Forum: travel.stackexchange.com
Tags: <bicycles><copenhagen>
Title: Renting bikes in Copenhagen
Question: I've a trip planned to Copenhagen in late November, is it fairly common for people to rent a bike and explore the city? I'm specifically asking as I'm not sure about people riding a bike in November as it tends to get cold early in that part of the world.

Answers:
sents: text: It does not get cold in Copenhagen in November.
text: It has a maritime climate and
text: the average daytime temperature in November is +7.1°C
text: (24-hour average +5.1°C).
text: The record low for November is -7°C, which is still no problem for cycling with a hat and gloves.
text: You do not need any special bicycle or special outdoor gear apart from normal layers for a mild winter.
text: It should certainly be possible to rent a bicycle in November.
text: Some outlets may be closed as it's a low season, so you should contact rental agencies in advance.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/2509/gerrit
score: 15
sents: text: I live in Copenhagen and use my bike to go to work all year like many other locals.
text: There are plenty of bike rentals for tourists as this is a popular way to explore the city.
text: You will find that the scenic city centre and waterfront a best travelled by foot or by bike as car traffic is restricted.
text: Its is a very good city for cycling with high priority to bicycle and foot traffic and bike lanes everywhere.
text: If there is snow in the winter the bike lanes in the main roads are cleaned quite quickly by the municipality.
text: November weather is normally nice, but some rain and wind is likely.
text: Snow is unlikely.
text: Bringing gloves is probably a good idea.
text: That time of year I would also recommend bringing a light poncho or raincoat just in case.
text: Please be note that you can bring your bicycle on the S-trains and Metro so you can combine the door-to-door flexibility and ubiquitous free parking possibilities of the bicycle with public transport for longer distances.
text: It is free to bring a bike on the S-train: in the Metro you need an extra ticket and there are certain restrictions during rush hour traffic.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/36506/mjul
score: 12
sents: text: We currently have mild weather in Copenhagen and it should stay that way for the coming month too, although you may see snow and sleet eventually.
text: That should not be a big problem, given the correct clothes, as stated by others.
text: As for bikes, check this out: http://bycyklen.dk/en
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/36494/Dan K
score: 10
sents: text: As far as I remember people cycle all year long.
text: Maybe when it snows a bit less people do it due to ice.
text: Relating to renting, the city used to have a free public bike system.
text: The problem sometimes is more to find a bike available.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/3736/nsn
score: 6
sents: text: While there are many good answers, I think there is a big point being missed here: the great unpredictability of Danish weather .
text: Contrary to what another answer claims, the temperature can go way lower than -7.
text: For instance, the Danish extreme for November is just below -21 degrees Celcius (and there's not much difference across the relatively small country).
text: Also, autumn/early winter is the season for storms in Denmark , which (on its own, cold or warm) may make it very impleasant and/or dangerous to go outside.
text: My point: you should be able to rent a bike and explore the city, but beware that in November the Danish weather can vary a lot, so check the forecast before you go, and maybe have a plan B ready.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/36512/Henrik Christensen
score: 2
sents: text: Yes it is quite common, there is actually a lot of tourism in relation to bike tours, walking tours and boat canal tours.
text: For instance Nova Fairy Tales (former Copenhagen Fairy Tales) has a pretty good bike tour in CPH .
text: Regarding time of the year, I think you should be fine in November as long as you wear warm clothes.
text: It's mostly in the period of December to February, that it can happen to snow.
text: You'll see a lot of natives bike even in these period, so I'm sure you can still enjoy a bike tour in November.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/65802/Dave
score: 1

Summary of the answers:
It does not get very cold in Copenhagen in November, and while some bike rentals may be closed for low season, you should not need a special bike or special clothes beyond gloves and a raincoat. People cycle all year round, and bike lanes are cleared of snow quite quickly. It is free to bring a bike on the S-train, but in the Metro you need an extra ticket and there are certain restrictions during rush hour traffic.
Temperatures in Copenhagen in November can be as low as  -7°C, so warm clothing and gloves are recommended for cycling. However, locals cycle all year so it is possible to enjoy a bike holiday in November. Moreover Cpenhagen is a very bike-friendly city. There are plenty of places to rent bikes, many bike lanes and bikes can be taken for free on public transport.