Love the idea of cycling the world but this is a hard to watch documentary. Bad editing, no creativity in story or how to film places or people and no depth. Lacking in depth is the biggest failure. Immense respect for the fact that he did what he did, that's why i give it a 4. But i suggest he take a course on editing and i hope he has more depth then he shows in de documentary.
49 Reviews
Not what it supposed to be
sutracu14 April 2020
Title of the movie suggests that viewers will see both pedaling and world, but director is mostly filming his face and talking about himself. It's presumable that viewers want to learn something while watching this kind of film but unfortunately ther is nothing to learn. It is even considered as inspiring documentary according to Netflix, but it isn't. If you want to watch this film as part of your pedaling preparation, don't be surprised if you don't find it useful. Also titles are out of order sometimes, resolution is bad from time to time, and music has nothing to do with the topic. This is more of a private video-diary than "inspiring documentary". That's why 4 out of 10.
Not what it supposed to be
sutracu14 April 2020
This film is called Pedal the World, but both pedaling and world itself are not in the first place. Director is mostly filming his own face and talking about himself - with himself, ignoring so many interesting topics he could refer to while visiting various countries. There are no conversations with people he met almost at all.
Netflix considers this movie to be "inspiring documentary" but it just isn't. It is presumable that viewers want to learn something while watching this kind of film, maybe even prepare themselves for some similar journey, but it is not possible with this one.
Also music in the film has nothing to do with the film itself, titles are out of order sometimes and resolution is bad from time to time.
This film is more like video-diary than "inspiring documentary". That's why 4/10.
Insufferable narcissist pedals some of the world
michael-kerrigan-526-12497414 March 2020
What a frustrating documentary. I've just sat through almost 90 minutes in the company of Felix. In the UK there was an old advertisement for cat food (Felix) and its strapline was "Cat's like Felix, like Felix". How apt. The documentary had no interest in the beautiful landscapes. It had no interest in culture. It had no interest in people. It's sole interest was Felix. No wonder all his friends (even his father) accompanying on his journey left him to it. I certainly couldn't wait to get away from his company - although I strangely avoided the stop button on my remote control.
When taking panoramic shots of the beautiful landscapes, why did he insist on the camera being in selfie mode? We know what you look like. Some might say you're good looking. But you're an insufferable narcissist. Oh god, and did he like to moan. Get over yourself and your privilege.
I think what sums up his character most of all is when he loses his grandpa. Moral dilemma. Does he go home for the funeral? Or does he carry on the adventure with his new found friend? Neither - he contacts a female friend from home and sods off on holiday to a nearby paradise, simultaneously dumping both his travel companion and his grandad in the process. And he had editing privileges, so goodness knows what he left out!
Had this impressive feat been undertaken by someone with a modicum of humility, it would've been so much better. But instead it let me feeling utterly annoyed (much like Felix most of the time). 3 out of ten.
When taking panoramic shots of the beautiful landscapes, why did he insist on the camera being in selfie mode? We know what you look like. Some might say you're good looking. But you're an insufferable narcissist. Oh god, and did he like to moan. Get over yourself and your privilege.
I think what sums up his character most of all is when he loses his grandpa. Moral dilemma. Does he go home for the funeral? Or does he carry on the adventure with his new found friend? Neither - he contacts a female friend from home and sods off on holiday to a nearby paradise, simultaneously dumping both his travel companion and his grandad in the process. And he had editing privileges, so goodness knows what he left out!
Had this impressive feat been undertaken by someone with a modicum of humility, it would've been so much better. But instead it let me feeling utterly annoyed (much like Felix most of the time). 3 out of ten.
Nice but lack of narrative
gerbenderooij24 August 2018
I enjoyed the documentary, but some questions remain unanswered. Various ´friends´ just dissapear and you are left wondering why. When the grandpa dies, it is not clear whether he goes home and then flies back or what actually happens. Also, the itinerary to me makes no sense, as it seems in Asia he is just biking around in circles. From New York, our traveller takes a flight to Oslo and then cycles to Holland via Sweden and Denmark. There is no way to travel from Denmark to Holland overland skipping Germany. However, when he later crosses the Belgian/German (or French/German?) border, he is totally excited to get back to Germany after a year... I think the story could have been a lot more interesting focusing more on the people he meets and cultures he gets to know. Still worth the view though.
