Add Missing Trails to Maps

When you're looking for a new ride, especially one that's off-road, you probably go to your favorite mapping tools in order to prepare your route. For example, if you try to find an over-the-hills...

Three Climbs and Change, in Pune – Epic Ride of the Week, Episode 4

If you're a serious cyclist in Pune, you've probably heard of Jan Ekern - if you haven't, well ... you're not serious! Okay, I'm just kidding - Jan is a fifty year old cyclist...

Siddhagad, Mumbai – Epic Ride of the Week, Episode 3

What's the longest you've been out on a single day ride? How do you feel about nineteen hours? Our rider this week, Abin Jose, left home just after 4 in the morning and got...

Tiger Hill, Darjeeling – Epic Ride of the Week, Episode 2

Do you like riding up hills on your cycle? Think carefully before you answer this one, because this week, we aren't going to ride 8 km up Sinhagad, 25 km to Coonoor, or 40...

Latest articles

Leave a Comment