BIKE

FRIENDLY
STANDARD
GUIDELINES

Provided by the RCC Tourism The Project is funded

Podržano krozand
Development RCC-ov Grant program
Promotion Projekt
by financiraUnion
the European
Projekta Grant
Project’s za razvoj i promociju turizma
Programme Europska unija
 Development of standard for facilities suitable for cyclotourists –
Bike Friendly Standard

Authors:
Nedeljko Pinezić, Quanarius d.o.o., Krk, Republic of Croatia
Ivica Sivrić, REDAH, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Maja Vican, REDAH, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Himzo Tule, REDAH, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Lead partner:
Association for Economic Development REDAH

Publisher:
Association for Economic Development REDAH

Asocijacija za ekonomski razvoj

Asocijacija za gospodarski razvitak
Асоцијација за економски развој

Collaborators:
Regional Development Agency Tourism Cluster Montenegro,
Zlatibor, Užice, Republic of Serbia Nikšić, Montenegro

NVU Turistički klaster Montenegro

Photos:
Ivica Sivrić i Nedeljko Pinezić

Print:
Fram Ziral, Mostar

Edition:
200

Graphic design:
Shift Brand Design, Mostar

2 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

Contents

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

What is a Bike Friendly Standard?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Definition of cyclotourism and main target groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Types of bicycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

BFS Categories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1. Bike Friendly Standard for Accommodation Facilities. . . . . . . . . . 8
BFS Criteria for Accommodation Facilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Graphic Presentation of BFS Criteria for Accommodation Facilities. . 10
2. Bike Friendly Standard for Catering facilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
BFS Criteria for Catering Facilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Graphic Presentation of BFS Criteria for Catering Facilities. . . . . . . . . . 15
3. Bike Friendly Standard za Travel Agencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
BFS Criteria for Travel Agencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Graphic Presentation of BFS Criteria for Travel Agencies. . . . . . 17
4. Bike Friendly Standard for Service Stations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
BFS Criteria for Service Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Graphic Presentation of BFS Criteria for Service Stations. . . . . . 21
5. Bike Friendly Standard for Garages and Parking Lots. . . . . . . . . 23
BFS Criteria for Garages and Parking Lots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Graphic Presentation of BFS Criteria for Garages and Parking Lots. . 24

Why be part of the BFS?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

About BFS Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Who Can Become a holder of the Bike Friendly signage?. . . . . . . . 27
BFS Application Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Marketing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 3

 Provided by the RCC Tourism The Project is funded
Development and Promotion by the European Union
Project’s Grant Programme

Disclaimer: The contents of this publication is the sole responsibility of the

REDAH and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Regional Cooperation
Council and the European Union.

4 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

Introduction
Cyclotourism, a long-standing trend of active tourism that implies rid-
ing a bike, or a tour of a tourist location or destination by own or rented
bicycle, has become a growing tourist industry in recent years in our
region as well. It is the best way to explore the cultural and histori-
cal heritage of a region, enjoy its natural and gastronomy resources,
and this potential is increasingly recognized by local communities that
strive to better connect all of those to provide well networked and
marked routes to cycling fans, with various facilities and services that
provide a safe and comfortable stay for tourists and cyclists.
For cyclotourists, road safety, route marking, diverse content, and
bike friendly facilities / services where cyclotourists stop for food,
drink, sleep, visit tourist attractions are essential as well as the nec-
essary services. Although there are cyclists who will be satisfied with
standard accommodation, most of them want a lot more than stand-
ard accommodation, food and beverages and need specialized ser-
vices for their ride that they like to end up with a good meal and a
pleasant and safe environment.
Statistics show that the development of cyclotourism is in full
swing and it envisages a rise in travel of this type of transport by 10
percent over the next ten years at a global level. It is estimated that Bike Friendly
there are over 60 million of active cyclists who, according to esti- Standard is a
mates, on average spend 30 percent more than ordinary tourists. The program for
faster development of cyclotourism in our region can significantly be cyclotourism
fostered with the creation of Bike Friendly content. that gives rec-
ognition and
certification to
service provid-
What is a Bike Friendly Standard? ers who, under
the criteria,
Bike Friendly is a commonly known synonym for bicycle-friendly support cy-
services. Facilities marked with Bike Friendly are objects / services / cling, cycling
attractions, etc., which meet minimum standards adapted to cyclo- tourists and
tourists and their needs, i.e. subjects recognized by their efforts to cycling tour-
create a comfortable environment for cyclotourists. ism experienc-
It is intended for various categories of facilities / services / attrac- es in Bosnia
tions that want to adapt more their services to the needs of this spe- and Herzegovi-
cific type of tourists. Depending on the types of facilities / services / na, Serbia and
attractions and their sizes, the Bike Friendly Standard (BFS) gives the Montenegro.