A Movie Not Even His Friends Could Love
allenhwalker7 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Concept of traveling the globe on a bike and having adventures along the way is solid. Think about all the cool and interesting people you'd meet. Imagine hearing their stories and reflecting on them as it relates to your own existence. The lifelong bonds you'd make with your traveling buddies would be something worth remembering, perhaps beautiful.
Unfortunately, Pedal the World is nothing of the sort. Protagonist Felix is painfully uninspiring and boring, camera work is beyond dreadful and post-production editing is completely missing.
Let's start of with Felix, a young German millennial with grandiose dreams to travel the world by bike for 365 days - seemingly without a job, cares about money or any responsibilities that would distract a normal person from such an adventure. He enlists support from Riding Buddy #1 and they start off on their journey from somewhere in Germany. A map would be a nice graphic showing where they are planning on going and where they currently are, but the only post-production editing you get are subtitles. Felix and Riding Buddy #1 are not able to secure a visa for Russia and are stopped at the border. Quickly thereafter, Felix gets sick and Riding Buddy #1 has had enough of Felix and is done with the project. At this point, you should be done watching the film because there really is no point trudging through this mess any longer. If you do, this is what you have to endure:
This film fails on so many levels. Shame on Netflix for promoting this trash.
Unfortunately, Pedal the World is nothing of the sort. Protagonist Felix is painfully uninspiring and boring, camera work is beyond dreadful and post-production editing is completely missing.
Let's start of with Felix, a young German millennial with grandiose dreams to travel the world by bike for 365 days - seemingly without a job, cares about money or any responsibilities that would distract a normal person from such an adventure. He enlists support from Riding Buddy #1 and they start off on their journey from somewhere in Germany. A map would be a nice graphic showing where they are planning on going and where they currently are, but the only post-production editing you get are subtitles. Felix and Riding Buddy #1 are not able to secure a visa for Russia and are stopped at the border. Quickly thereafter, Felix gets sick and Riding Buddy #1 has had enough of Felix and is done with the project. At this point, you should be done watching the film because there really is no point trudging through this mess any longer. If you do, this is what you have to endure:
- Many more riding buddies Felix recruits along the way. You don't ever find out any info about them. Felix only focuses the camera on himself and tells you how annoyed he is at them, then whines about being alone when they are gone.
- 90% of riding scenes are generic and boring even when Felix is in absolutely beautiful places. It takes talent to omit so much good stuff.
- Felix talks about how inspiring it is to meet new people, but not once is someone interviewed or included in the film. Felix would rather care about telling you how tired he is or how to make an egg sandwich than capture someone else's perspective. Absolutely baffling.
- Pedal the World takes place in 4-main geographical areas: EU, Southeast Asia (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos), New Zealand and the US. Africa and South America apparently don't qualify as 'the world'. Title of the film should be changed to, 'Felix travels to generic safe tourist spots'.
This film fails on so many levels. Shame on Netflix for promoting this trash.
Interesting journey but uninspiring actor
jan-0768023 June 2021
Every year I make at least one bicycle trip. I would not know how to travel with another person on a bicycle trip. This is a part of the documentary I understand. I liked the shots of the countryside and people in the cities. I watched this documentary till the end despite the numerous shots with the camera pointing at the maker himself while he's turning around. But what I disliked the most is his self-pity. He has the luxury to basically go on a one year vacation, feeding himself, flying from one continent to the other and yet he has so much time to feel sorry about himself. He's extremely egocentric.
Selfie the World
leftbanker-123 September 2018
If he's looking for meaning, he needs to stop looking at himself. I love cycling and I love travel stories, but this is the most self-indulgent thing you could ever imagine. Technically it's very good for an amateur film-maker, but I can't believe that anyone could watch all of it. I fast-forwarded through it and it seemed that every time a stopped he was filming himself in a 360 degree shot with his face taking up about 90 percent of the shot.
