Bike Touring BASICS Inspiring you to explore on two wheels A free magazine from www.TravellingTwo.com

Bikes & Gear Choosing a bicycle and the acccessories you’ll need for touring. Life On Tour Planning a route, finding a place to sleep and what it will cost. Inspiration How to get started, where to go, and stories from experienced cyclists. Table of Contents

Page 4 - Why Go Bike Touring. Page 26 - Training For A Tour. Everything that’s so special about exploring A few things to do, before you take a first trip the world on two wheels. by bicycle.

Page 8 - No Experience? No Worries! Page 28 - How To Pick A Touring Bike. Go on an adventure, even if you don’t have a Over 10 pages dedicated to choosing a touring lot of experience or the perfect equipment. bike. Learn about types of bikes and compo- nents such as frame material and wheels. Page 12 - How Much Will It Cost? A look at different ways of touring, and how Page 42 - Bikes To Consider. much you might spend. A look at some popular touring bikes currently on the market. Page 14 - Five Great Places To Ride. Some favourite bike touring destinations. Page 44 - Gear Focus. Aside from the bike, what else do you need? Page 16 - Where To Sleep. See our favourite bicycle accessories, camping Pitch your tent in a field or splurge on a hotel. gear, bike locks and more. The option is yours. Page 56 - Loading Up The Bike. Page 20 - Route Planning. Now that you have all the equipment, it’s time What to consider when mapping out a tour. to learn how to carry it all. We tell you about panniers, luggage racks and trailers. Page 22 - Solo Or With Friends? Should you hit the road alone, or find a friend Page 62 - An Amazing Journey. to ride with you? A dose of inspiration from Louise Sutherland, a woman who cycled the world in the 1950s. Page 24 - Don’t Freak Out One woman’s story of her family’s reaction to Page 64 - Equipment List. her plans to ride solo across the U.S.A. Print this checklist so you don’t forget anything!

COVER PHOTO

This image was taken at 4,500m on the Puna de Atacama in northern Chile. It was part of a multi-month bike tour in South America, by Harriet and Neil Pike (www.andesbybike.com e).

“We were doing a loop which took a couple of weeks with no shops and not much water, so we had heavy bikes. You can see that Harriet’s 10L Ortlieb water bag is reasonably full,” says Neil.

“In the photo we’re above the Salar de Maricunga and are descending a rarely used mine road, heading to the stunning Laguna Negro Francisco in Tres Cruces National Park.”

2 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 3 US A bout

Photo by alicia ackerman, www.cyclingwithoutahelmet.blogspot.com

We’re Andrew & Friedel. we fell t the time, practical bicycle touring information in love with bike touring in 2006, Awas hard to find on the internet, so we started when we set out on a bicycle trip TravellingTwo.com e — a place to share tips, equipment around the world. reviews and experiences. The site has grown from a personal blog into a commu- nity over the past few years, and our email box has become increasingly full of questions such as Which bike should I buy? or What do I need to know for my first bike tour? We created Bike Touring Basics to answer those questions. It’s a free guide to the essential things you need to know when getting started. This magazine is our way of giving something back to the bike touring world that has given so much to us. Going On A Big Trip? For even more long-distance touring tips and advice, check out our Bike Touring Survival Guide. It’s 240-pages of advice for extended and international tours, including route planning, what to put in your repair kit and how to extend the life of your camping gear. Even better - the book comes in 3 formats. This will allow you to print it, to read it on your computer or to load it onto tablets and eBook readers like the iPad, Kindle and Nook (PDF, .mobi and .ePUB files). At just €5 (about $7 U.S.)., it might be the best bike tour- ing bargain going.

Buy The Book: www.travellingtwo.com/biketouringguide e

Thanks for your support! z

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 3 Why Go Bike touring

Photo by Michelle Wurlitzer, www.wheeledmigration.org

here is no better way to travel and ex- into full concentration as you spin your legs T plore than from the seat of a bicycle. furiously to tackle a big hill. With two wheels under your feet, the world A sense of achievement greets you at the goes by at a perfect pace; fast enough to get top of every climb as you crest the summit somewhere and slow enough to admire the proudly, if a bit weak in the knees. With the details along the way. hard work over, you can fly down the other On your bicycle you are free. You can ride side with ease, stopping at the next store of anywhere you like, and stop anywhere that course for a well deserved ice cream. takes your fancy. Later in the day, you might pitch your tent You can nap when you’re tired, knowing in a campground for the night, get a hotel, be that you don’t have to rely on a bus to reach invited to spend the evening with a local fam- your next destination. Just stroke those ped- ily or head back home again. als to zip into town for a hearty meal, or head In that flexibility is the most wonderful down a quiet dirt track and make dinner on thing about bike touring: it can be anything your camp stove. The choice is yours. you want it to be. Back on your bicycle, you’ll pedal along to a constantly changing series of sensations. Do It Your Way One moment you might be daydreaming and Go for a day trip or on a world adventure. Take watching the birds. The next, you’ll be thrust your whole family and the pets or strike out

4 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 5 Bicycle touring is heightened awareness. “ It’s the difference between microwaving and cooking a meal from scratch. It’s the difference between standing awe-struck in front of a painting and clicking past it on the internet. Now imagine this feeling every day, all day. Something as simple as THE GROUND becomes very important. Is it level? Soft? Wet? You really begin to SEE the ground. You see people. And landscapes. And food. You might even see yourself. -RJ, An Adventure Called Bicycling www.anadventurecalledbicycling.blogspot.com ”

solo. Pack a little or a lot in your bags. Splash out change of clothes. His wallet was empty. on a posh B&B or camp in the woods. Have a plan Don’t be discouraged if you’re unfit either. or no plan at all. When the going gets tough, take Training can be done on the road, as long as time to wait it out or put your bike on a bus, train you’re willing to take it slowly at first. or plane bound for the next appealing destina- As for the other details - what kind of bike, pan- tion. niers or trailers, old fashioned maps or a GPS - it’s Above all, don’t be put off by an obsession all a matter of choice. If something doesn’t feel to figure out every last detail. Like any journey, right, try another option until you find a better there’s a lot to think about before you take those way of doing things. first steps but, at its core, bike touring is really In the end, the best preparation is to get out quite simple. there and do it. Once on the road, you quickly find The most crucial ingredients are a bike and a out what does or doesn’t work for you. z desire to ride that bike beyond your front door- step. Experience and equipment are helpful but by no means required. Karl Creelman, the first Canadian to ride around the world, only learned to ride a bicycle a few weeks before making his decision to circle the globe in 1899. His bags were slim. He had one

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 5 We are not super-cyclists who put in hundreds “ of miles a week on the bike. What it really took was the realization that we could do it. I think getting beyond all the ‘what ifs’ and just getting on the bikes is all it takes. We finally realized that all we really needed to do was ‘shut up and pedal’! -Dan, Alison, Sonia & Gus www.shutupandpedal.org ”

Cycling in Patagonia. Photo by Vera and Jean-Christophe, www.magical-world.eu (Flickr)

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No ExperienCE? No Worries.

8 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 9 Here’s a little secret: we haven’t always been cycling fanatics. Before we set out to ride around the world, we had no bike touring experience. We were unfit from years in the office and we didn’t know how to change a flat tire.

hen we launched unprepared figured out that the best wild camping Winto bicycle touring, we were spots are hidden, unless you want to simply two people with a dream to see hang out with local teenagers. the world and hunch that maybe – just Despite - or perhaps because of - our maybe – it would be possible and even early mistakes, we learned quickly. Ev- fun to do it on bicycles. ery day we picked up new tricks such as We hit the road imagining that how to fix flat tires and set our tent up everyone would have more experience in record time. We developed an eye for than us: two city slickers, in our 30s, the perfect camping spot. We sent the who’d never even done an overnight champagne glasses back home. And tour before thinking up this crazy ven- one day we found ourselves weaving ture to bike around the world. What we gracefully between heavy city traffic, found couldn’t have been further from instead of nervously dodging cars. the truth. We met students and retired Three years and 50,000km later, we folks. Solo cyclists and families. People were home. Despite setting out with no on first tours and veterans who’d been bike touring experience at all, we made pedalling for years. it all the way around the globe, with a It’s true, we had a steep learning newly discovered passion and dreams curve those first few weeks. Our pan- of dozens of trips to come. niers were filled with things we didn’t We’re telling you this to make the need (anyone want two plastic cham- point that bike touring really is some- pagne glasses?) and our first wild thing anyone can do. You don’t need camping site was in the middle of a to be super fit or below some arbitrary popular local park. On that night we age barrier. You don’t even need to

Nathan Chase and a bicycle he bought in India. He’s strapped a backpack to the luggage rack for touring. www.foolhardytravels.blogspot.com (Photo by Tim Travis, www.downtheroad.org)

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 9 know a lot about bike touring, and you certainly don’t need a fancy bike. That doesn’t mean you should drop everything now and run out the door unprepared. Every tip you pick up be- forehand will make life easier. It might even save you some money and frustra- tions along the way. That said, you can learn about and deal with almost anything on the road as long as you go slowly and remain flexible. One of the great joys of bike touring is discovering just how capable and independent you can be. Don’t underestimate your ability to adapt to situations as they crop up. And remember: people of all types and descriptions are out there right now, pedalling across their countries, continents and even the world. You can too, and you’ll have the time of your life along the way. z

Photos by Dennis Koomen, from a tour of the Southwestern United States. See more photos, videos and helpful bike touring tips on his website: www.toko-op-fietsvakantie.nl

10 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 11 Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 11 HOW MUCH will a bike tour cost? ike touring doesn’t have to cost the earth. By cooking for your- don’t want to cycle the whole Bself, providing your own transport and sleeping in a tent, your way. daily budget can easily be half of what a typical backpacker might spend to travel the same route. 3-5 Days: You’ll be cycling lightly That said, it’s easy to burn through cash if you want to spend because you probably won’t your days jumping from café to restaurant and your nights in need bulky camping gear. In- comfortable hotels. stead, you can stay in a hostel or Most people find a happy medium between the two extremes. B&B most nights. Alternatively, if Spend a few nights camping, for example, and you’ll quickly offset you enjoy camping you can take the cost of a hotel and meal out in the next city. the tent and use your budget to Here are a few examples of how far you could get on $500 U.S. in eat most of your meals in restau- countries such as America, Australia, Canada and much of Europe, rants. You may also be able to depending on which style of touring you decide to adopt. travel to and from your tour by public transport. 3-4 Weeks: You can travel for up to a month but you’ll need to stick to a very low budget. This means finding ways to sleep for free Longer Trips (wild camping, staying with friends or using hospitality groups like If you save $10,000 U.S., you have WarmShowers e). You’ll cook all your own food (mostly pasta), and enough to tour for 10-12 months travel solely by bicycle. in most developed countries and 2-3 years in cheaper destinations 10-14 Days: With $35-50 U.S. a day to spend you’ll have enough such as Thailand and China. for small luxuries like entry to a museum. You’ll free camp or stay Our total bill for a world tour in campsites most nights but you might go to a cheap hotel if the through 30 countries averaged weather is bad. It’s possible to afford a short leg by bus or train, if you $23 U.S. per day, per person e.