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 5

 opportunity to all interested parties to join this process and create
more favourable conditions in the region for the development of this
specific segment of tourism offer and to promote their services and
gain financial gain.
The standard itself and criteria within each category of the standard
are defined on the basis of current practical knowledge and experience
from the EU countries where this standard is applied and in use and
complies with the specific requirements of this category of tourists.

Definition of cyclotourism
and main target groups
Cyclotourism can be defined as a tourism of special interest, where
the bicycle is used as the main means of transport to the destination
or is recreationally used during the stay of the tourist in the destina-
tion. Cyclotourism is a form of tourist activity with the greatest pros-
pect of development, with expected growth in the coming period,
and one of the links of the Western Balkan countries. Cyclotourists
are very good consumers and are visiting and number of destinations
over a longer stay.
The concept of cyclotourism is best explained by the following
definition: In cyclotourism a bicycle is a means of transportation for
the destination experience.

Cycling is divided into three groups:

• Cycling mobility - daily use of the bicycle as a means of transport
• Sport cycling – sport cycling in multiple categories
• Cyclotourism - use of bicycle as a means of transportation in tour-
ism

The main target groups of cyclotourism are tourists who use these
three types of bicycles as a means of transportation for destination
experience:
• MTB (mountain, off-road bicycle)
• Trekking / Urban (a comfortable city and long-distance bicycle ful-
ly equipped with all the equipment)
• Road / Race (sports ultralight bicycle designed for fast driving on
paved roads for motor vehicles and wide bicycle trails)

6 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

In order to better understand trends and types in the sector itself, it
is important to know "Who is the average cyclotourist?"

• MTB cyclist is, in average, 33 years old and starts to actively ride at
age of 24.
• Road cyclist is, in average, 42 years old and starts to actively ride
at age of 29.
• Trekking cyclist is, in average, 51 years old and starts to actively
ride at age of 37.

MTB and road cyclists mostly travel and ride bicycles in male groups
accompanied by women on shorter distances or on pedelec bicycles
(electric bikes).
Trekking / Urban cyclists travel and ride bicycles in the company of
a partner and children. In the segment of MTB and Trekking / Urban
bikes, the pedelec bikes are more and more present.

Types of bicycle
Standard bicycles

MTB bicycle Road bicycle Trekking / Urban-Suburban

bicycle
Pedelec bicycle

Trekking MTB Cross

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 7

 BFS Categories

1. Bike Friendly Standard for Accommodation Facilities

The types of accommodation to which these criteria apply are fam-
ily owned accommodation and family farms, family farming estate,
rooms, apartments, guest houses, holiday homes, camps, motels, ho-
tels and hostels.

BFS Criteria for Accommodation Facilities

1. Accommodation
The accommodation facility agrees to receive cyclotourists for min-
imum one night

2. Bicycle Storage
1. Accommodation facility must provide a bicycle storage with hang-
ing stands (the front wheel is hooked on the hanger on the wall,
the latter being supported on the bracket or on the floor).
2. The storage must be a covered or closed lockable space.
3. The storage must offer the ability to lock the bicycle for the stand
(chain and lock for locking the bike or special locking cable).
4. If the accommodation has several separate accommodation units
and only one bicycle storage room, it must have video surveillance
or cyclists must be able to store their bicycle in their accommoda-
tion unit (apartments, rooms, holiday houses).
5. For each bike it is necessary to provide approximately 2 m2 of
space in the storage and the bikes must not touch each other
when storing them.

