E-bike tour around Milan

Bike-to-work is becoming increasingly popular. Many people in Milan have decided to leave their cars and public transport behind in favour of bicycles. The benefits are many: avoiding traffic jams, getting around in a more sustainable way and combining healthy activity with every journey.

New bike models designed specifically for the urban jungle are increasingly functional and comfortable. They allow you to get around in all seasons, in all weather conditions and offer the possibility of carrying everything you need, thanks to integrated racks and bike bags. By choosing an e-bike you will then have the possibility to move faster while making less effort!

We asked Pinar and Mery to share their daily bike commute on the streets of Milan.

"There are segments of bike paths that are disconnected and it is difficult to follow, but once I survive the potholes in the cobblestones and the slippery tram tracks, I ride [...] on the Bussa Overpass that connects the Isola neighborhood with China Town. The Bussa overpass has been at the centre of much discussion for years because it used to be a one-way street with a bicycle path that suddenly stopped. Families going to the kindergarten near the overpass had to take very long detour to get there safely. In 2017, neighbourhood residents drew the bike lane back on the street overnight. That lane was first cleared by the municipality, then it was cordoned off and since last year it has been turned into an official bike lane. Because I remember how it used to be, today, as every morning, when I see children, young people, pedestrians and cyclists, I greet them with joy."

"I pedal for a while on the counter avenue of Viale Zara, which, being very narrow, makes me a bit nervous. At the first traffic light I continue on to a parallel, wider, less busy Viale Sarca."

"At the intersection with Via Chiese, where I almost always catch the red light, I often stay looking spellbound at a symbolic building of twentieth-century industrial Milan, the 45-meter-high Breda Tower. In 2003 it was granted to the University of Milan-Bicocca for use, becoming one of the buildings on the Bicocca Campus under the name U36, transforming the structure from a water tank to a laboratory."

"Immediately after the "Centro Sarca" shopping centre, I find myself in the Museum Garden on Via Granelli, which passes by the industrial skeleton (ex-Breda) of the Carroponte. The bike path inside the garden is named after Luigi Malabrocca, an award-winning cyclist and maglia nera (black jersey) winner in the Giro d'Italia in '46 and '47."

"Galleria Campari, established in 2010 for the company's 150th anniversary, is a corporate museum entirely dedicated to the relationship between the Campari brand and its communication through art and design. The project was created as part of the architectural and functional rewriting of the historic plant in Sesto San Giovanni, founded by Davide Campari in 1904. Free guided tours are held periodically by appointment."

"I ride along Viale Gramsci and as soon as I pass the Sesto San Giovanni train station, if there are no pedestrians on the bike path, I take it for a few hundred metres and arrive at the office."

"I have done this trip with all kinds of bikes: folding, road bike, gravel bike and city bike. The bike I have been using for the past month is a city e-bike, the Canyon Precede:ON. Equipped to do it all, it has several built-in features, a very sleek design and powerful Bosch electric motor assistance. The rear rack can carry up to 25 kg, while the integrated aluminium mudguards keep both you and the bike clean and dry. The Precede:ON's battery is not only perfectly integrated into the down tube, it is also incredibly easy to recharge. I can pull it out and charge it using the included charger, or I leave it clipped on the bike and charge it via the integrated jack on the frame."

Excerpt from “Il mio diario di viaggio: dal centro di Milano a Sesto San Giovanni”, read the full story here.

"I leave from Piazza Olivetti, renovated a few years ago and completely adapted for pedestrians. Here industrial design and eco-sustainability merge and it is always pleasant to start the day immersed in this "urban forest."

"A few pedal strokes and I reach the Fondazione Prada, opened to the public in 2015 and the beating heart of contemporary art in Milan. When I am not in a rush, I treat myself to a coffee in the famous Bar Luce, designed by American director Wes Anderson."

"I cross Parco Ravizza, a green indicator of the passing of the seasons, and reach the Bocconi Campus, another gem of architecture and sustainability that has improved the landscape of this neighbourhood."

"Walking down Corso San Gottardo, I reach Piazza 24 Maggio and then the Darsena. This area has been completely renovated in recent years to offer the Milanese a meeting place where they can pleasantly spend their leisure time. Pedalling along the Naviglio is always magical and brings back my thoughts to summer evenings spent along the waterfront having an aperitivo and enjoying live music."

"I take Via Vigevano to reach Porta Genova: finally cyclists have an easy way to cross the station and the train tracks. The Passerella Bouyere is a bicycle-pedestrian passage that solved the problem of traffic jams on the elevated green bridge, the only direct access to Via Tortona and overcrowded particularly during Milan Design Week."

"My office is located in Zona Tortona, the historic heart of Milanese design and fashion. This is where my daily commute ends. This is a ride that crosses the southern part of Milan and allows me to admire the architectural innovations and renovated green areas of my city every morning."

"For the past couple of weeks I have been using Canyon's Precede:ON to get around the city. My experience is totally positive, I can ride freely and the pedal assistance allows me to get to the office faster without fatigue and sweat. It is a very comfortable bike and not too heavy despite the battery and electric motor”.