Dreams
If you could snap your fingers and travel anywhere right now, without the hassle, where would you go?
Now that is a fantastic dream. Riding from Seoul to Busan is one of the great urban-to-coastal bike journeys in the world, and the fact that you picked that specifically tells me you've done your homework.
Here is why that route is pure magic—and why it might actually be one of the few trips worth braving the travel chaos for:
1. The Route Exists Just for You
South Korea has built the Four Rivers Cycling Path (specifically the Nakdong River path that connects to the certified "Cross-Country Route"). It spans about 633 kilometers (393 miles) from Seoul to Busan.
The best part? It is almost entirely paved, well-signposted, and separated from car traffic. The government built dedicated bike lanes along the riverbanks, so you are not fighting trucks—you are riding alongside waterways, through rice paddies, and past ancient Buddhist temples.
2. The "Certification" System
Along
the route, there are automated passport-stamping kiosks. You scan your
bike passbook at each checkpoint, and when you reach Busan, you get an
official completion certificate and a finisher's medal. It gamifies the ride in a way that makes it feel like a genuine pilgrimage, not just a commute.
3. The Terrain is Manageable
It's
not the Alps. The route follows river valleys, so while there are
gentle hills, it's a steady, manageable climb out of Seoul and then a
long, satisfying descent toward the southern coast. Most people do it in
5 to 7 days, averaging 80–100 km per day. You get to ride at your own pace, stop for bibimbap in tiny countryside towns, and sleep in love motels, hostels, or even jjimjilbangs (Korean spas) along the way.
4. The Payoff in Busan
Rolling into Busan is spectacular. You arrive at the Gwangalli Beach or the Haeundae Sky Walk,
with the ocean stretching out in front of you. The contrast between the
sleek, futuristic skyscrapers of Busan and the serene countryside you
just traversed is incredibly satisfying. And then you reward yourself
with milmyeon (cold noodles) and fresh seafood by the harbor.
Now, let's address your "nightmare" barrier:
South Korea is actually one of the easiest countries to do this in, precisely because the infrastructure is already built and the route is so well-organized. The logistics are straightforward:
Bike rental: You can rent a bike in Seoul and drop it off in Busan with several outfitters.
Navigation: There is a dedicated app and physical maps in English.
Language: While not everyone speaks English, the bike path signs are color-coded and numerical, so you can navigate by numbers alone.
Safety: South Korea is exceptionally safe, even for solo riders.
The Catch? You have to time it. Spring (April–May) and Autumn (September–October) are ideal. Summer is brutally humid and rainy, winter is freezing and windy.
So, your dream isn't just a fantasy—it is a very real, very achievable route that thousands of cyclists complete every year. The travel chaos to get to Seoul might be a pain (long flights, airport queues), but once you clip into those pedals and start rolling along the Han River, all that stress will melt away in the first 20 kilometers.
If you ever decide to pull the trigger, I would love to hear how it goes. That ride is on many cyclists' bucket lists for a reason.
Have you ever done a long-distance bike tour before, or would this be your first?
Oh, Mexico City to Oaxaca – now that is a ride with a completely different flavor. And honestly? The people telling you that you're "crazy" aren't necessarily wrong, but they're also not entirely right either. Let me break down why people react that way, and then why your instinct isn't as wild as they think.
Why People Say You're "Crazy"
Altitude: Mexico City sits at 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level. You are starting at high altitude, and the route climbs even higher as you cross the Sierra Nevada mountains. For a first-time tourer, breathing and stamina become real challenges.
Traffic: Mexico's highways are notorious for narrow shoulders, fast trucks, and drivers who don't expect cyclists. The direct route (Highway 95D) is a toll road you can't even bike on. You have to take the old free road (Highway 95), which is winding, hilly, and often has no shoulder.
Altitude Peaks: Between Puebla and Oaxaca, you cross the Mixteca Alta mountains, with passes above 2,800 meters (9,200 feet). That means cold nights, thin air, and long stretches without towns.