12 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 13 Photos by Friedel & Andrew, www.travellingtwo.com

That covered routine daily expenses and one-off Doing It On The Cheap costs such as flights, visas, vaccinations and bike Can you do it for less? Of course! Start by looking repairs. It also included treats such as bottles of for second-hand equipment. Plenty of people have wine, meals out and nights in hotels. unwanted bicycles and lightly used camping gear How can you save so much money in the first hanging around in their basements. place? Here’s how we did it e. Search eBay and Craigs List, and place a ‘wanted’ ad that tells people what you’re looking for. Check Starting Costs with local cycling clubs and ask your friends if they Plan to set aside $2,000-3,000 U.S. if you want to know of anyone who might have equipment to start touring with a new bicycle and high-quality sell. This takes more time than buying things new, gear - certainly good enough to see you through so start searching as soon as you know you want to many happy years of bike touring. go bike touring. If you’re suffering from price shock, remember As an example of how far you can go on a small that things like a stove and a tent save much more budget, we spent a summer cycling around Europe money in the long run than their initial cost, and on bicycles that we bought from a charity shop they give you a great degree of independence. for just $100 U.S. each. We invested another $150 Here are some approximate costs: U.S. in a few accessories (including new saddles), unearthed some old camping gear and set off for • Touring Bicycle (Surly Long Haul Trucker) - 5,000km of cycling adventures. $1,100 U.S. Our bargain bikes weren’t without their me- • Bike Accessories (pump, water bottles) - chanical faults. At that price, you can’t expect a $50-75 U.S. totally smooth ride. But we overlooked the niggles • Campstove (MSR Whisperlite) - $80-100 U.S. and treasured the freedom they gave us to go • Headlamp (Petzl Tikka) - $40 U.S. touring when we didn’t have the money to buy • Luggage Racks (Tubus) - $250 U.S. anything better. z • Panniers (Ortlieb) - $300-$350 U.S. • Sleeping Mat (Thermarest or Exped) - $50- 100 U.S. • Tent (MSR Hubba Hubba) - $275-350 U.S.

For more on gear, see p. 44.

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 13 five Great Places To Ride The Netherlands No country caters for cyclists as well as The Netherlands. There are thousands of bike paths to follow, so you rarely need to ride in traffic. When you do have to cycle on a road, car drivers are very respectful of bi- cycles and leave lots of room. For a glorious sight, come when the tulips are in bloom (late April to early May). You can also explore windmills galore, museums filled with the paint- ings from the likes of Rembrandt and Vermeer, and long beaches along the North Sea. Dutch food is cyclist-friendly too: hearty pancakes and apple cake with whipped cream can be found at almost every café. From the Netherlands, it’s easy to continue on to more super cycling countries such as France, Germany and Denmark. Tasmania, Australia Hop on a ferry from the city of Melbourne, and within a few hours you’ll be rolling your bicycle onto the small island of Tasmania. They’re trying to encourage Dream destinations: bike touring here, so your first The Netherlands (above), South- stop should be the tourist bureau east Asia (top right) and Morocco for free maps and information (bottom right). Photo by Friedel & designed just for cyclists. Andrew, www.travellingtwo.com It gets better. The landscape is truly beautiful. Expect everything

14 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 15 Choosing where to go can be the toughest part of bicycle touring. These are some of our favourite destinations, and they’re all wonderful choices for a first tour. five Great Places To Ride mountains and magical deserts are easily reached by ferry or low-cost flights from Europe. The tourist industry is well developed so you can choose to sleep in formal accommodation or to simply pitch your tent in the wild: maybe in a dip between mountains, under a palm tree or beside nomad tents in the desert scenery of the south. Morocco also has a strong from high mountain passes to avoid the worst of it, and take tradition of Arab hospitality. It’s thick forests and roads that hug breaks in the middle of the day. very common for travellers to the coastline. be invited to share a cup of tea a Finding a place to stay is also Japan meal with a family. breeze. Aside from the usual Japan always seems to get glow- You do have to be slightly options such as hotels and com- ing reviews from the many bike careful; in tourist areas the cup mercial campsites, Tasmania has tourists who cycle there. It’s not of tea is often just the start of a dozens of free or very cheap just the temples, sushi and hot long sales pitch to buy a carpet camping areas, usually run by springs that make Japan so much but in the countryside the offers the local municipality. fun. are usually genuine. z The people are friendly and Southeast Asia love to help foreigners. It’s also For an international winter get- very safe. There is almost no vio- away, we highly recommend a lent crime in Japan. trip to Southeast Asia. Obviously some areas were Thailand and Malaysia have devastated by the 2011 earth- fantastic food. Cambodia boasts quake and tsunami but there’s the famous Angkor Wat temples. still plenty to explore here by In Laos, you can climb high into bicycle. rain-forest covered mountains on For inspiration, check out nearly empty roads. Journey of 1000li e and Costs are reasonable across Finding Sachi e. the region. You can feast on street food and get a basic hotel Morocco room for just $20 U.S. a day. Perched at the western tip of The only downside is the heat North Africa, Morocco’s exotic and humidity. Get up early to kasbahs, ancient markets, high

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 15 where to sleEp? In a tent. In a hotel. Nearly anywhere that takes your fancy.

16 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 17 ostels are the mainstay of backpackers. Campgrounds HTravellers with more cash to spend will A warm shower and a place to lay your head splurge on hotels. Where does a bike tourist at a budget price. Sounds great, right? At their go? Just about anywhere. best, campgrounds are indeed a haven for the Here are some of the options, starting with passing bike tourist but some cater better than the ones we rely on most frequently: others to the needs of a cyclist. In the developed world, try and steer clear of Wild Camping the swankiest privately-run campsites that are Put your tent up in a field, behind some trees or more like holiday parks than a place for a cyclist alongside a river. Camping in nature, outside of to spend the night. the confines of traditional campgrounds, offers Such places tend to prefer big-spending RVs total flexibility, costs nothing and is wonderfully (some will even turn cyclists away) and charge tranquil. $25-35 U.S. for what is often a pathetic piece of In many parts of the world, where tourism unshaded grass. isn’t yet common, wild camping may be your If you’re lucky, you’ll find a small campground only option and is a great way to really get a feel with reasonable prices and a dedicated, grassy for a country’s natural beauty. spots for tents. Sometimes use of a kitchen or Nothing is perfect though. First you have to lounge area is even included. The further off the find your ideal spot. It should be out of sight beaten path you go, the more rustic the camp- of people and roads and preferably free of any grounds become. These primitive spots are also garbage or graffiti that might indicate a local often very scenic, so we think it’s worth putting hangout. Don’t be afraid to haul your bike over up with the pit toilets! fields or through a stand of trees to find a good spot, far from the road, and avoid dirty roadside rest stops at all costs. If you’re new to wild camping, it’s natural to have some fears in the beginning. You may worry about the police coming to move you on or trouble in the middle of the night from strangers or animals. I carried all my camping The more you camp out, the more you’ll realise how peaceful wild camping generally is, “ supplies with me (tent, as long as you follow the golden rules. Stay as sleeping bag, air mattress, hidden as possible (don’t get a yellow tent!) and respect anything that indicates private property et cetera) so that I could like fences, signs and cultivated fields. camp in some of the most We have never been bothered by anyone ap- proaching our tent at night, though shepherds beautiful places in the in the Middle East often came to invite us home world like the World’s or offer us treats like fresh bread. Highest Monastery near Wild Camping Tips: www.travellingtwo.com/ Mt. Everest Base Camp; resources/wild-camping-a-few-tips e and many kind strangers hosted me in their yard, often treating me to a home cooked meal.

Camping by Lake Song -Scott Stoll Kol in Kyrgyzstan. Photo www.theargonauts.com by Friedel & Andrew, www.travellingtwo.com

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition” | 17 Our favourite campgrounds tend to be run Unconventional Options by municipalities and national governments. We have dozed behind churches, in schoolyards They make the most of their natural surround- and beside official buildings like police and fire ings and seem less prone to late night parties stations. or the drone of generators that plagues more We’ve also laid our mats out in the common commercial sites. areas of mosques and monasteries and enjoyed free camping in America’s local parks. Just ask at the town hall and beware of sprinklers set to come on in the early hours of the morning! Since most of these options involve private land, always ask permission if at all possible. If you can’t find the person responsible for a building, ask the neighbours. In small communi- ties (and these options work best in villages), they’ll know who to contact or will just give you permission directly. When you can’t spot anywhere immediately obvious, ask the locals if they know of a safe place where you can put a tent for the night.

Planning a route with one of the friendly WarmShowers hosts The wording is critical here. Don’t ask for a who gave us a place to stay during our world bike tour. place to camp, or they may assume you want to stay for several days. Make sure they understand With New Friends you’re just passing through. Everyone you meet is a potential new friend By asking around, we’ve ended up sleeping and many are willing to let you stay for a night. blissfully on the floors of factories and under the To arrange a night with a new friend, start disco ball of a Greek bar. z by checking out sites where people offer free accommodation to passing travellers. Of the many such sites on the web, two stand out: WarmShowers e and Couchsurfing e.

A few of the different places we’ve slept while touring: in restaurants; overlooking a Turkish village and in a hut in a Danish free camping site. Photos by Friedel & Andrew, www.travellingtwo.com

18 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 19 Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 19 Photo by Chris & Liz, www.bikeabout.co.uk

lanning a route for your bike tour is almost as much fun as the P cycling itself. It can also be a little overwhelming the first time you find yourself staring at a map, wondering where to go, but don’t worry; we have lots of tips for planning the perfect bike tour. 1. Check The Seasons Weather can have a big effect on your happiness so research the sea- sons to get an idea of what you’re in for. You can deal with almost any weather, as long as you know what to expect. Take note: the ‘best’ season for general tourism is not always the best for bike touring. You may prefer to go just outside the high season, when there are fewer crowds, cheaper flights and the weather is still reasonable. 2. How Far You Can Go? Planning te Rou We have a simple formula for determining how much distance we can cover on a bicycle tour. First, we think about how far we expect to go on an average day. For us, this is about 80km, give or take 20km depending on the terrain. Start with a distance closer to 60km if you’re new to bike touring. We then multiply this average figure by 5 for every week we plan to be on the road. This gives us a good idea of how far we can cycle, while still leaving room for rest days, bad weather and sightseeing along the way. If we’re taking a plane to our destination, we count on one non- cycling day on each end of the trip to prepare for the flight (reassem- bling or packing the bicycle, recovering from jetlag, getting oriented in a new place). 3. Get A Good Map A good map is crucial if you want to find the best roads for

20 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 21 cycling. For paper maps, a scale behind you. You don’t want to turn down of 1:200,000-1:500,000 gives a As you’re considering various an invitation to spend some good overview of the terrain and roads, research what you’d like to time with a new friend or push secondary roads. These maps can see in the area, where the camp- yourself too hard through a heat be expensive if you need to buy grounds are and where you can wave, all because you ‘had’ to get several for a longer tour but it’s get food and water. Jot this down to the campground marked on sometimes possible to get entire on the map or in a notebook. your schedule. atlases that cover a whole region Look as well for clues to the in good detail for a reasonable landscape. Sometimes moun- 6. Variety Is Key price. You can then just rip out tain peaks are marked. Different One final note on planning: a the sheets you need and throw colours can indicate topography contrast in experiences and away parts as you go. as can water sources. If you’re fol- sensations helps keep the tour If you prefer electronic maps, lowing a river to its source, you’re exciting and enjoyable. If you’re start with Google Maps to get a often going uphill. Vineyards also planning 3 days of riding in the broad overview. Sites like Bike tend to indicate heavily cultivat- middle of nowhere, schedule a Route Toaster e can turn a ed land and steep slopes. rest day in a larger town or city route on Google Maps into a for the fourth day, so you can get .gpx track for your GPS and free, 5. Plan. But Not Too a shower and treat yourself to a open-source country maps can Much. great meal. be found from websites such as Some people love detailed itiner- National parks give you a Open Street Map e. aries, where each day’s distance chance to get off the bike and go and destination is laid out in a hiking for a day. Coastal routes 4. Outline Your spreadsheet. Others pick a start often have nice inland diversions Route point and an end point, plus a that will let you discover a differ- Once you have your map, start few milestones along the way. ent landscape, just a few miles outlining the route you’d like They then let the finer details of away from the ocean. z to take. Remember that you’re the trip work themselves out. not looking for the most direct We prefer the second op- route, as you might on a car trip, tion. By planning too well, you but rather the one where you risk losing the spontaneity won’t be constantly annoyed by that adds so much to the bike the sound of vehicles racing up touring experience.

