Category: Touring Advice
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Planning A Really Long Bike Trip? Ask Yourself These 7 Critical Questions First
I know the title of this post might sound odd. For the last 15 (wow… 15!) years, I’ve been banging on about the sheer awesomeness of going on bicycle adventures. I’ve been doing it so consistently that I’ve now published more words on this blog than in all six Lord Of The Rings books combined. Why, then, would I want you to question your dream long-distance bike trip? I’ve been around long enough to have seen a great many bicycle journey-based projects come and go. And – though you’d be forgiven for not noticing – they don’t always end well. One highfalutin example… Continue reading →
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How To Go Ultralight Bikepacking (A Fully Loaded Cycle Tourist’s Perspective)
Ultralight cycle touring – a.k.a. bikepacking – is something I’ve been asked repeatedly to cover on this blog. As luck would have it, lightweight bikepacking is also something I’m getting more and more interested in, especially now I’m based in a place with endless potential for dirt road adventures in the mountains. Exciting plans are brewing for this style of adventure cycling. But a trial run is always a good idea… Luckily, a couple of weeks back, I found myself with the unexpected luxury of an empty week in my calendar, a touring bike in need of a workout, and an appointment to… Continue reading →
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A Pro Bike Builder Reviews The ‘Adventure Flat White’ Budget Touring Bike
New this year at the budget end of the UK touring bike market is the Adventure Flat White, an entry-level road tourer whose RRP of £430 makes it the cheapest off-the-peg touring bike in the UK (at the time of writing). Being abroad for an extended period of time and thus unable to try the bike myself, I invited Richard of Oxford Bike Works (who recently bought himself a Flat White to see how they’d made it so cheap) to deliver his verdict on it. Take it away, Richard… Two disclaimers from the outset: These comments are written very much… Continue reading →
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Unconventional Sources Of Cheap Cycle Touring Equipment
Last year I sourced a touring bike, luggage, camping & cooking gear, spares, tools and clothes for £25.17 and then rode it the length of England on a budget of 25 pence. It was fantastic proof that money is no pre-requisite for adventure, and that you can get everything you need practically for free. However, finding the gear did require time, energy and luck in considerable amounts – not to mention the challenges of travelling without money (full story here). This article, therefore, is for those who do have a bit of cash to spend on getting up and running, but aren’t… Continue reading →
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What & Where To Eat On A Cycle Tour – Options For Every Kind Of Budget
One of the great pleasures of cycle touring is that you may eat whatever and as much as you like. You’ll reimagine food as fuel, and the more in the tank, the further you’ll go. You may indeed gain weight, but only in your thigh muscles. Cake lovers rejoice! By the same token, the number one rule of feeding yourself on a bicycle adventure is to listen to your body. Your metabolism will adapt to become a highly-efficient furnace. Misjudge your intake and you will experience hunger like nothing on Earth, and finding the next bakery will be your sole reason for existence. Many… Continue reading →
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How To Stay Safe & Secure On A Cycle Tour Of Any Length
Safety and security is a big concern for inexperienced newcomers to cycle touring – particularly if you’re planning a long trip through ‘scary’ (or at least scary-sounding) places. It’s usually an even bigger concern for your friends and family. So it’s helpful to try and understand the on-the-ground realities of safety and security as they relate to bike touring and bikepacking before you hit the road. Everyone wants to put their mum’s mind at rest, right? Safety 101: Instinct Is Your Friend Before we get into the details and subtopics of cycle touring safety, know that – in general – instinct will play a major role… Continue reading →
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Just Released – A Brand New Edition Of The Best Adventure Cycle Tour Planning Guide On The Planet
The very first edition of Trailblazer’s Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook, compiled by veteran bicycle traveller Stephen Lord, didn’t just help me plan my first big journey; it actually inspired that ride’s very conception. I can barely believe that that guide has just seen the publication of its third edition. Have I really been doing this for that many years?! Now with Neil and Harriet Pike (of Pikes On Bikes fame) at the helm, the new edition has been totally revised and updated in light of the changing nature of what’s possible on a bicycle, given a map of the world and a limitless imagination. It’s still… Continue reading →
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Get Funding For Your Next Big Cycle Tour With The Next Challenge Expedition Grant
Set up by my good friend Tim Moss, The Next Challenge Expedition Grant has just opened for applications. Up to £1,300 of funding is available for a big adventure, whether by bicycle or otherwise. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 26th August 2015. I caught up with Tim to ask about the grant and why he set it up. 1. What is your main reason for setting up the grant? Six years ago I started a website to encourage and help other people have adventures. I’ve written lots of articles and responded to lots of emails but sometimes what people really need is… Continue reading →
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Just Announced – Kona’s Updated 2016 Sutra Touring Bike + New Sutra LTD
I’ve been a fan of Kona’s bikes and their corporate ethos for donkey’s years. Today they’re announcing their new season bike line-up, which includes not just an updated 2016 Kona Sutra (their mid-range disc-equipped 700C tourer) but also a brand new variant, the 2016 Kona Sutra LTD, aimed even more squarely at short-haul adventures on mixed terrain. Both the 2016 Kona Sutra and the Sutra LTD share an updated frameset, similar to last season’s frame (which was shared with the gravel-racing Rove), but this year with heavier-gauge tubing, acknowledging the benefits of a burlier build for luggage-carrying applications. Other improvements to… Continue reading →
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How To Cycle Around The World: A New eBook by Tim Moss
Amid all the buzz of the recent Kickstarter campaign (which ended in success – woohoo!), there’s every chance you might have missed the release of Tim Moss’s new ebook How To Cycle Around The World. Link: check it out and download it here. Tim’s website TheNextChallenge.org is one of the UK adventure blogging scene’s long-runners. The sheer volume of practical resources for expedition planning he’s made available online is staggering and frankly puts my own efforts to shame. He’s also just returned from actually cycling around the world himself with his wife Laura, co-founded the Cycle Touring Festival, and set up the largest database… Continue reading →