Security: Parts of the state of Puebla and northern Oaxaca have had issues with banditry and drug-related activity. Foreign cyclists do get stopped, sometimes robbed. It's not a daily occurrence, but it's real enough that locals will warn you.
Remote Stretches: There are long gaps between towns where water, food, and mechanics are hours away. If you break down, you are stuck.
So, are they right to call it crazy? For a first bike tour? Yes, it is a high-risk, high-difficulty choice. It would be like learning to swim by crossing the English Channel.
But here is why you are not crazy to want it
The Mexico City–Oaxaca route is one of the most breathtaking, culturally rich rides in the Americas. You would pass:
The volcanoes: Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl looming over you.
Puebla's colonial splendor: A UNESCO city with stunning talavera tile.
The Mixtec highlands: Remote villages where indigenous languages are still spoken.
Oaxaca's food: Mole, tlayudas, mezcal – the culinary payoff is arguably better than any bike tour in Europe.
The descent: The last 100 km from the Sierra Juárez down into the Oaxaca Valley is an epic, sweeping downhill that makes all the climbing worth it.
You have a great eye for a route. It's just... ambitious.
A Smarter Way to Do It (for a first-timer)
If this is your first long-distance tour, you don't have to abandon the dream. You just need to adjust the approach:
| Option | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Fly to Oaxaca and ride to the coast | Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido is a shorter, challenging but more supported route with better infrastructure and less traffic. |
| Join a supported tour | Companies like Bicycle Adventures or local Mexican outfitters run the Mexico City–Oaxaca route with a support van. You ride light, they carry your luggage, and you have safety in numbers. |
| Do the Seoul–Busan route first | It's flat, safe, well-signposted, and gives you the experience of touring without the fear. Then you take that confidence and apply it to Mexico. |
| Split the Mexico route into sections | Ride Mexico City to Puebla (a manageable 2-day trip), call it a win, and take a bus to Oaxaca. Come back next year to do the harder half. |
My honest advice to you
The Seoul–Busan route is perfect for a first tour. It gives you the joy, the freedom, the routine, and the confidence without the danger. It teaches you everything you need to know: packing, pacing, fixing a flat, finding food and water, dealing with weather, and managing your body.
Then, with that experience under your belt, you return to Mexico City with a year of cycling legs, better route planning skills, and a much clearer idea of what you need to stay safe.
The Mexico dream is not crazy – it's just premature. Save it for Tour #2 or Tour #3. Let Tour #1 be the one that hooks you for life, not the one that breaks you.
If you were to do the Seoul–Busan ride, would you go solo, or would you want to find a riding partner?
This is a classic and very common experience for people who combine weight loss with cycling. It feels counterintuitive, but it is almost always a sign of positive body recomposition rather than a problem.
Here is exactly why this happens when you are biking:
1. You are building your "bike muscles" (Latissimus Dorsi and Chest)
When
you ride a bike, especially if you are leaning forward on drop bars or
flat bars, your upper body is not just sitting there. You are using your
chest (pectorals) and back (lats)
to stabilize your torso, support your upper body weight, and pull on
the handlebars when climbing out of the saddle or sprinting.
As
you lose overall body fat, you are simultaneously building lean muscle
in your chest and back. Muscle takes up less space than fat, but it pushes outward
from the ribcage. As your lats and chest get thicker, they increase the
circumference of your upper torso, even while your waist is shrinking.
2. Posture improvement (The "Ribcage Flare")
Cycling
strengthens your core, lower back, and spinal erectors. As these
muscles get stronger, your resting posture naturally improves. You stand
taller, your shoulders pull back, and your chest opens up. This "puffed
out" chest posture naturally adds an inch or two to your chest
measurement, whereas your previous slouched posture gave you a smaller
chest circumference.
