Cycling China: Shanghai
Shanghai, with its 28 million (give or take a couple million) residents can be a challenge when cycling in the city. In general, the wide scooter/bike lanes, strict traffic laws, and ever present traffic cameras help ease the anxiety inner city cycling can create - but it's still a slow go. Get outside the city a bit and the cycling experience can change dramatically. The entire Shanghai area is flat, and you could cycle 100km with only 30m of elevation (usually bridges over canals). Plan your route well and you could easily cycle for an hour without stopping. The roads in Shanghai are fantastic, even along the many canal paths (dykes) that run along the Huangpu to the West of Shanghai. The closest forested area to downtown Shanghai is She Shan, a scenic area divided between an amusement park and a scenic park with a hilltop basilica- a very popular destination. Rural areas further to the west will also give you your "green fix" so you can return to the city life relaxed and renewed (after recovery, of course).