If he would have taken about half as much crap he wouldn't have spent the entire trip complaining and basically being miserable. He even shows a part where another pair of cyclist on a trip shake their heads at the weight he is hauling. His bike looks like he's moving from one side of the world to the other and taking literally all of his possessions. He leaves towing a trailer, but then in the very first shot of him cycling it's gone.
And does he ever complain a lot. He complains about leaving. He complains about the first few kilometers, and then about everything the entire trip.
If he would have taken about half as much crap he wouldn't have spent the entire trip complaining and basically being miserable. He even shows a part where another pair of cyclist on a trip shake their heads at the weight he is hauling. His bike looks like he's moving from one side of the world to the other and taking literally all of his possessions. He leaves towing a trailer, but then in the very first shot of him cycling it's gone.
And does he ever complain a lot. He complains about leaving. He complains about the first few kilometers, and then about everything the entire trip.
Not too awful
pollockr-913366 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Confused from the beginning - trailers on the bikes and 40 miles later no trailers. Second riding partner disappeared without explanation. Pedal "the World" - he flew from Turkey to Bangkok and skipped Australia- not exactly the world. Also his deep & meaningful chats are a little nauseating. Enjoyable travelogue.
Netflix Distributes Old Amateur Videos Now?
sfnkung17 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This poorly shot/edited self-agrandizing 2013 travel video log should have been just left on YouTube. Instead, somehow it made its way onto Netflix in 2018 as a "Recently Added" documentary. One is left more disappointed in Netflix's standards in content acquisition than the film maker's ineptitude in cinematography and story-telling.
Not only did Felix not pedal "the world", missing most of the world according to the actual riden route published on his website, he did not gain nor could express any insight regarding the very few places and people he chose to feature in the documentary. No human stories, no cultural appreciation, no dialogs of his companions or encounters, just repetitious petty gripes about how lonely he is, and stereotypical catch-phrase narration of how beautiful the planet and its people are. Over-abundant footages of the documentarian traversing from a distance passing in front of the staged camera, and nauseating 360-degree self-headshots taking up 70% mid-frame supposedly displaying background "beautiful landscapes".
Netflix should remove this failure of a pseudo-documentary from its line up.
Not only did Felix not pedal "the world", missing most of the world according to the actual riden route published on his website, he did not gain nor could express any insight regarding the very few places and people he chose to feature in the documentary. No human stories, no cultural appreciation, no dialogs of his companions or encounters, just repetitious petty gripes about how lonely he is, and stereotypical catch-phrase narration of how beautiful the planet and its people are. Over-abundant footages of the documentarian traversing from a distance passing in front of the staged camera, and nauseating 360-degree self-headshots taking up 70% mid-frame supposedly displaying background "beautiful landscapes".
Netflix should remove this failure of a pseudo-documentary from its line up.
Pushing it like a Man
Skrappy23 June 2018
I am heartened by his journey. That was grueling. It's not so easy to film all that while riding with a ton of gear. Having support is nice but grinding through terrain, weather and cultures is a spectacular Odyssian epic and I think Felix did all of this well. He is a totally likable guy and he showed growth over the journey. Bravo.
David Brent on a bike
jippimail19 April 2020
This is pain.
Guy who has the opportunity to travel for a whole year instead of working- but feels sorry for himself most of the time. And all those beautiful panoramic landscapes are just stupid, swirling selfies.
No reflection that deserves a platform anywhere to be found, just vanity. No conversations, no real interactions with local people- he even called one of them "a fan" somewhere in there, we never see him show kindness, just him being at the receiving end of it. I am actually really stunned that he didn't see how bad this all makes him look when he looked through the footage.
I watched it all, and wondered if Netflix really should have my money. Seriously?! Is this worthy of that platform?
Guy who has the opportunity to travel for a whole year instead of working- but feels sorry for himself most of the time. And all those beautiful panoramic landscapes are just stupid, swirling selfies.
No reflection that deserves a platform anywhere to be found, just vanity. No conversations, no real interactions with local people- he even called one of them "a fan" somewhere in there, we never see him show kindness, just him being at the receiving end of it. I am actually really stunned that he didn't see how bad this all makes him look when he looked through the footage.
