Hi! I’m Tom, originally from England, but the island was too small.
For 20 years I’ve been exploring the world by bike at every chance I get.
Why? Simply put: because it’s the closest thing you’ll find to pure freedom!
Here at TomsBikeTrip.com I share hard-earned lessons about cycle touring and bikepacking, tell original stories, and road-test new ideas.
A love of adventure has powered my 100% AI-free blog since 2006, when I first decided to travel the world by bicycle and write about it.
Welcome!
The blog: over half a million words of hard-earned, hand-written cycle touring & bikepacking advice.
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No Stupid Questions: How Best To Pack My Panniers For Cycling Round The World?
A reader writes: I’m keen to streamline my set-up and I’m curious to know what round-the-world pannier set-up you’d recommend… I’m thinking 2 × 12.5l front panniers, 2 × 12.5l rear panniers with an Ortlieb 31l Rack Pack and a 12l frame bag giving me around 93l storage. In addition, my front rack will enable me to carry a small duffel bag if needed. I’m considering possibly getting 20l rear panniers but I feel they’re too bulky and unnecessary. However, for long stretches where water and food might be scarce, they could work out well. I’ll be beginning in March/April ‘24… Continue reading →
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No Stupid Questions: How Can I Avoid Neck, Shoulder & Wrist Pain On Long Gravel Rides?
A reader writes: My biggest question/concern about my upcoming ride of the Carretera Austral (south to north, beginning in El Chaltén in 2.5 weeks) is: how do I deal with the jarring feeling of riding on packed gravel with my Surly LHT? In other words, without front suspension, what’s the best way to cushion my hands/wrists/arms/shoulders/neck from this chronic shaking/rattling/jostling? Thanks for such a timely question! Seriously – how to avoid wrist, arm and neck pain when cycle touring, particularly on gravel roads, has been a hot topic for me recently. Last summer – in an episode unrelated to cycle… Continue reading →
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Black Friday 2023: Cycle Touring & Bikepacking Deals That Give Something Back
As long-term readers of this blog will know, I’m not exactly an advocate for the irreverent spending of money on stuff. I write highly opinionated posts, for example, about why fancy gear is totally unnecessary, how to get touring bikes and equipment for next to nothing, and how to travel forever for free. That sort of thing. But I understand that outdoor enthusiasts occasionally have to splash out on new gear. Some, apparently, even enjoy doing so. I personally tend to wait until my stuff is falling apart at the seams and covered in repair tape – and then wait another year for… Continue reading →
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No Stupid Questions: Should I Buy Touring Bike X Or Touring Bike Y?
Roughly ten thousand* people have written to me over the years with some version of the following question: Hi Tom,I’ve been researching touring bikes, and I’ve narrowed my choices down to Bike X and Bike Y. Both look perfect on paper, have great reviews, and fit my budget, but I can’t figure out how to decide between them. Can you help?Cheers,Roughly ten thousand people * this figure may be exaggerated Well hey, everyone, thanks so much for asking! Of all the big, scary dilemmas faced by the newcomer to the intoxicating world of bicycle travel, the question of ‘which bike… Continue reading →
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No Stupid Questions: Do I Need Special Hydraulic Brake Fluid For Winter Touring?
A reader writes: Thank you for bringing up these timely questions on the subject of winter cycle touring in sub-zero conditions! I myself rode to the Scandinavian Arctic back in the winter of 2011. It turns out that winter can be a source of fun and novelty for adventure cyclists, so it’s great to hear from someone planning a ride like this. Let’s start with the question of whether you need special winter fluid for hydraulic disc brakes on a touring bike (or any other type of bicycle, for that matter). Continue reading →
Books, eBooks & Guides
I’ve written a range of guidebooks and travelogues to read at your leisure, whether you’re preparing for a bike trip, living life on the road, or home and dreaming of the next big ride.
How To Hit The Road: A Beginner’s Guide To Cycle Touring & Bikepacking
First published in 2017 and updated in 2021, this book is my comprehensive newcomers’ introduction to the art of the bicycle-mounted adventure.
Every aspect of a cycle tour or bikepacking trip is covered in 34 chapters, split over three parts: pre-trip planning, initial execution, and adapting to the long haul.
As well as broad, practical advice, I’ve woven inspiring and reassuring anecdotes throughout the book – because getting away from the starting line isn’t about knowing everything, but having the confidence to begin.
Drawing on my personal experience of almost two decades of adventure cycling, more than 50 veteran riders from diverse backgrounds have also contributed to this guide, making it one of the most well-rounded introductions you’ll find to this radically liberating form of independent travel.
Whatever you’re planning and wherever you’re going, if it involves a bicycle and the spirit of adventure, How To Hit The Road has got you covered.
Janapar: Love, on a Bike
My first travelogue, originally published in 2013 and the subject of a successful crowdfunding campaign, telling the true story of my first 3½ years on the road.
This was far from your typical long-distance bike tour, however. From the cover blurb:
When twenty-three-year-old Tom Allen and his friends set off from their English village to cycle around the world, they were expecting physical hardship, extreme conditions and a serious case of culture shock. But the hours spent poring over maps could never have prepared them for the experience of life on the road: the petty squabbles, the extreme hospitality, the unexpected joys and dangers.
And then Tom meets Tenny, a feisty Iranian-Armenian girl with dreams of her own, and hits a crossroad. Should he give up his grand plan for the girl he loves, or cycle off and risk missing out on the greatest adventure of them all?
Temporarily out of print (except in the USA), Janapar is still available as a Kindle ebook from all Amazon portals worldwide.