German cycling experience anyone???????

Having working in Southern Germany and Austria, I don't think you need to worry too much about bells and reflectors if you don't want to - especially if you're a serious road cyclist. If you're riding on cycle paths which are shared with walkers however, I think a bell is a good idea. You're very lucky... I wish I was still there. Get yourself down to Garmisch and enjoy the Bavarian Alps... amazing!

Thanks Andy

Since the first post I have done quite a bit of riding here in Northern Germany.

You are right, with a pro bike, you can ride on the streets and wave at the police, they wave back. And you can ride on the bike paths. I chased a serious cyclist from here last week, could not close the gap until a light turned red. As the light turned green I went flying past him just taking off, he caught up and we were pacing on a bicycle path. He was quite a bit stronger than me, but once he came past I took his wheel and hung in. After a few miles, I realized how good these riders are at negotiating other bikers and pedestrians on bicycle paths, jumping curbs at intersections and negotiating traffic at crossings. After a while it became to hairy for me and I got into the street and not long before he was on my wheel, overtook me and again I managed to hang on for dear life. We slowed down and he threw a lot of Deutsch at me and when I replied in English his English was excellent and we had a great chat.

I really enjoyed my time in Germany and we go back to Austria for two weeks every summer - usually to Carinthia where a friend has an apartment near Bad Kleinkirchheim. We tend to buy a weekly lift pass and go up the mountain every day with a packed lunch and the bikes. We then spend the second week by the lake just chilling out. I have never been to Lubeck but it looks nice and very near to Denmark! Enjoy your time over there JM!