Valencia Cycling Guide: Rules, Bike Purchase, and Anti-Theft Tips for Expats

Valencia rightly holds the title of one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in Spain, which is due to a combination of ideal natural conditions and targeted urban planning policy. For a new resident, understanding the local cycling culture and transport regulations is key to quick and effective integration into city life.

Valencia is located on a flat plain (llanura), which makes it accessible to cyclists (ciclistas) of all ages and fitness levels. The mild climate allows the bicycle (bicicleta) to be used all year round.

Local authorities have invested significantly in infrastructure development: the network of cycle lanes (carriles bici) exceeds 160 kilometers in length. Thanks to this support and the compact size of the city, the bicycle becomes a fast, ecological, and independent means of transport, often more efficient than walking.

Choosing a bike: private rental (alquiler), public loan (préstamo), or purchase (compra)

Valenbisi Public Bike-Sharing

The public Valenbisi system is convenient for short, spontaneous trips in the city center. The system has 275 stations with high placement density. Short-term passes (abonos) (for example, 7-day) cost around €13. Valenbisi is ideal for tourists or residents who only need a bicycle occasionally.

Private rental (alquiler privado)

In the first weeks of residence, before buying your own bike or deciding on secure storage (almacenamiento seguro), private rental can be the most practical solution. Private bicycle shops (tiendas de bicicletas) usually offer better quality bikes: for example, stable City Bikes models with 28-inch wheels (ruedas) and reliable gears (cambios) (like Shimano Nexus). These models are comfortable for long distances and more reliable in dense traffic.

Buying (compra) your own City Bike

For daily and long-term use, we advise purchasing (comprar) your own City Bike. This type of bicycle provides an optimal balance between stability (comparable to a mountain bike) and the speed required for quick movement around the city. When purchasing, immediately take care of reliable locks (candados) and necessary accessories (basket, lights), which are often not included in the basic kit.

Infrastructure, rules (normas), and fines (multas)

Cycling in Valencia is regulated by the City Mobility Ordinance (Ordenanza de Movilidad). Knowing these rules is critically important, as the local police actively monitor compliance and issue fines (multas) for common violations (infracciones).

Key requirements and prohibitions

The main rule is the use of dedicated cycle lanes (carriles bici). Where they are absent, cyclists must move on the roadway (calzada), observing general traffic rules.

• Visibility: The cyclist (ciclista) must be visible at all times. At night, the use of front (white) and rear (red) lighting (luces) is mandatory.
• Speed limit: The maximum speed of movement is limited to 10–20 km/h depending on the zone (e.g., stricter limits apply in pedestrian or mixed zones).
• Helmet (Casco): Mandatory for all cyclists under 16 years of age.
• Headphones (Auriculares puestos): Strictly prohibited! The use of any headphones (even one) while riding is the absolute leader in the number of fines (multas) (hundreds of cases). The police show zero tolerance for this violation.
• Mobile phone (Conducir con el móvil): Using a phone while cycling is strictly penalized.

Security and anti-theft (robo)

In conditions of active bicycle traffic in the city, protection against theft (protección contra robo) is a mandatory element of bike ownership. Since expensive models, especially electric bikes, are a popular target, high-quality locks (candados) are not a luxury but a mandatory investment. Registration and applying subtle markings increase the chances of detection in case of theft (hurto).

Regardless of how expensive and reliable your lock is, no bicycle of any value should be left on the street overnight. Locks are intended exclusively for daytime use and short-term parking. Moreover, in high-risk areas, such as districts near the beach (e.g., Malvarrosa), leaving your bike locked up is not recommended even during the day. Always store your bicycle indoors (apartment, storage room, bike parking).

How to choose a lock (candado) and park (aparcar) your bicycle

Security experts insist on using professional solutions; ordinary cable locks are easily cut.

