Berlin advice

i'll be in berlin at the end of august, by the way.

for the Worlds?

argh, stop trying to indoctrinate me! no, for berlin. when are the worlds again?

oh, i see. no. i'm there the week after.

But why would anyone want to go to Berlin except for the polo Worlds?

You're strange man, teddy. ;)

that week will be back in London, the London Open is on

teddy's got it all wrongggggg! ;)

Anyone know of any decent rides starting from Berlin? Loops or rides out and training it back. Going to be out there for a week with my road bike and thought I'd try and get out for a ride one day if I can manage it (not really sure how likely this is, but it's worth having a route just in case!).

I went out to Wannsee a little while ago - the roads around the lake are a bit like the Berliner equivalent of Richmond Park. And it's beautiful.

bike out to poland. you can do it in a day.

it's not really a training ride, but my favourite head-clearing ride is the path along the spree. get on the path near the reichstag. it ends at the west end of the tiergarten, then you can bike through tiergarted and around the seigesaule (the gold angel statue from wings of desire). watch out for falling bonos.

Try to get the information "is there a fixie rent in berlin" by calling an singlespeed bike store in berlin like http://www.keirinberlin.de/

I arrived in Berlin now. Anyone out here fancy a ride?

More than likely... [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Germany"]likely[/ame]...

Yes I walked into that...

erm... A bike ride?

Yes I walked into that...

Beware, they may not charge for entry, but the drinks are crippling...

do you play polo?

do you play polo?

no, but i'd like to try. not sure my track bike is suitable though.

probably not
I dont know much of the "fixie" scene here, seen some guys passing by and stuff but...
if want you wnat is polo, let me know, I can PM all the info

Uhm...

yes it is trye, I saw it too a few days ago.
Unfortunatly I only remember they were green.....

sorry guys I replied directly to an old reply concerning fixed bikes rental in Berlin and it ended here......
Apologiez!

I'm not sure about "the" fixie scene and "the" messenger scene. There are many "fixie scenes", and "the messenger scene" is not reallly homogenous. There are some spots like Keirin at Schlesisches Tor where you have a good chance to find ssfg riders, messengers and other hipsters. But there are many messengers that do not count themselves into some kind of "scene", many just do their job. And there are collegues out who will greet you when cycling by, others don't greet even their collegues working with the some company. Same applies to ssfg riders. There are some people out there who count themselves to some kind of "scene". But most of the ssfg riders, especially since last year, just do that for themselves - not being part of any kind of closed "scene".

Greetings from a Berlin courier, but inactive for a few weeks due to some other work...

I'm off to Berlin next weekend (29, 30 & 31st October) - for the first time - if anyone knows of anything special that's a one-off that weekend do speak up - otherwise will just be following some of the advice above and generally drifting around soaking up the sights. Looking forward big time.

I'm off to Berlin next weekend (29, 30 & 31st October) - for the first time - if anyone knows of anything special that's a one-off that weekend do speak up - otherwise will just be following some of the advice above and generally drifting around soaking up the sights. Looking forward big time.

Me too and my first time also. dunno whether to go for a big night out or just chill in small bars, i've heard both are great in Berlin.

My plan is to ride around the and see art - Bauhaus Archiv, Wall gallery etc, aswell as a few other general tourist things, then hang out in cafes. Theres a new exhibition on hitler and self aggrandising nazi propaganda if that floats you boat.

It does sound fascinating (for lurkers http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/14/germany-first-hitler-exhibition-opens) .... obviously there is the rather delicate subject of how I raise it with my host.

Failing that there's lots of great art of course and amazing buildings to enjoy.

Don't plan on making the same mistake Easyjet did last year however with my holiday photo's: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/nov/24/easyjet-holocaust-fashion

As for the balance of a big night out, or chilling, the trouble with a big-night if you're just going for three days is if you make the wrong call, you've ended up wasting the final day for an amazing City. Me thinks we're going for the chilling option, and if the fancy takes there's always the chance of a return trip.

Love some of the comments right at the start of this thread on 'darkrooms' ;-)

@Bagheera:

On next weekend, there will be the annual Halloween alleycat race. Might be interesting if you count yourself to the - whatever - "messenger scene": For non-messengers that event is probably not really interesting. There will be probably lots of really fast riders, and people who are not working couriers probably think that the after-race parties are just bad.

If you're looking for any events: There's a huge event calendar on www.zitty.de. For underground action (punk parties, leftish political activism etc.) you might want to look at stressfaktor.squat.net. Both websites in German language only.

Thaks for that two-five, am inquiring with my German host if they even have bikes themselves for us to get around... it's that or public transport, and risking life and limb on a bike in a City where they drive on the wrong side is always entertaining.

Had a great long weekend in Berlin.

A few tips:

• use the Berlin Welcome Card for 16.90 euros for 48 hours discount and travel all in one, time the start well so you get max benefit (it runs from the moment you validate it on your first journey)

• cycling would have been 'orrible imho, tram tracks, cars wrong side of the road etc. Relax and walk/public transport - so much to see.

• Did the national museum thing, along with the special exhibition on mentioned above. Fascinating and chilling in equal measures. One or two memories will stay with me for a lifetime.

• Had a great meal here http://www.fleischerei-berlin.com/

• This was bonkers and very very jolly http://www.kleine-nachtrevue.de/

• Loads of architecture - old and new, some with fascinating histories - important to check out the Speer Finance Ministry as the new all glass railway station (I love the radio antenna)

• Lots of memorials around, and an interesting debate to be had around the subject of 'national guilt'. The “Bibliotek” memorial http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denkmal_zur_Erinnerung_an_die_B%C3%BCcherverbrennung amazing and beautiful in its subtlety.

All in all three exhausting days - but a fascinating and beautiful City, well recommended for a City break.

-

Glad you had a good time, loved it aswell.

Not sure i agree about it being bad for cycling i thought it was great, rented a bike on Sat afternoon and it was great for cruising around, really passive traffic and great infrastructure. Worth keeping an eye out for Trams mind.

Took a relaxed approach to sight seeing, wondered around to see a few key things, then off to markets etc. De Mauer on a sunday was massive and great fun.

Partying was fun, lots of nice bars around where we stayed in Kreuzberg, and a club open till 8 am underneath our hostel. Found the warehouse area to be pretty hit and miss, getting turned away from places for with explanation, and i'm pretty sure it wasn't because we looked like tourists as we had some locals there with us. Still all in all a great city, already looking at going again.

fair point with the cycling on reflection... I was a bit harsh, it just seemed a bit too much effort tbh for us.... the traffic is fairly light, not too fast, and not as aggressive as London, and there's the whole turning right business going on if the coast is clear..... but as you say look out for trams!

:-))

Off to Berlin for 8 days on the 17th, can't wait. Been there a couple of times before, so I've done all the tourist stuff, seen all the architecture I can bear so probably going to spend a bit of time checking out some stuff further out, some bike shops but mainly clubs. Recommendations appreciated.

Staying out near the Velodrome, the website isn't the best. Does anyone know if they do bike hire like Manchester do?