3. Storage Equipment
The following must be available in the storage:
1. One set of bicycle repair tools: a set of imbus keys from 2 to 10,
a foldable bicycle tool kit, a parrot pliers, a wrench, plastic tire
removers, star or fork spanner keys from 4 to 20.
2. One bicycle repair stand
3. A kit for patching tires
4. Bicycle pump

8 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

5. Lubricant, liquid or spraying, for chain lubrication.
6. Charging units for pedelec.

4. Dressing Room
At the entrance to the accommodation unit or the bicycle storage
room, the owner of the accommodation is obliged to provide a place
for changing and disposing of dirty clothes and cycling shoes (clothes
hanger, shoe shelf).

5. Laundry Room
The owner of the accommodation must ensure the possibility of washing
and drying of equipment and clothing (sports tights) within a few hours
(from evening to morning). Self-service washing machine with dryer in-
cluded in the price, washing and drying included in the price, and charge-
able laundry service.

6. Bicycle Wash
Within the yard, cyclotourists must have a place for washing, dry-
ing and lubricating a bicycle (a water hose with a brush, a washing
sponge, an auto-shampoo, a towel or paper towel for wiping, or dry-
ing and lubricating, a small broom and spatula for collecting waste,
and a waste disposal container).

7. Info Corner
Accommodation facilities must have an info corner with: cycling / tourist
maps, information on timetable of the public transport, contact details
of the "Bike Friendly" services (service centers, agencies, accommoda-
tion, catering facilities, garages for short term parking), emergency ser-
vices (emergency assistance, mountain rescue service, fire department,
police) telephone numbers for taxi service, travel agencies or other spe-
cialized carriers for the transportation of cyclists, the accommodation
provides information on the possibilities of accommodation in the fa-
cilities of the same quality standard at the next cyclotourist destination.
Information should be in local and English language.

8. Accommodation Facility Personnel

The personnel of the accommodation facility are informed of the
needs of the cyclotourist through training organized by the manager
/ owner of the facility. Accommodation takes over assistance when
ordering parts with delivery to an address if the service is more than
20 kilometres away.

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 9

 Graphic Presentation of BFS Criteria for Accommodation Facilities

Bicycle Storage
Vertical stand
Horizontal stand
Supporting stand

10 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

Storage Equipment
Pump
Patching kit
Set of bicycle tools
Auto valve
French valve
Repair stand
Parrot pliers
Wrench
Set of imbus keys
Set of star or fork spanner keys
Lubricating oil

Dressing Room
Clothing hanger
Shoe shelf
First Aid Kit

Laundry Room
Clothes
drying stand
Washer/ Dryer

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 11

 Bicycle Wash
Water hose
Washing equipment
and fluids
Waste disposal
container
Broom

Info Corner
Cycling / tourist
maps
Emergency services
contact

Emergency telephone numbers in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Dial code +387
Police 122
Fire department 123
Emergency 124
SOS phone 1209
Information Center 121
Emergency Call 112
Help on the road 1282
Domestic phone information 1182

12 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

2. Bike Friendly Standard for Catering facilities
These criteria relate to catering facilities that provide drinking and
food services or just drinking services. They can be part of a hotel,
gas station, shopping mall or stand alone. Cyclist are particularly in-
terested in catering facilities along the cycling trails, at the entrance
to the pedestrian zone, in front of cultural and natural attractions.
These are catering facilities that are located at the cycling routes.
It is a meeting place, a place to inform, refresh, charge digital camer-
as and pedelec batteries. This group includes restaurants, cafes, pubs,
pastry shops, gas stations, shopping malls, etc.
If an owner of a catering facility has accommodation, he/she may
decide to apply for the standard only for the catering part of the fa-
cility and in that case he / she shall not be required to meet the con-
ditions for accommodation.

