We rode rallarveien this summer...
Finding out when to go, what to expect and what it is like is all part of the adventure, I had initially planned to do a "happy ride" there back in 1998, (before Happy Existed) so I suppose you could say I spent years planning the trip. We finally had time off and decided to do it last year and it was wonderful. This could easily turn into a long ten page report on the ride. But I will try to keep it short....
We parked at Haugastöl, and rode to flåm in a day, stayed at the vandrarhem there, took the flåmbana (train) back up the first 800 or so metres to myrdal (?) and then rode from there back to Haugastöl. It was a tough ride, something like 80km on the first day and 60 on the second day. We did it on singlespeed bikes, and I am sure that gears would have made it easier. But thats a choice thing....
We have talked about going back and doing it again, taking the womenfolk with us. And IF we go again, we would change a few of the plans. Our plan might be something like this.
Week 31-34 is the best time to go, otherwise there might be too much snow on the trails, but you can check this with the website.
http://www.finse1222.no they have good reports on how the trails are.
We will drive to Haugastöl and park the car there, stay in the lodge and then have a god nights sleep and a huge breakfast the next morning. Then we will take the train from Haugastol to Finse. Bikes must be booked in advance as they can only take about 10 bikes on there.
The reason for cheating and riding the train is that to be honest, the first 30 or so kilometers you don't see much, it is easy (boring) riding on gravel roads. You can always ride back this way on your return trip, which is then mostly downhill, but on the outward journey it is just boring and up up up.
So, park at haugastöl, sleep over there and then get on the train to Finse.
Then we will ride from Finse to Flåm, this is mostly downhill, but there are some real killer uphills to ride/walk up too. Be prepared to walk through snow at the very top, we were lucky with excellent weather, but had to walk through snow anyway.
The best views are to be seen between Finse and Flåm... you can see Blåisen on the left, it's just breathtaking, be prepared to say Wow.. and woah.... like, a thousand times.
The last 15-20 km from Myrdal to Flåm you lose 850 or so metres in elevation riding around about 20 switchback turns on loose gravel and dodging lots of walkers... you will arrive in Flåm, lets get this said and done Flåm is a dump... nothing to see or do... and not a place worth hanging around in... we stayed overnight there and it was a mistake. The sun goes behind the mountains at around 5 or 6pm and then the mosquitos come out, the temperature drops and well... there really is nothing to do there.
I suggest have something to eat and drink in Flåm, then get on the train (Flåmbana) back up to Myrdal, no need to book bikes onto the Flåmbana as they have a whole carriage just for bikes, the trains run regularly, just check the timetables. Flåmbana ends at Myrdal, then change trains and go back to Finse, remember to book your bikes on this train also. It is the main line between Oslo and Bergen (I think) and only room for about 10 bikes on here too or something ridiculous.
Once back in Finse we will stay there (book a room in advance), party and enjoy the views and evening sunshine... the following day you can go to the rallarmuseet and see how the navvies had it back in the good old days, then it is a gentle (boring) downhill ride back to Haugastöl to where you parked the car, get cleaned up at the lodge, they let us use the showers and sauna for 50kr or something, then we had a wonderful meal in the restaurant and then a 6hr drive home.
By doing it this way, you will cycle around 50km on the first day, maily downhill, and 30km on the second day, also mostly downhill. You will also have cycled the entire rallarveien, without riding the same part twice...
Another option is to rent bikes from Finse 1222, ride the train up there, pick up your bikes and ride down to Flåm. They will then collect the bikes there and they arrange transport back for the bikes.
Then ride the train back to Finse, via Myrdal. Stay overnight in Finse and rent another bike to ride back down to Haugastöl. Or if you are sick of riding or the weather is awful, you could just get the train back to Haugastöl.
The quality of the bikes we saw for rental were really good, obviously the better the bike the more they cost. But it might be cheaper than trying to take bikes on the train.
I hope my short summary helps you to plan.... and if you have any more questions... just ask me.
Take it easy,
Hammer
