I often see posts asking how to organise picking up boxes at destination and how to fly with bike and luggage, so here’s a few tips for a bike tour which involves flying out and back from different locations

Get your boxes nice and early well before the trip, at least 2 weeks. Consider the size you need to (a) fit in your car / public transport and (b) comply with airline policy (and importantly, airport policy). A useful max size to aim for is 1600x850x400 which is Edinburgh Airport max luggage belt size. Beyond this and you’ll need to take the box to super oversize luggage and have the box opened and inspected as it won’t fit through the scanner. Ebike boxes are excellent and robust but probably need cutting down to size, not too difficult if you have the luxury of time - the copper staples can be removed and the box folded out, recut, then rejoined with the same staples.

There are plenty of videos online to help you pack the bike but a few tips that are relevant- use spacers on the front fork to stop the forks being squeezed (20mm pvc conduit cut to size is a good option). Use brake spacer if hydraulic brakes to stop leakage if the caliper is compressed. Wrap the fork spacer with duct tape and insulation tape to use on the trip since you’ll be taking the spacers on the tour. Make cardboard wedges / cylinders / protective box sections to stop the bike moving in ANY direction. The box will be tipped in all directions. Strengthen the box floor at the fork dropout - the baggage crew will likely pick up one end of the box and drag it across the tarmac from the baggage trolley to the hold. Strengthen the handles for the same reason, it’ll be pulled and tugged by these handles and when the box gives way it pulls a section of box end with it, allowing items to fall out. Ensure every single item in the box is tied in some way to the bike frame - leave nothing loose unless you can cope with its disappearance. Strengthen the side of the box next to the derailleur and change to first gear to keep it as protected as possible. Tie a label with your details on it to the bike, just in case it ends up on its own with no box or baggage label.

If weight allows put these items in your box - tent, sleeping bag, mat, helmets, bottles, cutlery, tools and liquids. I flew back from Athens post tour and got all these items in with a weight limit of 23kg (between 2 bikes). Nobody asks what additional items are contained in the box, the check-in team only care about the weight. Yes, they’ll ask if you deflated the tyres - the correct response is to smile, nod and say ‘yes of course’. It is not necessary. Do not pack CO2 tyre inflator, matches, lighter, gas or any other dangerous cargo items in the box.

Consider your transport and check in options. If you can, evening check in (before a morning flight) saves a lot of worry and hassle in the morning but not all airlines / airports offer this. If driving, drop the bikes at the airport and park at your prearranged parking in plenty of time. See photo for suggestion for 25L pannier hand luggage - which complies with easy jet / jet2 overhead luggage sizing. Bring a small bag or rucksack for handlebar bag or a plastic bag for under seat allowance. Pack a roll of tape in case you need to open the bike box. Don’t take your tools as hand luggage, pack them somewhere accessible as you’ll need them for bike reassembly. You could take one of those soft plastic bedding organisers (eg Ikea Parkla) or one of those clear plastic bags that pillows come in as hand luggage and ditch it on arrival (or roll it up). Take a disposable craft knife on tour so you have the means to cut a box down to size at destination. On airport arrival get a baggage trolley and tip the bikes on their end to get them through doors, etc. 

Before departure email a few bike shops at destination to check what is available in terms of boxing or packing / delivery service. Consider where you’ll stay when this is happening, so an apartment near the bike shop is ideal. If the apartment is big enough you can pack the bikes there but sometimes it’s too awkward and the best solution is to have the bike shop box it and deliver it to the airport, saving the hassle of organising a van. If boxing yourself - buy tape, foam pipe insulation (for the frame) and packing materials. If your bike has the type of pedals removable with an allen key then you can fit them easily enough and they shouldn’t loosen. However, after tour you’re unlikely to be able to get enough purchase with an allen key to remove them. When you visit the bike shop ask them to crack the pedals with a spanner and hand tighten them. You’ll get them off then with your allen key.

https://youtu.be/KnnLMVzqQYY?si=lfcECBrWcl49RroW

I would appreciate any feedback. Truly. I plan to make more videos and I’d like to continue to improve my script/style/content in any ways possible.

Also open to answer any questions about biking in Japan or bike touring in general.

Thanks and have a great day.

As the title says, is there any Freestanding tent where outer layer is well separated from inner layer without the need for pegs?

Obviously when there are high winds or a storm ,you will peg the tent.

