Need advice on planning a cycle tour or bikepacking trip? Okay:
- Pick a date. Start saving money.
- Get a bike, tent, sleeping bag, etc.
- Choose a direction and start pedalling.
That’s all there is to it. Duration, location and budget are minor details.
Need more reassurance? Think your trip’s going to be different?
What follows is an ever-growing library of cycle touring and bikepacking resources, which I’ve been expanding and updating on a constant basis for as long as I’ve had anything to share on the subject. Here you’ll find everything from beginners’ guides to gear reviews and round-ups, planning strategies, a lot of content on touring bike design and choice, forays into more general travel philosophy territory, and a lot more.
Articles are organised across broad themes of pre-trip planning, life on the road, and – everyone’s favourite topic – bikes and gear. Just click the arrowed headings to expand.
(Bonus: drag this link to your bookmarks bar so you can come back to it any time you need a steer.)
The Basics
Cycle Touring & Bikepacking 101: Introducing The Lifestyle
Planning Fundamentals: How To Plan Any Bike Trip
- How To Cycle Around The World In 3 Easy Steps
- Here’s How To Plan Your First Overseas Cycle Tour In 6 Easy Steps
- What’s Really The Difference Between Bikepacking & Cycle Touring?
- Why You Don’t Need Any Of That Expensive Gear
- Planning Your First Big Bike Trip? Ask Yourself These 7 Critical Questions First
Pre-Trip Preparation: Subject-Specific Decision-Making Guides
- What’s The Best Touring Bike?
- How To Train For Long-Distance Cycle Touring (Bicycle Optional)
- A Completely Foolproof Financial Plan For Funding Big Adventures & Travelling The World
- Cycle Touring Insurance: What You Must Understand Before Taking Out Your Policy
- Iranian & Central Asian Visas for Cycle Tourists Riding East
- To Go High Tech Or To Go Low Tech?
- 10 Tips For Planning Your First Off-Road Bikepacking Expedition
- Folding Bike Touring: Possible? Practical? Really?
- A Social Network For Solo Cycle Tourists To Find Partners In Adventure
On The Road
Life On Two Wheels: Surviving Your First Big Bike Trip
- How To Wild Camp Anywhere And Not Get Busted
- What & Where To Eat On A Cycle Tour – Options For Every Kind Of Budget
- How To Stay Safe & Secure On A Cycle Tour Of Any Length
- The 27 Most Useful Free Apps For Cycle Touring
- Is Komoot The Most Powerful Route Planning App A Cycle Tourist Could Wish For?
- How To Make The Most Of GPS On A Cycling Trip
- Why It’s Friendliness, Not Defensiveness, That’ll Keep You Safe On The Road
- “What the heck am I supposed to do now?” On Adversity & Problem-Solving
- We Were Not Born Talented, Brave & Fearless
- Everything Will Be Fine. Here’s Proof.
- The Surprising Truth About Cycling Across A Continent
- On The Art Of The Unplanned Journey
- The Deeply Misunderstood Nature Of On-The-Road Hospitality
- 5 Keys To Relationship Preservation As A Couple On Tour
Gaining Momentum: Lifestyle Design For Long-Haul Riders
- How To Travel Full Time While Working On The Road (Includes Q&A With A Veteran Of 9 Years)
- How To Finance Long-Term Cycle Touring
- How To Travel 100% Money-Free Forever
- How To Get A Free Touring Bike If You Can’t Afford To Buy One
- Stop Bleeding Away Your Travel Money Via Overseas Card Transaction Fees (UK Only)
- Buying A New Touring Bike? Want A Free Business Class Flight With That?
- How to Combine Work & Adventure to Create Freedom
- Save More Money & Have More Fun By WWOOFing Around The World By Bicycle
- How To Get Sponsorship For Your Cycle Tour
- Why You May Not Want To Get Sponsorship For Your Cycle Tour
- Actually, Just Don’t Bother With The Whole Sponsorship Thing
Going To Extremes: Surviving Inhospitable Cycle Touring Conditions
Bikes & Gear
(A quick word: you don’t need any of this stuff. What you really need is the modern world’s most scarce resource: time. After that, you just need a bicycle and a good helping of curiosity.)
Touring Bikes: What They Are And How To Choose One
- 3 Critical Questions To Ask Before You Choose A New Touring Bike
- What’s The Best Touring Bike? (Updated Annually)
- Should I Buy Touring Bike X Or Touring Bike Y?
- A Massive List Of Expedition Touring Bikes For Worldwide Cycle Touring
- How To Build The Ultimate Round-The-World Expedition Touring Bike (With Pictures)
- How To Convert A Mountain Bike For Bikepacking (For Example)
- The 21 Best UK Bike Shops For Touring & Adventure Bikes
Frequently-Asked Questions About Touring Bikes, Answered (Series)
- Touring Bike FAQ #1: What Makes A Bike A Touring Bike?
