Home‍ ‍|‍ ‍Medellín‍ ‍| Cycling

CYCLING
IN MEDELLÍN

Your introduction to the local cycling scene in Medellín

22nd Sep 2026 | 6-min read

Introduction to cycling in and around Medellín

Driving into Medellín for the first time from the international airport and looking at the spectacular backdrop to the city nestled down below along the valley floor, it doesn’t require much imagination to see why Medellín is somewhat of a mecca for cycling.

All roads out of Medellín lead… up. So, if you want to enjoy a day’s cycling, you’ll have to work for it! Serious, serious climbs with sweeping views greet you in all directions. Match these climbs with Medellín’s year-round warm climate, cycling community and weekly closure of major avenues to vehicles, and you have a cycling hub of a city that will appeal directly to pedalling expats and nomads.

This page introduces the local cycling scene in Medellín and provides information on how to familiarise yourself with the cycling possibilities that exist in Medellín and beyond. Whether you’re looking to scale peaks or cruise around the city on communal rides, it’s very easy for cycling to become part of your Medellín expat and nomad life.

Cycling resources for expats new to Medellín

Cycling clubs

Cycling Club - Medellin (WhatsApp group)

This is not an actual cycling club, but as a new expat or digital nomad in Medellín, I recommend joining the WhatsApp group to connect with local cyclists and discover cycling routes outside the city.

This is simply a group of like-minded cyclists who often share their riding plans with others (with the emphasis more on road cycling). It’s also just a great resource for all cycling-related matters, for example, upcoming events/sportives or where to rent bike bags for travelling.

The cycling group is part of the wider MDE Community (a curated network of WhatsApp groups, events and collaborations designed to connect expats, nomads and locals in Medellín).

Here is a breakdown of the weekly rides group members try to coordinate among themselves:

Wednesday 6pm: Laps around AeroParque Juan Pablo II

Thursday 6am: Climb up Alto de las Palmas

Sunday 6:30am: A long ride out of the city

Don’t see this as a definitive list. This schedule merely helps to give group members, and particularly new ones, a semblance of routine.

Weekly cycling events in Medellín

Medellín Ciclovía

Every Sunday and public holiday, almost 30 miles of major roads across the city are closed to traffic for up to six hours. Vehicle-free roads make for fantastic cycling opportunities.

Ciclovía allows you to see Medellín from a whole new perspective. The whole city seems to come together to revel in the simple pleasure of moving and being outside. As an expat or nomad, I recommend joining the endless flow of locals to gain a deeper glimpse into the city and its people.

As is to be expected for Colombia and South America, the event takes on a festival-like atmosphere in some places, with music playing and street vendors popping up, particularly around Poblado. Just be aware that cycling through these more crowded stretches will require reduced speeds and some people-dodging.

Here’s a map of the Ciclovía road closures:

And a breakdown of the times for these road closures:

Estadio
7am–1pm

Avenida del Río
7am–1pm

El Poblado
7am–1pm

Cerro El Volador
7am–1pm

Las Palmas
5:30am–10am

Ciclovía means you can safely and quickly navigate the city by bike. If you combine the closed roads of Medellín with those to the north and south in Bello and Itagüí, you could cycle for around 15.5 miles/25 km, traversing the whole metropolitan Ciclovía corridor. How interesting a cycling route this would be is another question, especially with all that the roads outside of the city offer, but at least Ciclovía gives you the chance to freely navigate the city.

For more serious cyclists, Ciclovía is a perfect prelude to a day’s ride out of the city. And the beauty of Ciclovía encompassing Avenida Las Palmas means you don’t even really need to leave the city for an epic climb. Ciclovía sees hundreds of local cyclists “simply” cycle up the 15.6 km monster that is Las Palmas before taking the same road back to the city.

Planning on tackling the legendary and lung-bursting Alto de Las Palmas climb? Be sure to read about my own personal struggles up it!

It feels a little surreal to be cycling/running/walking down such major roads with no vehicles, but that’s the beauty of it. You may find that Ciclovía quickly becomes part of your weekly routine in Medellín.

For a full breakdown of the Ciclovía (some roads are closed during weekday evenings too), check out the guide from INDER (the Institute of Sports and Recreation for Medellín).

SiCLas

Every Wednesday at 8pm, the SiCLas organisation hosts SiCLeada, a communal evening ride through different parts of the city. It aims to promote cycling as a mode of transport.

Cyclists meet at Parque Carlos E Restrepo, near the city centre. Distances are often around 15 km, although some events can be closer to double that. Expect up to and over 1,000 people each week! Bikes are available to rent if you contact the group in advance.

Check out the SiCLas Instagram to see where the routes have taken people recently. You can learn more about the rides and SiCLas via its site. There’s an English version, but more information (i.e. detailed route guides) is available in Spanish.

Medellín bike shops

Poblado

Manila Bike Shop

This was my go-to for bike rental. They offer both road bikes and urban/mountain bikes (more suited to exploring the city). The two kinds of bikes were more than adequate for my needs, although single chainrings were something new for me.

The urban bikes are much cheaper at 75,000 COP per day (hourly rates also available) compared with the road bikes, which cost 179,000 COP, with frame sizes up to 58 cm.

What I appreciated was the owner’s willingness to discuss potential routes with me. That’s how I ended up riding up to Parque El Salado (not a big climb; very accessible from Envigado) on an urban bike. What I appreciated even more was how he sent out a mechanic after I was unable to fix a broken chain! He tried his best to help me over WhatsApp, but he eventually grasped the limits of my technical abilities. How far a mechanic would have travelled to meet me, I’m not sure, as I was thankfully only in Envigado.

I also liked the look of the cycling gear they stock.