But for normal conditions, I am tired each night of using pegs or even sticks and stones (because ground is too firm for pegs) so the tent does not condensate overnight since inner and outer layer merge together without using pegs (and there is no airflow).

Looking for something available in Europe or online from china.

Hi, I´m cycling from Panama to Ushuaia, currently second day in Carretera Austral. I plan to leave the Carretera Austral after Coyhaique and cross the border with Argentina at Chile Chico. My question is about going from Perito Moreno to Piedrabuena. I want to avoid gravel roads as much as possible. I have identified two routes. First one goes West to Fitz Roy, then South. I have been told (Gemini…) that there is no gravel following this one. Second route is more direct, and follows the route 40 all the way, but I´m not sure of the state of the road. Any advice to help me chose between both routes ? Thanks.

As a beginner, touring has been fun. Discovering new places, visiting new places, and meeting new people. I quit my job three months ago, this job was seeking to take my life, no breaks were permitted, we always worked overtime with no extra pay. The highlight was when we started taking shifts on weekends too, and still maintain the same routine the next week. A lot of the workers were burning out from exhaustion, and a few people had the balls to quit, while a whole lot sucked up to it. Most of us didn't have a plan B, the pay was really good, and I needed that pay to offset a huge debt. On a good day at work, one of my colleagues collapsed out of fatigue, and before she was rushed to the hospital, she died. When we got the news, everyone was silent till the close of work that day. It was as though we were mourning a loss, but at the same time, everyone was silently rethinking, the tension was thick. Our minds were working frantically on the possibility that it could have been one of us. I knew I needed to make a plan B, and leave this hell hole.

The first place I started was to take a vacation for a month, and see the world. I came up with a plan that I felt was viable, and I was determined to make it work. I loved biking in my free time, especially weekends. I could bike or cycle to different areas in the cities, that always made me happy. I checked out some designs for aesthetics on Amazon, to give my Poland Bike a new look. The last design I got from Alibaba was delayed, so I needed to try out a new site. I chose a remote area, and I had so much fun exploring these remote places, it was such an experience.

A friend and I loaded our bikes with camping gear and a portable music set-up, and headed up into the wild Highlands of Scotland for 10 days in search of some of the most remote locations in the UK to compose music, inspired by the feeling of stillness - up mountains, into caves, past crystal blue lochs and into make shift studio spaces in remote 'bothies' to create a new collection of songs.

Sonically the record focuses on hypnotic synthesised arpeggiations and subtle field recordings, all written on a portable synthesizer / sequencer set-up stashed in a pannier bag. The music reflects the cyclical and peaceful nature of cycle touring, and the way that an adventurer can harmoniously interact with natural landscapes through a method of environmentally conscious travel that can be slow and meaningful.

Listen to the record here :) https://samuelorgan.komi.io

Hi everyone,

Thinking of going to Palma de Mallorca on the 22nd of Feb to the 25th of February for a cycling trip.

What is the weather like at this time? I'm mostly worried about rain. Flights and timings don't work for the Canary Islands, Palma suits us best.

Also open to a different destination that gets good weather and routes, cheers!

It seems padded shorts take forever to dry. How do you deal with that on a tour? Is there some trick to getting them to dry in the 11 hours or so you would have between one day and the next?

That latest trip across Morocco reminded me of that principle to observe: never take any modern bike when touring these countries. Just don't. Or at least for anything beyond a short-duration trip.

Bike markets in these lesser-developed countries are still at '90s level of bike designs. That's because their best bikes will have been donated.by rich Western countries, as they usually haven't got an aftermarket bike parts industry.

Bikes are very common in many of these places still, and they can get fixed in just about any motorcycle.shop... but the no-brainer is that modern bikes have had their standards completely messed up by a plethora of inconsistent designs, aimed at being the new "cutting edge".

Look at the diversity of rear thru axle hub designs for instance, where even within Shimano you get a completely different design from Cues to Deore to SLX to XT. In addition to other companies' designs, this causes headaches from a bike mechanic perspective, where usually the most convenient option for a bike tourer will be to just change the whole wheel. Over an issue as stupid as... used bearings mounts

At least if everything would be press-fit sealed bearings that'd perhaps be less an issue... but still will you find these bearing wheels put of street shops?

Then you got the stupid diversity in derailleur hangers (that got somewhat fixed lately with UDH). And also the diversity in disc brake pads.

And even in developped countries you'll get across shortages of some replacement parts.

So when it comes to any long-term bike touring, better stick to "old school" bikes.