BFS Criteria for Catering Facilities

1. Bicycle Parking
1. Bicycle parking must be in a well-visibly located place at the en-
trance to the facility, in a position where the bicycle cannot be
damaged by other vehicles.
2. Bicycle stands must have space for at least 5 bicycles and at the
height of the bicycle frame so that the bicycle is secured to the
frame (60-100 cm).
3. At the parking lot, it is desirable to have at least 2 waterproof elec-
tricity sockets for charging pedelec batteries.

2. Energy Drink and Food Service

Catering facilities provide energy drinks and food services, as well
as the possibility of a convenient packaging so to provide that these
foods and drinks can be taken for later use.

3. Entering the Facility

Catering facilities allow cyclotourists to enter the facility in sports-
wear and cycling footwear.

4. Use of Electricity in the Facility

Catering facilities allow free charging of battery packs of mobile

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 13

 telephones, GPS and other devices (small boxes with plugs that are
locked). Enables the use of electricity inside the facility for battery
charging if this is not provided in front of the object.

5. Info Corner
Catering facilities must have an info corner with cycling / tour-
ist maps, information on timetable of the public transport, contact
details of the "Bike Friendly" services (service centres, agencies,
accommodation, catering facilities, garages for short term park-
ing), emergency services (emergency assistance, mountain rescue
service, fire department, police). Information should be in local and
English language.

6. Catering Facility Personnel

The personnel of the catering facility are informed about the needs
of cyclotourist through training organized by the manager / owner
of the facility.

7. Equipment
The catering facility must have the following cycling equipment
which cyclotourists can use for free: 1. Small tool set, 2. First aid kit,
3. Pneumatic pump, 4. Patching kit.

14 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

Graphic Presentation of BFS Criteria for Catering Facilities

Bicycle Parking
Bicycle parking
Pedelec charging

Info Corner
Cycling / tourist
maps
Emergency services
contact

Emergency telephone numbers in Serbia

Dial code +381
Police 192
Fire department 193
Emergency 194
Help on the road 1987

Equipment
Set of bicycle tools
Pump
Patching Kit
First Aid Kit

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 15

 3. Bike Friendly Standard za Travel Agencies
"Bike Friendly" travel agencies are travel agencies offering services
for cycotourism. With their mediation, the cyclotourist can book
"Bike Friendly" accommodation, rent a bike and equipment, transport
bicycles and equipment to another destination, arrange excursions,
tourism package, service bicycles, get information...The Bike Friendly
agency “solves all problems” related with cyclotourism.

BFS Criteria for Travel Agencies

1. Bicycle Parking
Bicycle parking must be in a well-visibly located place at the entrance
to the agency, in a position where the bicycle cannot be damaged by
other vehicles. Bicycle stands must have place for at least 2 bicycle
and can be fixed or mobile, horizontal or vertical.

2. Services
An agency must have:
1. At least one experienced cyclotourist guide or companion who
must be a member of the bicycle club
2. Possibility for transport of cyclotourist and bicycles, at least 2 bi-
cycle carriers or a trailer.

3. Equipment
At least two bicycle carriers, which can be rented to rent a car and
taxi services. It must have the following cycling equipment that cy-
clotourists can use for free:
1. Small tool set,
2. First aid kit,
3. Pneumatic pump,
4. Patching kit.

4. Info Corner
Agencies must have an info corner with cycling / tourist maps, infor-
mation on timetable of the public transport, contact details of the
"Bike Friendly" services (service centres, agencies, accommodation,
catering facilities, garages for short term parking), emergency ser-

16 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

vices (emergency assistance, mountain rescue service, fire depart-
ment, police), contact number for taxi service, tourism agency or
other specialized transportation services. Information should be in
local and English language.

5. Promotion and Marketing

Agencies must have website. Price list of services offered on the
website. The price list must be in local and English language.