- Touring Bike FAQ #2: 26-inch or 700C Wheel Size?
- Touring Bike FAQ #3: Steel Or Aluminium Frames?
- Touring Bike FAQ #4: Disc Brakes or Rim Brakes?
- Touring Bike FAQ #5: Derailleurs Or Internal Hub Gears?
- Touring Bike FAQ #6: What’s The Best Way To Avoid Buying The Wrong Bike?
- Touring Bike FAQ #7: What Should I Remember Before Handing Over My Cash?
Gear For Cycle Touring & Bikepacking: Detailed Buyers’ Guides
- Do You Really Need Ortliebs? A Complete Guide To Panniers For Cycle Tours & Expeditions
- What Are The Best Tents For Cycle Touring & Bikepacking?
- What’s The Best Camping Mattress Or Sleeping Pad For Cycle Touring & Bikepacking?
- How To Choose A Camping Stove For Cycle Touring Or Bikepacking: A Fireproof Guide
- What’s The Best Camping Cookware For Cycle Touring & Bikepacking?
- A Template For Your Complete Fix-Anything Cycle Touring or Bikepacking Toolkit
- Tents, Why They Suck, And Some (Better) Alternatives For Camping On Tour
- Unpacking The Trailers Versus Panniers Debate
- 15 Veteran Cyclists Share Their Favourite Luxury Items On Tour
Road-Tested Gear: Cycle Touring & Bikepacking Equipment Reviews
- Extrawheel Voyager Single-wheel Bike Trailer Review
- Carradice Super C Rear Pannier Review
- Schwalbe Marathon Supreme Touring Tyre Review
- Vaude Hogan Ultralight 2P Tent Review
- MSR Whisperlite Universal Canister/Multi-Fuel Stove Review
- MSR Dragonfly Multi-Fuel Stove Review
- Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XLite Ultralight Camping Mat Review
- Exped DownMat 7 Pump Camping Mattress Review
The Shoestring Bike Trip: Budget Cycle Touring & Bikepacking Gear
Everything Else
No Stupid Questions: A Chronological List Of Attempted Answers To Reader-Submitted Conundrums
- Do I Need Special Hydraulic Brake Fluid For Winter Touring?
- Should I Buy Touring Bike X Or Touring Bike Y?
- How Can I Avoid Neck, Shoulder & Wrist Pain On Long Gravel Rides?
- How Best To Pack My Panniers For Cycling Round The World?
- What’s The Best Winter Bike Helmet For Cycle Touring?
- Backpacks, Frame Luggage Or Trailers For Off-Road Bike Tours?
- Should You Ask Permission To Wild Camp In Britain?
- Which Tent Should I Take On Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way?
- Tyre Pumps, Wheel Size, Tubed Vs Tubeless, & More
- Will I Be Able To Fix My Broken Touring Bike?
- Can I Go Cycle Touring Without A Bicycle?
- What’s The Most Likely Thing To Go Wrong On A Bike Tour?
- What Are Your Top Wet Weather Cycle Touring Tips & Tricks?
- What Traffic-Free Cycle Touring Routes Exist Beyond Europe & the USA?
- How To Secure My Bike & Gear While Riding Across The USA?
- How To Fly With Bike Boxes & Bags For Touring & Bikepacking?
- Cycling Across Land Borders, Custom Bike Builders, & Top 5 Things To Pack
- Can I Still Cycle Tour With An Enlarged Prostate?
- How To Plan Cycle Tours In Unusual Places (Like Jamaica)?
- What’s The Best Route Planning & Campsite Finder App For Cycle Touring In The USA?
- Where To Buy Cycle Touring Maps Of Europe & Morocco?
- How Can I Use My Smartphone As A Bike GPS?
- What’s The Future Of Cycle Touring Electronics?
- How To Deal With Racial Prejudice While Cycle Touring?
- Bike Touring For The Older Generation
- Brake Lever & Shifter Options For Drop Bar Touring Bikes
- Is E‑bike Touring Possible? (If So, How?)
- Can Cycle Touring Be Bad For Your Back?
- Best Panniers For A Road/Gravel Tour-Commute?
- How Do I Dry Out My Wet Tent Every Day?
- Any Advice On Bikepacking With A Cat?
Bogged down in research for your next big bicycle adventure?
I wrote a whole book to help with that. How To Hit The Road is designed to be read at your leisure, making planning a bike tour simple and achievable, no matter the length, duration or budget. Available globally as an ebook or paperback.