Photo by Sylvie & Ben, www.frogsonbents.over-blog.com

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 21 A Solo Tour... Or With Friends?

he bike touring experience can be vastly different, simply Compromise Is Key T depending on whether you decide to strike out solo, go Be prepared to compromise as with a friend or in a big group. well. Touring with other people Hitting the road on your own means you run the show. You means trying to reach a group determine how fast to go, when to stop for a coffee break or to decision. That in turn means take a picture. there’s always someone who You also decide how much to spend on your daily expenses doesn’t get what they want. (without any pressure to join the group for lunch in a restaurant) In big groups, the benefits and when you’re tired, you can just call it quits for the day. When and downsides to touring with you’re alone, there’s plenty of time to ponder your thoughts. friends are exaggerated. Usually At the end of the trip you’ll have a special sense of achieve- there’s a chief organiser, which ment, knowing that you had the resilience and strength to over- means you are freed of the re- come all the challenges along the way. sponsibility of planning a route Touring on your own can be lonely though, especially in or even carrying a map – just desolate, monotonous landscapes. When you get the 10th flat follow the person in front! And tire of the afternoon, there won’t be anyone there to help lift when disaster strikes, you’ll have the mood. 20 people willing to assist. With friends, it’s just the opposite. You’ll have someone to On the other hand, even celebrate milestones with. There will also be help on hand when something simple like stopping you get sick, when the bike breaks or storm clouds roll in. for a coffee can take an hour. It’s Choose carefully though: best friends at home aren’t always also harder to find the tranquil- best friends on the road. It’s crucial to ensure you have similar lity that attracts so many people ideas of what a good bike tour entails before you set out. to bike touring. In a small group If you want to start cycling at 7am and your friend loves to you can pull ahead of the crowd sleep late, you could be in for more stress than fun. for a while, but in a big group

22 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 23 Photos by Marija Kozin (left) and Angela & Stephane Girard, www.ouestef.net (right)

there’s always someone coming up alongside for a chat. Things that are simple for solo cyclists or small groups of friends, such as wild camping or stopping to take a photo, become impossible in a very large group. z

10 QUESTIONS TO ASK Before committing to a bike tour with someone else, ask each other a few questions:

1. How far do you expect to go per day? 7. If the weather turns nasty, do we ride through 2. How fast do you cycle? the storm or seek shelter and shorten the tour? 3. What is your daily budget? 8. Do you want to cook meals together, or 4. Should we stay in hotels, campsites or try to apart? wild camp for free? 9. What excites you about touring, and what do 5. How often do you want to take a rest day? you think the most challenging part will be? 6. What time of the day do you like to get 10. What would your ideal day on the road be started? like?

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 23 MOM? I know that it’s unconventional for a young woman to set DAD? out on a trip of this magnitude alone and Don’t freak on a bicycle. out but I’m going to bike across the country.

Diana Johnson writes about the pre-trip fears of many cyclists and of their families.

Photo by Sarah Outen, www.sarahouten.com

24 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 25 know it might be dangerous. As that, but cycling across the U.S.A. concerned parents and grand I my mother pointed out, bears is nothing compared to what parents who want their ambi- are not the only predators out some folks are doing. tious but sometimes misguided there. She also pointed out that China! Across Africa! Across daughter to be safe from harm it would be very easy to stalk me the Himalayas! At least I don’t and unhappiness, especially that on a bike, to which I replied that have to bring a passport, a which she inflicts on herself. it would be very boring to stalk head scarf and money to bribe Finally, there is the type of me on a bike. border guards. worry that is absurd and irra- I know that this trip will I don’t want to cause my fam- tional, stemming from one too be incredibly challenging and ily undue distress. I don’t want many Dateline Unsolved Myster- intermittently lonely, frustrat- them to worry. Trust me, I worry ies about the murders of inno- ing, boring, scary, hot, cold, wet, enough about this trip myself. cent young women. and windy. I understand that this As I see it, there are three types The first two types of worry trip could suck. And you know of worry going on here, and the can be combated with facts, what? If it sucks I’ll cut my losses challenge is teasing apart the dif- details, packing lists, websites, and change my plans. I can alter ferent types and acting to ame- and long conversations. The last my route, stop for a few days, or liorate them accordingly. type of worry I can do nothing even fly to Georgia. Heck, I can First, there’s the worry and about except exasperatedly sigh stop in Kansas and settle down if shock my loving family experi- and shrug my shoulders. I want I want to. ences because they are non- the blessing of my family. I don’t I try to explain to the non- cyclists hearing about this trip for want them to worry about me. cyclists (e.g. my family) that this the first time. I hope that they’ll come trip is not as shocking as it might Second, there is the worry of around. I think they will. z seem at first. Look around, and you’ll find that cycling across the country is not that uncommon. Old people, young people, couples, and kids are cycle tour- ing all over the place. Not only

It’s both exhilarating “ and mildly annoying when I tell a non- cyclist about my plans to cycle across the continent. “WHAT?!” They exclaim. “You’re cycling WHERE?” And then there’s the inevitable, “By YOURSELF?!” Diana Johnson on the road. Her journal: www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/or2ga2011

” Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 25 training for a tour

Photo by Friedel & Andrew, www.travellingtwo.com

reparing for a bike tour is really nothing to build cycling into your daily routine. Use your P worry about. bicycle to go to the supermarket or to get to work. Oh sure, it’s true that you need to be in semi- Although this is more commuting than touring, it reasonable shape to get started and there are a few will give you experience with all kinds of situations logistical quirks to work out: what to pack, how to you’ll encounter on tour like traffic, dogs and rain. pack it and how to deal with daily routines such as cooking your evening meal on a camp stove. Add Weight And Challenges It doesn’t take much, however, to become com- Once you’re comfortable with the unloaded day fortable with these things. Start in your backyard. trip, plan a series of weekend excursions. Each time Take an hour or two to set up your tent (make sure you have a successful tour, make the next one a you know how it goes together and packs back up) little harder by adding a bit more weight, aiming and test your stove. Make sure you understand the for a longer distance or picking a route with a few equipment you’ll be carrying, and try packing it in more hills. Little by little, increase your strength your panniers or bicycle trailer. until you’re building up to the type of days you’d Next, put everything on the bicycle and go a mile like to do on tour. or two up the street. See how the bike feels and re- The time it takes to reach your goal will depend arrange the weight if the bike doesn’t seem stable. on your current level of fitness and how ambitious You could also try a day trip. If you have no biking your target is. After a few of these shorter trips experience, start with an unloaded bike. Just bring a you’ll have a good idea of how ready you are to small bag with essentials like snack food, water and tackle a bigger journey. a jacket. Pick a moderate route of 30-60 kilometers If you have to fit these trips around work and in an area that you’re familiar with. Have a friend on family commitments, give yourself at least a couple stand-by to pick you up, or plan a route that passes months to complete your training. Block your bike train and bus stations, so there’s always a lift nearby touring weekends off in advance so that ‘normal if you need it. life’ doesn’t prevent you from getting a feel for life At the same time as you’re trying out day trips, on the road before you leave.

26 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 27 A little

leap into the experience and should you train? goes start learning, take it easy for the On extended tours of several first few days as you’re adjusting weeks or months, you won’t to your new lifestyle. necessarily need to train nearly a While most days will come as much as for shorter trips. easily, others will test your That’s because bicycle touring resolve with bad weather, flat isn’t the Tour de France. You’re long tires and other challenges. When not trying to be the fastest rider these tough moments come on the road or cover the most along, don’t be too hard on your- miles. You’re just there to have way. self - and treat yourself if you’re fun. With longer bike journeys, feeling down. Getting a hotel in you also tend to have a more bad weather or eating out can flexible schedule, so you can give you a much-needed break take it slow and build up your from the rigours of the road - just strength, endurance and routines what you need to keep your spir- over the course of several days. its up and renew your energy for Opting to train on the road the next day. also takes some of the stress out Before long, you’ll find your- of pre-departure. Who has time self naturally rising to bigger to fit in multiple weekend trips challenges. Longer days. Steeper when you’re trying to re-direct hills. Free camping. After a few your mail, rent out your apart- weeks you’ll start to feel like a ment, sell all your stuff and find real pro, taking everything in someone to adopt the cat? your stride. z There are some caveats to the ‘learn it on the road’ method. All the usual tips for new bike tourists apply doubly to you, such as starting with modest daily distances, having a specific end-point in mind for the day and knowing where the camp- grounds or hotels are located. That’s because you won’t have refined your routine as much as someone who’s trained before leaving. Muster up your best zen-like attitude, to deal with the inevita- ble snags as you figure out what Photos: The MacPac Citadel Tent works best for you. (top) and cooking a green curry on Whether you decide to train the road (bottom). By Friedel & diligently before your trip or just Andrew, www.travellingtwo.com

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 27 How To Pick A Touring Bike.

Top: a recumbent HP Velotechnik Street Machine. Bottom: a Santos Travelmaster, an ICE Adventure Trike and a Kona Sutra. There are almost as many touring bikes, as there are touring cyclists. How do you choose between them? Here are a few tips for finding your ‘perfect’ ride.

henever someone asks us which touring for touring. These include plenty of mounting Wbike to buy, we start by reminding them points for luggage racks and water bottles, that the bike really isn’t so important. and a design that favours a comfortable After all, the history of bicycle touring is riding position over long distances, rather filled with cyclists who covered vast distances than speed. on bikes that seem, on the surface at least, totally unsuitable for the job. 5 Basic Factors Thomas Stevens e circled the world on a Before you start thinking of specific brands penny farthing in the 1880s. Heinz Stücke e and models, consider these basic variables. has covered over half a million kilometers on They will help narrow down your choice. a bike with only 3 speeds. Even the sluggish rickshaw has been used to span continents. Budget The point? A nice bike is just that: nice but A reasonably solid second-hand bike will start not essential. Determination and a positive at- around $200-300 U.S. (check at thrift shops titude are the most vital factors for a success- and ask local cycling clubs if anyone has a bike ful trip by bicycle, not the price of your bike. to sell). And there’s no point in spending so much On the other end of the scale, the very best money that you don’t have any funds left to touring bikes are priced at $2,000 U.S. and actually travel! upwards. If you splurge on an expensive bike, Most importantly, don’t be fooled into you can expect features such as a frame built thinking that buying an expensive bike will to match your specific body measurements, save you from mechanical worries. It won’t. hand-built wheels and the latest technology You’ll have to deal with regular mainte- (Rohloff Hubs and belt drives). You may also nance and unexpected occurrences no mat- be able to choose a custom paint colour. ter which bike you’re riding and, depending where you’re cycling, you might have an easier Trip Duration time getting a basic bike repaired, versus a For shorter tours, where you’re travelling very fancy one with specialist parts. lightly and relatively close to home, just Even in lower price brackets, you should about any bike will do. We personally covered be able to find a bike with some ideal features 5,000km on bikes that cost $100 U.S. e from

28 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 29 a junk shop. They weren’t al- ways a smooth ride (we invested As ours is a long ride across another $100-200 U.S. each in multiple continents we decided replacement parts) but they took “ us on some fantastic adventures, strength and reliability were more without breaking the bank. important than speed, and so we The more remote and lengthy your trip, the greater the case prioritised steel frames, steel racks for investing a bit more in your and well-built 26” wheels. When bicycle. Put a special focus on quality wheels (hand-built if you we’ve met other cyclists on the can afford it), a decent gearset, road, broken 28” wheels have been racks that can handle a heavy load and - of course - a comfort- the most common tale of woe by able saddle. far. Terrain -Ryan Davies & Rebecca Holliday For a trip on North America’s www.worldcyclingtour.wordpress.com Great Divide, the longest off- pavement bike route in the world, a mountain bike with ” suspension might be the best choice. You’ll appreciate the extra cushioning on bumpy, dirt roads.

A 1,000km trip through Denmark on a bike that cost less than $200 U.S. - proof that bicycle touring doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune. Photo by Friedel & Andrew, www. travellingtwo.com

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 29 I enjoy a spin on “ my bicycle. It is splendid to feel the wind blowing in my face and the springy motion of my iron steed. - Helen Keller ”

Mirjam Wouters (www.cyclingdutchgirl.com) has been touring the world for over 10 years. Photo by Jane St. Catherine.