I watched it all, and wondered if Netflix really should have my money. Seriously?! Is this worthy of that platform?
Embarrassing and self-aggrandizing
mikefallik1 January 2019
There are so many things wrong with this documentary, and I'm glad to see many of the reviewers had the same feelings I did watching it. Where do I start?
First, I should say that as an adult I am privileged to be able to travel, though having grown up without that opportunity as a child it is something that I find tremendous joy and value in. Travel enlightening, deeply personal, and important.
Felix doesn't seem to understand any of that. The entire documentary is him on pavement. There is ZERO interaction with locals. Rarely doesn't he even partake in a local meal (everything he eats is boxed cereal or canned stew.) He sleeps in a tent on the side of the road. He doesn't visit any local historic sites. He doesn't listen to local music. He doesn't enjoy local festivals or go to any local museums. Nothing. Just him on pavement.
Secondly, the editing is atrocious. People show up to ride with him, and they are not introduced in any way. We know nothing about these people. And then, to make things worse, in the next show they're gone with no explanation. One shot they're alongside him, the next they're not. End of story.
Lastly, his route really makes little sense. Others have commented how he just seems to be going in circles in some parts. I'm thinking this might also be a consequence of the incompetent editing, but who knows.
I LOVE the idea of someone circling the globe on bike. Heck, I wish I could do it. But the beauty of being on a bike is how immersive it is. You are a PART of the local community. To separate yourself as much as Felix did takes skill, intention. It is shocking how much he intentionally avoids the locals.
Netflix should be ashamed of themselves for giving this doc a platform. I wish they'd get rights to Ewan McGregor's phenomenal docs Long Way Round and Long Way Down.
First, I should say that as an adult I am privileged to be able to travel, though having grown up without that opportunity as a child it is something that I find tremendous joy and value in. Travel enlightening, deeply personal, and important.
Felix doesn't seem to understand any of that. The entire documentary is him on pavement. There is ZERO interaction with locals. Rarely doesn't he even partake in a local meal (everything he eats is boxed cereal or canned stew.) He sleeps in a tent on the side of the road. He doesn't visit any local historic sites. He doesn't listen to local music. He doesn't enjoy local festivals or go to any local museums. Nothing. Just him on pavement.
Secondly, the editing is atrocious. People show up to ride with him, and they are not introduced in any way. We know nothing about these people. And then, to make things worse, in the next show they're gone with no explanation. One shot they're alongside him, the next they're not. End of story.
Lastly, his route really makes little sense. Others have commented how he just seems to be going in circles in some parts. I'm thinking this might also be a consequence of the incompetent editing, but who knows.
I LOVE the idea of someone circling the globe on bike. Heck, I wish I could do it. But the beauty of being on a bike is how immersive it is. You are a PART of the local community. To separate yourself as much as Felix did takes skill, intention. It is shocking how much he intentionally avoids the locals.
Netflix should be ashamed of themselves for giving this doc a platform. I wish they'd get rights to Ewan McGregor's phenomenal docs Long Way Round and Long Way Down.
Solid Video Journal Movie
DiveIn-864-75826828 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I almost never write reviews but I felt compelled to weigh in on this movie after seeing the low ratings and several awful reviews. As is often the case I think expectations before you start watching determine your experience. This isn't a feature film about a bicycle journey, and I didn't expect it to be - it is a video journal of one man's journey around the world by bicycle. It is the sort of video journal that you might find on YouTube but with much better videography and editing than you would typically find on that site. I'm glad Netflix chose to bring this film to a wider audience.
I can't imagine how difficult it would be to shoot this quality of video while still completing a ride around the world in one year. Some have criticized the number of countries he didn't ride through or just didn't show. Regardless what the purist might think, riding well over 10,000 kilometers across 22 countries in a year is a great accomplishment for someone who has never done such a tour before. The countries he documented may have been influenced by where he got the best video from. He certainly skips whole weeks or months of his trip and it is fair to say the video could have been better edited. As another reviewer pointed out it is not clear if he flies home at one point and returns or not, and I some maps would have been helpful.
