Our Winter Meeting will happen between February 20-23, 2020 in Freiburg. We will decide in which countries (central/southern/southeastern Europe) and which time frame the next tour will happen, discuss our values and how to implement them, create flyers, posters and stickers to advertise the tour, and have fun together! Anyone who is interested in meeting us and finding out how we organise is welcome to join.

If you want to join the meeting, please let us know beforehand by writing to 2020@ecotopiabiketour.net. During the meeting, we will be reachable by phone on this number: +49 157 84844802.

We are looking for interesting projects and events happening in summer 2020 in Central, Southern and Southeastern Europe. Based on the projects we find we will decide the exact region on the meeting in February. Any information is appreciated. Find out more here.

Le cyclo-tour Ecotopia est un tour à vélo autogéré organisé depuis 1990 chaque année par un collectif international à travers l'Europe. Pendant le cyclo-tour, nous visitons des projets et lieux qui s'attaquent aux problemes environnementaux et sociaux, et pratiquent du militantisme/activisme et/ou des formes de vie respectueuse de l'environnement. Le tour est vegan, les décisions se font au consensus et nous souhaitons autant que possible organiser des ateliers de transmissions. Le cyclo-tour Ecotopia s'adresse à quiconque est interessé.e par l'idée de voyager à vélo, vivre en communauté, bricoler/DIY, se poser des questions environnementales et apprendre par l'expérience. Lire plus de ce qu'est l'Ecotopia Biketour.

Biketour concepts

Participation Guidelines

Because we all have different visions of life and diverse personalities, Ecotopia Biketour has developed a set of basic values which helps all of us to create similar expectations from this project.
> participation guidelines

Self-Organisation

As we oppose any leadership or hierachical structures, the Biketour is organised in an open way where everyone can be a part of.
> how it's prepared
> consensus
> circles

Online Tools

We try to use free and open-source software as much as possible in the preparation process. The same goes for sharing photos and videos in the group.
> online-tools
> photo-sharing

On the road

Everyone should be able to cycle with the Biketour. Therefore we keep distances low and have scouts going ahead who mark the route. Everyone can follow the signs on their own level of speed. Any tasks like scouting, cooking or pulling a trailer are shared.
> on the road
> tasks & rota
> trailers
> wildcamping

Food

All communal food on Biketour is vegan and cooked with wood on our mobile rocket stove. Whenever it's possible we go dumpster-diving and buy food from local farmers and small shops.
> veganism
> rocket stove
> dumpster-diving

Activities

We plan and make many activities on the tour: skill-sharing, helping at projects, joining actions and protests, bike-fixing and other events.
> skill-sharing

Latest blog posts

We have a rough route for 2020! Balkans, we’re coming!

Ecotopia Biketour février 25, 2020 February 25, 2020

This summer, for the 30th time, we’re heading off on another bike tour adventure – we’re inviting you to suggest interesting projects and events, help out with the organising, and of course, to join us!! After having spent three summers in Western Europe, we want to cycle to the Balkans this year (July-mid September). The idea is to end the bike tour in Timisoara at the Balkan Anarchist Bookfair in the >mid-end of September. We are looking for projects and events that can host us and help with suggestions in the territory of so-called Czech, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina,…

Info event in KTS Freiburg – 21.02.2020 at 20.00

michal février 15, 2020 February 18, 2020

Come and meet the Ecotopia Biketour collective! We will announce where we are going to cycle in 2020, show some photos and tell something about the history of the bike tour and try to answer your questions. There will be something to eat and you can talk with different people who did the tour.

Tall Bike Tour

Ecotopia Biketour février 6, 2020 February 6, 2020

At the end of August 2018 I built a Tall Bike and cycled it 250km from Copenhagen to Växjö, to start my studies. Here’s a spoken word-esque account. Bike touring by yourself on a tall bike (with no spare parts and minimal tools) is two things: 1. Astoundingly beautiful. 2. Existentially terrifying. I saw the tops of trees flickering copper, gold and crimson silver in the sun and happened upon a goth’s picnic on some forest roadside. They looked embarrassed for me, having heard me singing moments before. There was tarmac melted into long cracks in the road…

July 2019, Scotland. Daily ecotopian life.

Poulou septembre 11, 2019 September 11, 2019

It’s 8am, 9am, or sometimes 1pm, when the Ecotopians open their eyes. In this country, no stifling heat propels them out of their tent at dawn. This piece of cloth becomes a morning shelter when the soft sound of the drops striking the roof echoes tirelessly. Despite this “flic floc” melody from the clouds and the resulting temptation to stay warm; body against sleeping bag or body against body; every morning their souls find the energy to face the greyness awaiting outside. Ziiiiip, the entrance opens, and the senses marvel. Their ears are glad to hear the voices coming from familiar…