the best way to avoid collisions with motorists is to stick to the cycle pathways, which are setup all around the city - it is possible to reach different parts of town via biking on regular roads but we strongly discourage visitors to do so - it can be extremely dangerous, especially for travelers who are not used to the driving in rio. 

furthermore, going down a wrong street, or entering the wrong neighborhood, can result in personal safety problems and even robberies - bike lanes have existed in the city since 1992, and have become a well established network of an approximately 350 kilometers of bicycle paths in the city

in addition to the cycle lanes that have been built across rio, a large network of bicycle racks can now be found in the most popular areas of the city - it is imperative to use these racks, as crime is still an issue in the city, and bikes left unlocked are at a high risk of theft - for safety whilst on the bikes, safety equipment and supplies are always advised, even to the experienced riders.