Tips For Novice/New CycleTourists
If you can ride a bike, you can be a cycle tourist. You don't have
to be a competitive cyclist -- you don't even have to be in great shape.
In this section, I will attempt to provide enough information that even a
novice cyclist could begin to plan a bike tour. If you are serious about
touring, however, you really ought to read further in one of the many
available books on cycle touring, as they are generally much more
thorough than I intend to be here.
The simple answer is yes. If you are capable of riding a bicycle,
then you are capable of completing a tour by bicycle, as long as your
goals are reasonable. It's a bit like saying "am I capable of going
hiking?" If you can walk, you can hike, so long as you don't expect to
hike up Mt. Everest for your first journey. It is not necessary to have
a multi-thousand dollar bicycle, or to buy all the fanciest equipment.
The most important thing is that you like to ride and like to travel.
That may seem obvious, but if my experience teaching scuba classes is any
indication -- people who don't know how to swim and hate the water
thinking that scuba diving will be fun -- then it's a logical step that
too many people skip.
Outside of getting used to riding a bicycle loaded down with gear, you
don't necessarily need to train at all. Now, this is contrary to almost
every book on cycle touring that you will ever read. Almost all of them
have complicated tables of training distances and regiments, which you
may or may not find useful.
If you have a very limited amount of time in which to travel, and you
want to cover a lot of ground, then you will certainly need to train. If
you want, for instance, to cover 400 miles on a two week vacation, then
you should at least train until you can ride 50 miles/day on an unloaded
bike, or 40 miles/day with the same amount of gear you expect to tour
with. A few things you should never expect:
- That you will ride your maximum distance every day. The terrain
will be more difficult some days, you will be tired other days, you may
have flats or other bike problems, and some days you may just
not feel like riding. (Keep in mind, too, that if you spend every day
riding all day, you will not get to see anything else.)
- That you will be able to ride the same distance with a loaded bike
as you can on an unloaded one. I met a fellow in Italy who was planning
to tour on a mountain bike, and yet he was training on an unloaded racing
bike. He only had a couple weeks of vacation, and I can't imagine how he
planned his distances. Train on the same bike you'll be touring on, and
train for at least a couple weeks with all your gear on the bike.
- That your bike will not have any problems. You do not need to be a
bike mechanic, but you should at least know how to change a tire and
raise/lower your seat post and handlebars. The longer your tour, the
more important it is that you carry appropriate tools and be capable of
using them.
If you can afford the time, then just getting on the road and starting
your tour -- beginning with reasonable goals -- is the best way to train.
No amount of training on an unloaded bike can fully prepare you for a
tour on a loaded bike, and -- assuming that you're not going to take a
tour around your own city -- the terrain may be substantially different
at your travel destination.
This does not mean, however, that someone who has never ridden a
bicycle in his life can just go out and buy one, put it in a box, fly it
to the middle of Nowhere and expect to have a successful tour. Here is a
list of absolute musts:
- Know how to ride a bike. (It may seem obvious, but...)
- Don't push yourself too hard! This is something of which I am
guilty quite frequently, and I pay the price every time. If it's not
Achilles' tendinitis, then it's a blistered butt or a bad sunburn. I am
always kicking myself for going further, faster or under more strenuous
conditions than I know my body is prepared to accept. On this one, do as
I say, not as I do, and your body will thank you.
- Know how far you can ride in a day. Put all your gear on your bike,
arrange to have somebody pick you up, and ride around somewhere where
you're sure to be able to phone them. A corollary of this is that you
should know how far you can ride the day after you've ridden your
maximum. No matter how far I ride, I never seem to get sore legs, but
after a couple days of long rides, my back starts complaining. Know your
weaknesses, and be prepared to slow down for them.
- Plan your first several days based on a fraction of how far you can
ride. Don't expect to be able to ride further on your trip than you can
ride at home. After the first few days, you'll get a good idea of how
far you can comfortably ride in a day. (You'll also toughen up your
rear, which may ache like hell for the first couple days, until you're
used to being on the saddle all day.)
- Ride your bike at least a few days with all the gear on it, in an area where there isn't much traffic; when you're not used to a loaded
bike, it can be difficult to handle. Conversely, when you're used
to riding a bike with 40lbs of gear on it, riding without any gear can
make your bike feel so unstable that you could swear that it had a mind
of its own.
- Know how to change a tire on your own.
- Know how to properly adjust your seat and handlebar height. Your
local bikeshop can instruct you on this, and they are both essential.
Handlebar height is generally a matter of comfort, but can be very important: improper adjustment can result in a sore back, hands and wrists, and if you raise the handlebar above the maximum height line (which you may not recognize
until somebody points it out to you), you risk doing serious damage to
your bike and yourself. Seat height, on the other hand, is absolutely critical. If your seat is too low, you can put a huge stress on your
knees, whereas if it's too high, you risk giving yourself horrendous
tendinitis. I have suffered the latter twice now, and it can completely
ruin your vacation (and can put you at risk of a torn tendon, which is
even worse).