• U-locks (Candado de grillete): Offer maximum protection due to a thick steel shackle (barra de acero). It is recommended to choose models with a shackle thickness of at least 15 mm.
• ART Certification: Look for locks with the ART marking — this confirms their compliance with strict European security requirements.
• Dual protection: The most effective strategy is to use at least two different types of locks (e.g., a U-lock for securing the frame (cuadro) + a chain lock for the wheel (rueda)). This forces the thief to use two different tools, which increases the time of the break-in and the risk of detection.
• Parking rules: Always park in busy, well-lit areas. The frame (cuadro) and, if possible, the wheel (rueda) must be locked, securing them to an immovable stationary object (a special bike rack or a sturdy support).

For new residents who do not have a reliable storage space (almacenamiento) at home, a reasonable strategy is to use the services of private rental companies that offer overnight bike storage inside the shop.

Integration with public transport (transporte público)

The ability to combine cycling with rail transport in Valencia depends on the type of train (tren) and the route (ruta), and has significant restrictions.

Renfe Cercanías suburban trains

Renfe Cercanías suburban trains (trenes de cercanías) are the main means for multimodal trips outside the city and offer more flexible conditions.

• Transport rule (norma de transporte): Carrying one bicycle per person is allowed.
• Placement: Bicycles must be in special zones (zonas especiales) or on access platforms, without blocking the aisles.
• Restrictions: In case of high occupancy (alta ocupación) of the train, staff may refuse to allow the bicycle to be carried.

Metrovalencia (metro (metro) and tram (tranvía))

The main obstacle is that regular bicycles are strictly prohibited (estrictamente prohibido) in the underground sections of the metro and on all tram lines. This rule seriously limits the possibility of quickly crossing the center of Valencia.

• Above-ground sections (tramos en superficie): Carriage is only allowed on the above-ground sections of the metro lines (e.g., L1, L2, L3, L5, L7, L9).
• Connection to the center: Passengers starting their journey at above-ground stations in the suburbs are required to exit at the last station before the underground section begins.
• Placement: When carriage is allowed, bicycles are placed exclusively in the last car (vagón).
• Folding bicycles (bicicletas plegables): Fully folded bicycles are considered hand luggage (equipaje de mano) and are allowed to be carried without the restrictions applied to regular bicycles.

Maintenance (mantenimiento) and repair (reparación)

Since the bicycle is often used as daily transport in Valencia, regular and high-quality maintenance (mantenimiento) is key to safety and longevity.

Basic care (cuidado básico) that needs to be done regularly

• Brakes (frenos): Regular inspection of the brake pads (zapata de freno) condition.
• Pressure (presión): Maintaining optimal pressure in the tires (neumáticos).
• Drivetrain: Cleaning the chain (cadena) with a degreaser (desengrasante) and subsequent lubrication (engrase).

Professional workshops (Taller de bicicletas)

Local workshops (e.g., Hummi Bikes or BigBikes Carlet) offer a full range of services. They pay special attention to preventive maintenance (mantenimiento preventivo).

Prevention includes a comprehensive diagnosis of the braking system, drivetrain, and wheels, which allows potential major faults (avería mayor) to be identified before they lead to serious breakdown. Reliable centers only use original spare parts (repuestos originales) and high-quality components.

Vocabulary block: key Spanish terms for a cyclist

• El taller de bicicletas — Bicycle workshop
• El pinchazo — Puncture
• El desinflado — Flat tire
• La cadena — Chain
• El freno — Brake
• El sillín — Saddle
• El cuadro — Frame
• El cambio — Gear shift / Derailleur
• La llanta — Rim
• El neumático — Tire
• La bomba — Pump
• El desengrasante — Degreaser
• La grasa — Grease / Lubricant
• El candado — Lock
• El ciclista — Cyclist
• Carril bici — Cycle path / Bike lane
• La acera — Sidewalk / Pavement
• El casco — Helmet
• La multa — Fine
• El faro / La luz — Headlight / Light
• Bicicleta plegable — Folding bicycle

Expert's comment

Vladimir Gerasichev

Founder of the project "Bike rides with Vova and Zhenya",

bicycle rides along custom routes

Valencia is a true cycling paradise, and it's not limited to the city itself. For 2 years now, I've been organizing bike rides through the picturesque surroundings of Valencia and would like to share my experience of using a bicycle everywhere you can reach by suburban train + a couple of dozen kilometers on your own.

