Cycling in Dubai

[capediver]

1 hour ago, Bub Marley said:

Also just to add wrt weather. It’s 4 months of brutally hot weather. And then 8 months of the best weather ever. During the hot months, you would need to be done with your ride by 9am for the latest otherwise that sun will start burning you into a crisp. The nice thing about the cycling tracks though are they open 24hours. So during summer many people ride at night to dodge the sun. It is still extremely humid though. Spending 1 minute outdoors during summer will have you completely soaked. So yeah be prepared for that. 

Yeah, summer can be a b@^%@$ch and very frustrating but with some acclimatization and careful planning, you can ride year round..I live near a dedicated 2-lane cycle route next to the main highway (not part of the road)..about 8k's from work and only have about 200m on tar..(dash between light changes) and I commute year round...in summer it jumps to about 45-48Degs C...as long as you moving, its OK...at its peak, I have a stop halfway in a park which has AC ablutions!

In winter, temps can drop to 10Degs C and for a few weeks you'll will need long sleeves and even long tights!

 

[Bub Marley]

2 hours ago, capediver said:

Yeah, summer can be a b@^%@$ch and very frustrating but with some acclimatization and careful planning, you can ride year round..I live near a dedicated 2-lane cycle route next to the main highway (not part of the road)..about 8k's from work and only have about 200m on tar..(dash between light changes) and I commute year round...in summer it jumps to about 45-48Degs C...as long as you moving, its OK...at its peak, I have a stop halfway in a park which has AC ablutions!

In winter, temps can drop to 10Degs C and for a few weeks you'll will need long sleeves and even long tights!

 

Yeah, I rode year round as well. You acclimatize quite quickly and just need to play around the times. 

 

Also, during Ramadan is almost like a festival. Loads of night activities and races at night to accommodate. Honestly, the UAE is pretty great for cycling.

[gemmerbal]

9 hours ago, dave303e said:

I have only heard good things about Hatta for the mtb.
About 13 years ago I did a mtb race Trans Hajar in Oman, it was also some incredible riding

Something also to consider. You are at the hub of the world in Dubai.

I chatted to a guy on a flight to a race recently. He says the beauty is that international races are mostly really easy to get to. 4 hour flight to silk road, 6 central EU so you can really access a lot of races that would be a mission from here.

The dogs will be a tough one, they quite strict there with hounds coming in or out. No pitties, staffies, mastiffs etc but you can do it. Just be ready for a shocker when the quotes come in to move them

Hi Dave,

The dogs wont be able to go, rotties are not welcome sadly. That is the root of my dilemma and the ONLY way I can see the move happening is if my mom stays in my house to look after them while I'm away - and she is on board, but still, its like leaving behind part of my soul. Anyways, I am trying REALLY hard to find peace with the situation.

[gemmerbal]

6 hours ago, MORNE said:

We moved here literally this week after a few months to and fro.
 

As such i’ve also already been scoping out whats on where cycling wise. There is even a small gravity scene in Hatta and Fujairah. 

Road cycling seems huge though. Al Qudra has already been mentioned, there are others. Think ive read it is now the longest purpose built/dedicated cycling route in the world? 

But there seems to be plenty to go around in most disciplines, plenty of pump tracks too. 

find all the routes/trails here:

https://www.cyclingtracks.ae/index.html

Biggest mindset adjustment for me at least will be the accessibility factor. Everything here is a highway and the city is not pedestrian friendly in general. Driving, at this stage seems daunting.
 

There are tons of cycling related rules of course…but in general ive seen plenty of people riding around even where there are signs saying they cant.  (Hey, easier to say sorry than ask for permission right😇)

The general rule seems to be no bicycles on any road with a speed limit over 60kph

Anyway, im here now, family and all. My bikes will only be here in a few months (container). But i thought thats a perfect excuse to buy something new😂

Drop me a DM once you decide to make the move. Im still figuring crap out myself, flats, schools, what to choose between the 400mil options at the grocery store. But hey, maybe we can stumble around in the dark together😂🤘

Hi Morne,

If I end up in DBX, you can be sure that I will look you up. Thank you for the offer!

Whats the situation like with the water and air quality and so on? The interwebs is full of rabbit holes and its difficult to know if people are just full of it, or if there is some substance to their opinions.

[gemmerbal]

Thanks all for the ongoing conversation, really helpful! I'm thankful that I don't have to restart my golfing career, because that sport is NOT good for my mental wellbeing. I've played plenty of k@k rounds of golf in my life that lead to an extended stay at the 19th hole, which rolls over into 2 days of chaos and hangovers and such, but I've never had a k@k bike ride. So there it is, cycling is betterer in every way possible!

PS: let's not forget that a damn ProV1 costs R80 a pop these days, what the actual hell???

[gemmerbal]

1 hour ago, Bub Marley said:

Yeah, I rode year round as well. You acclimatize quite quickly and just need to play around the times. 

 

Also, during Ramadan is almost like a festival. Loads of night activities and races at night to accommodate. Honestly, the UAE is pretty great for cycling.

these are lekker pics! whats that beast of a mountain pass in the background in the first pic?

[Zebra]

Hi Gemmerbal (bud!); I spent 3 years in Riyadh, and Dubai was where we had R&R breaks, so how bad can it be!!!

Seriously, other than for your dogs, it will be a life-altering experience, the nighttime’s (genuine) sporting activities are a total blast, and there is a chance to save some proper money whilst over there (though Saudi was way-better to be able to SAVE, but not quite as much fun…! Still, there were the British/Irish & Scottish nurses, so there WAS that!)

…and remember, FROM DUBAI, you can make the most amazing trips, just hours away, to cool cycling destinations…!

