Plan a Bicycle Trip With a Tour Company
A bicycle tour company will plan the route, arrange accommodations and transport your luggage from one hotel to another as well as possibly provide a support van along the way and a rental bicycle. Despite all these perks, you still have to do some legwork to plan a bicycle trip with a tour company.
Steps
- Pick a bike tour based on your ability. Look at the difficulty of the terrain, the daily mileage and the number of hours spent cycling each day.
- Train for the bike tour terrain. Although riding a stationary bike builds endurance, it won't prepare for the hazards of the road, especially in a fatigued state.
- Work up to riding the mileage you will be riding each day during the bike tour.
- Replicate the sleeping conditions of the bike tour during training. This will better prepare you for the rigor of the trip than sleeping in your own bed can. It will also help with your mental confidence.
- If you are staying in a hotel with the bicycle tour company, bike the distance of a typical day on the tour to a hotel, stay the night and bike home the next day.
- If you are camping during the tour, check into a campground for a few nights and spend the days biking the typical distance during a day on the bike tour.
- Practice riding in a group before the tour. You'll need to know safe riding practices and how to use hand signals in a group.
- Know how to fix a flat tire and perform other bike repairs.
- Decide whether you are going to bring your own bike or rent.
- If renting, find out the cost and whether it includes a helmet.
- If bringing your bike, plan how to transport it. If you are travelling on a plane, you'll need to pack it in a box. Know the rules for other modes of transportation, such as shuttles and trains, to get you to the tour starting point and back home.
- If you are bringing your own bike, make sure it's equipped with a headlamp, taillight and rearview mirror. Bring extra batteries for the lights. You may also want a cyclometer to track the speed, average speed, distance traveled and total ride time.
- Bring tools and spare parts for your bike as well as a lock to secure it. The bicycle tour company may provide some items, especially if renting.
- Pack the clothes and other gear you will need.
- Bring clothes for heat, cold, wind and rain.
- Have water bottles, a hydration pack, plenty of energy snacks and a first aid kit.
- Bring a GPS and detailed maps of the route if they aren't provided by the bicycle tour company.
- Attach the necessary packs to your bike to hold your gear. You might want a handlebar bag with a clear pocket to easily view your map while biking. You may need a seat bag and front and rear panniers with rain covers to hold the rest of your gear.
Tips
- Train with the packs attached to your bike (properly weighted) and the gear you will be wearing during the tour.
- If you plan a bicycle trip with a tour company in the mountains, you may need to arrive a few days early to acclimate yourself to the higher elevations.
