Every Sunday morning, Mexico City closes about 55 km of its streets to cars, including the grand Paseo de la Reforma, and tens of thousands of people ride past the Angel of Independence on bikes, skates and scooters. Guadalajara and Mérida do the same, and these car-free Sundays are the easiest way for a visitor to ride in Mexico.
Beyond the cities, Mexico rewards cyclists who pick their terrain. The flat Yucatán is made for short rides between ruins and cenotes; the valleys around Oaxaca City link weaving villages and Zapotec sites; and the Baja Divide, a dirt route of about 2,700 km down the length of Baja California, has become one of the world’s best-known bikepacking trips.
Road cycling is harder going. Highways are often narrow with no shoulder, topes (speed bumps) mark every village, and the central highlands sit above 2,000 m. Ride in the dry season, from November to April, and in the early morning.
At a Glance#
- City rides: Sunday car-free routes in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Mérida, plus Mexico City’s Ecobici bike share.
- Ruins and cenotes: flat rides from Valladolid to nearby cenotes, bike paths at Tulum, and hire bikes inside the ruins of Cobá.
- Valley touring: the Tlacolula valley east of Oaxaca City, past Mitla and weaving villages.
- Bikepacking: the Baja Divide from the US border to San José del Cabo, best from November to March.
- Mountain biking: the forests around Valle de Bravo, the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca and the Copper Canyon around Creel.
- Big climbs: the road to Paso de Cortés below Iztaccíhuatl and the climb up Nevado de Toluca.
- Season: November to April; summer brings afternoon storms in the highlands and heavy heat on the coasts.
Mexico City#
Mexico City’s Sunday ride, Muévete en Bici, runs from about 8am to 2pm on a circuit centred on Paseo de la Reforma, with branches through the historic centre and towards Chapultepec. Stalls along the route rent bikes, and the city also holds occasional night rides, including one around Day of the Dead.
On other days, Ecobici, the city’s bike share, has docks across the central neighbourhoods, including Roma, Condesa and Polanco, with painted and protected lanes on Reforma and the main avenues. A one-day pass costs 134 pesos (about 7 USD) through the app. Traffic away from the bike lanes is fast and aggressive, so new arrivals often start with a guided city ride.
For road cyclists, Mexico City clubs ride out to the volcanoes. The climb from Amecameca to Paso de Cortés, the 3,600 m saddle between Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl, and the road up Nevado de Toluca from Toluca are the classic tests. Both are long, high and cold at the top, and they are best ridden with a group.
Guadalajara and Mérida#
Guadalajara’s Vía RecreActiva closes dozens of kilometres of streets across the city and Zapopan from 8am to 2pm on Sundays. The lake towns of Lake Chapala, an hour south, have a lakeside path for gentle riding.
In Mérida, the Sunday Biciruta closes the grand Paseo de Montejo and the streets towards the centre from about 8am to 12:30pm, with bikes for hire along the route. Arrive early, before the heat.
Yucatán ruins and cenotes#
The Yucatán is flat, the roads to small villages are quiet, and the destinations are close together, so short bike trips are the norm. From Valladolid, a ride of about 7 km on a roadside path reaches the cenotes of Samulá and X’keken, and other cenotes lie a short pedal further. At Cobá, the ruins are spread over several kilometres of forest tracks, and you can hire a bike or a tricycle taxi inside the site to reach the Nohoch Mul pyramid; it costs extra on top of the entry fee.
Tulum has a bike path between the town, the ruins and the beach road, and most hotels lend or rent bikes. Longer tours across the peninsula are hot and straight, but cheap guesthouses and village shops make self-supported touring easy from November to March. Ride early: by late morning the heat is fierce.
Oaxaca#
Oaxaca City sits in a high valley ringed by mountains, and local operators run day rides to the villages of the Tlacolula valley: the huge tree at Santa María del Tule, the rug weavers of Teotitlán del Valle, mezcal distilleries and the ruins of Mitla. The Sierra Norte, two hours north, has mountain-bike trails through pine forest between the community villages of the Pueblos Mancomunados, with guides and cabins; our Mexico hiking guide covers the same network on foot.
Baja California#
The Baja Divide is a mostly unpaved route of about 2,700 km from San Diego down the Baja peninsula to San José del Cabo, with a loop around the cape back to La Paz. It crosses deserts, mountain ranches and the Sea of Cortez coast, and riders need six weeks or so, wide tyres and the ability to carry several days of water. Ride it from November to March.
Paved Highway 1, the alternative, is narrow with fast trucks and almost no shoulder. In La Paz, the long malecón path along the bay is the easy ride, and bike shops in town rent and repair.
Mountain biking#
Valle de Bravo, about two to two and a half hours southwest of Mexico City, is Mexico’s best-known mountain-bike town, with singletrack through pine forest above the lake and rental and guiding in town. Around Creel in the Copper Canyon, dirt roads and Rarámuri trails lead to Lake Arareco and the canyon rim; check the current advisory for Chihuahua in our safety guide before riding into the canyons. Near Monterrey, the trails of the Cumbres de Monterrey park are busy with local riders.
Bikes, rules and safety#
- Hire: city bike shares and Sunday-route rentals are easy; good road, touring or mountain bikes are hard to rent outside Mexico City, Oaxaca, Valle de Bravo and La Paz, so tourers usually bring their own.
- Transport: long-distance buses will usually carry a boxed or wrapped bike in the hold, sometimes for a fee; ask when you buy the ticket. See our getting around guide.
- Rules: ride on the right, with traffic. Wear a helmet and bright clothing, use lights, and avoid riding after dark, when unlit cars and livestock share the road.
- Hazards: topes, potholes, dogs in villages and trucks on two-lane roads.
- Safety: stick to the states and roads the advisories treat as safe; long rides across Michoacán, Guerrero, Sinaloa or Tamaulipas are not wise.
Plan a Mexico City visit around a Sunday. The car-free Reforma ride is the most relaxed way to see the city’s main avenue, and it ends in time for lunch.
For more routes nearby see our North America cycling guide and cycling around the world.
Best places to cycle in Mexico#
More Things to Do#
Mexico cycling FAQs#
Is Mexico good for cycling?
For city rides, short tours and bikepacking, yes. Car-free Sundays in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Mérida are easy for visitors, and the Yucatán, Oaxaca and Baja suit touring. Busy highways with no shoulder make long road rides harder than in Europe.
When does Mexico City close Reforma to cars?
Every Sunday except the last of the month, from about 8am to 2pm for Muévete en Bici, with roughly 55 to 60 km of streets closed to traffic. You can rent a bike along the route or use an Ecobici pass.
How much is Ecobici in Mexico City?
A one-day pass costs 134 pesos (about 7 USD) and a three-day pass 263 pesos, bought through the Ecobici app.
How long is the Baja Divide?
About 2,700 km from San Diego to San José del Cabo, mostly on dirt roads, with a loop around the cape back to La Paz. Most riders take about six weeks, between November and March.
Is it safe to cycle in Mexico?
In cities on car-free days and on quiet rural roads in the Yucatán, Oaxaca and Baja, generally yes. Avoid riding at night, take care on narrow highways with trucks, and check state advisories before long tours.