On the other hand, if your trip most common touring choice, chances are you haven’t found involves mostly paved roads and but certainly a possibility. Visit your dream bike or it needs some decent weather then a touring Path Less Pedaled e to see adjustments. bike with skinny tires will prob- how ‘foldies’ are being used ably do the job just fine. You even for a cross-continent, fully- TYPES OF BIKES might even get away with taking loaded tour. Now that you have a basic idea a racing bike, as long as you plan If you do go for an unconven- of what kind of bike might be to stay in hotels and travel with a tional bike, you may still be able best, it’s time to learn about the minimal amount of luggage. to get it on that plane (or even most popular types of bikes for ship it ahead by courier) but be touring. Planes, Trains and Buses prepared for a bit of extra hassle. As you shop around, remem- Taking your bike on other forms ber that touring bikes aren’t of transport can be one of the Comfort commonly stocked by many more stressful parts of touring. The best bike is ultimately the bike shops and certainly not in This is doubly true if you choose one that feels best to you. Bike department stores. Track down an unusually long or wide bike, touring is not supposed to hurt. a specialist dealer who can give such as a tandem. Before you settle on any bike, you good advice, and who will It makes sense, then, to go for at least a short ride. Bet- have a few models for you to choose a relatively standard ter yet, convince the bike shop try out. bike if public transport is a big to let you borrow it for a few part of your trip plan. You might hours or rent it for a weekend. Mid-Range Touring Bikes even go for a folding bike like a If you return with aching knees, Trek’s classic 520 model, Surly’s Brompton or Bike Friday - not the a sore neck or strained ankles, Long Haul Trucker and the TX-

30 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 31 400 from VSF Fahhradmanufak- Other places where manufac- On the whole, none of these tur are just a few of the touring turers often cut corners include: things matter much if your goal bikes currently on the market is to take shorter tours, mostly on that strike a good balance be- Racks - Mid-range tourers are paved roads. If you’re planning tween quality and price. often fitted with racks that are a more adventurous trip, factor Expect to pay $1,000-1,500 fine for moderate loads but not in the cost of upgraded racks, U.S. for bikes in this category: heavy touring. Often, only a back wheels and a better saddle. a significant investment but rack is included and some don’t With a few changes, you can one that should give you many have racks at all. You have to buy turn a mid-range touring bike happy years of touring, and at them as an extra accessory. into a decent bicycle for longer a price tag that’s significantly expeditions and still come in well cheaper than many high-end Gearing - The gearing can be below the cost of a high-end touring bikes. a bit to the high side, without expedition touring bicycle. Bikes in this category should a true ‘granny gear’ for serious If you decide to make up- have: hills. grades, try bargaining with your local bike shop. They might give A Long Wheelbase - This style Wheel Clearance - Check to see you a discount on things like bet- of frame ensures that your heels if there is enough space be- ter quality tires and racks if you’re have plenty of room to clear the tween the frame and the mud- buying a bike at the same time. panniers as you pedal. guards to fit the widest tires. If Planning ahead also helps not, dirt road touring could be make your money go further. Attachment Points - Room for challenging. If you can buy your bike in the 3 bottles plus mudguards and autumn or winter, just as next racks is ideal. Wheels - The wheels will prob- year’s models are coming out. ably be machine built and not You might get a great deal on Decent Components - The quite as strong as those built by last year’s version. popular and robust Shimano LX hand. and XT groupsets are often used. Expedition Bikes Tires - May be a bit thin for dirt The expedition touring bike Don’t expect much of a choice, road touring. is the big, sturdy brute of the however, when it comes to bicycle world. These top quality custom options like colours and Saddles - They’re often not the machines are ready to take what- wheel size. most comfortable models. ever you can throw at them. Some are made by craftsmen, turning out a dozen or so bikes a year from their garage. Others come with a brand name like Thorn or Koga. Regardless of their pedigree, these are bikes you should be able to ride around the world, over mountains, through riv- ers and down rocky tracks with every confidence that they can handle the terrain and the week’s worth of food you’ve loaded on the back luggage rack. Frames are often made to measure and the wheels will almost certainly be the 26” stan- dard that is most easily replaced The very popular Surly Long Haul Trucker touring bicycle. anywhere in the world.

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 31 Across the bike, the focus in Germany and back? you would for an upright bike of should be on high quality com- Our personal preference is to similar quality. ponents and there should also deal with the quirks of a derail- Their unusual shape and rela- be an element of beauty. Custom leur, which we can fix and which tively heavy weight also makes paint jobs and beautiful welding every bike mechanic the world them harder to pack for bus, train work are to be expected on this over understands but plenty of and plane travel. level of bicycle. cyclists are completely in love Big hills can be harder to with their Rohloff hubs. It’s not climb than on an upright bike Rohloff Hubs really a case of derailleurs versus because you can’t get out of the Expedition bikes are also where Rohloff but being aware of the saddle to really pump the pedals. you’re most likely to see the pros and cons to both, before For two-wheeled recumbents, latest technology, including the you make a decision. you will have to learn how to Rohloff Hub – a nearly mainte- ride them. It’s different than an nance-free and sealed gearing Think Ahead upright bike but 10-15 minutes system. One final thought on expedition of practice is usually enough to bikes in general: plan ahead if learn this new way of balancing. you decide to buy one. Other concerns include the They are often made to order, potential challenge of sourcing and it can take weeks or even non-standard replacement parts a few months before your bike on the road and the fact that is ready. Starting to look six recumbents are still rare enough months or even a year ahead to make you a tourist attraction. of your departure day is not Only you know whether too soon. you will revel in the atten- tion and use it to make new

The Rohloff Hub: a high-tech piece Recumbent Bikes & Trikes friends, or find being in the of touring gear with many benefits. It Sit back, put your feet up and spotlight overwhelming. also adds $1,000 U.S. to the price of watch the scenery glide by. With If you’re considering a recum- your bike. a recumbent bicycle or trike, bent, find a specialist dealer and you’ll be doing just that. try a few out before you buy. Because everything is en- These reclining bikes are closed, the Rohloff is great for renowned for being a luxurious Tandem Bikes trips down dirty, dusty roads. It way to tour. The generous seat You know all the words to ‘A also lets you shift without ped- and laid back position takes the Bicycle Built For Two’ but does alling (if you want to change pressure off your upper body, that mean you should consider gears at a stoplight, for example), eliminating aching backs, sore touring on a tandem? For many and a wheel built with a Rohl- necks and numb hands at the riders, the answer is yes. off is very strong, because the end of a long day on the road. If you’re a cycling couple, wheels don’t have to be ‘dished’ Recumbent bikes have other where one person tends to ride or arced as they do on bicycles benefits too. They’re aerody- much faster than the other, a with derailleurs. namic and their unique style tandem is one option for keep- On the downside, the Rohl- means less worry about your ing both of you together on off costs an extra $1,000 U.S. bike being stolen. Most thieves the road. and in the unlikely event that wouldn’t have a clue how to ride something does go wrong, you’ll one away! A trike can be great probably have to send the hub for people with stability prob- back to the factory to be fixed. lems, and doubles as a seat when The customer service is, by all you stop for lunch or to camp. accounts, wonderful but how What’s the catch? Like ex- will you feel if you have to stop a pedition bikes, these specialist Tandem bikes are a great option for families on tour. tour and wait for your wheel to bicycles aren’t cheap. Expect to Photo by Family On Bikes, make the journey to the factory pay more for a recumbent than www.familyonbikes.com

32 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 33 Riding a tandem isn’t really a fine art, more a “ messy sketchbook of wobbles and wavy lines before you get the hang of it, especially fully loaded. The important thing is to synchronize at all times. When stationary, pushing off with a chant of ‘3, 2, 1’ helps takes the strain off the knees. -Chris & Janyis www.farewellburt.wordpress.com ”

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 33 Families on tour like tandems should be enough to buy an are far more common and easily because they lessen the worry older bike and make some adapted for the job. of young riders straying out into upgrades like adding a better To help sort the good from traffic. A tandem can also allow saddle and robust racks. the bad, focus on brand names people with poor eyesight or With $1,000 U.S. to spare, you like Trek, Cannondale, Marin other disabilities, who couldn’t might pick up a bike that sold for and Specialized. This usually ride a bicycle on their own, enjoy twice as much when it was new. guarantees components of a the pleasures of bike touring. Often people get rid of brand- reasonable quality and pro- Your ability to form a good name touring bikes because tects you from buying a shoddy team will be the key factor in they simply never use them. supermarket bicycle. tandem touring success. The Whether you go for some- Look also for a ‘hardtail’ bike captain sits up front and must thing old and simple or a high- without back suspension so you take responsibility for steering end bargain, you’ll be saving a don’t get cornered into buy- and keeping the stoker happy lot of money. That’s cash you can ing specialist racks for carrying by choosing appropriate gears use towards the rest of your trip. your luggage. for both riders. Warnings about Begin your search at garage When you examine the bike, bumps ahead in the road are sales and second-hand shops. look closely at the frame. also appreciated. Websites like eBay and Craigslist Touring puts a lot of pres- From the back seat, the stoker can be good hunting grounds. sure on a bike frame and serious has to develop total trust in the Even your local bike shop may damage will be expensive or captain and pedal steadily. A occasionally have trade-in bikes impossible to fix. Be cautious if tandem partner who leans back for sale. you spot dents, cracks or any- and reads a book all day won’t A steel touring bike is the thing more than a tiny amount of be anyone’s favourite! ideal find, but mountain bikes surface rust. Be aware that a tandem is long and heavy, so tasks that are relatively simple with standard bikes - like carrying your bicycle up a set of steep stairs in a hotel - could prove nearly impossible with a tandem. Everyone’s journey, and Packing for a tandem tour is “ the way they go about it, is another challenge because two people have to share one set of unique - stamped with their luggage. Some pannier manufac- own interests and flavour. My turers have risen to the challenge and made extra large bags for mountain-bike inspired setup tandem riders. You can also tow a reflects the fact I like to ride trailer (see p. 59). You may also want to consider dirt roads as much as possible, extra-strong wheels. A standard both to escape the hectic touring bike often has a 32 or 36-spoke wheel. More common traffic that plies the modern on tandems are 40 or 48-spoke highway, and for the simple wheels, built with the best rims that money can buy. joy of weaving my way down a

Used Bikes quiet and remote backcountry Buying a second-hand bike is an trail. ideal way to make your touring -Cass Gilbert budget go further. www.whileoutriding.com Setting aside $300-500 U.S. ” 34 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 35 Other things to check: guards and bottle cages. These could be challenging to fit if the Wheels - Do they spin in a per- bike wasn’t designed with this in fect circle? Feel the spokes to see mind. if they are loose. Examine the rims for any sign of cracking. If in doubt, take a bike-savvy friend along or see if a local bike A Loose Headset - There shop can quickly assess its condi- shouldn’t be any movement tion. Although slightly tricky to when you grip the brakes and arrange, these checks could save push or pull on the handlebars. you hassle down the road. z

Gears - Run through all the gears and make sure they change smoothly.

Chain rings - Look for sharp points on the teeth. This indi- cates heavy wear and a need to replace the chain ring.

