Latin America by Bike: A Complete Touring Guide [Paperback]

Walter Sienko (Author)

Book Description

Series: By Bike | Publication Date: September 1993

Popular series gives all the essentials of bicycling throughout the world. Includes tips on trip planning, safety, health, food, accommodations, sites of interest, buying and outfitting a bike, and more.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; First Edition Used edition (September 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898863651
• ISBN-13: 978-0898863659
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,159,370 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A valuable resource for the adventure cyclist., October 31, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Latin America by Bike: A Complete Touring Guide (Paperback)

Planning any independent trip to Latin America is hard. Planning a cycling trip is harder still because it requires answers to travel questions only cyclists ask. This book is the only one I know of that understands what cyclists in Latin America need to know - road conditions, where to get spares, where do the prevailing winds come from etc. Half of the book is devoted to presenting this information clearly for each country, plus a general guide to equipment (wherever I go, I refer to their check-list), safety and customs. The other half gives recommended routes which would be useful on shorter trips and aim to take in the best of each country.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Practical Information for Planning a Biking Trip in South America, March 5, 2006

By 

JM (NYC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Latin America by Bike: A Complete Touring Guide (Paperback)

This is a great reference book to help with planning your trip. Most of the information still applies even though the book was written in 1993. Be sure to do your own research on political circumstances and health requirements before you leave though.

Each country is divided into the following sections:
* Intro to the country
* Cycle Zones - each geographic region of the country is listed whether there is a tour in the area or not. Terrain, Scenery, Cultural Interest, and Weather for each zone is described.
* Tour Route Description with Map - Route described by mile points. The maps are not great, but get the point across.
* General Information: Getting to the Country, Documents, Accommodations, Drinks, Health, Money, and Security
* Cycling Information: Bicycles, Roads, Maps, and Bike Transport (other than riding)

The appendices are fantastic. He has included a packing list, list of recommended shots, temperature tables and biking words in Spanish. These alone have been of great assistance, but the "Safety Awareness Chart" is a little out of date.

The routes are usually circle route - beginning and ending at the same location, but each geographic area is described whether there is a route in it or not. The author does state that the routes are designed for people who have some time in a country to do a limited amount of cycle touring. You can incorporate these routes into your own path with little difficulty.

Note: There is information on but no routes in El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, or Uruguay.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poor Effort, August 14, 2007

By 

J. P. Mecklenborg "jmeck" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Latin America by Bike: A Complete Touring Guide (Paperback)

I'm a fairly experience touring cyclist and this book offered nothing in terms of being able to plan routes or get a comprehensive semi-plan before embarking to a country. For example, all the author had to say about Panama was that one should not bike there. Not a helpful guide, I would stick to the lonely planet cycle guides (although there is not one for South America that I know of).