I am not interested to bicycle in the cities, but I am curious if that is an option for tourists. Would anyone recommend it for travel and sightseeing?
Bicycling on roads is very rare in big cities and metros, and usually there will be no slow lanes for bicycles so it will be pretty dangerous too. But you can certainly bicycle in Tier II and villages if you want to enjoy the surroundings while travelling. I have been on long cycling trips upto 200 km with my friends and I can assure you it is great experience. Just ensure you have a good enough cycle to endure the Indian roads.
I was actually surprised to see not that many bicycles when I was over in India. I did see some, but like others have said there were not many in the cities and more urban areas. I really wish that I had one at some times though, because the heat there was pretty bad and it seemed like that would have helped just a little bit.
Bicycles are really not ideal in busy cities. Very dangerous if you think about it. It's the most efficient one, though. I love to travel short distances with my bicycle. Imagine all the money you could save by not buying gas and the air pollution you didn't contribute. Plus, it's a healthy workout for your body. You get to enjoy the air and take in the scenery too.
Personally, I would not dare ride a bike on cities that have busy roads. Not only it would be dangerous to traverse the roads with faster motor vehicles, it would also be detrimental to my health because of the fumes. Although, it would really be great if we could use bikes on the metro. Bikes are good for the environment and it's also one good way of having exercise.
Cycling in a foreign city where you don't know the rules of the road and how the drivers operate? That's kinda asking for trouble. Maybe in the countryside, but if you are thinking of roaming the streets of the city proper as a tourist, I highly advise against it. You'll end up probably getting into an accident or altercation with the local drivers. Best thing to do is to rent a car in the city if you just want to cruise around, or cycle outside the city proper, where there are less cars (but could still be dangerous).