I would not hesitate, if I were you!
Cheers

Chris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 25, 2025 by Zebra

[capediver]

10 hours ago, MORNE said:

We moved here literally this week after a few months to and fro.
 

As such i’ve also already been scoping out whats on where cycling wise. There is even a small gravity scene in Hatta and Fujairah. 

Road cycling seems huge though. Al Qudra has already been mentioned, there are others. Think ive read it is now the longest purpose built/dedicated cycling route in the world? 

But there seems to be plenty to go around in most disciplines, plenty of pump tracks too. 

find all the routes/trails here:

https://www.cyclingtracks.ae/index.html

Biggest mindset adjustment for me at least will be the accessibility factor. Everything here is a highway and the city is not pedestrian friendly in general. Driving, at this stage seems daunting.
 

There are tons of cycling related rules of course…but in general ive seen plenty of people riding around even where there are signs saying they cant.  (Hey, easier to say sorry than ask for permission right😇)

The general rule seems to be no bicycles on any road with a speed limit over 60kph

Anyway, im here now, family and all. My bikes will only be here in a few months (container). But i thought thats a perfect excuse to buy something new😂

Drop me a DM once you decide to make the move. Im still figuring crap out myself, flats, schools, what to choose between the 400mil options at the grocery store. But hey, maybe we can stumble around in the dark together😂🤘

Some Cafe stops:

The Loop at Loop Cycle Village c/w fantastic free showers/change rooms/ablutions/parking (read as Ferrari 458 with the top of the range Specialised mounted on suction cup roofracks!!!)

Surf House Dubai (Jumeirah Road) if you do the Jumeirah Beach track run

At the end of the Jumeirah Beach run near new marina Marsa Al Arab....the Book Hero Cafe

On the Juameirah Beach track:

SALT on the Main track near Kite Beach

"Feels" at Kite Beach near Roda Beach Resort...if you can handle the oozing testosterone from the local crossfit clubs that gather next door

SALT Jumeirah 2 on the townside of the canal...quieter than the above SALT

The open air cafe at Al Qudra

I got mates at the Kite School Dubai in the Yellow Bus on Kite Beach who can show you round the area, speak to Neil, Chris or Arvi!

 

Ja, plenty of distractions where you can burn your poor rondelas in a day!!!

 

There are plenty around, you'll need to hook up with the locals to find them!

Edit: shoulda mentioned Prince @ Wolfies...legend!

 

 

Edited September 25, 2025 by capediver

[Bub Marley]

3 hours ago, gemmerbal said:

these are lekker pics! whats that beast of a mountain pass in the background in the first pic?

Jebel Jais. About an hour out of Dubai. 

[Michael S]

Did a stint there, prime roadie conditions, for mtb you need to drive out to hatta, which is nice, but the drive there and back makes it quite a trip, so not a weekly thing probably. so I'd say enter your roadie phase.

As an aside, how does the expat tax work nowadays is you don't financially immigrate? I was there before this and you could do proper saving but with the higher comparative salaries, the 1st "free" R1M did come up quite quick and then it started to make less sense.

[gemmerbal]

1 hour ago, Michael S said:

Did a stint there, prime roadie conditions, for mtb you need to drive out to hatta, which is nice, but the drive there and back makes it quite a trip, so not a weekly thing probably. so I'd say enter your roadie phase.

As an aside, how does the expat tax work nowadays is you don't financially immigrate? I was there before this and you could do proper saving but with the higher comparative salaries, the 1st "free" R1M did come up quite quick and then it started to make less sense.

Lekker, thanks for the feedback. I like me a bit of road riding, so no issues on that front. 
 

As for the tax issue, I am not 100% sure at this exact moment, I havent got that far yet. I’m speaking to a tax guy in the coming days so I will let you know.

[capediver]

1 hour ago, gemmerbal said:

Lekker, thanks for the feedback. I like me a bit of road riding, so no issues on that front. 
 

As for the tax issue, I am not 100% sure at this exact moment, I havent got that far yet. I’m speaking to a tax guy in the coming days so I will let you know.

SARS can be an issue and you need to make sure your tax guy knows his stuff!

[capediver]

1 minute ago, capediver said:

SARS can be an issue and you need to make sure your tax guy knows his stuff!

 

Edited September 26, 2025 by capediver

[RobynE 🚵‍♀️]

17 hours ago, Zebra said:

Hi Gemmerbal (bud!); I spent 3 years in Riyadh, and Dubai was where we had R&R breaks, so how bad can it be!!!

Seriously, other than for your dogs, it will be a life-altering experience, the nighttime’s (genuine) sporting activities are a total blast, and there is a chance to save some proper money whilst over there (though Saudi was way-better to be able to SAVE, but not quite as much fun…! Still, there were the British/Irish & Scottish nurses, so there WAS that!)

…and remember, FROM DUBAI, you can make the most amazing trips, just hours away, to cool cycling destinations…!

I would not hesitate, if I were you!
Cheers

Chris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry to derail but did you just group British and Irish in the same category, Chris?!? Them’s fighting words, to be fair. 

[michaelbiker]

On 9/26/2025 at 2:17 PM, gemmerbal said:

Lekker, thanks for the feedback. I like me a bit of road riding, so no issues on that front. 
 

As for the tax issue, I am not 100% sure at this exact moment, I havent got that far yet. I’m speaking to a tax guy in the coming days so I will let you know.

We did this with Singapore (tax is not nil in SG but it is very low) and you still pay tax in SA on the amount above R1.25m. It's not a ton of tax though - roughly 30-35% on the amount above the threshold - e.g. if you get paid R1.5m you are taxed on the R250k. So unless you earn millions it still makes it financially worth it.