riding in Seoul

[vqdriver]

i'll be in korea this summer and would love to get a couple rides in. road or mountain doesn't matter. i'm not sure if it's worth the hassle to pack the bike up for just that but if the only alternatives are hybrids for the Han river MUP then i'll do it.
i know there was a burgeoning cycling community out there but it's been a few years now and i don't know if it's been sustainable. anyone in tune with the current cycling culture over there?
higher quality rental info or a club site would be fantastic.

[Ken Robb]

get a flak jacket--you never know what that nut up north may do.

[professerr]

There's a decent thread on this on v salon. Search for "Korea." Short answer: I wouldn't bother bringing a bike for just a couple rides.

[uno-speedo]

I don't know about the riding but the hiking is good and just a short train ride away. The wife and I had a good long hike with a lot of pro looking hikers, they take it very seriously!

[mike p]

Don't hike or bike anywhere near the border!

Mike

[Likes2ridefar]

i'll be in korea this summer and would love to get a couple rides in. road or mountain doesn't matter. i'm not sure if it's worth the hassle to pack the bike up for just that but if the only alternatives are hybrids for the Han river MUP then i'll do it.
i know there was a burgeoning cycling community out there but it's been a few years now and i don't know if it's been sustainable. anyone in tune with the current cycling culture over there?
higher quality rental info or a club site would be fantastic.

perhaps check the routes of the tour of korea, a uci road race, and see if anything fits in with what you are looking for.

[goonster]

get a flak jacket--you never know what that nut up north may do.

Don't hike or bike anywhere near the border

C'mon guys, this is childish, and not helpful. Korea can be a truly excellent place to ride. Areas close to the DMZ (Seoul itself is pretty close, by American standards) are no worse than anywhere else.

The trick will be getting out of town. I cannot advise you on how to do this, from whatever particular spot you will be, but may be able to put you in touch with some knowledgable folks. Apparently there are some very good MUP paths out of Seoul, but I have not used them, though I did use the one out of Pusan.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8536/8696524377_6221d0a88b_c.jpg

If I were spending a summer in Korea, I would definitely bring my own bike, and would not expect to rely much on local rental or service support.

There is a (rapidly) growing randonneuring community in Korea, now hosting three full SR series. I rode a 600 km event there last year, but never did upload my photos. Korea has very good infrastructure, and there is plenty of epic riding on low traffic country roads.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8110325644_70718d02fa_c.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7241/7300820980_28cb75ab32_c.jpg