There are four basic kinds of bicycle: Mountain bikes (also known as ATB's, or "All Terrain Bicycles"), Touring bikes, Racing bikes and Hybrids (City bikes). Bicycles are made with four main materials: Steel ("Cro-Moly"), Aluminum, Carbon Fiber and Titanium.
Racing bikes are ill-suited for touring, as their wheels are not
strong enough to handle the weight of a rider with full touring gear.
They also do not have the braze-ons (screw-holes) necessary for mounting touring racks. You do NOT want to have to wear a backpack while cycle touring.
Not only is it uncomfortable, but it puts your center of gravity much
higher than panniers, which means that you're more likely to fall over
when you round a corner. Trust me, that's a bad thing. (That said, I did actually meet an Australian in Ireland who was riding with the biggest backpack I've ever seen. He didn't find it to be too much of a problem, but said that he did have a sore back after a long day's ride.)
Mountain bikes are designed for rugged riding. They have wider,
stronger wheels, which means they can take a lot of weight and abuse, and
you can put a wider tire on them, which allows you to keep traction on a
wider variety of surfaces. Having a wider wheel does increase your
rolling resistance, however, which basically means you don't go as fast
for the same effort. While mountain bikes are definitely more durable
than racing bikes, they are not indestructible; after my last trip, I
took my rear wheel into a bike shop, and the mechanic diagnosed it "a
basket case," i.e., not worth fixing, because I had abused it so
badly.
The other major advantage of the mountain bike is that it is geared
for climbing steep hills. When you're carrying a lot of gear, this can
be a life-saver. I'm riding a touring bike now, and I really miss the
low gearing of my old mountain bike.
Many (if not most) mountain bikes these days come with some kind of
"suspension" (like the shock-absorbers on a car). While this is great
for riding off-road, it is impractical for bike touring, as it restricts
the kinds of racks (and hence panniers) that you can carry. If you buy a
mountain bike, make absolutely sure that it can accommodate rear racks,
and ideally it should also be able to accommodate front racks. I have
toured with a front suspension fork, but I was much happier once I mailed
the suspension fork home and put a front rack and panniers on my bike.
(You are more likely to damage your rear wheel if you have all your
weight on the back.)
Just as with most things, "one size fits all" usually means "one size
fits none." Hybrids (often called City Bikes) are designed to be the
best of both worlds: rugged enough to take some abuse, and yet practical
for riding in the city. The end result is that they're not rugged enough
for off-roading, and they're sluggish on the open road. Most hybrids
also don't have the braze-ons necessary for mounting racks.
Touring bikes, as the name implies, are designed for touring. One of
the main results of this is a longer chainstay; in layman's terms, this
means that the bike is longer, more stable, and your heel is less likely
to hit your panniers when you pedal. (This was a big problem for me on
my mountain bike; I actually wore off the reflective tape on the front
face of my rear panniers, because I occasionally kicked the panniers with
my heel. A couple times, I even kicked the panniers off the rack.)
Touring bikes are substantially sturdier than racing bikes, but not so
much as mountain bikes. My touring bike actually weighs slightly more
than my mountain bike, which surprised me a bit. Touring bikes generally
have three water bottle cage mounts, whereas most mountain or racing
bikes only have two, and occasionally only one. The gearing on a touring
bike is somewhere inbetween that of a racing bike and a mountain bike.
They're not designed for incredible speed, but they're also not
particularly well designed for climbing. I find the gearing the most
annoying aspect of my touring bike.
Depends where you're from and where you're going. Bicycles in the US
are cheaper than just about anywhere else, for comparable quality. If
you're going to the US, you might want to buy one there. Also, check
with your airline to see if they'll transport a bike for free. Many
charge as much as $100 (each way) to ship a bike.
One very important thing to consider, though, is the fact that your
new bike will go out of tune very quickly, because the cables stretch out
when you ride it for a while. Do you know how to completely tune a bike?
If not, then you will want to ride it at least 100 miles, but preferably
300, in order to "break it in" so you can have it tuned before you go.
Any reputable bike shop will offer a free tune-up with the purchase of a
new bike. Remember, too, that it's important to be familiar with your
bike before you have a problem, especially if you plan to be out in the
middle of nowhere.
Here's what I would consider a bare-bones list of equipment for a
cycle tour that goes no further than 50 miles from someplace where you can be reasonably sure to find a bicycle shop:
- A bicycle which is comfortable, fits you and can be outfitted with
racks.
- Racks and Panniers. Front panniers are optimal (in my opinion), but rear are necessary.
- An alternative to racks and panniers is a Bicycle Trailer. The most famous brand is the "Bob." (Don't ask me how it got that name.) These are usually either one- or two-wheel trailers which attach to the rear axle of your bicycle. They are very sturdy and can carry tremendous amounts of weight, but are heavy, bulky and create extra rolling resistance. For a third-world tour, they might be perfect, but if you plan on trying to get your bike into any European hotels, where everything is on the 3rd floor (if you're lucky), then a trailer could become a real hassle. In addition, having a trailer means having extra parts which will eventually need to be repaired or replaced. (That little wheel may carry a lot of weight, but it can still break a spoke or get a flat!) The biggest potential advantage I see for a trailer is the ability to carry a backpack (it comes with a duffle bag, but I, personally, would immediately replace that with a good backpack), which would then give you the flexibility to go hiking off into the wilderness if you so chose.