Attachment Points - Look to see if the bike has braze-ons or at- tachment points for racks, mud-

Cass Gilbert’s bike: a Surly Troll with disc brakes and huge tire clearance. www.whileoutriding.com

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 35 Photo by Paul Jeurissen, www.pauljeurissen.nl

36 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 37 I’m just into my second “ month and have started talking to my bike. I’m worried it will start talking back to me from month three. -Steve Talon www.turnrightforjapan.com ”

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 37 Photo by Friedel & Andrew, www.travellingtwo.com

enough to make a full repair - Bike Buying nor does it need to be. Having a new frame shipped to you on the road is almost certainly a bet- Questions: ter option than trying to bend a seriously warped frame back into shape. Answered! Aluminium touring frames tend to be a little bit cheaper, a touch lighter and give a firmer here are some questions that every new bike tourist seems to ride than steel. They’re also im- T have on their mind, when picking out a touring bike. Here are mune from rust, which means our thoughts on some of the most common questions. you don’t need to be as vigilant about covering up small chips 1. steel or aluminium frame? and nicks to the paint, as you do Steel versus aluminium is a never-ending debate in the bike touring with a steel bike. world, and the question is largely one of personal preference. We’ve Sometimes people say that tried touring bikes made of both materials, and see pros and cons to aluminium frames are inherently each option. weaker than steel frames but Steel is the traditional choice, and tends to be the favoured mate- unless the bicycle in question is rial of high-end custom bike builders. It’s renowned for giving a lively, particularly old (in which case an almost springy ride. aluminium frame can be more Compared to aluminium, steel is also a relatively straight for- vulnerable to fatigue cracks), ward material to weld and this is a key part of the pro-steel argu- its strength comes much more ment. The logic goes that you’re more likely to find someone who from the design and overall build can fix damage to your frame en route if it’s made of steel, rather quality than the base material. than aluminium. What is certain is that you That’s true to some degree, but a lot depends on the skill of the should choose an all-metal welder and the severity of the problem. We have had small cracks in frame. Carbon fiber or titanium our steel frames fixed on the road. frames are expensive and not In the case of serious damage, however, welding might not be easily repaired.

38 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 39 2. good wheels for touring? 3. Disc brakes or rim brakes? The first decision to make when it comes to Mechanical or hydraulic? wheels is which size to use. Your choice is be- Like the argument over steel or aluminium frames, tween 26” wheels or the larger 700c size. you can spend hours weighing up the merits of If you’re planning to mostly tour in North various braking systems. America or Europe, wheel size doesn’t matter so much. Both are common sizes and should be easy Rim Brakes to replace if your wheels fail during a tour. Rim brakes in the V-Brake design are a common Once you start travelling further afield, the choice. They have two arms which extend over the internationally-standard 26” wheel becomes the tire and grip the rim to stop the bike. These types better choice. of brakes are relatively inexpensive to buy and That way, if your wheel fails while you’re on easy to repair. tour, you can be much more sure of finding You can take care of V-Brakes yourself using a replacement. basic tools. Any bike shop around the world should Other factors to consider when it comes to also have the parts wheels are: and knowledge to fix and adjust them. Hand-built – If you can only afford one luxury On the downside, item for your bicycle, make it a hand-built wheel. V-Brakes are not as No machine has yet been able to match a talented powerful or respon- wheel builder when it comes to reliability and sive as other types of strength. Anything that saves you the hassle of brakes, especially in broken spokes and wheels that fall out of align- the rain. On a wet day ment is worth paying for. or a steep descent, you may find yourself Spokes - Most touring wheels will have 32 or 36 gripping the brakes spokes. Anything less and the wheel will struggle for longer periods to support the weight of your body and all your than someone with A set of V-Brakes: perhaps the most bags. A good wheel will also have spokes that disc brakes. common choice for touring bikes. cross each other at least 3 times. For more stop- ping power, you Double-walled Rims – Cheaper rims are made might consider hydraulic rim brakes. Magura from a single layer of metal. If you’re in a pinch, makes the HS33 brake, which we had fitted to our a single-walled rim will get you to the next de- Santos touring bikes (see: www.travellingtwo. cent bike shop. It might even last a few thousand com/resources/santos-travelmaster-review e). kilometers but don’t invite trouble. Start out with They are extremely responsive and have a great solid, double-walled rims. reputation for reliability. Nevertheless, make sure you know how to Decent Hubs - We’ve traditionally used Shimano maintain them - just in case. It’s not hard to bleed hubs, and we find that they’ll last thousands of the brakes, once someone has shown you how to kilometers with minimal maintenance. Go for do it. You’ll also want to take spare parts on longer LX rather than XT because the newer XT models journeys through less developed countries, and it aren’t as durable as they used to be. If you have doesn’t hurt to make sure your bike frame has the more cash to spend, you might look at hubs by necessary V-Brake bosses. That way, you can always manufacturers such as Phil Wood and Hope. To fit a new set ofV -Brakes, if disaster strikes. generate your own electricity, a SON dynamo hub No matter which type of rim brakes, you buy, is fantastic - although quite pricey. be aware that they will slowly wear away your rim, making it thinner and eventually causing the side More on hubs: www.travellingtwo.com/ of the rim to crack or break away. This rarely hap- resources/which-hubs-to-use-for-bike-touring pens before you’ve cycled a significant distance e (about 15,000km, in our experience). Dirt between your brake pads and the rims can accelerate this

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 39 process, so clean your rims with a rag occasionally, especially after riding on muddy roads. I’d feel very confident taking Disc Brakes “ my Avid BB7s for a long tour. Traditionalists scorn them, but disc brakes are becoming more The pads are so small you could common in the cycling world. carry enough for a year or two They’re a little more expen- sive than their rim brake coun- in your back pocket, the cable is terparts, but for the price you standard, and it’s not difficult to get unparalleled braking power (especially in rainy conditions). straighten a disk if it gets whacked You’ll be able to stop more and bent, although it is hard to quickly and with more con- trol than ever before. This may get it perfectly flat again. prove to be especially im- -Stephen Lord portant if you’re planning on www.adventurecycle-touringhandbook.com tackling rough trails and steep mountain passes. Disc brakes also don’t wear down your rims like V-Brakes do, ” and that means your rims should last much longer. In terms of repairs and replacements en route, be prepared to do it yourself, in case you can’t find an experienced mechanic. will take you predominantly off- Which disc brakes are best? road, however, you may appreci- 5. What about gears? The usual advice is to pick me- ate the extra padding between It’s easy to get drowned in chanical or cable-operated disc you and the bumpy surface un- technical details when it comes brakes over hydraulic versions, derneath your wheels. Equally, to gears but it all comes down to but you’ll find tourers using if you already have a bike with this: get gears low enough so all types. suspension forks, you may prefer you can pedal uphill at barely Avid’s BB7s are a popular ca- to adapt it for touring rather more than a walking pace. ble model, and the experienced than buying another bike. These low gears are often adventure cyclist Tom Allen If you do choose to use called granny gears and you’ll be has reviewed Magura’s Louise suspension forks, make sure the happy you have them the first hydraulic brakes e. suspension is in good shape time a mountain looms in front before you set out and keep of you. Not only will you be able 4. Can I tour with your load as light as possible in to climb calmly to the top, being suspension forks? the front. able to spin quickly in a low gear It’s not common to tour with Normal racks don’t work with takes pressure off your joints and suspension forks and the average suspension so look at special prevents knee damage in the bike tourist probably doesn’t go models from Tubus and Old long run. off road enough to offset the risk Man Mountain. Both companies The range of your gears is of mechanical problems with the make high quality racks that will measured in gear inches and a suspension forks en route - po- do the job. Trailers are another good range for a touring bike is tentially a costly or difficult repair option for carrying luggage on a usually about 20 inches at the job. bike with suspension forks (see low end to 90 inches at the top If you’re planning a trip that more on p. 59). end. For more about gear inches,

40 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 41 If you’re heading into the mountains, you’ll appreciate some low gears that let you spin up the hills. photo by Gayle & John. www.slothsonthemove.blogspot.com

check out Sheldon Brown’s Gear Calculator e. Alternatively, look at the num- ber of teeth on the chain rings. A standard set up is 3 rings with 22, 32 and 44 cogs on the front and back rings covering a range of 11-34 teeth. If in doubt, always give your- self a bit more range on the lower end than you think you’ll need. You’ll never regret having the ability to spin up that killer climb. You may not want to think about gears at all, in which case you can invest in a Rohloff Hub; an internally sealed gearing system that requires almost no maintenance but is very expen- sive. (see more on p. 32). z

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 41 Surly Long Haul Trucker - Steel frame with 26” or 28” wheels. From Bikes 2012, with disc or rim to brakes. Great value at $1,100 U.S. consider. www.surly bikes.com

Trek 520 - Steel frame with 700c wheels. Shimano Deore components, Bontrager back rack and classic drop handlebars. Cost: $1,400 U.S. for the 2012 model. www.trekbikes.com

Santos Travelmaster - Dutch built. Loads of options. Steel or aluminium frame, 26” or 700c wheels. Belt drive, Rohloff hub or derailleur. 24 colours. Cost: From $1,700 U.S. www.santosbikes. com

Thorn Sherpa - A Surly Long Haul A sturdy expedition Trucker, loaded up touring bike, with and touring the steel frame and coast of California. derailleur www.slowcycler. from a UK wordpress.com builder. Cost: From $1,700 U.S. www. sjscycles.com

42 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 43 Fahrrad Manufaktur TX- 400 - Rohloff or derailleur equipped. Steel. 26” wheels. Choice of ladies frame. Cost: From $1,700 U.S. www.fahrrad manufaktur.de

Paula on her Fahrrad Manufactur T400 (the current version is the TX- 400). www.rikandpaula seetheworld.com

Tout Terrain Silkroad - Flat bars, Rohloff hub or derailleur. Disc brakes. Can accommodate suspension fork. Integrated rack with 40kg capacity. 60mm tire clearance. Made Emma cycling in Laos in Europe. Cost: From on her Thorn Sherpa $2,400 U.S. www.tout- expedition touring bike. terrain.de www.rolling-tales.com

Ridgeback Panorama - With Shimano Deore hubs and derailleur, steel frame, SPD pedals. Upgrade to include racks, better gearset. Cost: From $2,000 U.S. www. ridgeback.co.uk

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 43 Gear focus Which tent should you buy? Which stove is best? The following pages will help you choose.

t’s all about the gear; or at least that’s what some people would Ihave you believe. Just start researching what to take on a bicycle tour and you’ll find there are a million things to spend your money on. We’ve highlighted some of our favourite products over the follow- ing pages but no journey or cyclist is identical. What works for us may not be your ideal solution. In addition, there are so many different options that we couldn’t possibly summarize all of them. That’s where you come in. We encourage you to do your own research. Read the experiences of other bike tourists. Try things in person. Go to your local camping shop so you can flop on the sleeping mats and crawl inside the tents. Remember as well that you don’t need to go on a mega shopping spree. Ingenious thinking and compromise goes a long way. Your voice can be as effective as a bicycle bell. Just shout ‘hello’ or whistle a tune as you’re cycling. Similarly, a new tarp is nice to have but you can also make your own out of a sheet of plastic. With those caveats out of the way, read on for some of our equip- ment recommendations.

Photo by Tom Allen, www.tomsbiketrip.com

44 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 45 Bicycle Accessories 3.

2. 1.

6.