Graphic Presentation of BFS Criteria for Travel Agencies

Bicycle Parking
Bicycle Parking
Pedelec Charging

Services
Ciklotourism
Guides
Roof Bicycle
Carrier

Info Corner
Cycling / tourist
maps
Emergency
services contact

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 17

 Emergency telephone numbers in Montenegro
Dial code +382
Police 122
Fire department 123
Emergency 124
Help on the road 19807
Phone number information 1181

Equipment
Set of bicycle tools
Pump
Patching Kit
First Aid Kit

18 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

4. Bike Friendly Standard for Service Stations
Service stations may be special services for bicycle repair, services
within bicycle shops and shopping malls, auto services, agricultural
mechanization services. This all-in-one places offers service of bicy-
cles, offer the most basic equipment and bicycle parts, provide bicy-
cle transport as well as providing the opportunity to buy new bikes,
rent a bicycle in its own facility or through a partner.

BFS Criteria for Service Stations

1. Bicycle Service
The service station is responsible for servicing the bicycle, a basic service
that includes change of brake linings; change of cable; adjustment of
gearboxes, steering, seats; patching pneumatics, replacing tires; center-
ing wheels.

2. Equipment
A service station must have the following available:
1. One set of bicycle repair tools: a set of imbus keys from 2 to 10,
a foldable bicycle tool kit, a parrot pliers, a wrench, plastic tire
removers, star or fork spanner keys from 4 to 20.
2. One bicycle repair stand
3. A kit for patching tires
4. Bicycle pump
5. Lubricant, liquid or spraying, for chain lubrication.
6. Charging units for pedelec.

3. Spare Parts
A service station must always have spare parts:
1. A complete set of brake linings for the disks of different manufac-
turers;
2. 3 sets of brake pads from different manufacturers;
3. 6 cables (3 pcs for transmission, 3 pcs for brakes);
4. Tires for each type of bike - one pair of each vehicle size (for road
700x23-28, for trekking 700x28-35, for MTB 26,25,5 and 29).

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 19

 Info Corner
A service station must have an info corner with cycling / tourist maps,
information on timetable of the public transport, contact details of
the "Bike Friendly" services (service centres, agencies, accommoda-
tion, catering facilities, garages for short term parking), emergency
services (emergency assistance, mountain rescue service, fire de-
partment, police), contact number for taxi service, tourism agency
or other specialized transportation services. Information should be in
local and English language.

5. Promotion and Marketing

A service station must have its own web site or profile on social net-
works. Price list (in local and English language) of services offered
published on the web site or on the social network profile.

6. Other Services
A service station has obligation of
1. Ordering bicycle parts
2. Possibility of purchasing bicycle on order
3. Possibility of bicycling equipment purchase
4. Possibility of buying a used bicycle
5. Possibility of renting bicycles and offering a replacement bicycle
during defect removal (charged)
6. Obligatory organization of bicycle transport to its service station
in case of failure (extraordinary repairs), (cooperation with "Bike
Friendly" agency with charge)
7. Possibility of organizing bicycle transport to its service station in
case of regular maintenance
8. Possibility of emergency bicycle damage removal on the field.

20 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

Graphic Presentation of BFS Criteria for Service Stations

Service
Service-Sales Center

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 21

 Equipment
Pump
Patching Kit
Set of bicycle tools
Auto valve
French valve
Repair stand
Parrot pliers
Wrench
Set of imbus keys
Set of star or fork spanner keys
Lubricating oil

Info Corner
Cycling / tourist
maps
Emergency services
contact

Emergency telephone numbers in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Dial code +387
Police 122
Fire department 123
Emergency 124
SOS phone 1209
Information Center 121
Emergency Call 112
Help on the road 1282
Domestic phone information 1182

22 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

5. Bike Friendly Standard for Garages and Parking Lots
Parking lots / garages for short-term parking are well-marked, su-
pervised parking spaces where you can safely park a bicycle, usually
for several hours. The most common places where there is a need
for such a service are public parking lots / garages along natural and
cultural attractions, pedestrian zones, museums, galleries, old towns,
caves, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, etc.
This category also includes other facilities that provide bicycle ser-
vices, such as: pharmacies, betting shops, bakeries, boutiques, post
offices, telecom operators, public institutions,etc