Is Felix, the subject and creator of this film, selfish for only self narrating and not interviewing his companions or telling their stories? I don't think so. This is his video journal, not a documentary trying to capture every aspect of the event, so I expected it to be subjectively from his perspective only. Extended bike touring is filled with emotional highs and lows - and a great deal of monotony in between. It takes tremendous strength to accomplish what he did, probably twice as much mental toughness as physical. There are times when he is homesick or worn down by winds, hills or loneliness and feels like whining and giving up. Then he gets back on his bike and keeps going. Then there are moments of elation when he reaches a beautiful place, achieves a milestone, makes a new friend, crosses a border, enjoys a thrilling downhill, or finally gets a tailwind. That is what bike touring is really like - and that is why I enjoyed this film.
I can't imagine how difficult it would be to shoot this quality of video while still completing a ride around the world in one year. Some have criticized the number of countries he didn't ride through or just didn't show. Regardless what the purist might think, riding well over 10,000 kilometers across 22 countries in a year is a great accomplishment for someone who has never done such a tour before. The countries he documented may have been influenced by where he got the best video from. He certainly skips whole weeks or months of his trip and it is fair to say the video could have been better edited. As another reviewer pointed out it is not clear if he flies home at one point and returns or not, and I some maps would have been helpful.
Is Felix, the subject and creator of this film, selfish for only self narrating and not interviewing his companions or telling their stories? I don't think so. This is his video journal, not a documentary trying to capture every aspect of the event, so I expected it to be subjectively from his perspective only. Extended bike touring is filled with emotional highs and lows - and a great deal of monotony in between. It takes tremendous strength to accomplish what he did, probably twice as much mental toughness as physical. There are times when he is homesick or worn down by winds, hills or loneliness and feels like whining and giving up. Then he gets back on his bike and keeps going. Then there are moments of elation when he reaches a beautiful place, achieves a milestone, makes a new friend, crosses a border, enjoys a thrilling downhill, or finally gets a tailwind. That is what bike touring is really like - and that is why I enjoyed this film.
selfish and boring
rb-7914224 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I had to stop reading the book after a couple of pages and I thought it couldn't get worse until I watched the movie. The movie doesn't consist one interesting thing, Felix is mostly partying and pretending he's either super happy or the whole world has turned against him. Don't watch this and waste your time!
Enjoyable cycling tour documentary
leecanvin14 August 2019
Read all the negative reviews about this film but I enjoyed it. I wasnt bothered that people say it had poor editing I enjoyed what he had to say and the places he went looked fascinating.
I would live to be able to do what he did If I had a year off work.
Super-clean bike and kit, even after a year on the road?
gintarenavardauskaite30 September 2018
I've done a round-the-world cycle trip. I ended up only doing 6000km on the bike, with flights in-between. You sweat, your clothes get filthy, the bags get scratched and punctured, the bike is often covered in mud so thick that it packs between the bags and acts as a disc brake (Laos, end of the rainy season)...
But his trip has none of this. At the very end, when he gets back home...check the bike and kit. Hmmm...
But his trip has none of this. At the very end, when he gets back home...check the bike and kit. Hmmm...
Too many inconsistencies
garbeam26 May 2020
The main actor and author did travel most distances by airplane and other means, but not with his bike. The disappearance of certain partners during his trip indicates another motive of not getting caught for cheating ;)
I believe he traveled along the river Danube. But once he made it to Thailand, most of the distances he traveled was by train, ride or airplane. The audio and cut quality is hobbyist at best.
The US travel is full of inconsistencies. He claimed to have taken his bike from LA to somewhere North of San Francisco, but the film only contains scenes from LA and SF on the west coast. Nothing in between? Strange, that's one of the most beautiful coastlines. He then heads over East to Florida, perhaps a bunch of days from Miami to the keys, but he definitely didn't go off coast, the vegetation afterwards was never Florida's interior, maybe some place in New York State who knows..