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1. Ergon Handlebar Grips you from the grit and dirt being kicked up off the For longer trips, it’s essential to have handle- road. bars that give a variety of riding positions. This We use SKS Mudguards e. They come in several helps to prevent conditions such as carpal tun- sizes, to fit almost any bicycle, and they’re incred- nel syndrome and tingling hands. ibly durable. After 50,000km of use, ours were still in We’ve used Ergon Handlebar Grips e and good shape (there was a small crack on one of the extensions since 2009, specifically the GC3 mudguards). model. They have a supportive rest area for If you’re feeling creative or skint, you can also your palms and - with the extensions - offer make your own mudguards out of things such as plenty of options for different hand positions. plastic bottles. Just search online for directions. Also worth considering are traditional, One small warning: if you’re hauling your bike simple bar ends (the cheapest option and by through a wet field or down a muddy road, mud- no means a bad one) and butterfly bars – a guards can quickly become clogged with mud, and large figure-8 shaped handlebar. this stops the wheels from turning. Cleaning the mud away from your wheels is a 2. Mudguards or fenders messy, time consuming job. The lesson? If you see Unless you plan on touring exclusively in the roads covered in thick clay-like mud, take the mud- desert, you’ll want mudguards or fenders. A guards off first. good set protects you and the rider behind

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 45 3. A Loud Bell this accessory, many bikes come have a sandpaper-like surface Every cyclist needs a bell, and with terrible saddles. Expect this that helps ‘stick’ your feet to the louder the better! We like the to be one of the first things you the pedals. DingDong Bell e. As its name upgrade. SPD pedals are another com- suggests, it gives a classic sound Brooks leather saddles change mon option. They require you to and is one of the loudest bells on shape to fit your bottom over wear special shoes with cleats, the market. time and fans of Brooks saddles which ‘click’ into place on the Your bell can be used to alert evangelise about how comfort- pedals, locking your feet firmly cars and pedestrians to your able they are. The most popular in place. When you need to stop, presence, to communicate with model for touring is the Brooks you twist your foot slightly to other cyclists if you’re riding in a B17 e. release the lock. group (for example, to signal that Not everyone fancies the you’re stopping), and to ‘sing’ long break-in period. On the More About Pedals: www. hello to people by the roadside. other hand, not everyone finds travellingtwo.com/resources/ A bell also attracts great at- it as painful to wear in a Brooks pedals e tention when you stop by the saddle as you might imagine roadside. It’s often the first thing from the online chat forums! We people touch. If you’re inside a found ours comfortable from the shop you merely have to listen first outing. for your bell being rung by local Terry saddles e are also folks, to know that your bike is popular, especially their women- still where you left it and hasn’t specific range. been stolen! Whichever saddle you go for, remember the counter-intuitive 4. Lights rule that harder is better. Softer Lights aren’t just for night rid- saddles are actually less support- ing. They’re also for navigating ive than their firmer rivals. through dark tunnels and im- proving visibility in fog and rain. For a back light, we’ve fallen in love with the Planet Superflash light e by Planet Bike. Don’t be fooled by its small size. The Su- perflash has LED bulbs that blink bright enough to be seen up to a mile away. The Terry Liberator X Gel saddle, It also lasts a long time – up to designed especially for women and a 100 hours – on two commonly popular choice for touring. available AAA batteries. For front lights, our choice is 6. Pedals the Supernova E3 Pro e but it Like saddles, the pedals that requires a dynamo hub. If you come with most bikes tend to want one that runs on batteries, be cheap. Happily, it doesn’t cost try the Cateye HL-EL530 LED e much to upgrade to a better pair. front light. Deciding which type to buy is a little more difficult. Ideally 5. A Comfortable you’ll want something with a bit Saddle of grip, that helps your feet stay You’re going to be sitting on your firmly in place on wet days. saddle for several hours each day Friedel is currently using the Hilleberg Nallo 3GT tent, e so it’s worth getting a decent Ergon PC2 pedals . They come Photo by Friedel & Andrew, one. Despite the importance of in a regular and a large size, and www.travellingtwo.com

46 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 47 Away, away, “ from men and towns, to the wild wood and the downs. -Percy Bysshe Shelley ”

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 47 Tents for Touring

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1. Hilleberg Nallo GT 2. Macpac Citadel Our tent of choice comes from Swedish tent We recently had a chance to admire the Macpac maker Hilleberg. We have the 3-person model, Citadel - a tent that good friends of ours have been the Nallo 3GT e. At 2.9kg it’s light in weight using for long-distance touring. but heavy on your wallet. Expect to pay about Like Hilleberg’s Nallo 3GT, it’s a great option for $700 U.S. couples planning a long bike tour together. Price brings quality, however, and this tent, In terms of design, the Citadel offers 2 entrances with its roomy vestibule and separated sleep- to the sleeping area, and 2 porches – a large one for ing area, has never failed us. In 15+ hours of a cooking and a smaller one for reading or relaxing. downpour in New Zealand, we were perfectly This is a nice convenience, and should also improve dry. In strong winds, our tent gracefully flexed ventilation. On the downside, it weighs about 500g with the gusts, without ever breaking a pole. more than the Nallo 3GT. The customer service from Hilleberg is also top-notch. If you can afford it, you won’t regret 3. MSR Hubba Hubba this tent for serious expeditions. For warm-weather trips, this freestanding tent could be an excellent choice for a solo tourer or two Nallo 3GT Review: www.travellingtwo.com/ very good friends. resources/hilleberg-nallo-3gt-review e The MSR Hubba Hubba e has a frame that is based around the inner layer, which means you

48 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 49 can leave the fly-sheet off in dry weather for great ventilation and evening star gazing. Greg, our favourite Hungarian, At a mere 2kg, it’s hardly go- “ was going low-tech from Beijing ing to weigh you down and in 2011 MSR brought out a green to Budapest with a tent that cost model (much better for wild $12 U.S. from the supermarket. camping than the earlier bright- yellow models). When we asked what it was like The Hubba Hubba is also in the rain, he told us it was excellent value: less than half the cost of a Hilleberg. Both Peter s**t. Greg, if anyone, showed Gostelow e and Shane Little e us what is possible if you’re are using this tent as they cycle through Africa. determined enough. -John & Gayle 4. Big Agnes Copper www.slothsonthemove.blogspot.com Spur The Big Agnes Copper Spur tent has been used and loved by many bike tourists, in- ” cluding GoingSlowly e and PathLessPedaled e. It’s roomy and relatively light (2.2kg for the 3-person version). Doors on each side make it easy to get in and out, and it’s relative- ly good value at around $500 U.S. 5. Tarptent Contrail HOW TO PICK A TENT This tent took top place for A tent is perhaps the most crucial piece of solo travellers in Backpacker equipment that the independent bicycle tourist Magazine’s 2009 buyer’s guide. It will carry. weighs just 700g, costs a modest $199 and gets rave reviews. It will be your home away from home, a haven What’s the catch? Some say it’s from wind, rain and cold temperatures, key to trav- prone to condensation and can elling on a budget and one of the few constants let in quite a breeze – not good that appears every night as you go from place to at higher altitudes or in chilly place. weather. Also, because the tent is In an ideal world, you’ll chose a lightweight tent in mainly aimed at backpackers, the a muted colour for easy wild camping, and a tent company assumes that you have that is a cinch to set up - even in the dark! a trekking pole to add extra sup- port to the structure. As a cyclist, You may also prefer a freestanding tent (one that you’re probably not carrying a doesn’t require pegs), although we’ve personally trekking pole so you’ll have to never had a problem putting up our non-free- buy a tent pole from Tarptent. standing Nallo 3GT e.

More Tent Advice: www.travellingtwo.com/ resources/tent e

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 49 “Terra Nova Duolite Tourer is our choice as a cycle tour- Even ing tent.” @davebikenotes MorE “Macpac Citadel - plenty of space and Tents not heavy. The #Mina- As suggested by ret is a smaller, lighter @travellingtwo Twitter followers... 4-season alternative.” @oddcats

“Big Agnes Seedhouse 2, easy to pitch, light, and “MSR Mutha Hubba is a plenty of room for 1. Also a great size for two sharing. subdued green colour for But if weather permits I wild camping” @cycle4india love to sleep outside in a bivvy bag!” @tomsbiketrip “Vango Tempest 300. Cheap, ok weight, ok packsize, spacious, porch big enough for a bike with wheels off.” @aegisdesign

50 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 51 “MSR Hubba Hubba for the tropics, Hilleberg for the rest; the Hubba is surprisingly weather proof during this rainy South African summer” @shanecycles

“Christine & I love “Vaude Hogan Ultralight. It was our Big Agnes my second home during my bike Seedhouse SL-2” ride. I had to change one zipper, @kentsbike the rest is still great.” @mk4220 “Rab Ridge Raider. Light & quick to “Our group of five or pitch, but small. If I six uses the @ENOHam- was camping every mocks - with a little rope night I’d take my we have no problem find- Hilleberg Akto.” ing trees in the southeast @bazzargh U.S.” @jonahchitty

“@Hilleberg Nallo 3GT. For two enough space; a bed- room and a front room to sit, eat when it rains and leave muddy panniers.” @worldcyclevideo

Photo by Tom Allen, www.tomsbiketrip.com

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 51 Camping Gear: 1. sleeping bags, mats, pillows...

2. 3.

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1. PHD Minim Sleeping Bag things that can break on a sleeping bag. This is the sleeping bag we’ve used for over 4 On the other hand, you can’t open a zipless bag if years. It’s a down-filled bag, made by UK com- you’re too hot. For couples, it also rules out the pos- pany PHD e and retails for about $400 U.S. sibility of zipping the bags together. We like down-filled bags because they’re If you do get a sleeping bag with a zipper (by far warmer and lighter for the size than synthetic the more common design), choose a bag with a ‘zip fillings. A disadvantage of down is that it won’t baffle’ or ‘draft tube’ that seals out cold air. The zipper keep you warm when wet, whereas synthetic should also be heavy duty. It’s the one item on your fillings will. sleeping bag that gets used over and over, and will Our particular sleeping bag has one unique almost certainly be the first to wear out. feature: there’s no zipper. You just slide your- self inside. This means no draft coming in Sleeping Bag Tips: www.travellingtwo.com/ from one side of the bag and no rolling onto resources/6-tips-for-picking-a-sleeping-bag e an uncomfortable zipper in the middle of the night. It also shaves a few grams off the overall 2. Thermarest Prolite Mat weight of the bag and removes one of the few Among bike tourists, Thermarest’s Prolite Sleeping

52 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 53 Mat e is one of the most 4. Thermarest Z Lite burn time on 3 AAA batteries popular choices. It’s light, super If your priority is an indestruc- and they’re very light: just 85g, compact and should keep you tible sleeping mat, try the including the batteries. warm as long as the temperature Thermarest Z Lite e. doesn’t dip too far below freez- It’s a closed-cell foam mat. 6. Thermarest Pillow ing. This means you never have to A pillow is definitely a ‘luxury’ Like all inflatable mats, how- worry about damage to the mat- camping accessory. ever, it is prone to punctures and tress. You can throw it on top of Many bike tourists create their - after several months of constant a bed of thorns, and the mat will own pillows by stuffing clothes use - can fail entirely. Thermarest be just fine. It’s also half the price together in a sleeping bag sack. have a great lifetime warranty of an inflatable mat! We did that too but at a certain on these mats, so if you’re doing What’s not to like? Some point you decide that you want a shorter trips and can get the mat people find it too thin and un- bit more cushioning. replaced easily enough, then go comfortable, although we slept We picked the Thermarest for it. On an extended world trip, just fine on it. It’s also relatively Compressible Pillow e because however, we prefer a solid foam bulky. We carried our Z Lite mats it’s compact, washable, light- mat like the Z Lite e. in a bag, on top of the back weight and reasonably priced. luggage rack. For us, it also feels like a ‘real’ 3. Exped Mats pillow although this is obviously For the ultimate in comfort and Z Lite & Prolite Comparison: highly individual so ‘try before warmth, Exped’s DownMat e www.travellingtwo.com/ you buy’ and see what you (with down feather filling) and resources/thermarest-camping- like best. SynMat e (synthetic filling) are mats-review e definitely worth considering. Our Review: www. Their thick profile will keep 5. Petzl Headlamp travellingtwo.com/resources/ you cozy, even in well below We’ve had our Petzl Tikka 2 e thermarestpillow e freezing temperatures. headlamps for 6 years now and On the downside, they take they’re still going strong - even longer to inflate than thinner though they’re well past the mats and can be noisy when you 3-year warranty period. toss and turn during the night. We’ve dropped them, thrown them in our panniers with no Our Review: www. special care and lugged them all travellingtwo.com/resources/ around the world and they are exped-downmat-synmat-review still fault-free. e You get up to 120 hours of

The packed size of a Thermarest Z Lite versus an Exped SynMat. Photo by Friedel & Andrew, www.travellingtwo.com

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 53 2. Bicycle Locks 3.

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4. Security Tips: 1. Tip a local shopkeeper $1-2 U.S. to be your ‘bike security guard’. 2. Get a hotel in cities and keep the bike in the room. 3. Lock your bike to something secure in a highly visible place. 4. Make It look undesirable. Cover brand names with tape. String laundry across the back to dry.

