Cycling in Sri lanka

ChuckWoking

I'm flying out to Colombo, Sri lanka, in a few weeks, where I'll be starting a new job, with the family moving over 8 weeks after.

Being a keen cyclist I'd like to take my commuter bike over (Dawes Audax) but I have no idea what it is like cycling over there, whether its verging on suicidal or a really good way to get around...any advice? I'm not worried about the heat, I'm from Brisbane originally, concern is more traffic and attitudes to cycling.

What I don't want is to find myself with nothing to do on a Sunday and no way to get around.

Thanks.

The Rookie

For what it's worth, I do a lot of cycling in India.

Cycling on the road is fairly safe in towns/cities as you are easily as fast as the prevailing traffic making it safer than the UK, also the other road users are generally more spacially aware due to the poor (non existent) lane discipline. Out in the country it is fairly safe due to the very low traffic volumes, and touring by bike is really good fun, the locals often come out and we have kids running beside the bikes just shouting hello at us, but beware truck drivers (who don't like bikes and will occasionally try and run you off the road) and cars coming round the corner on the wrong side of the road (2 near misses for me on that one, one a very very near miss - a story all by itself) on hairpins.