Anyhow the whole film doesn't seem consistent, also his biking through Thailand, Cambodia and then Malaysia couldn't possibly have been done fully on his bike. Apart from many classic tourist traps there is no proof of the locations he must have visited in between...
So I buy his story only to a certain degree ;) I've seen other travelers that really took a bikeor motorcycle around the world and the typical pattern of genuine documentaries of those is the focus on locations that nobody has ever heard of.
I believe he traveled along the river Danube. But once he made it to Thailand, most of the distances he traveled was by train, ride or airplane. The audio and cut quality is hobbyist at best.
The US travel is full of inconsistencies. He claimed to have taken his bike from LA to somewhere North of San Francisco, but the film only contains scenes from LA and SF on the west coast. Nothing in between? Strange, that's one of the most beautiful coastlines. He then heads over East to Florida, perhaps a bunch of days from Miami to the keys, but he definitely didn't go off coast, the vegetation afterwards was never Florida's interior, maybe some place in New York State who knows..
Anyhow the whole film doesn't seem consistent, also his biking through Thailand, Cambodia and then Malaysia couldn't possibly have been done fully on his bike. Apart from many classic tourist traps there is no proof of the locations he must have visited in between...
So I buy his story only to a certain degree ;) I've seen other travelers that really took a bikeor motorcycle around the world and the typical pattern of genuine documentaries of those is the focus on locations that nobody has ever heard of.
Letting us be a part of his dream and journey.
troyfscott17 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
There seem to be a lot of reviews that rip into this documentary. They want more culture, more scenery, more sites to see. I think they have missed the point of the entire documentary. First understand that it is like a home movie taking place from the point of view of a young man trying to find himself while biking on this journey. There is no Netflix crew following him around and directing what he should film or where he should stop for the viewers. You and I have nothing to do with it and clearly he is not focused on our entertainment, although, he pulls us just enough in to be a part. I would suggest all of the negative reviewers have strangers watch their home movies and see how many fall asleep. To Felix's credit it looks as if all the reviewers made it through this show which says something. I have turned off many myself. It involves friends coming and going and differences of opinion that we do not fully understand, but all the drama was probably not filmed if even explained. How refreshing to not have more drama. Just continue on with the journey. You just know they are either moving together or they are out. That is all you need to know. It involves a love story of a girl willing to be part of his dream and not crush it. That is refreshing as well. In the end it is clear how much he missed his family and I thought it touching that Felix had a personal goodbye with his grandfather (trying not to spoil it). This is not about you seeing the world. You will be disappointed. It is about seeing the human spirit questioning society, learning about oneself, finding others, if even for a short time, and being in solitude. I found it somewhat compelling to find a journey of my own and I am 54 - So I give it 10 of 10 for its simplicity and honesty, an 8 of 10 for entertainment, and a 6 of 10 for editing. I found this show by watching his second documentary which I found entertaining as well. He mentions this briefly in that one so I went looking. Glad I found it.
Egotistical and Boring
nchaparroca19 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Pedal the World. The title of his little project is very ambitious. The world has 195 countries and this white, middle-upper (if not upper) class guy only visited 22 and most of the countries he shows on the film, were about himself and whom of his friends or family visited him. It shows zero interest about, a new culture for him, the people, the food etc. There is nothing useful to learn about this documentary. At least he is honest at the end, when he says "it wasn't about cycling, it was about my experience". Well, Netflix should warn viewers about that in the description.
Me me me
lil_mizz_nics2 September 2020
I watched expedition happiness and really really enjoyed it. The camera work was brilliant the narrative was great and real. This.... this was lacking. Lacking a story on anything but himself. Yes this was about his journey but yet we learn nothing, absolutely nothing about anyone else, not even when he 'falls in love'. He phrases things such as 'I rode to here... I did this' - I questioned a few times whether lady lover was even still with him. I mean it must be exhausting filming a documentary, but this was what he wanted to do and it had so much more potential. Wish he had shown or talked about more of the connections and experiences he went through and the people he met. On the positive well done for doing such an awesome journey.
Disappointing
gtrachez28 August 2018
Man whinges his way across the world
randallbstucki13 April 2019
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