When I finally decided to make the leap and give bicycle touring a try for the first time. I made some many mistakes, which turned out to be very valuable lessons learnt.
It is recommend before you head out on your first proper large bike tour. That you go on a “test tour” for a couple of days or so. Just to get yourself warmed up to the lifestyle that is bicycle touring and bikepacking.
Thinking back since my first tour, this would have been a good idea. And would have saved me so much pain and misery.
But the purpose of this list is to help you cut the learning curve and save you making such mistakes. So you can make your bicycle touring experience 10 times better.
1 : Packing Way to Much Stuff!
This was the largest mistake of them all too be honest. It is quite embarrassing actually. On my first every tour. I packed my rear panniers full of way too many clothes. More then 50% of my panniers capacity was crammed full of clothes that I didn’t even get a change to wear.
It is important to only pack the essentials. The items that are going to serve you a significant purpose on your trip. There is no need to be carting around items that you are never going to use.
That is one of the things I love most about bicycle touring and bikepacking. It forces you into living a minimalistic lifestyle.
Funny story, this website that you are reading this post on was named in memory of this exact mistake! Cycle Travel Overload. But I hope to overload you with content and helpful information about ‘cycle travel’. Appose to you overloading your bike!
Before packing the item really think, are you going to use this item. If not throw it away!
2 : Not thinking about ‘gear distribution’
This idea plays on from packing too much gear. And that is to really consider evenly distributing your gear on your bike.
I learnt this from only have heavy panniers at the rear of the bike and no other bike bags anywhere else.
Having this kind of setup seems to wear down your back tyres much quicker. And the bike has more difficult handling.
Consider getting multiple other bike bags to relocate some of the weight on your bike to other areas. Ideally having some weight in a frame bag and a handlebar bag will help your bike have a lower centre of gravity and result it better stability and control.
3 : Not Slowing Down to Smell the Roses
On my first bike tour I used my road bike as I have mentioned in previous posts. And at the time of attempting this very first bike tour. I was very much into road racing. So I had this ride fast mentality.
This ultimately made my first bike tour experience like hell. Because I was riding fast up hills and challenging myself to cover as much distance as possible. I am going to talk about this idea next.
But what I didn’t realise until later on, is that bike touring is suppose to be slow and steady.
It is more about going fast enough to get there, but slow enough to see everything.
There is no real point in busting out the K’s unless you are on a tight schedule or trying to break a record. Instead stop a immerse yourself in culture, food, communicating with others. And basically be 100% present in the moment at hand.
I found after a couple of days of this race mentality riding. I was not enjoying my tour at all. I really questioned the idea of bike touring. And asked, Isn’t this suppose to be a fun and eye opening experience?
It seems from experience that you need too allow about 1 week before you get use to living on a bike. Within the first week, the sleep is terrible, the food, body stiffness, and everything is just uncomfortable. If you understand and allow your body to adapt and get use to these condition. Then after that bike touring is a breeze.
But because I was bull at a gate and racing to get to my destination. Instead of enjoying and being completely present in the moment. I ended up ending my tour and quitting within 5 days.
Please learn from my experience and just go wherever the road takes you. Don’t expect to be anywhere and go with the flow. Bike tours have a funny way of not going to how you planned, instead it might have something better to offer.
4 : Forget The Daily Mileage Goal
Leading on from my previous mistake in not slowing down. Also try to forget about the idea of having a daily mileage goal.
This is more of a personal choice, I think.
Depending if such goals are realistic and not so large that you never reach the 130 km you set out to ride that day.
The reasons for this may again reduce the enjoyability of your tour.
Now you may also need a daily average goal if you are on a tight schedule and you have exactly 30 days to get to a airport to fly out. Yes that makes total sense, but just plan it wisely
Personally I found when I set a goal. When I was touring the States to ride at least 100 KM everyday. I was constantly looking at the odometer much more then I should have.
Those moments when I was having a rough day, not feeling the best. I would focus too much on the figure in front of me and it would feel so overwhelming.
And from focusing too much on covering this magic number. I never really focused on just riding. And enjoying the ride.
5 : Never Wait to Poop
This one is maybe obvious. Don’t wait if you get the opportunity to use a toilet in town. Save yourself and just go. It is better for the environment when you don’t have to poop on it.
I have never been that unlucky were I waited to poop for so long that I had to wear it but hey! You never know.
6 : Bring Toilet Paper
Another mistake that leads from the previous mistake. Please for your own sake bring some Dunny paper.
Lets just say I have made this error before.
Do you really want to know the story?
Okay I will try not to get into too much detail here.
I was riding in rural Japan. And we came across this toilet. I needed to go so, upon entry I notice that they were all traditional Japanese toilets. You know the ones that your have to squat down to use?
Anyway after doing my business, I noticed there was no toilet paper. So I asked my cycling buddy Eric if he could get me some. But we also had no toilet paper on us either.
So yeah, closest thing I had was a styrofoam cup. Lets just say I was resourceful.
7 : When a Cool Local Invites You, GO!!
When Bicycle Touring you met some of the most incredible people and cool characters. Most often then not people on the road are so giving. They may offer you to come invite you to go somewhere or do something.
In my experience every time I have said Yes I never regretted it.
These opportunities are what make the most amazing and most memorable moments.
You will look back years later a remember these experiences as some of the best times you ever spent.
If you are worried about some of those people out there that may want to take advantage of you and do bad things. Then yes they are out there. But from my experience I have never had a bad moment. I try not to let this stop me from living some of the most cool times.
