If you’re passionate about excitement and adventure, you will no doubt love spending time in the great outdoors. There’s just something exhilarating about being outdoors and engaging in physical activity that just cannot seem to be matched by any other activity. Biking, especially mountain biking, is currently one of the most popular sports and pastimes in the world, yet if you’re new to the whole biking scene, it can be a little daunting. Say for example, you are planning your very own biking tour, in order to enjoy hassle-free adventure, you must be well prepared and you must know exactly what you’re doing. If your first bike tour is fast-approaching, fear not, because we’re here to help. Here’s a series of handy tips designed to make your very first bike tour run as smoothly and as enjoyably as possible.
Pack light
Whether your tour will simply last a few hours, or if you’re planning on touring for several days, you must know to pack accordingly. Though it may be tempting to pack multiple changes of clothes, and numerous other accessories, in reality, the lighter you can pack, the better. Ideally you should bring only cycling gear, making sure to include puncture repair kits, pumps, spare inner tubes, and so on.
Consider purchasing a hybrid bike
Hybrid bikes are now incredibly popular amongst keen cyclists of all abilities. A hybrid bike is basically a hybrid of a mountain bike, and a regular road bike. Road bikes and mountain bikes are light years apart normally, so having a hybrid of the two is incredibly useful when touring. The reason for this is because on your tour, you will probably traverse different terrains. Some sections will take you through rugged wilderness, rocky mountain paths, and muddy fields, whereas others may take you through rural villages, towns, and even cities. With a best hybrid bike however, you are literally getting the best of both worlds, so your tour will be easier than ever.
Listen to the other riders
Whether you’re riding with friends, family members, or acquaintances, providing they are not beginners just like you, you should ideally listen to what they have to say. If they say you are going too fast, you should slow down. If they say you should speed up, you should speed up. If they are experienced, they know what they are talking about and more often than not, they will be correct. If they recommend stopping, even if you aren’t feeling tired, you should stop and follow their lead.
Improve your fitness before you set off
No matter how fit you may be, it never hurts to put in a few extra hours of training each week, several weeks before your first tour, to ensure you are as well prepared as you can possibly be. Not only should you get ‘bike fit’ by heading out on plenty of long distance bike rides, but you should also work on your aerobic endurance in the gym, as well as your strength too. Having a powerful core, and bike strong legs will certainly prove very useful when riding, and will make everything just that little bit easier.
Have fun
Finally, though your first tour will be a little daunting, it’s important that you have fun, and try not to take things too seriously. Of course do what needs to be done, but don’t mentally and physically beat yourself up until you never want to ride a bike again, because that is simply not what cycling is about.
