This article contains basic tips for preparing for a great bike ride. They are suitable for travelers in their own country, as well as for bike trips to other countries.
1. A great way to travel is by Bicycle. Cycling is a great way to relax! It is suitable both for holidays in your country and for travel in other countries.
2. Come up with a unique route in advance that You have never traveled. If your route is special and interesting, you will certainly be able to prepare for it with ease and enthusiasm. You will be the Creator and discoverer of this bike journey!
3. Never listen to anyone from among those who communicate mainly with the TV, computer, and sofa, who after watching the horrors that occur “where you are going”, will necessarily dissuade you from doing such dangerous things in life and will even give terrible examples of what happens to such travelers. Better pay attention to the words of those who make bike trips, enjoy them and share their joy from traveling with other people!
4. Define day ” X ” – the time when you start your great big adventure. Allow yourself to throw aside and forget about the cataclysms of the economy and society, the fall of meteorites, the death of a neighbor’s dog, and, moreover, your laziness! All this is not a reason to refuse to implement Your plans, your bike trip. Your start on your bike journey along Your route on the date that you have determined is inevitable for You, like the sunrise in the morning or the next day.
5. Make a detailed plan to prepare for your trip. Specify as precisely as possible what you need to do and in what time frame. Complete the plan when you get new information, new thoughts, or new desires. Mark completed items.
6. Find experienced travelers-cyclists on specialized sites, forums, social networks and ask them your questions related to your bike trip and preparation for it, do not hesitate to ask about the difficulties you face. Look for people who were in the places where you are going to go. Collect complete information about your upcoming bike trip, so that no unpleasant surprises can spoil it for you.
7. Choose the right bike for your trip: pay attention to everything – every small and seemingly insignificant detail of the bike is important. Treat this very carefully, as this inattention can spoil the journey of Your dreams.
8. Determine the type of road coverage on the route. Select the appropriate type of bike for this coverage.
9. There are two options for choosing a bike: upgrading the nodes of your existing bike and buying a new one that is most suitable. If it is not possible to purchase a new one that best suits Your new route, then make the most of the bike that you already have for your upcoming trip.
10. The choice of the frame. The most important parameters are the size (relative to your height), its weight, and its shape.
11. Choice of fork: hard (aluminum, carbon), soft with shock absorber. Choose according to taste and type of bike and cover.
12. Don’t buy the cheapest bike with the cheapest parts. These savings can result in much greater losses. You can turn your journey into an endless chain of repairs. At the same time, spend Mongo effort, time and money on repairs, and not on the pleasure of traveling. Do not agree to install equipment below the level of Shimano Alivio on your bike. Set yourself a bar in the selection of parts and components, below which it is not desirable to fall, to avoid breakdowns due to low quality. It is better to spend a little more on parts or a bike and enjoy the journey than to save at the beginning, and then because of this, deprive yourself of the joy of traveling.
13. Carefully prepare a set of spare parts for your bike. Every node, every part of the bike has its own resource. Some components or parts can not withstand a run of hundreds or thousands of kilometers, so you just need to take spare (tires, cameras, chain, pedals, etc.). In addition, you can take a kit for repairing small punctures of the camera. And be sure to take on the road a set of tools to repair the bike on their own at the site of the breakdown.
14. It is very important to assemble the first aid kit correctly. You need to act according to the algorithm: make a list of medications, make a description of the area of action for diseases, doses, buy the necessary amount, depending on the number of participants in Your trip. Additionally, pay attention to the need for each participant to take those medications that they take according to some doctor’s instructions. To ensure that a person does not go without the necessary medications during a bike trip, recommend taking them 10-20% more than is necessary according to the instructions, because different situations may occur on the road (for example, loss of medication, it may become unusable if it gets wet, etc.).
If you don’t have one yet, buy a smartwatch. With their help, you can control the load on your body during your bike trip.
15. Tent. Its main characteristics: weight, water-resistance of the awning, wind resistance. A good option in Cycling trips is to take a 4-person tent for one person so that the bike also spends the night in the tent (so you can protect yourself from the problem of night loss or partial disassembly of the bike).
16. Kitchen. Study countries for local food, as well as natural gifts: berries, mushrooms, etc.
17. Share your impressions! Write articles and tell us about your adventure in social networks – this will give you strength on the way and help you plan and implement your next trip faster.
Buy an action camera that attaches to your helmet or Bicycle handlebar before you travel. With it, you can capture, and then show your friends and review yourself those moments, natural beauty that you will see on the journey, you will not have to stop for this, and your hands will hold the handlebars of the bike, not the camera, and this will increase the safety of your journey. You can do something like this
or this
18. Watch your bike on the road. It should work like a real Swiss watch. If there are any signs of malfunction, or if there are any extraneous sounds, try to find the cause faster and, if you can, fix it on the spot. if you can’t, contact the nearest repair center or a professional technician. Remember that a good bike is key to your health and a good mood on Your journey.
19. Communicate with local people. However, it is not always possible to trust the exact data received from them, such as the mileage between localities: local people often make mistakes. To do this, you can use special navigation systems or apps on your smartphone.
20. Be friendly to everyone who wants to greet you. Pay attention to this person, even if You are in a hurry. After all, You went on a trip for good impressions!
21. Be confident, persuasive, and tactful when dealing with police, customs, and other authorized persons. Prepare cover letters from any organizations that support you, which say that the purpose of your trip is tourism, and you are a noble person.
22. And so that your trip is not spoiled by health problems or property — insure them additionally, taking into account the purpose, direction, and duration of your trip.
23. Last but not least, enjoy your trip! This is the most important point because travel is the best form of education and self-development!