Cycling is the best way to explore the historic city walls of Xi'an. Yuan Jingzhi / For China Daily

Cycling is a great way to explore China, and for many reasons. Once known as the "Bicycle Kingdom", cycling is once again back in vogue, partly inspired by environmental concerns. China's cities usually have bike lanes. In the countryside, meanwhile, traveling by bicycle is a great way to experience a slower pace of life. Here we pick out 10 destinations, with four of them outlined below, and the rest provided in our next two issues.