If you’ve never been on a cycling vacation before you’re in for a treat. Not only is it a great way to maintain your fitness during your time off work, it can also be incredibly exciting and mentally stimulating. Whether you’re taking to the mountain trails or going for a city break, you’ll find that there are some amazing places for you to visit that are perfect for cyclists. Regardless of the place you’re going to, you’ll have a specific list of items that you’re going to need, and it can be difficult to remember everything. Use our handy essentials list to ensure you’ve got everything before setting off.
Cycling Clothes
As a cyclist, you’ll know that what you wear is a very important decision, and while a lot of these choices depends on your destination, there are some things that you should be packing wherever you go. First off, you’ll need quality bike shoes with good grip for your pedals, as well as a change of shoes if you’re going to be dismounting and changing pace. Some comfortable shoes or sandals are a good idea to bring with you. Just avoid anything too bulky as you’ll be carrying them with you. As well as this, identify every possible item of clothing you’ll need for the place you’re visiting. You might even need to bring a swimsuit if you’re going to be travelling to an area with outdoor swimming spaces. On the other hand, if you’re going to be cycling in a colder climate, make sure you bring warm outerwear and thermals and a change of clothes to replace sweaty clothes that will make you very cold once you’ve stopped cycling.
Safety Gear
There’s nothing more important on your cycling trip than safety. Cycling accidents are common, so make sure you’re prepared for these scenarios. Don’t travel anywhere without your bike helmet as these truly can save your life. You’ll also want to consider items to alert others to your presence such as a bicycle bell and high-visibility clothing and strips for your bike and cycling lights for whenever you’re cycling in gloomy conditions. On top of gear to keep you safe, you should think about items that can keep your bike and your other possessions safe. Sturdy bike locks and a secure bike rack and bags for your items is very important, especially if you’re going to be travelling far and leaving your bike outside at times.
Important Documents
As you’re travelling around, there may be times where you’ll need to provide important documents to either medical professionals or law enforcement, so make sure you bring things with you like passports, drivers licence, and travel insurance documents. Speaking of insurance, it’s worth making sure you’ve insured your bike for unexpected events like damage and theft. Companies like Velosurance can provide you with a replacement bike at full value, claiming they won’t depreciate your bike as they understand how much a bike can be worth to its owner. Don’t forget to bring things like credit cards and cash wherever you go too, even if you’re just going out for a quick ride around. You never know when you’ll need it.
Repair Kit
Packing a good repair kit is also very important for cycling vacations, whether you’re riding around city streets or up rocky mountain trails. It’s worth having spare parts like type tubes and spokes, as well as the tools to attach them. A bike multi-tool is a great thing to bring with you as it’ll reduce the amount of space required for specific tools as well as reducing your carry weight. Don’t forget to bring smaller replacement parts too like nuts and bolts as well as replacement chains in the case of breakages. Another handy addition to your repair kit is actually duct tape, as this can serve as a great temporary repair material.
Bicycle Accessories
Your bike has the ability to mount many useful accessories to it to make your ride much more enjoyable. Bags are going to be one of the best things you can attach to your bike frame, and things like panniers are excellent choices here. These will sit over your rear wheel and can be very spacious. You can keep everything in there from a change of clothes to food and drink, and even camping equipment. We would recommend that you keep any important documents, money, and valuables like phones, in a handlebar bag though, and make sure it has a sufficiently secure locking mechanism.
Food And Drink
When it comes to food and drink, there are things that you should definitely not leave home without. While you don’t need to bring an entire picnic, having food at hand to replenish your energy levels is very smart, especially if you’re heading out into the wilderness away from stores and restaurants. Energy bars, fresh fruit and nuts are great choices here as the carbohydrates in these foods will keep you going longer. Combine these with plenty of water as well as electrolyte-rich sports drinks and you’re ready to go.
To read more on topics like this, check out the Traveling category