BFS Criteria for Garages and Parking Lots

1. Bicycle Parking
1. Bicycle parking must be in a well-visibly located place on the parking lot
/ garage, in a position where the bicycle cannot be damaged by other
vehicles. It is desirable that the place is covered and fenced (optional).
2. Bicycle stands must have place for at least 4 bicycles and be at the height of
the bicycle frame so that the bicycle is secured to the frame (60-100 cm)
3. Parking is preferably provided with at least 1 waterproof socket for
charging pedelec batteries.

2. Equipment
A parking lot / garage must have the following cycling equipment
stored in a toll booth:
1. Small tool set,
2. First aid kit,
3. Pneumatic pump,
4. Patching kit.

3. Info Corner
A parking / garage must have an info corner: Information on the public trans-
port timeline, contact details of the nearest "Bike Friendly" service (service
centres, agencies, accommodation, short term parking garages), Emergen-
cy Contact Services (Emergency, Rescue Service, Firefighters, police), cy-
cling / tourist maps. Information should be in local and English language.

4. Personnel
Personnel of a parking/garage are informed about the needs of cyclo-
tourist through training organized by the manager / owner of facility.

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 23

 Graphic Presentation of BFS Criteria for Garages and Parking Lots

Bicycle Parking
Bicycle parking
Pedelec Chargin
Bicycle Parking
Boxes

Info Corner
Cycling / tourist
maps
Emergency services
contact

Emergency telephone numbers in Serbia

Dial code +381
Police 192
Fire department 193
Emergency 194
Help on the road 1987

Emergency telephone numbers in Montenegro

Dial code +382
Police 122
Fire department 123
Emergency 124
Help on the road 19807
Phone number information 1181

24 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

 Equipment
Set of bicycle tools
Pump
Patching Kit
First Aid Kit

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 25

 Why be part of the BFS?
Be part of the growing cyclotourism market and the local cycling
community.
Cycling is one of the fastest growing sports and recreational ac-
tivities in the region, with resources such as ĆIRO Cycling Trail, Via
Dinarica Trail, and many other attractive cycling destinations and
events. These events and routes are attracted by both international
and domestic tourists. By joining the Bike Friendly Standard process
your business will be ready to take advantage of this growing seg-
ment of the economy.
Build customer loyalty and attract new users of cycling. Being
a Bike Friendly is a good for business – encourages visits - creates
healthy, happier, active communities where local businesses grow.

Take advantage of the benefits for the Bike Friendly signage holders:
• Promotion on Web Sites and Social Networks of Technical Secre-
tariats
• Promotion on the official BFS portal once activated
• Directly informing members of the possibilities of additional free
of charge trainings and seminars on tourism
• Possibility of networking with other Bike Friendly facilities, bicycle
clubs, travel agencies
• Increased level of service and own promotion
• Give your visitors positive and unforgettable experience
• Encourage development. Your support stimulates the local econo-
my!

Although no subject is expected to focus entirely on cyclotour-

ists, becoming the holder of the Bike Friendly certificate will give the
potential visitor a greater reason to be interested in your business
by posting the Bike Friendly signage that demonstrates your under-
standing of the needs of cyclists and cyclotourists.

26 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

About BFS Process
This process is managed by Association for Economic Development
REDAH (Bosnia and Herzegovina) as the Regional Technical Secretar-
iat with support of National Technical Secretariats Regional Develop-
ment Agency Zlatibor (Republic of Serbia) and Tourism Cluster Monte-
negro (Montenegro).
The objective of the Bike Friendly Standard is to get the trust of
visitors confirming that the subject that has a featured Bike Friendly
Standard certificate-signage really wants to help cyclists and treat
them with respect and understanding.

Who Can Become a holder of the Bike Friendly signage?

