My first real introduction to the world of bicycle touring came from Alastair Humphreys’ captivating book, Moods of Future Joy. In it, he recounts the initial leg of his ambitious four-year global cycling journey, starting from his childhood home in England and pedaling all the way to Cape Town, South Africa. His incredible adventure sparked something in me, and I soon found myself buying his book for anyone I thought might be interested, and dreaming of my own grand cycling expeditions around the globe. However, there were a couple of minor obstacles: I had very little camping experience and hadn’t ridden my bike more than short distances at a time.
The romantic notion of setting off on a bicycle from my doorstep and traveling to faraway lands was instantly appealing. Yet, the practicalities of how one could possibly travel thousands of miles, carrying all necessities on a bicycle, seemed daunting. Gradually, I came to understand that not every bike tour needs to be an epic, years-long adventure. Even a short weekend trip can provide a much-needed escape from the everyday grind. And, importantly, each time I embark on even a small tour, the dream of a larger, round-the-world trip feels a little more attainable.
Through years of bicycle-focused trips and vacations, I’ve learned that planning a bike tour doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. If you’re starting from a similar point as I did, you’re likely closer to your first bike tour than you might imagine. This guide will break down the essentials to get you started.
There are several categories of gear and considerations that come into play when planning a bicycle tour. These elements are interconnected and influence each other in shaping your trip. I find it helpful to visualize these relationships as shown in the following infographic:
The Heart of Your Journey: Your Bicycle Touring Bike (and Helmet!)
The fundamental truth is that almost any bicycle can be used for a bike tour, although the type of tour you plan will be influenced by your bike. For instance, tackling the challenging Great Divide Mountain Bike Route on a sleek road bike would be exceptionally difficult, though I wouldn’t be surprised to learn someone has attempted or is planning to do so!
Inspirational examples abound of cyclists successfully touring on unconventional bikes. Ryan van Duzer completed a cross-America trip on a three-speed bicycle, and Ed Pratt circumnavigated the globe on a fixed-drive unicycle. Both journeys are documented on YouTube. While I don’t know them personally, it’s clear they likely adapted their routes to the limitations of their chosen bicycles. You can apply the same principle when planning your own tours.
How to Use the Bike You Have for Touring
If you’re in the market for a new bicycle, or don’t currently own one, the internet offers a wealth of resources and reviews. However, if you’re on a budget or unsure about committing to bike touring as a long-term hobby, prioritize finding a bicycle in good working condition with a few key features. Look for at least 10 gears to handle varied terrain, eyelets for mounting a rear rack to carry gear, and reliable rim or disc brakes for safe stopping power. After a few tours, you’ll develop a clearer understanding of your priorities and how much you’re willing to invest in a dedicated Bicycle Touring Bike. This experience will make you much more confident when you’re ready to make a significant bike purchase.
Shelter Considerations for Bike Touring
Your choice of accommodation during a bike tour significantly impacts the gear you’ll need to carry. If you’re new to camping, consider planning a trip that incorporates stays with family, friends, or in hostels, hotels, or vacation rentals. This approach eases you into touring without the initial complexities of camping gear. What’s Your Touring Style?
One of my most enjoyable weekend bike tours involved cycling about 100 miles to my grandpa’s house in Los Angeles. I only carried a backpack with a water bladder and a few essentials. The trip was far more engaging than driving would have been, and it provided a great conversation starter upon arrival.
Starting with a tour like this eliminates the immediate need to worry about selecting the right combination of tent, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag to ensure a comfortable and warm night’s sleep. It also removes many other camping-related decisions from your initial planning process.
From this comfortable starting point, you can gradually progress towards more remote camping experiences. Consider practicing with car camping or even spending a night in a tent in your backyard to familiarize yourself with your gear and build confidence.
Fueling Your Ride: Food for Bicycle Touring
I have a friend who took up marathon running simply to justify eating whatever he desired. I used to find this amusing until I embarked on a longer bike tour and realized the sheer volume of calories needed to sustain daily cycling. Regrettably, some of those increased eating habits lingered even when I wasn’t cycling every day, but I believe there’s more to food on a bike tour than just calorie replacement.
