Short Answer: Many many hours
Not so short answer: cycling on Bowen Island, is relaxing, wonderful, and hilly. To ride on every road, I’ve been told it would take about 5 hours if you’re a pro-cyclist, and 10-20 hours if you’re not a pro-cyclist to cycle every road on Bowen Island.
Bowen Island
About the size of Manhattan, or Richmond, and only 1/100th the road network, Bowen Island stretches with its road like tendrils expanding from the Snug Cove area to various points on the Island. Roads follow the terrain, bending and weaving, never going exactly straight to where you want to go.
This is what makes cycling on Bowen Island so appealing. You can always seem to find a new bend in the road, twist of the shoreline, path into the forest, and new beaches.
There is no ring-road that encompasses all of Bowen Island. Metaphorically, this is true of the people that live here too. It’s hard to describe everyone who lives here with a single term. Maybe that’s why there is no ring-road. Most likely not… but maybe?
As you do begin your trek around the island, there is one very important road to keep in mind. Adams / Grafton. (Highlighted in Pink)
The Adams & Grafton road has no shoulder. Cars travel at a blazing 40km/hr here and it’s the most dangerous for cyclists. We seriously recommend pulling off to the side should a ferry line up of cars start following you in either direction.
Final Tips
Do not believe Google Maps Satellite View, when it says there is a road that connects the Smugglers Cove Road, Billington Road, and Woods Road on the North East side of Bowen Island. It’s private property, and bush whacking for 400-500m with your bike. It looks like a small break in the road, but it’s a lot further than that.