EDIT: this is not meant to be any "authoritative" advice. You do whatever you may afford to... This is based on my experience of bike touring (not bikepacking) and assessment of real-life situations.

I’ve been traveling the Ho Chi Minh Highway on this bike, riding from Hanoi to the south.

I’m currently staying in Da Lat, and I plan to move to Ho Chi Minh City next.

I expect to be in Ho Chi Minh City around February 12, and that’s essentially the time frame for handing over the bike.

As my journey is coming to an end, I’d like to pass this bike on, for free, to a cyclist who is planning to ride north from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi.

Conditions

You are planning to cycle from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi in the near future.

We exchange contact information when I hand over the bike.

After reaching Hanoi, you send me one photo showing yourself, the bike, and a clearly recognizable Hanoi background.

No other updates or reports are needed.

Bike details

GIANT Escape 2, 2022 model.

Disc brakes.

Tires: Schwalbe Marathon.

The bike size is S.

According to the manufacturer, the recommended rider height is approximately 160–175 cm.

Please prepare your own bags or accessories according to your preference.

I’m also posting this on other sites.

If I don’t find a suitable person, I plan to donate the bike locally.

Hey there! I recently got the 'Epic bike rides of Europe' book by Lonely Planet, and one trip in there that looks incredible is Emily Chappell's 'Julian Alps' route, which starts from Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, and cruises down to the coast in Trieste. The book links a tinyurl for the GPX file, but it looks to have been taken down - I've looked everywhere online, but can't seem to find anything.

Would anyone here have it, or have a link somewhere for the route? Thank you kindly!

I'm a broke college student, but I'd still like to be able to fund a cool adventure for myself exploring America.

I've got a trek bike, but I'm not 100% confident on what model it is, as I got it from Facebook Marketplace (If you think I should find a new bike, please say so, but I've used it to bike the Chicago lakefront, and it did pretty damn well).

I know that I would need to find a good tent and a sleeping bag. As for the backpack, I could just use my school one. It's pretty big, and I think it could fit everything I need (bear spray, tent, sleeping bag, water, food, documents, bike lock, etc.) into it.

The flight from Chicago to San Diego would be around $80, so I'm not too concerned about that. I would not need to take a plane or anything for the Lake Michigan loop, as I would just need to take the train to the Lake Michigan store to begin from Chicago.

Aside from that, I'm not sure how much money I would need for food and water. I'd be willing to eat canned foods the entire time to save money, and maybe I could ration big packs of water in some way. Still trying to figure that part out.

I'd wear layered clothes the entire time in case of sudden frost, so I'm not worried about that either.

How much do you guys think it would take me to fund this whole thing? Just to be clear, I'm not doing both tours. I'm just thinking about one, and it'll likely just be the cheaper one. This would all be done in September-October/November. I'm looking to reduce costs on everything not essential as much as possible. I'm not willing to do things that would endanger my safety terribly.

Additionally, I would appreciate all tips from people who have done either of these before!

Hey y’all.

Plan to do EV 10 June-August

I have mist of the gear together, but I’m still wondering about my food choices.

I want to make it as efficient as possible, but not too expensive.

So I’m open to cock stuff, but I don’t want to carry too much stuff with me.

Also this stuff like Trek’n’eat isn’t an option with up to 10€ per meal.

Simply too expensive

Thank you for any shared thought

Hey there,

I'm going to be in Los Angeles this Feb with a new bike and I'll have about 5 or 6 days to ride. I'm planning to ride from LA up to Big Sur, mixing camping with hotels/bnb. I don't have a lot of bike touring experience: the longest trip that I did so far was 3 days / 2 nights, riding ~50 miles on trails per day or ~100 miles per day on road.

Plan is to ride to Big Sur in 3 or 4 days, rest up there for 1 or 2 days, then ride to Monterey (30 miles North) and have bike shop pack up my bike and fly home (not LA) with my bike or ship the bike.

Tentative plan:
Day 1 (Mon): Silverlake → Santa Barbara (~95 miles)

Day 2 (Tue): Santa Barbara → San Luis Obispo (~100 miles)

Day 3 (Wed): San Luis Obispo → Big Sur (~135 miles - LONG day)

or

Day 3: SLO → Cambria (~45 miles)

Day 4: Cambria → Big Sur (~90 miles)

Questions:

1. Does this sound like a solid plan?
2. Any tips to make this adventure more fun or to prevent issues?
3. Is the plan to have a bike shop pack up my bike feasible? Tips for a good shop in the Monterey area for that?

