Rough mountain roads can often loosen bike screws, so regular checks are necessary
When spring is in full bloom and the temperature is just right, now is the best time for outdoor travel. Biking is a great way to explore the outdoors — pedaling freely across the fields in spring, feeling the breeze on your face and the vibrant colors of blooming flowers all around, can make you feel especially youthful and energetic.
Nowadays, from suburban areas near cities to major domestic tourist destinations, and even cities and rural areas in Europe and America, biking has gradually become a mainstream travel choice, with well-developed supporting facilities. However, for non-professional cyclists, there are still some important things to keep in mind whether you're going on a long or short trip.
1. Before the Trip
● Physical Training Before a Long-Distance Ride
Even if you don’t have the wild dream of biking around the world, if you plan to bike in places with excellent biking environments like Taiwan, the Netherlands, or Canada, it’s essential to do some preparation in advance. The most important part of this is planned physical training. This preparation process will also help strengthen your mental resilience to deal with various unexpected situations during the trip.
You might as well start at least two months before your departure, setting aside about an hour each day to train near your home. It’s a good idea to consult professional bike shop owners or experienced long-distance cyclists to get a preliminary understanding of your fitness level, familiarize yourself with your bike’s performance and gear adjustments, and ideally create a targeted training plan that focuses on building cardiovascular endurance and muscle stamina.
● Buying or Renting a Bike
For a biking trip, you can choose to buy a suitable bike to bring along. Currently, many major airlines offer bike shipping services. If that sounds like too much hassle, you can also rent a bike when you arrive at your destination. It’s worth mentioning that if you’re cycling the Sichuan-Tibet Highway in China, it’s a good idea to buy a high-quality mid- to high-end bike that suits your needs. However, after buying a new bike, it’s best to take it for a trial ride for a while before the trip so you can understand its performance and identify any potential issues, making it easier to repair them during the journey.
● Designing Your Biking Route
A biking trip isn’t something you can just jump into on a whim and expect to go smoothly. First, you need to have a strong interest in biking and enjoy the feeling of riding and stopping to take in the scenery; otherwise, after the initial excitement wears off, you may quickly find it boring and tough. Only after that should you design your biking route based on your travel goals, personal fitness level, financial situation, and the length of your vacation.
A biking trip can be an adventurous exploration for outdoor enthusiasts challenging the wilderness, or a casual and relaxing journey with a few close friends. You can go solo, travel with companions, or even go on a family trip. Different starting points mean different factors to consider when designing your route. In addition, different countries and regions have varying road conditions and scenery, so the choice of destination, the number of travel days, and the biking distance all determine the difficulty level of your route planning.
Generally, places like Taiwan, Canada, New Zealand, and the Netherlands are great destinations for first-time overseas biking travelers. Before heading to these places, besides professional travel guides, referring to local maps to plan your route is crucial. The maps you refer to should at least show the road network and mileage markers for each section, and ideally include elevation and road gradient information as well. In short, the more professional and detailed your map, the more concrete your trip planning will be.
After planning the tourist spots and routes you’ll pass through, you can preliminarily calculate the total biking distance, then set your daily travel distance based on your physical condition. Typically, traveling 60–100 kilometers per day is appropriate.
● Packing Your Luggage
For a long-distance biking trip, try to pack light. Since you’ll be carrying everything on your bike, you’ll need to consider the weight, volume, practicality, and frequency of use of your items. Depending on the length of your trip, accommodation conditions, budget, and climate, prepare the corresponding daily necessities, including a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, cooking utensils, stove, waterproof clothing, etc. Once all your gear is ready, pack it into saddlebags.
● Shipping Your Bike
If you’re bringing your own bike abroad, you can disassemble it first and pack it into a cardboard box to prevent damage during transport. The packed bike can be checked in as luggage, usually as long as it doesn’t exceed the airline’s baggage weight limit. Upon arrival at your destination airport, discard the box and assemble the bike before hitting the road.