- One spare innertube.
- At least one patch kit.
- Tire tools (for removing the tire from the rim)
- A basic hex wrench set (3,4,5,6mm).
- A bike lock (U-locks, such as those made by Kryptonite, are best,
but they're heavy)
- Helmet (I do not consider this optional).
- Padded cycling gloves (your hands will thank you), or weight-lifting
gloves (anything padded, to prevent vibration being transmitted from the
road to your hands).
- Sunglasses; the Oakley-style wrap-arounds will keep more dirt out of
your eyes, but anything that shields UV (almost all sunglasses do these
days) and keeps dust out of your eyes will do.
- At least one waterbottle cage and waterbottle (more is better).
- Basic travel equipment (see my Tips For
Travelers)
Now, here's a list of things I don't consider absolutely necessary,
but which I highly recommend:
- Cycle shorts; these things are not just for looks! Cycling shorts
have padding in the crotch area, which not only makes you more
comfortable, but -- for men -- can help prevent serious prostate
inflammation caused by being on the saddle too long. I recommend the
tight lycra kind rather than the loose cotton kind, because one
of the reasons I wear cycling shorts is to prevent chaffing between my
legs, which a pair of cotton shorts will not help. If you really dislike
the look of Lycra, wear shorts over top of it. As long as the lycra is
next to your skin, you won't have as much chaffing.
- A cycling computer. These things don't have to be expensive
($20US), and they can be really useful. Even if you don't care how
fast you're going, it can be really nice to know how far you've gone.
You saw a sign to your destination that said 20 miles, but have you
traveled 15 miles or only 5? Especially when you're tired out after a
long day, it can be really nice to have an idea of how far you've gone,
and thus how far you have left to go.
- Lights. Even if you don't intend to ride at night (I don't
recommend it, I avoid it whenever possible), you may end up getting stuck
somewhere and being forced to ride in the dark. Riding at night without
a light is extremely dangerous. Get a light for front and back. (The
most important thing is not that you be able to see (though that's nice,
too), it's that cars be able to see you.)
- Insurance on your bike. In the US, this can be very difficult to
find. Sometimes your car insurance will cover your bike if it's stolen,
sometimes not. It's worth checking into it.
So, you've always liked riding your bike, but you've never really done
that much riding. Now you want to take a bike tour, but you're not sure
about your skill level. Here are a few tips to help you out:
- Ride, ride, ride. The more you ride, the better you get.
- Drink LOTS of water. Try to drink at least one full waterbottle for
every 15-20 miles you ride. In very hot weather, I have been known to
drink as much as 10 liters (two and a half gallons) in one day. If you
get dehydrated, you will get cramps. The more you drink, the better
you'll feel. With a bit of experience, you will definitely notice the difference in your energy level if you get dehydrated.
- Eat lots of carbohydrates (pasta, bread, sugars) and less fats
(meat, cheese, deep-fried foods). Of course, all things in moderation;
if you don't enjoy what you're eating, you won't enjoy your trip. When
you start riding long miles, you can eat just about anything you want,
but it's still bad for your cardiovascular system to ingest a lot of
cholesterol.
- Keep up a steady cadence. In other words, try to "spin" rather than
pushing really hard on the pedals. Ride in a lower gear than you might
normally, and try to move your feet at about 70 revolutions per minute
(rpm). It may feel fast at first, but you'll get used to it; the Tour de
France riders keep up cadences of around 120rpm. The harder you push, the
more likely you are to hurt yourself, particularly your knees.
- STRETCH! Not only will you feel better and have more strength while
you're riding, but you'll feel much better at the end of the day if you
stretch before, during and after your ride. Feeling tired? Don't want
to climb that hill just yet? Take a break! Stretch out! Relax! You'll
feel better if you take your time and enjoy the trip, rather than trying
to push your body to the limit.
- Learn how to tune your bike. This isn't absolutely necessary, but
it's very liberating not to have to rely on bike shops (and much cheaper
to do it yourself).
Above all, you want to come back from your trip happy and healthy.
Adherence to a few simple rules will help to make sure that happens:
- WEAR A HELMET! You will hear people say that you don't really need
one, if you "know how to fall properly." These people obviously hit their heads too many times in the process of "learning how to fall." There is a
fundamental principle of human reflex and reaction time at work here, and
anyone who claims that they can avoid hitting their head in any accident
clearly doesn't understand that principle. Many accidents happen way too
fast for you to even know what happened, let alone "fall properly." If
you're not convinced, please click here.
- Watch out for gravel and mud. I did a faceplant just before my second trip, when I hit some mud and my bike slipped right out from under me.
- Wear brightly colored clothing. I selected my Goretex jacket
partially because of its bright (and admittedly somewhat ugly) color.
The most important thing when it comes to riding in traffic is that you
be visible.
- Follow the rules of the road! Just because you're on a bike doesn't
mean you can go running red lights and not