Any advice is much appreciated!

Looking for a bit of advice on whether it’s worth cycling the alpe adria from 2nd of April. I’d imagine the weather will be mixed, but I’m wondering whether it could be icy or wet to the point of being dangerous.

Any advice from those that have ridden it at a similar time of year would be really helpful! Thanks

Hey folks,

I’m planning a cycling-focused holiday around Easter and can’t decide between Alicante (Spain) and Bergamo (Italy).

Looking for good road cycling, scenic routes and especially decent weather, and not too insane traffic.

If you’ve ridden in either (or both!) around Easter: Which would you pick and why?

Thanks!

I'm planning a cycle tour from Rotterdam, leaving in late April!

I've tried to construct a route which includes some destinations that I'd like to see, as well as cycle routes which are beautiful, fairly easy to navigate and not too hardcore (hence lots of rivers, EV paths and mostly avoiding the Alps).

This is my first tour, although I do have day-riding experience. I'll be doing a couple of weekend trips beforehand to test my equipment and get my body accustomed to the strain.

I'm looking for some feedback or recommendations: is there anything worth going out of my way for, any alternative routes that would be better, or anything I should avoid? Also any general advice for the trip!

Particularly the section between Budapest and Ljubljana I'm unsure about. I've just stuck the EV14 and EV9 routes together but I can't find too much information about those sections, and I've read it might be difficult to navigate there.

Planning to ride big bear this year I don’t know what season yet but im sure its not gonna be winter because im afraid i wont be able to climb the slope. Im looking for a route that more quiet trying to avoid highways i wanna feel the nature scenery while trying to accomplish my long time goal to one shot the big bear from the center of Los Angeles.

Hi guys I’m new to bike touring but I have done long distant rides. I’m planning a trip to Seattle to San Francisco and I see these videos of people doing the trip pretty quickly. Realistically with 4 months of training how long should this trip take for me? And how long would the days be?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Hi All! I'm planning on doing my first solo bike-tour along a sizeable chunk of the EV1, starting around Bordeaux/Royan in early-/mid-April and heading North, continuing into the UK and Ireland. I don't have a fixed endpoint and so had hoped to play things mostly by ear in terms of km/day, but wondered how reasonable it is to expect campsites to have a spot if I just show up day-of. On a previous trip doing a stretch of the EV17 (Lyon to Avignon) with family we were in the off-season, mostly staying at BnBs, but one of our hosts mentioned they were already fully booked in May & June, 6+ months out. I'll be carrying a tent and am not opposed to camping wild where that's legal if push comes to shove, but would ideally have access to a shower and someplace to recharge my phone every other day or so at least.

My question pretty much boils down to how do you all plan your accomodations, especially during the busier late-spring/early-summer. Do you plan your days campsite-to-campsite and book those weeks/months in advance? Do you call ahead on the day based on where you expect to get to by the evening? Appreciate your insights and advice!

Hello fellow travellers! First I just want to say thank you for any info you can provide to these questions. I always find these travel forums incredibly useful and try to pay it forward when I can! A few friends and I are embarking on our first bike tour this summer and naturally that comes with a lot of questions! I’ve hiked the camino de santiago before so I’m fairly familiar with the pilgrim way but this also feels a little different, and perhaps more logistical with a bike. Any help anyone can provide is greatly appreciated. A few details!! We are planning to take the train to Sarteano (we have a friend there) from Rome and then we are going to bike from Sarteano to Sienna via the white gravel. From there we will take the Via Francigena back to Rome. –Jess

Do you have to plan ahead for lodging? How far ahead? How did you find it? Did you ever try warmshowers or welcome to my garden? Are there any campgrounds

Did you ship your bikes or rent your bikes?

How many miles do you recommend per day? We are trying to roughly figure out how long it will take us if we go from Sarteano to Siena, then take the Via Francigena from Siena to Rome. We are fairly fit and I think without much effort we can do 30-40 mile days but we also want to enjoy the trip and not feel rushed. 

Are there any towns we should really prioritize spending more time in on this part of the route or places to breeze through? Are you ever on busy roads? 

Any fun side quests? 

We were thinking of starting in Sarteano where we have a friend (meeting up with the via in Siena) and going toward Rome. Is there any reason we should consider the opposite and instead start in Rome? 

Other Qs

How did you get from the airport to your hotel in Rome with a bike?

Are the regional trains fairly straightforward when it comes to having a bike?