1 & 2. Cable Lock worth it. For many bike tourists, however, a U-Lock A good cable lock is perhaps the most use- is probably overkill. The lock pictured above is the ful type of lock for touring. It’s relatively Kryptonite Evolution Series 4 U-Lock e. lightweight, cheap to purchase and can be stretched around anything from bike racks to 4. Wheel Lock telephone poles. This type of lock is known by at least 4 names: o- Make sure you get one that’s long enough lock, ring lock, wheel lock or frame lock. It’s standard (over 1 meter) and don’t go for the cheapest equipment on many bikes in Europe. one. The very thin, flimsy cable locks that tend The varying names all refer to the same thing: to be sold in supermarkets won’t slow a thief a lock that attaches to your frame. You put the key down at all. in and push down on a lever so that a metal ring There are many types of cable locks. We slides between the spokes of your back tire, locking like two locks from the Kryptonite Krypto- the bike. flex range: the Combination Lock e (photo We love wheel locks because they’re so darn con- 1) and the 7’ cable e (photo 2), which can venient for quick stops while on tour. Coupled with be used in combination with a U-lock or a cable lock, they also make for a fairly secure setup. separate padlock. Our current touring setup includes the ABUS 4850 LH NKR e model of wheel lock, plus a com- 3. U-Lock or D-Lock patible cable lock that slots into the wheel lock. These locks are effective and secure but very heavy to carry on a bike tour. It’s up to you, More On Wheel Locks: www.travellingtwo.com/ whether the extra security is worth the added resources/wheel-locks-for-bike-touring e bulk. If you plan on passing through a lot of cities on your tour, a big lock like this may be

54 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 55 On the downside, the burner does get black with soot (only the burner - not the pots you use to cook 1. with) and - despite its name - this stove is reasonably Stoves loud. It also needs to be primed. If you release too much fuel during the priming process (or if there’s a lot of wind), it’s possible to get an impressive flare from the Whisperlite Internationale e!

Our Full Review: www.travellingtwo.com/ resources/msr-whisperlite-international-review e 2. Primus Omnifuel The Primus Omnifuel e has accompanied many touring cyclists on their journeys. We tested it dur- ing a 2-week tour of Denmark and found 3 main 2. advantages over the MSR Whisperlite e: it burns canisters as well as liquid fuel, the burner doesn’t get nearly as sooty and it’s relatively quiet. It does, however, cost much more than the MSR Whisperlite e so you have to be a keen cook to re- ally get your money’s worth out of it. 3. *Note: MSR is releasing a competitor to the Pri- mus Omnifuel in 2012: the MSR Whisperlite Univer- sal. It will burn canister fuel as well. Watch for it in your local camping shop!

Our Full Review: www.travellingtwo.com/ resources/primusomnifuelreview e 4. 3. Jetboil Group Cooking System A super easy stove to operate. Like all canister stoves, this Jetboil Stove e doesn’t need to be primed. It’s ready to cook at the flick of a lighter; per- fect for a quick cup of coffee by the side of the road. On the downside, you’ll have to be touring somewhere fairly mainstream for this stove to be an option because you won’t necessarily find the fuel canisters everywhere in the world and you can’t take 1. Whisperlite Internationale them on a plane. Also, this stove isn’t easy to fix in The MSR Whisperlite Internationale e is a the middle of a field. If you have problems you may bike touring classic. It’s also the stove with well need to send it back to the dealer for repair. which we are most experienced. We’ve fired it up well over 1,000 times and carried it for our 4. Trangia Stove entire 3-year world bicycle tour. Trangia stoves e are adored by many cyclists. You can run it on almost any fuel (from They’re extremely quiet, easy to maintain, robust white gas to unleaded petrol) and it’s easy to and simmer beautifully. They burn methylated spir- fix in the field using the MSR tool kit. If you its. It’s a fuel which is broadly available worldwide need to replenish your tool kit, you’ll find that but can be tricky to find. Research the local name for many of the parts in it are basic and can be this fuel before you fly off to an exotic destination. picked up at plumbing and hardware shops around the world. We’ve also found MSR cus- Our full review: www.travellingtwo.com/ tomer service to be fantastic. resources/why-i-love-trangia-campstoves e

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 55 Loading Up the bike ow that you have a bicycle, camping gear, clothes and a Nwhole pile of other stuff to take on tour, how will you carry it all on your bicycle? The options are numerous. You could go for the classic combi- nation of panniers and luggage racks, or you might opt to tow a trailer behind your bicycle. Some people have both luggage racks and a trailer. Other folks travel ultralight and get away with barely more than a handlebar bag. There’s no one correct answer. The only way to know for sure is to try some different combinations yourself and see if you’re happy with that solution. That said, here are some starting points to get you thinking about what might be best for your trip.

56 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 57 Let’s begin with panniers. They’re the most com- You might also want to add a: monly used option among touring cyclists. In case you’re not familiar with the lingo, pan- Handlebar Bag - Clips to the front handlebars of the niers are bags that attach to luggage racks, so bike. It’s ideal for storing your wallet, camera and you can carry equipment over the front and back other valuables. It can be easily taken along when wheels of your bike. you need to leave the bike for a few minutes. This Most panniers are commercially made out of brings peace of mind and makes it much easier to heavy-duty fabric but you can make your own out lock your bike up and run a few errands because of backpacks or even plastic buckets. you know the most important items won’t be lost, A standard touring set-up is 2 large bags on should disaster strike. Most bags also come with a the back and 2 smaller panniers on the front. You map case on top to can also strap a tent and sleeping mat across the make navigation top of the back panniers. easier.

pannier advantages Dry Bag - A water- Panniers are popular for several reasons, starting proof sack, often with versatility. A well designed set of panniers used for canoeing will let you clip and unclip the bags from the racks or kayaking. Cy- within seconds. That means it’s easy to get your clists use dry bags panniers off the bike e too because and inside your tent in their tubular shape We like Vaude’s Road I Handlebar bag: a rainstorm. fits a rolled up tent www.travellingtwo.com/resources/ You can also quickly and poles perfect- vaude-handlebar-bag grab a single pannier ly. This protects the (for example, the one tent from rain and sun damage and keeps it in one with your laptop and compact package that can be easily strapped onto other valuables in it) to the bike with bungee cords or compression straps. take along as you go supermarket shop- Brands to Consider ping. Everyone wants to know which brand of panniers Like most touring cyclists, we’re In a city, an empty are best. The better question to ask is “Which in love with Ortlieb panniers: pannier can be used panniers are best for you?” www.travellingtwo.com/ resources/ortliebpanniers as a day bag while Almost any pannier on the market will be fine sightseeing. When for occasional tours. Don’t expect cheaper brands you fly with your bicycle, you can check your pan- to perform well over time or in heavy rain. niers as normal luggage (a Chinese shopping bag When you spend extra money, you’re paying for e is helpful for this). durability and ease of use. That means panniers Panniers help you stay organised as well. You made with more robust fabric, better quality zips can sort your equipment into different bags. One and a system that makes them easier to remove for food and cooking gear, one for clothing and from the bike. yet another for tools and emergency supplies. For a good set of panniers, you won’t go wrong Most importantly, there is very little that can go by investing in a set of Ortlieb Panniers e. They’re wrong with panniers, especially if you get a good by far the most popular brand and relatively ex- set to begin with. They have almost no moving pensive but for your money you get waterproof parts. Any problems that do arise are usually small panniers that are a breeze to get on and off the and easily fixed. bike and will last for a lifetime of bike touring. We only recently replaced our Ortliebs after over 60,000km of touring and we only bought another set because someone sold us their nearly- new Ortliebs for a bargain price. The old ones are

Photo by Friedel & Andrew, still working (if a bit sunfaded). www.Travellingtwo.com There is one big downside to Ortlieb panniers:

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 57 most models don’t come with pockets and that annoys people who like lots of compartments to organise their things. Other brands to check out include Vaude, Carradice, Jandd, Lone Peak and – at the luxury end of the scale – the exception- ally well designed but extremely expensive Arkel bags. As you are researching pan- niers, consider these features:

Waterproof or not – Some pan- niers are 100% waterproof. When it starts to rain, this means you don’t have to jump off the bike and put on rain covers to keep everything dry. Other bags are more water resistant than wa- terproof - fine if you’re cycling in a dry climate or are willing to protect sensitive equipment in waterproof bags. A touring bike loaded with panniers, a handlebar bag and a dry sack. Photo by Stephen Lord, www.adventurecycle-touringhandbook.com Type of closure – Zippers. Roll- ing tops. Clips and buckles. Who knew there were so many ways to close a bag? Try to minimise on quality, you shouldn’t need the number of zippers on your Attachment systems – Make sure to do much to your racks during bike bags because the dirt from the panniers are easy to put on a tour. Just check occasionally the road and repeated opening and take off the bike. You’re go- to see if any screws or bolts are and closing motions make zip- ing to be doing this at least twice coming loose. pers prone to failure. Roll tops a day, if not more, so it shouldn’t With a cheap set of racks, pack are like a dry bag. You can roll be a long and tedious process. some hose clamps and zipties them very tight in bad weather The best panniers unhook auto- in your repair kit. Less expensive and they’ll be totally sealed. You matically when you lift the bag racks are more likely to break can also leave them open when up by its handle. under the strain of a heavy load. you need room for extra food. Panniers that seal with clips and Luggage Racks buckles aren’t quite as easy to Once you’ve bought panniers, stuff full with extra supplies but you’ll need racks to hang them they are a little easier than roll on and - like panniers - you get tops to open and close, in our what you pay for when it comes experience. to racks. If you plan on doing any Weight and volume – Like back- amount of touring, it’s worth packs, panniers come in all differ- spending a bit of extra money ent shapes, materials and sizes. for a decent set that will with- There’s no point getting a bigger, stand months of bumping and The Tubus Logo back rack - heavier bag if you don’t need the jostling on the road. just one of many models profiled at: extra space. As long as you don’t scrimp www.travellingtwo.com/resources/racks

58 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 59 What to look for? racks free of rust. Our favourite racks are made of steel; not because You can also wrap duct tape around your racks there aren’t good aluminium racks on the market at the points where the bags make contact with but because steel racks can be easily welded back the metal, to prevent scuffing. together, if necessary. We also look for racks with a high load capac- TRAILERS ity. The most robust back racks are rated for about Trailers are an alternative choice to panniers and 90lbs or 40kg of weight. luggage racks for carrying your gear around. You won’t likely carry that much but it’s nice to They cost and weigh about the same as the know the racks are more than strong enough for standard combination of panniers and racks, with the job. As a bit of extra insurance, try and get a some definite advantages. rack with a guarantee. For example, trailers allow you to carry a lot If we had to pick out just one brand of lug- of gear if you’re planning a bicycle trip through gage racks to highlight, it would have to be Tubus remote parts of the world, where you might need Racks e. They have a well proven track record in to haul large quantities of food and water. terms of strength and durability. Trailers are also ideal if you want to tour with Even better, they come with a 30-year guar- young children, or on a bicycle that wasn’t de- antee, including shipping of free replacements signed for touring and therefore doesn’t have anywhere in the world for 3 years. the necessary braze-ons or attachment points for A final word on racks. No matter which one you luggage racks. choose, chances are the paint will wear thin with For more on trailers, we turned to David Her- time, especially where the panniers rub up against bold, who writes for the Bike Trailer Blog e. He the racks. outlined the main differences for us between Keep some touch-up paint handy (nail polish two types of trailers: versions with one wheel and will do the trick in a pinch). This helps keep the those with two wheels.

PANNIER PACKING TIPS Packing your bike panniers can be confusing, especially when you do it for the first time. Here are 3 quick tips to get you started:

1. Everything In Its Place - Sort gear into categories. Cooking equipment and food can go in one bag, clothes in another. Bike tools should have their own spot that’s easy to access, so you can quickly find what you need when a tire goes flat.