Beyond the obvious need for calories to power your muscles, there’s a significant mental aspect to food on a bike tour. On a recent trip, I underestimated the effort required to cycle back over mountains that separated my campsite in the desert from home. During the ascent, I became incredibly negative and even contemplated hitchhiking to avoid the climb. However, upon reaching a small mountain town and having lunch, my mood completely transformed. The joy of the trip returned, highlighting the powerful link between food and morale on a tour.
Being overly hungry on a bike tour can also impair decision-making and exacerbate any underlying health issues related to low blood sugar. Properly fueling your body is crucial for both physical and mental well-being on your cycling adventures.
The Beauty of Cold, Fast Touring Meals
Hydration is Key: Water on Your Bicycle Tour
Running water is a modern luxury we often take for granted. This becomes acutely apparent when you miscalculate your water needs on a bike tour and face the anxiety of a potentially leaking water bottle. Having experienced a few close calls with dehydration, I now always err on the side of carrying too much water, despite the added weight.
Dehydration is a serious concern. In severe cases, it can lead to organ failure and even death. Running out of water in remote areas can quickly become a challenging, even dangerous, situation.
Most guidelines recommend drinking one liter (approximately 32 ounces) of water for every 1-2 hours of physical activity in moderate climates. This requirement increases at higher altitudes, in hot weather, or during strenuous exertion. In populated areas with readily available potable water, refilling bottles is simple. However, if you’re touring in arid regions or remote areas, you’ll need to carry enough water to last for extended periods between water sources. Planning your water strategy is as vital as planning your route.
Miscellaneous Essentials for Bike Touring
Beyond the major categories, there’s a range of other items you’ll need to pack, many of which are similar to what you’d bring on any trip: clothing, toiletries, basic medications like headache and stomach remedies, books, a journal, etc. There are also bicycle-specific essentials for any longer ride. I never leave for a tour without a multi-tool that includes a chain breaker, a spare inner tube and patch kit, and a reliable pump. Flat tires, chain issues, loose bolts, and brake problems are common mechanical failures that can leave you stranded. However, learning to fix these roadside with a few basic tools is relatively straightforward and empowers you to handle minor repairs independently.
Carrying Your Gear: Baggage Solutions for Bike Touring
Once you’ve compiled all the necessary items for your bike tour, the next challenge is figuring out how to transport them efficiently. The simplest and likely least expensive starting point is using a backpack. However, anyone with backpacking or hiking experience knows that carrying a loaded backpack can become uncomfortable, especially when carrying significant gear, water, and food.
I generally find it far more comfortable to transfer the weight from my back to the bicycle whenever possible. When you’re ready to invest in a more comfortable and efficient baggage system, a rear rack and waterproof panniers are a great starting point and will likely accommodate most of your gear-carrying needs. Beyond panniers, there are numerous other bag options and attachment methods to explore, offering a wide range of customization for your bicycle touring setup.
Charting Your Course: Route Planning for Bicycle Touring
Planning an overnight bike tour to visit family in a nearby city is a vastly different undertaking than planning a multi-day expedition through remote stretches of the Sonoran Desert. Route complexity will impact all other planning aspects, including gear choices, food and water logistics, and safety considerations, such as cell service availability and proximity to assistance.
For many trips, I’ve successfully used major online mapping applications on my smartphone. The bicycle routing option generally works well, although it sometimes prioritizes busy roads lacking dedicated bicycle infrastructure. Alternatively, numerous meticulously planned and scouted bike touring routes are available online, often created and shared by experienced bike tourers.
How to Create Your Own Touring Route
Among my favorite resources are Adventure Cycling’s extensive network of epic routes across the United States. I’ve found these routes to be exceptionally well-designed, thoroughly researched, and consistently updated. If you’re located in the US, it’s likely that one of these routes passes relatively close to your home. You could easily plan a shorter trip along a one or two-day segment of a larger route. Adventure Cycling also offers a growing collection of Short Routes specifically designed for weekend getaways, perfect for beginner tours.
Bringing It All Together for Your First Bicycle Tour
My hope is that this guide inspires you to start planning your own bicycle tour, utilizing the gear you already have and focusing on your current comfort level. The most important step is to begin with a tour that you feel confident completing. From there, you can gradually plan more ambitious and self-supported adventures. After a few successful trips, I’m confident you’ll feel increasingly comfortable with the idea of pedaling from your doorstep towards your own edges of the earth and around-the-world dreams.