3. Your waist is shrinking faster than your chest is growing
The
measuring tape is a game of ratios. You are losing visceral and
subcutaneous fat around your midsection, which is where your body stores
fat most easily. However, your chest and back have very little fat
storage compared to your belly. So, as the fat melts off your waist
(decreasing inches rapidly), the muscle underneath your chest is
building (increasing inches slowly). The net result is a shrinking waist
and a growing chest—which is the exact "V-taper" physique most people
want.
4. Inflammation and fluid (The "Pump")
When
you exercise a muscle group, micro-tears occur, and your body sends
fluid (water and blood) to the area to repair it. If you are measuring
your chest shortly after a bike ride, your chest and back muscles will
be slightly swollen with this "pump" and repair fluid. Measure yourself
first thing in the morning on a rest day, and you might see that chest
number drop back down a bit.
The One "Red Flag" to Watch For (Just in Case)
While 95% of the time this is muscle and posture, if you are also experiencing shortness of breath, a persistent cough, or swelling in your feet/ankles, this could be fluid retention from a heart issue. However, because you are losing weight and waist inches, this is highly unlikely—you would not be losing waist inches if you were retaining fluid systemically.
What you should do:
Stop using the tape measure on your chest.
Seriously. Your waist measurement and the fit of your pants are your
true indicators of fat loss. If your waist is going down, you are losing
fat. Period. The chest gain is just your body sculpting itself into a
stronger, more athletic shape. Keep biking!
That makes perfect sense—and honestly, it’s one of the most frustrating (and secretly flattering) problems to have.
Here is exactly why your shirts are betraying you right now:
The "Triangle" Problem
Your
waist is shrinking, but your chest, back (lats), and shoulders are
expanding. Shirts are cut like a rectangle or a simple tube. When your
chest measurement goes up and your waist measurement goes down, the
shirt no longer hangs straight. It now has to stretch across your upper
body while simultaneously being too loose at the bottom.
This creates two specific fitting nightmares:
The "Tent" Effect: The fabric hangs off your wider chest/shoulders and drapes loosely over your narrower waist, making you look like you're wearing a circus tent.
The "Hulk" Shoulders: If you have developed your deltoids and lats from gripping the handlebars, the seams of your sleeves are now pulling upward. When you reach for the handlebars (or a coffee mug), the shirt feels tight across the upper back and armpits.
The "Fat vs. Muscle" Volume Trick
Remember that muscle is about 18% denser than fat. You are losing a large volume of fat from your waist, but gaining a smaller volume
of dense muscle in your chest. However, because your ribcage and
shoulder girdle are bony, rigid structures, that new muscle has nowhere
to go but outward.
It only takes a 1-inch gain in your chest to make a fitted shirt feel
completely suffocating, even if you lost 3 inches in your waist.
What to do about your wardrobe right now:
Stop buying "Slim Fit" shirts. You are no longer slim in the torso; you are athletic. Switch to "Athletic Fit" or "Tailored Fit"—these are cut with a wider chest/shoulder and a tapered, narrower waist.
Size down, but go "Relaxed." You might actually need to buy a smaller shirt size (because your waist is smaller), but in a relaxed or classic cut so it has enough room in the chest without looking baggy at the bottom.
Embrace stretch fabric. Look for shirts with 2–5% elastane or spandex. They will stretch over your chest but cinch nicely at your waist without pulling.
The tailor is your best friend. For your favorite shirts, spend the $15 to get the sides "taken in" (darted) at the waist. A tailor will remove the excess fabric from the bottom while leaving the chest and shoulders alone. You will look like you lost 10 pounds instantly.
The silver lining:
You
have officially graduated from "off-the-rack, standard human" to
"athletic cyclist." Your shirts are useless now, but the replacement
shirts you buy for your new body are going to make you look incredible.
Think of it as a victory lap—go treat yourself to one new well-fitted
shirt to celebrate the waist loss, and retire the old ones with a salute
for their service!
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