With our own bikes to Bromo

Hi,

It is indeed very steep to cycle up to Bromo, whether from Malang or Progolinggo.

I think it will be very difficult for you to reach Bromo directly from Malang. The direct road from Malang to Cemoro Lawang has several very rough sections, including a long stretch on the "sea of sand" which surrounds the Bromo crater. The "sea of sand" is exactly what it sounds like - there's no road, only sand. There's a local cartel which runs jeeps around Bromo, and they're the only vehicles allowed to take tourists on the sand. So in order to get from Bromo to Cemoro Lawang that way, you'd (I'm fairly sure, though it's not something I have personal experience with!) need to deal with at least 2 different vehicles. It won't be cheap. I'm also not sure how easy/safe (for your bicycles) it will be to get your bikes on the jeeps that run around Bromo.

I think you're much better off visiting from Progolinggo. You can travel from Malang to Probolinggo, either by bus or by bicycle. Find somewhere around there to leave your bikes, and visit Bromo. There's no need to take a tour - it's very straight-forward to visit Cemoro Lawang and Bromo by yourself from Probolinggo.

Thank You for your info!

While the route via Malang is more challenging and probably much more expensive, it's also more rewarding in my opinion. Biking thru the savannah has to be amazing if possible (Giora above says it's not)

In some bike-travel-blogs I read about biking through the savannah must I think this may be too heavy for my wife. I would really like to know if there is any possibility of transporting ourselves + our bikes from Malang to Cemoro

OP, I've done Malang-Tumpang-Ngadas-Bromo-Ngadas-Tumpang-Malang.
If your jeep trip start in Cemoro Lawang & end in Malang via Ngadas-Tumpang, I read this is possible but not the other way round. Another option is starting in Malang & get your homestay in Tumpang or Ngadas to phone for a jeep from CL to pick you up. This method is possible since the jeep originates in CL.

It's not savannah, it's sand. You can bicycle on it (ie. no one will try and stop you) but it's not going to be easy going! You'll probably have to walk your bikes. Not that I have much experience trying to bicycle through volcanic sands.

You can definitely catch jeeps from the Malang side of the mountain to take you across the "sea of sand" to Cemoro Lawang. The issues are:

1. Cost
2. Getting your bikes on the jeep

And the jeeps start from way up the mountain, so you'll have to head there first (on other transport) in order to start negotiating with the jeeps.

That, at any rate, is the way I see your logistics problems OP.

oh... thank you so much for the details, Giora ! If I understand everything well it is impossible to arrange transport from Malang directly to Cemoro because of the exclusivity from the jeeps across the sea of sand. In that view the best solution is indeed to leave the bikes in Probolingo and do the Bromo without the bikes.

As we come from Yogyakarta there is another question remaining : is it worthwhile to travel via Malang ?
If yes, maybe we can take a day-train from Yogyakarta to Malang and bike from Malang to Probolingo.

A new idea coming up is leaving the bikes in Malang and after visiting Bromo bike via the south (Jember, Krikilan)...
In any case already thanks to think with us

I've never cycled on Java, so I'm not the best person to answer cycling questions. However, Java is the world's most populous island, and the busy road on the island are BUSY! It's not my idea of great cycling terrain. The roads in the south of East Java, are, I believe, rather less busy than the ones in the north. It might be more fun to cycle down there.

I didn't find Malang very interesting. I wouldn't go there especially if I was you.

That suggestion of less busy roads in the south of East Java is splendid.
In that case, as we are decided to visit Bromo, I think we have to go to Malang

@ yumseng
there went something wrong because I answered to your reply but for some reason it was not published ...
Anyway, thank you for the idea Malang-Tumpang-Ngadas-Bromo-Ngadas-Tumpang-Malang. How did you do this? Was it an organised trip? 1 or 2 nights?
As I mentioned above, if we take the south-route to Bali your info concerning visiting Bromo from Malang + returning to Malang could be very helpful