As long as you listen to your gut and intuition you will be fine. I maybe naive in a way on this subject. As I am a male and I know it is a little more worrying for women when travelling. But still this should not stop you. I know many amazing women who are out there riding the world.
I cannot count the number of wonderful people I have met will bike touring all over the world.
There have been so many different and unique encounters. Not knowing what the day holds and who and what I will be doing. Is what makes bike touring so magical.
8 : Not Using Waterproof Panniers
My first tour I ended up using rear panniers that a bought for like $30 on eBay. They were absolutely NOT waterproof. And my gear, as expected got wet.
Not only did all my stuff get wet. But also those panniers where the cheapest and most terrible product ever. They ended up ripping within 2 days of my tour. I had to zip-tie the bag bag together.
I think it is a good investment to buy panniers and other bike bags that are 100% waterproof. For me when I am buying some new bags my first question always is, are they waterproof?
It is not nice having to finish a day of riding in the rain and you want to warm up in your tent. And all your spare clothes are wet.
9 : Not Preparing Enough
Don’t get me wrong, When I say this I don’t mean over planning. Just preparing enough for your tour to make sure you are ready for the big adventure.
A really good tip, is to pretend for a week before you head off on your tour. That you are already on tour. For example, live off your bike when you are still home. Pack all your gear on your bike. And take it off as you need like you would on tour. When it is time to brush your teeth get it of your bike and practise living like you are touring the world.
Even go as far to cook your dinner with your camp stove, camp in your tent, and do everything as though you are touring.
Doing this will save the learning curve and adaptation that I explained earlier. And reduce your changes of giving up in the first week, if you find the experience uncomfortable.
Living this way, will help you create patterns and habits. You should pack everything back in exactly the same place it was as you unpacked. This will help you stay organised and just know where everything is.
You may even want to do some kind of training (I posted a article about this here) if you think you are not in the physical shape to ride on tour.
Practise riding your bike when it is fully loaded. Using it to commute to work or down to the shops. Will help you get accustomed to the handling of your bike.
Do you have the right bike for the job?
I talk about the things you should look for in a good touring bike here.
10 : Make Peace With Change
I never really took the time to understand the importance of the Yin Yang of the world. Every time I would experience something (that I perceived as bad) like getting wet in the rain or dealing with a unreasonable person. I would get mad and my overall experience of the tour, would suffer.
So I discovered the importance of accepting that things change. And there is always going to be bad and uncomfortable moments. As much as we would prefer to experience only the sunshine and rainbows, we also have to live through the mud and rain too. Understand this concept of the Yin and Yang of the world around us. I think is very important to a happy and content existence.
11 : Thinking That Bike Touring Was Scary, Complicated and Confusing
Over thinking about how scary and difficult I thought bike touring was. Really stopped me from taking any action. To just get my bike and go.
One of the fears I first had was camping in the wild all by myself. I am not sure why but I was very scared to solo camp. Maybe it is from watching to many horror movies. But these preconceived ideas really stopped me from experiencing the wonderful things that make bike touring great.
Once I realised how silly I was to think that stuff. The move I notice how much I was missing out on.
When you think about it is is not complicated at all. It is such a simple way of life. You really just have to focus on eating, pedalling, eating some more, and finding camp to rest. So simple, but yet I believe that, as humans we try to over complicate things when it is not necessary.
This is one of the main purposes behind why I have started this website. As I found myself feeling confused and challenged by the whole idea of touring. I wish to help others who are getting into this world of bicycle travel. And make your adventures less troublesome.
12 : Not Using A Brooks Saddle Sooner
Before making the transition, I used a standard road bike saddle, and then tried a gel glove over the seat. Both of these options over the long term on a bike tour. Don’t make the experience any better in my option. With the addition of padded cycling shorts. Which are great for the added comfort. I still ended up with chafing and discomfort.
The brooks saddles are super comfortable. Once your bum moulds into the saddle you don’t need to wear any type of cycling padding. And can be very casual in terms of cycling clothes.
I am a really big fan of the Brooks cambium C17 at the moment. A completely vegan saddle.
13 : Riding Only Tarmac
Most of my first few tours. I was automatically focused on riding on busy roads with little shoulders. It got to a point were it was driving me mad and was getting dangerous.
This was mostly because it was easier to plan a route. As I use Google Maps, I would add my current location and my planned end location for the day. And just travel where it suggested. Most of the time it took me on bust roads.
I discovered that it is much more peaceful and fun to explore the paths less travelled.
Making a transition into trying out bikepacking specific riding, has helped here to.
The serenity you get riding in remote wilderness is so much better then the well know highways.
14 : Don’t Skimp On A Good Sleeping Pad
I must say. I camped a lot of my first few tours on a yoga mat. It by no means was comfortable. If I could go back I would definitely make the investment into a quality, lightweight and comfortable sleeping pad.
Yoga mat sleeping was terrible. Haha, I would wake up feel under rested and I think it ended up compounding over the duration of my trips and had some effect on my overall experience.
Klymit have some budget friendly sleeping pad options ($47.99 on Amazon). If you are looking for well made pads that are likely to last the test of time. Thermarest and Sea To Summit make some great sleeping mats. If you can, look for the pads that are insulted for those winter months.
15 : When In Doubt, Stop and Eat Something
This last mistake, is important to understand so you eliminate the possibility of ended your trip early and giving up.
Most of time I made my decisions based on my mood. I didn’t eat nearly enough food then I probably should have considering my energy expenditure.
If doubt starts to set in, I best advice is to just stop find somewhere nice to eat some food and get your sugar levels back up. Get that glucose running through your system. Even have a nap if you need. You will feel so much better after.
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