2. Balance The Weight - Make sure that your bike is balanced. This means that bags on the right and left sides should weigh about the same. Between front and back, most people go for a 60-40 split, though you’ll find differing opinions on whether more weight should be up front or in back.

3. Leave Extra Space - Don’t fill your panniers to the brim. You’ll want extra room for food and souvenirs as you travel. Ideally, leave home with at least half a pannier’s worth of empty space.

More pannier packing tips: www.travellingtwo.com/ resources/packing-bicycle-panniers e

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 59 One Wheel Designs Two Wheel Designs “The weight of the trailer’s load is shared between “The majority of the load rests between the trail- its only wheel, and the rear wheel of the bicycle. er’s own two wheels. This leaves the rear wheel of Due to the weight being spread between the bike the bike, and therefore the handling of the bike and the trailer, the rear driving wheel of the bike itself, relatively unaffected by the added weight. will be pushed into the ground aiding traction Actually, it’s only the weight being pulled that is tremendously. felt, for the most part. Tire wear should not in- When off-road touring or bike-camping, this is crease substantially and using a single kickstand a great advantage. Also, the width is an obvious is no problem as the bike remains independent of bonus in tight conditions. The compromise how- the trailer. The compromise of course, is the width ever, is that the handling of the bike changes in of the two-wheel design. For any type of technical direct reflection to the weight of the load. terrain, or extremely tight areas of operation, this With maximum payloads often being around can become overwhelming. Narrow sidewalks and 45kg, this can be quite a dramatic difference from gates can become a real obstacle.” z the bike alone. Learning to predict the weight shift in tight terrain and quick manoeuvring is key as More On Trailers: www.travellingtwo.com/ the bike will occasionally try to find its own direc- resources/trailers-for-bike-touring e tion.”

Popular Trailers

Radical Designs Cyclone III: Clever design Chariot Cougar: consistently gets great Exrawheel Voyager: Proven performance for that allows the trailer to be folded inside reviews from parents who bike tour with off-road trips. Very light and can act as a the duffel bag for easy transport on trains young children. spare front wheel. and planes.

BOB Yak Plus: A long-time favourite among Carry Freedom Y-Frame: Simple and versatile. bike tourists. Solid, easy to assemble and can Put nearly any type of container on the back, be flipped over to use as a table. from a large plastic box to an Ortlieb bag.

60 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 61 Trailers? Panniers? It’s not a case of which is ‘best’ but rather which is right for you.

Trailer Advantages Pannier Advantages

- Ideal for carrying bulky, heavy items such as - Easily carried one-by-one into your tent or lots of water across deserts hotel room and over obstacles like fences and - Kids trailers give the children a place to rest, streams (no single bag is very heavy) away from strong sun or bad weather - Your luggage can be sorted into different - Handy for home use as well as touring parts and stored per bag, making things (carrying groceries, collecting large purchases easier to find (in theory!) from shops) - Accessible while riding; you can reach things - Often built with a wide profile that strapped on top of panniers or stored near encourages cars to leave more room when the top, without getting off your bike passing - Simply designed, with few moving parts that - Easily unhooked so you can ride a ‘naked’ can get lost or break bike without racks - Versatile. Use all 4 for longer trips or take just - Aggressive dogs tend to chase the trailer, one on a short day trip; carry a single pannier keeping them away from your legs as a ‘day bag’ when visiting cities

Trailer Disadvantages Pannier Disadvantages

- May be harder to pack for train, plane and - Put strain on a bike, particularly the back bus journeys wheel, possibly causing broken spokes - More mechanical parts that could need - Increase tire wear and wind resistance repair or replacement (spokes, tire, skewers) - Need to be reasonably well balanced - Can be tricky if you need to back up, park or between the left and right sides or the bike navigate through narrow gaps will feel unstable

Photos by: Patrizia & Brö, www.somewhereonearth. org (top); Mike & Karen, www.twowheeledwanderers. ca (bottom left) , Friedel & Andrew, www.travellingtwo. com (bottom right).

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 61 62 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 63 An Amazing Journey Hilary Searle of the CycleSeven website (www.cycleseven.org e) writes about Louise Sutherland, an adventurous bike tourist who went around the world in the 1950s.

ouise Sutherland was a nurse from New Zea- men and certainly never to a white girl. Anyway no Lland who was working in London in 1949, girl is permitted to travel third class alone.’ when she set off cycling around the world. She had, of course, received many warnings She bought a bike in a church jumble sale in against going to India. In Bombay, she was inun- Soho for £2.10s and a ‘grateful patient’ in the dated with offers of hospitality but later found hospital where she was nursing made her a small herself in a famine region where she went for 3 trailer ‘to trundle merrily behind it.’ She seems to days without food. have set off round the world almost on a whim. “I knew that only by keeping the pedals turn- She had initially only intended to go to Land’s End! ing could I ever get to the dense green jungle that Louise returned to London to collect her would indicate a rain soaked district, and only by passport and her £50 savings and set off, first for reaching such a district would I again get food.” Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy. She only returned to London in 1956. “During my first day in Italy I felt most dubious about my chances of survival. I had been offered I was never dire warnings about what happened to small girls “ lonely while I was travelling alone in that country. I did not wish to forego the camping, but equally, I did not relish cycling. I had my the thought of being attacked in the dead of night. bicycle to talk to. Of course no one did attack me.” The warnings grew even more dire as she ap- proached Yugoslavia: ‘They shoot on sight’, ‘They’re ” communists remember. If you’re arrested you Unfortunately all the warnings she had received might never be heard of again.’ and ‘They’re so almost came true when she was attacked by 2 men poor they’ll attack you just to steal the valve rub- but they ran away when a bus appeared. bers out of your inner tubes’. “The memories of the attack by the few have The people, however, treated her with great now blunted and are fading, but the kindness of kindness. From Yugoslavia she went to Greece and the many will always remain clear.” then took a ferry to Israel. She had an amazingly “After the fear had completely left my mind, I resilient spirit and refused to be daunted by the could feel nothing but anger for those two men. fact that having paid the boat fare she had only They had placed me in a position where all the 13/6d left in the world. world could say: ‘I told you so!’ But does one swal- In Haifa she took a job in a Mission Hospital low make a summer?” z for 3 months, then cycled onto Jordan where she worked as a nanny. From there she cycled to Beirut and spent 6 months working in a sanatorium. She had hoped to cycle across the desert to Baghdad but was refused a visa so had to travel by train to catch a boat across the Persian Gulf to More on Louise Sutherland: www.cycleseven. India. She was refused a third class ticket, with the org/louise-sutherland-around-the-world-before- line: ‘We do not sell third class tickets to white i-was-born e

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 63 

Here’s a ‘cut-out-and-keep’ guide to some touring basics. packing list Vary the list to suit the destination and season.

Bicycle Equipment FF Long-sleeved shirts (one lightweight to protect from sun and one warmer for FF Bottle cages and bottles (ideally 3) cool temperatures) FF Compression straps or cargo net (to FF Long-johns (to sleep in and cold days) hold things to your back luggage rack) FF Padded cycling gloves FF Lights FF Rain jacket and pants FF Lock FF Socks (3-5 pairs) FF Mirror (Take-A-Look Mirror) FF Sunglasses FF T-shirts (2-3 pairs) Tools & Spare Parts FF Underwear (3-5 pairs)

FF Brake and gear cables Your Kitchen FF Brake pads FF Chain lube FF Cleaning supplies (dish soap, scrubber) FF Duct tape and zipties FF Cookware (MSR Alpine) FF Mini cassette remover (NBT2 or JA Stein FF Kitchen sink (Ortlieb folding bowl) tool) FF Screw-top bottles (for oil, honey... FF Multi-tool (with a chain breaker) FF Spices (our top 3: an italian seasoning, FF Patch kit curry and cinnamon) FF Pump (Topeak Mountain Morph) FF Stove FF Rag for cleaning FF Thermos FF Replacement spokes FF Utensils (spork, cup, bowl...)

Camping Gear Toiletries

FF Flip flops or sandals (for grotty showers) FF Basic kit (shampoo, toothbrush, sun FF Groundsheet (extends your tent’s life) screen...) FF Headlamp (Petzl Tikka) FF Baby wipes (an ‘ instant’ shower) FF Tent FF Laundry powder for hand washing FF Sleeping bag FF Menstruation cup (Mooncup) FF Sleeping bag liner (preferably silk) FF Toilet paper (or use water to wash FF Sleeping mat yourself so there’s no dirty litter to FF String, 6-10 meters (numerous uses, dispose of!) including a clothesline) FF Travel towel FF Water carriers (Camelbak or Ortlieb) FF Water filter (MSR Miniworks) First-Aid Kit

Clothes (We love Merino wool clothing and - in FF Bandaids general - anything light and versatile.) FF Emergency blanket FF Gauze FF Bandana (soak it in water to keep your FF Medicines (for colds, diarrhea, head head cool in hot weather) aches, dehydration) FF Cycling shoes FF Scissors FF Cycling shorts (1-2 pairs) FF Tiger balm (for mosquito bites) FF Hat with a wide brim FF Tweezers

64 | Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 65 THANKS Many people in the bike touring community made this magazine possible by contributing photos, articles and help with editing. We thank them enormously and encourage you to visit their websites for even more bike touring inspiration.

Alicia Ackerman www.cyclingwithoutahelmet.blogspot.com e Angela & Stéphane Girard www.ouestef.net e Cass Gilbert www.whileoutriding.com e Chris & Janyis www.farewellburt.wordpress.com e Chris Leakey & Liz Wilton www.bikeabout.co.uk e Dan, Alison, Sonia & Gus www.shutupandpedal.org e David Herbold & John Lipton www.bikeshophub.com e David Houghton www.biciklo.com e Dennis Koomen www.toko-op-fietsvakantie.nl e Diana Johnson www.crazyguyonabike.com/dianac e Emma Philpott & Justin Hewitt www.rolling-tales.com e Grace Johnson www.bicycletraveler.nl e Harriet & Neil Pike www.andesbybike.com e Hilary Searle www.cycleseven.org e John & Gayle www.slothsonthemove.blogspot.com e Michael www.slowcycler.wordpress.com e Michelle Wurlitzer www.wheeledmigration.com e Marija Kozin www.twitter.com/mk4220 e Michael & Karen Stefanyk www.twowheeledwanderers.ca e Mirjam Wouters www.cyclingdutchgirl.com e Nancy Sathre-Vogel www.familyonbikes.com e Nathan Chase www.foolhardytravels.blogspot.com e Patrizia & Brö www.somewhereonearth.org e Paul Jeurissen www.pauljeurissen.nl e Paula Bradshaw www.rikandpaulaseetheworld.com e Rebecca Jensen www.anadventurecalledbicycling.blogspot.com e Ryan Davies & Rebecca Holliday www.worldcyclingtour.wordpress.com e Sarah Outen www.sarahouten.com e Scott Stoll www.theargonauts.com e Shane Little www.shanecycles.com/africa e Stephen Lord www.adventurecycle-touringhandbook.com e Steve Talon www.turnrightforjapan.com e Sylvie & Ben www.frogsonbents.over-blog.com e Tara Alan & Tyler Kellen www.goingslowly.com e Tim Travis www.downtheroad.org e Tom Allen www.tomsbiketrip.com e Trevor Luker www.oddbikes.com e Vera and Jean-Christophe www.magical-world.eu e

Thanks also to our Twitter followers, who suggested great tents for touring: @mk4220 e, @tomsbiketrip e, @cycle4india e, @davebikenotes e, @oddcats e, @shanecycles e, @aegisdesign e, @jonahchitty e, @bazzargh e and @worldcyclevideo e

Bike Touring Basics - 2012 Edition | 65 Going ON A Bike Tour?

You’re already on your way. Now, try our 240-page bike touring guide. It’s packed with practical information for long bicycle trips.

zz… Planning and daily routines zz… Cycling in far away places zz… Putting your bike on public transport zz… What should be in your repair kit zz… Caring for your bike and gear zz… Readjusting after a long tour

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