# Been Berlin Biking 1



## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

Long overdue - here is a short report on a short trip made to the on-again, off-again, on-again capital of Germany.... Berlin.

I was there in the fall for a week-long conference. The bike came of course and I rode out past Potsdam on one of the days but much of the riding was done on DBahns Call-a-Bikes (see my review of Euro bike hire systems here: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=106594). 

There may have been some alcohol involved for many of the night shots ... 

Berlin is a rocking town and spares mucho bike loving on its denizens and visitors.

But on to the main event: 

First off, I pick up my DBahn bike -- all I need is my celly and a CC.

"Anchor" is the first word that comes to mind when describing these bikes.... "Anvil" isn't too far off either.

Followed by yours truly, windswept hair and all, riding through the Tiergarten....

and then riding up to the Schlosspark in Charlottenburg.


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Been Berlin Biking 2*

Winding through the city to the SW to Alexanderplatz... passing through the Reichstag area and ending up in ex-east Berlin at check-point Charlie.


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Been Berlin Biking 3*

When you look a little past the facades -- you can see some very vivid remaining traces of the battles that raged in this city in 1945.


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Beer Berlin Biking*

Disclaimer: Some brain cells might have been harmed in preparing the following pictures.

Somehow what I had forseen as a rather straightforward ride back to the Zoogarten train station turned into a long, drawn-out bar-hop across central Berlin.

I am surprised that the last few pictures (where I am turning in my bike) are as crisp as tthey are -- I somehow remember things being rather more blurry....


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Been Berlin Biking 4*

One day I took a spin out of the city w/ my trusty S&S Concorde. Out west to Potsdam, around the Wannasee, Templinersee to Caputh and back. Overcast cold day but an invigorating ride. One thing I learned: they have no word for "hill" in Ost deutsch.


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Been Berlin Biking 5*

And finally - a quick overview of some of the bikes of berlin... my favourite, the Deutsche Post taskmaster (along with its dour handler!). Oh, and the mother and child was a nice touch too.

Tschuss!


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Your posts are truly outstanding....it makes my day when I can read one of your ride reports...Thanks


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## naawillis (Oct 6, 2004)

*love the pics*

great, as usual. berlin is a perfect city to see on bike because its so spread out. in a lot of ways its still like 2 cities right next to each other. i had a similar day cruising around on a rental when i was there a couple years ago. glad to see you enjoyed it.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

[email protected]!

That is all.

We are really looking forward to our Danube tour this summer.

Per your suggestion Miss M packing her drinking pants!


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## teoteoteo (Sep 8, 2002)

Botox to go shot was my fav by far....the model in the background certainly appeared to have no wrinkles on her butt at all.

I guess the other pics were okay, but without the DLSR factor stay away from the loungers with these you photographic simpleton.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Outstanding, and thanks for bringing back memories. Little ol' me was born in Berlin in 1942. My mother used to tell me that it wasn't a great time for me to come into that part of the world . . .  

You may know this of course, but the first picture in your #4 post shows the Glienicker Bridge. One half of it used to be West Berlin, the other half East Germany. A white line on the pavement and a steel fence marked the Iron Curtain. Many agents were exchanged across that bridge, including U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers for the Soviet agent Rudolf Ivanovich Abel in 1962.


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## fosbibr (Aug 29, 2005)

great pics! Brings back memories, I lived in Berlin from 2001 to 2004 and had a good time. Hope you enjoyed the Wannasee - this time of year it would be frozen over (which is actually a good time). I brought over my beach cruiser and would pick up donners and ride home with a Becks tall boy in hand. good times.


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## undies (Oct 13, 2005)

Incredible pics as usual!

My dad visited the Brandenburg Gate in 1964 but this was as close as he could get:


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

Very cool. One of these days (a line/song title from The Wall, how appropriate), I need to go see the Fatherland (family moved to the states in 1840).

That postal bike is amazing. I can't imagine what it weighs.

Also, what's with the traffic light with the blue bike light, and nose (if that's what it is)?


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

Same back at'cha re: your Look SS posts!!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

Amazing what Botox can do!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

Not sure if it was a nose or some remanant of a random sticker... but blue=green light for bikes in Berlin.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Pretty good beer shots. Great stuff but I really liked the countryside ride. Looks like a perfect fall weather ride. Wonder what it's like right now? Brrrrr.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*Pretty much the same as DC.*



Ridgetop said:


> .... Wonder what it's like right now? Brrrrr.


Berlin=45f and mostly cloudy.
DC=47f with drizzle.

Nothing to keep you from having a nice ride.


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

*I'm such a chick!*



teoteoteo said:


> Botox to go shot was my fav by far....the model in the background certainly appeared to have no wrinkles on her butt at all.
> QUOTE]
> 
> LOL! As a female I didn't even notice the photo behind the sign.
> ...


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

Excellent shots. Glad you're posting again.

But tell me. Are there potholes in Potsdam? Does Bruno Ganz still lurk on Berlin rooftops?


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

There is no word for helmet in French .....











just joking: helmet= un casque


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

Yes, there are potholes in Potsdam... still.

I looked up to the rooftops for the angel Damiel but I did not see him. Perhaps I met him unbeknown to me -- or perhaps I thought I met him at the bottom of a beer stein. In any case, he has surely spent time in the city, his trace was everywhere.


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## seeborough (Feb 3, 2004)

Nicely done, phillipec.
You know what they say...Berlin ist immer eine Reise wert!


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## bigpinkt (Jul 20, 2006)

Gotta ask a few questions

-Can you use US credit cards on the DBahn bikes? I think they, the and the Velolib, still only take the Euro ones with the chip

-You were in Germany.....where are the obligatory pictures of roasted pork products?


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## Kolossal (Feb 12, 2007)

Very nice pics. I think Berlin is my favorite place in the world.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Outstanding. Thank you.


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## superjohnny (May 16, 2006)

rodar y rodar said:


> Outstanding. Thank you.


x2 Great report, thanks for sharing.


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