Valencia is located in a valley, and the area around the city is mostly orange groves and rice fields. They are crisscrossed by tons of cozy country roads that have no cars at all, but feature excellent asphalt. There is also a developed network of cycle paths. Some of them are made from former narrow-gauge railways, converted into cycle and pedestrian routes. Such routes are called Vía Verde ("Green Way"). The Vía Verde closest to Valencia starts right from the city and goes north through fields, groves, and small towns to the town of Puçol. It is 15 km long and is called Vía Xurra. Another very cool cycle path runs from Valencia south along the sea. It starts from the City of Arts and Sciences, reaches the sea at the mouth of the Turia, and continues along the beaches, periodically diving into a pine forest, all the way to Albufera. The Vía Verde between Benicassim and Orpesa is incredibly beautiful and short (only about 10 km). It runs along the sea among rocks and pines, and it has tunnels, the largest of which is 500 m long.

Well, if you get tired of the plain, it's enough to travel just 20 km from the city, and the mountains begin. The closest mountain range is Sierra de Calderona. It has elevations up to 1 km. The most scenic and green mountain range in the vicinity of Valencia, in my opinion, is Sierra de Espadán. It starts about 20 km from the sea between Sagunto and Castellón de la Plana. The most convenient way to enter it is from the Nules station (about an hour by Cercanías train from Valencia). The views there are completely different. Forested mountains, deserted mountain switchbacks with excellent asphalt and minimum traffic (on some highways, for example, CV-200, you can drive for an hour and not meet a single car).

You can see so much beauty within an hour's train ride from Valencia and a 20-30 km bike ride! There are mountain rivers with waterfalls and the opportunity to swim in the cleanest, transparent water, and pine forests, and mountains, and endless groves-fields, and very picturesque towns with narrow streets, cobblestones, and a beautiful church. There are also beautiful bays, wild beaches, snorkeling in the clearest water with fish, and other joys of the sea that are not found in the city. We have been cycling to different new interesting places every weekend for 2 years now, and these places just don't end. Every time I find new and interesting routes.

The maximally careful attitude of drivers is worth noting separately. We usually cycle in places where there are either no cars at all or very few, but if cars are encountered, they will never honk at you or rush somewhere—no, they calmly drive behind you, and when a straight section of the road appears, they slowly move into the oncoming lane and overtake you, strictly maintaining the traffic rule of a distance of at least 1.5 m from the cyclist. Also, on the suburban trains, everyone is very friendly and patient with cyclists. Even if the train is crowded, and the bicycles create objective inconveniences for others, no one here will yell at you; everyone is maximally friendly, and everyone has complete tranquila (calmness).

Conclusion and recommendations for new residents

Valencia is an excellent city for cycling, but your success depends on strict adherence to the rules (normas) and proactive security measures.

• Prioritize quality: For daily commutes, buy (comprar) or rent (alquilar) a City Bike for the long term. The Valenbisi system is not suitable for permanent use. Initially, use private rental (alquiler privado) with the option of overnight storage (almacenamiento nocturno) at the shop.
• Zero tolerance for distraction: Remember: headphones and riding on sidewalks (acera) are strictly prohibited. These are the most common causes of large fines (multas). Adapt to the requirement of full sensory awareness while moving.
• Security is your responsibility: Given the high risk of theft (robo), you must use professional, two-stage security systems, including U-locks with ART certification. Cable locks do not provide protection. Do not leave your bike unattended overnight or during the day at the beach.
• Route planning: The strict Metrovalencia ban on carrying regular bicycles in the center requires using above-ground sections or considering the purchase (compra) of a folding bicycle (bicicleta plegable).
• Maintenance: Regularly visit local taller de bicicletas for preventive diagnostics.