Nasjonal sykkelrute 1 (Tromsø – Bodø): which way and when to ride
The best month for Nasjonal sykkelrute 1 (Tromsø – Bodø) is July: 70% of days were dry with highs of 10–30 °C. In July the wind barely favours either direction — on average 0.8 km/h along the route (ERA5 2006–2025, daytime 9:00–18:00).
Weather by month
| Month | Good days | Rain days ≥ 1 mm | Rain, mm | Avg high | Days ≥ 30 °C | Days < 10 °C | Daylight, h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0% | 32% | 109 | 0 °C | 0% | 100% | 2.4 † |
| February | 0% | 36% | 99 | 1 °C | 0% | 100% | 7.4 † |
| March | 0% | 37% | 108 | 2 °C | 0% | 100% | 11.3 |
| April | 4% | 33% | 86 | 5 °C | 0% | 96% | 15.7 |
| May | 26% | 34% | 76 | 9 °C | 0% | 67% | 20.8 |
| June | 49% | 31% | 75 | 12 °C | 0% | 35% | 24.0 |
| July | 70% | 27% | 78 | 15 °C | 0% | 4% | 24.0 |
| August | 67% | 31% | 96 | 15 °C | 0% | 3% | 17.6 |
| September | 48% | 37% | 116 | 12 °C | 0% | 27% | 13.1 |
| October | 10% | 41% | 128 | 7 °C | 0% | 81% | 8.9 † |
| November | 1% | 39% | 114 | 4 °C | 0% | 97% | 4.3 † |
| December | 0% | 38% | 124 | 2 °C | 0% | 100% | 0.0 † |
Best months are all months within 3 percentage points of the best one. † less than 11 hours of daylight — long stages get tight.
Wind by month
| Month | Wind Tromsø → Bodø, km/h | Headwind > 15 km/h, Tromsø → Bodø | Headwind > 15 km/h, Bodø → Tromsø | Better way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | −3.8 | 18% | 6% | Bodø → Tromsø |
| February | −4.0 | 18% | 5% | Bodø → Tromsø |
| March | −3.6 | 18% | 6% | Bodø → Tromsø |
| April | −2.3 | 15% | 6% | Bodø → Tromsø |
| May | −2.0 | 15% | 7% | Bodø → Tromsø |
| June | +0.4 | 12% | 10% | either |
| July | +0.8 | 9% | 8% | either |
| August | −0.7 | 11% | 6% | either |
| September | −3.3 | 16% | 5% | Bodø → Tromsø |
| October | −2.7 | 15% | 6% | Bodø → Tromsø |
| November | −3.6 | 15% | 5% | Bodø → Tromsø |
| December | −3.7 | 17% | 6% | Bodø → Tromsø |
Stages
The route is split into 6 stages of about 100–150 km between towns; each stage has its own page.
| Stage | km | Best month | Tailwind Tromsø → Bodø in July, km/h |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Tromsø → Berg | 111 | July | −0.5 |
| 2. Berg → near Myre | 111 | July | +0.4 |
| 3. near Myre → Stokmarknes | 106 | July | +1.2 |
| 4. Stokmarknes → Svolvær | 96 | July | −0.4 |
| 5. Svolvær → Ramberg | 111 | July | −0.3 |
| 6. Ramberg → Bodø | 130 | July | +3.8 |
How to read the numbers
Wind is the 10 m wind of a 25-km grid cell, daytime hours 9:00–18:00 local solar time; at saddle height in a sheltered valley it is weaker, on a coast or ridge stronger. A positive value is a tailwind. ERA5 slightly over-counts days with ≥ 1 mm of rain (by about 5–7 percentage points) and underestimates daily highs by 1–2 °C. Good day = less than 1 mm of rain between 9:00 and 18:00 (riding hours, local solar time) and a high between 10 and 30 °C; rain at night or in the evening does not spoil it.