Anyone who recognizes a cyclotourists as one of the target groups
and who meets the criteria in this guideline may apply to become a
Bike Friendly.
Interested service providers must be registered under local laws.

BFS Application Process

The Technical Committees will annually publish a public call for inter-
ested service providers who want to be certified. The certification
process is divided into several steps:

1. Publishing a Public Call – the Technical Committees will publish

a public call on their website for interested service providers. A
public call for expressions of interest will be announced during the
fall of the current year and will be open for one month. The tech-
nical secretarial staff will be available for answering questions and
providing clarifications.

2. Application for Certification - the interested service providers will

find the application form for each of the 5 categories of standards
on the websites. A completed form with the accompanying docu-
mentation must be sent to a defined e-mail address. The accompa-
nying documentation and deadline for submitting applications will
be defined by a public call.

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 27

 3. Administrative check of applications - upon closure of the deadline
for submitting the application, within the deadline to be indicated
in the public call, the Technical Committees will carry out admin-
istrative verification of the received applications. Those applicants
who have passed the administrative/technical check will be offered
a Certification Agreement. Upon signing the Agreement, a list of
service providers and dynamic visit plan will be made.

4. Preparation for the introduction of the BFS - The Technical Com-

mittees’ staff will go to the field for insight into the status of the
applied service provider and provide a written recommendation of
what needs to be done / changed in order to meet the criteria.

5. Preparation of the facility of the applicant – the applied service

provider will have a period of 1-3 months, depending on type of
standard, to fulfil the requirements according to the criteria and
will inform the Technical Secretariat upon completion and fulfil-
ment of the recommendations.

6. Evaluation of the applicant - an independent evaluator will go out

to the field and check if the service provider has met all the re-
quirements for that type of standard within the deadline defined
in the public call. If all criteria are met, the evaluator will inform
the Technical Secretariat in writing. In case they are not, an appli-
cant will be given an additional deadline to complete and finalize
what has not been done.

7. Awarding BFS certificate and the signage – the Technical Secretar-

iat will assign a certificate, a BFS table/sign and an info board. The
signage holder will be named on the websites of Technical Secretar-
iats. BFS is valid for 2 years after which a mandatory recertification
is required, and each recertification is valid for 3 years.

8. Annulment of BFS certificate – if the Technical Secretariat re-

ceives an official complaint, about a certificate holder, according
to the defined regulations, at each complaint, the holder of the
certificate will be warned with the order to correct the deficiency.
If, within a period of one year, the holder of the certificate does
not comply with three (3) correction orders, the certificate will
automatically be annulled.

28 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

 The price of certification will be determined depending on the type
of standard and published in a public call for each country. The maxi-
mum price will not exceed € 300, which includes the costs of certifi-
cation, plus the cost of creating info boards and BFS signage.

Marketing
Use your signage!
You can promote your membership in the program by:
• Displaying the BFS sign in the form of stickers in your facility
• Adding a BFS sign to each of your online presence
• Integrating the BFS sign to your website and social networks
• Being included in media and influencers itineraries
• Being invited to different networking events
• Being invited to trainings free of charge

Prijavi se!
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Technical Secretariat
Association for Economic Development REDAH
BNR 15, 88000 Mostar
e-mail: bfs@redah.ba
Tel. 036 557 210
www.redah.ba

Montenegro
Technical Secretariat
NGO Tourism Cluster Montenegro  
Radoja Dakića bb, IPC Tehnopolis
e-mail: klastermontenegro@gmail.com
Tel. 067 743 421
www.turistickiklaster.me  

Republic of Serbia
Technical Secretariat
Regional Development Agency Zlatibor 
Petra Ćeloviča bb, 31000 Užice
e-mail: bfs@rrazlatibor.rs
Tel. 031 523 065
www.rrazlatibor.rs
Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 29
 Note

30 Bike Friendly Standard guidelines

 Note

Bike Friendly Standard guidelines 31

Disclaimer: The contents of this publication is the sole responsibility of the REDAH and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the Regional Cooperation Council and the European Union.