Montar/Pasear/Andar en bicicleta

Question

My husband and I are avid road cyclists (bicycle, not motorcycle) in southern California. I've been asked how often we ride our bikes, how many miles, etc. I've been researching how to say "ride a bike" or "ride our bikes", and I've found 3 different verbs: Montar, Pasear, Andar. (One of my recent SpanishDict lessons taught "¿Donde vas a dar un paseo en bicicleta?" for "Where do you go to ride a bike?" (or "...for a bike ride"?).

Which verb is the best to use in my region for the sport of cycling for fitness?

• Montar en bicicleta
• Pasear en bicycleta (this seems best for a leisurely ride around a park)
• Andar en bicicleta

Is it correct to say "We're going to ride our bikes to the beach" (meaning from home to the beach, NOT ON the beach), like this?

Vamos a montar nuestras bicicletas a la playa.

Muchas gracias!

I don't know enough to give an answer, but add dar una vuelta en bicicleta and hacer ciclismo to your list for whoever answers- the first sounds casual to me, the latter sounds like a serious sport to me. Just wanted to add these. :) - bosquederoble, Apr 8, 2016

Sí vamos amontar en bicicleta a la playa me suena bien. - annierats, Apr 8, 2016

SpanishDict says "dar una vuelta en bicicleta" = Take a spin on a bike. That's close but a little too general. I could take a spin around the block or around town. - AuntieJenny, Apr 8, 2016

Very good question :) - FELIZ77, Apr 8, 2016

Answer 1

Montar en bici is used to focus on the act of riding a bike.

To combine montar with other actions dar una vuelta, una paseo, andar sounds ackward, ie: Vamos a montar a la playa en bicicleta. This sounds like you are going to ride the beach on a bike.

To go the beach on a bike: Vamos a la playa en bici.

To go the beach for the purpose of riding a bike there: Vamos a la playa a montar en bici.

Thank you Julian for backing me up. - Daniela2041, Apr 8, 2016

Thank you Julian I can see that I still have loads to learn ;) - FELIZ77, Apr 8, 2016

Yo también, Feliz! - AuntieJenny, Apr 8, 2016

Jenny, in Spanish you would say; A mí también (me, too) or if you are agreeing with a negative statement somebody else has made, eg INo me gustan las arañas = I don't like spiders, A mí tampoco (me neither) - FELIZ77, Apr 8, 2016

Feliz, I thought that "a mí"también" is used only when agreeing with a reflexive verb, por ejemple "Me gusta el chocolate" - "A mí también!" - AuntieJenny, Apr 8, 2016

Answer 2

Vamos a pasear por la playa en bicicleta.

Actually, I think they are only going to the beach, not on it, so it would be ' a la playa'. - annierats, Apr 8, 2016

Daniela, this is how SpanishDict translates your sentence: "We will stroll along the beach on bike." That's exactly what we don't do. I'll post a photo below. - AuntieJenny, Apr 8, 2016

annierats is correct -- we go TO the beach (a la playa). I've posted a photo below. - AuntieJenny, Apr 8, 2016

OK, why didn't you say that? Vamos a la playa en bici. - Daniela2041, Apr 8, 2016

By the way, I know more Spanish than that goofy translator will ever know. Besides which I can usually quote "chapter and verse" to back up anything I say from the college Spanish textbooks I teach from. - Daniela2041, Apr 8, 2016

Daniela, I'm sorry - I thought I'd said that. I apologize if my reply seemed to disagree with you as i really didn't mean it that way. I truly appreciate your answer and trust your advice. - AuntieJenny, Apr 8, 2016

Answer 3

Hello Jenny,

Welcome to the SpanishDct forum

You asked:

Which verb is the best to use in my region for the sport of cycling for fitness? Montar en bicicleta Pasear en bicycleta (this seems best for a leisurely ride around a park) Andar en bicicletaIs it correct to say "We're going to ride our bikes to the beach" (meaning from home to the beach, NOT ON the beach), like this? Vamos a montar nuestras bicicletas a la playa. Muchas gracias!

Jenny, having read Julian's post, I would now say the same: Vamos a la playa en bici = We are going to ride our bikes to the beach

I am sorry if my first answer unintentioanlly misguided you! I hate giving wrong answers but I am still making mistakes and learning like you so hopefully I won't make the ame mistake again I have used sentences like: Sé montar un caballo = I know how to ride a horse

I am not a fluent Spanish speaker yet. so natives from other countries / regions may prefer to use a different verb. (I am learning the Spanish spoken in Spain and receive regular classes with a native Spanish teacher)

I hope this helps

That seems very close. This is how SpanishDict translates that: We are going to ride a bike to the beach. If I ask it to translate "our bikes" then it still says "en bicicleta", not "nuestra bicicleta". Am I being too technical? - AuntieJenny, Apr 8, 2016

Spanish speakers do not use the same phraseiolgy as English speakers. It took me some time while I was learning English to figure that out. - Daniela2041, Apr 8, 2016

I feel bad for receiving a vote now I will have to change m answer I don't like/hate giving innacurate answers! ;( - FELIZ77, Apr 8, 2016

Thank you very much for your comment, Dani, I still have soo much to learn sigh - FELIZ77, Apr 8, 2016

Daniela, it's taking me some time to learn too, in reverse. I know better, yet I sometimes I still look for a literal translation and it doesn't work. - AuntieJenny, Apr 8, 2016

Answer 4

Here's a photo that depicts what we do. We ride from home TO the beach about 30 miles one way, on road bikes, then ride on the coast highway, then ride home. We don't ride ON the beach (except possibly to bypass the highway but only for a short distance). It's a fitness ride, not a cruiser ride (though the latter is very fun too!).