Malta

ohara227

Just back from a few days in Malta, before going I thought if its nice ill take the bike next time you know to cycle around etc. From being there and driving, I can conclude no, no and no - dont even think about it.

Seen a lot of guys in road racing gear on MTBs, presumebally because of the crap roads, terrain and drivers!

Dont get me wrong holiday wise its nice, just dont take the bike! I could be wrong though, as I never seen the full island but saw a fair bit.

gmacz

crap roads, terrain and drivers!

Sounds just like jockland.

Aerozine50

From the song "The maltese Calypso" there is a line

" And the smallest book in the world I'm told - That's the Maltese Highway code!"

If you are going to take a bike, get a really crappy halfords Appollo ful suspension MTB. So darned heavy you will lose weight when cycling and will appreciate a pint of Cisk/Hopleaf so much more when your rides are over.

In Malta they drive

On the left
On the Right
And in the Middle!!!!

ddraver

...or take an MTB and ride off road...

term1te

Aerozine50 wrote:

From the song "The maltese Calypso" there is a line

" And the smallest book in the world I'm told - That's the Maltese Highway code!"

If you are going to take a bike, get a really crappy halfords Appollo ful suspension MTB. So darned heavy you will lose weight when cycling and will appreciate a pint of Cisk/Hopleaf so much more when your rides are over.

In Malta they drive

On the left
On the Right
And in the Middle!!!!

Is that the calypso that goes "Malta Malta, so glad you brought-er". They don't write them like that anymore.

I thought it went on to say they drove in the shade not the middle. I was reassured by the taxi driver out there who told me not to worry about the hole in the passenger footwell floor, it was there so he could see the pot holes better.

ohara227

Yeah MTB would be the way to go I would imagine, but I think a Halfrauds job would fall apart!

robdaykin

I was there last year and saw a lot of (possibly) expensive carbon road bikes. Some mountain bikes, but no shortage of Colnago, Pinarello and so on. Given that the roads were badly damaged by water during our visit, I would have been on a hybrid at least.

Aerozine50

Yes Term1te it is the song that goes

"Malta, We Love Malta These are the things we'd alter"

Quite a few references to the knackered road surfaces, and poor quality hire cars in that song too

I used to have a car window sticker that said "they drive on the left, the right and in the middle"

Yes thats about right in terms of taxi drivers. They do however have the greatest level of care and maintenance for those ancient busses they use!!! Who'se idea of driving is to get it to the top of Dingli cliffs, put it into neutral and then coast the rest of the way to wherever they want on the island!!!

Incidentally I use my Bike to keep fit for rebreather diving. I first learnt how to dive in Malta.

Regards

Paul

Tim Farr

My experience and conclusion is the same as yours Ohara - don't take a bike. Crazy driving and pot holed roads. One wonders at the mechanical state of the cars after hiring what turned out to be a true wreck for the week.

Yes - lovely people, beautiful sea but a third world country for roads, cars and driving.

sandyballs

Did you use the bus service. Absolute class buses, mostly 1950s yellow numbers driven by maniacs. We went on one that the windscreen rattled everytime we went over a bump, which in Malta is every 2 inches.