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Sport

by Sofia Brontvein

So You Want To Start Cycling In Dubai: A Survival Guide (And a Love Letter)

7 Oct 2025

Image: Midjourney x The Sandy Times

Two years ago, I wasn’t a cyclist. Not really. I had a second-hand road bike that looked like it had seen better decades, flat pedals that made every ride a comedy sketch, and — worst of all — no bib shorts. Yes, I rode in normal clothes, like some kind of civilian. No Strava either. It wasn’t about chasing KOMs or comparing wattages; it was about saving my head. I started pedalling for my mental health because moving forward on two wheels felt like the only way to keep myself sane.

Fast forward two years, and I ride twice as fast, twice as long, and twice as strong. I have lost 16 kilograms without ever stepping on a treadmill. My sleep is deeper, my diet cleaner, my habits more disciplined, my daily routine structured around the joy (and sometimes the pain) of cycling. It is no exaggeration to say that this sport saved my life — not just my body, but my mind.

And now, I am ready to save yours. Because cycling in Dubai isn’t just about bikes and helmets; it is about reclaiming yourself, one ride at a time. Yes, it is hot, yes, it is sometimes absurd, but it will change you — if you let it.

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Image: Midjourney x The Sandy Times

1. Equipment and Apparel: Don’t Overthink It

Here is the truth: you don’t need to remortgage your apartment to start cycling. The essentials are only two: a road bike and a helmet. That is it. Everything else is nice, Instagrammable, and eventually addictive — but not necessary to begin.

If you are not sure you are ready to commit, rent first. DXBike and Al Qudra cycling stores will happily hand you a decent road bike for an hour (starting from 60-70 AED) or a day. Try it, sweat, curse, fall in love, then decide if you are buying.

When you do buy, start cheap. Choose something you like visually — yes, colour matters if it makes you want to ride it. Don’t dump tens of thousands into aero frames and carbon wheels right away. Believe me, the “upgrades” never stop, and your bank account will learn to cry quietly at night.

2. Hydration and Sunscreen: Non-Negotiable

Dubai is not Copenhagen. It is not even Mallorca. It is 40 degrees in the morning with humidity that could drown a camel. You must drink water constantly, even on short rides. Two bottles minimum — one water, one electrolytes. Forget them, and you will become a human raisin before sunrise.

And sunscreen. I don’t care if you are riding at 6 am. The sun here burns like an unpaid electricity bill. Get a sweat-proof SPF, reapply if you stop for coffee, and accept that tan lines are the real badge of a Dubai cyclist.

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Image: Midjourney x The Sandy Times

3. Pre- and Post-Ride Routine: Stretch, Shower, Strava

Before you even clip in: stretch. Hamstrings, quads, hips. Five minutes is enough to keep your knees from hating you.

After the ride: shower first, Strava later. I know the temptation to upload your ride instantly to prove you suffered more than your friends. But no one will like your segment if you smell like desert roadkill at the coffee stop. Shower, then flex online.

4. The Routes: Where to Ride in Dubai

Cycling here is surprisingly well catered for, if you know the spots:

  • DXBike Track (Nad Al Sheba): Short, smooth, and safe. Perfect for beginners. Great views of Downtown at sunrise.
  • Jumeirah Corniche: A scenic coastal ride, but crowded with joggers and strollers. Good for easy spins.
  • Al Khawaneej Track: A quieter loop with greenery around Mushrif Park — ideal if you don’t want the big crowds.
  • Al Qudra Cycle Track: The holy grail. 85 km of perfect tarmac in the desert. Camels, sand dunes, and the occasional sandstorm. You are not a Dubai cyclist until you have survived Al Qudra at sunrise with a peloton blowing past you at 40 km/h.
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Image: Midjourney x The Sandy Times

5. Cycling on the Roads: The Upgrade Path

Dubai roads are surprisingly safe for cyclists — if you choose wisely. Start on cycle tracks, always. Only move to the roads once you have built endurance and confidence. And only early mornings, when traffic is light.

Rules to survive: ride predictably, signal like a maniac, and never assume a driver sees you. They usually don’t. But once you are ready, road cycling opens distance and speed you won’t get on loops.

6. Bonus Track: Beyond Dubai

When you are hooked (and you will be), explore outside the city:

  • Abu Dhabi – Al Hudayriat Island: A cycling paradise with 10–15 km loops, sea breeze, and zero traffic stress.
  • Sharjah – Al Batayeh: Quieter desert loops with a more raw vibe.
  • RAK – Jebel Jais: For masochists. Climbing here will break you and then rebuild you into someone who casually discusses gradients at brunch.

Cycling in Dubai will frustrate you, exhaust you, and bankrupt you one upgrade at a time. But it will also give you freedom, community, sunrise rides that feel like spiritual awakenings, and legs that make jeans jealous.

So start simple. Rent a bike. Sweat. Laugh at yourself. And remember: every cyclist in Dubai, from the aero-clad pro to the wobbly beginner, started with two wheels, one helmet, and a very questionable idea that this was going to be “fun.”

And then they never stopped.