How to travel with your bike 

on an adventure (to a location of your choice)

Tips to get you on your way

by Sam Nolan

Sam is an avid cyclist and blogger. He has traveled to more than 10 countries with his bike and writes a lot about bikes and biking at his blog. When he’s not attending to his blog, he’s biking in the neighborhood.

One of Sam’s rules is “Don’t leave home without your bike.”

Has this statement been in your new year goals many times but you haven’t executed it yet? You have always wanted to travel abroad for a cycling vacation or to explore one of the world’s top cycling routes or to take part in one of the international cycling races. However, the dream seems to become elusive and you are beginning to think it will never happen. Don’t give up on that dream yet, you still have a chance to make it happen. This article will guide you on how to plan for your travel with your bike on an adventure.

• Decide on your dream destination

Make a list of the cycling destinations you are interested in visiting. Go ahead and note down as many as you can possibly think of, both local and international. Out of all the destinations listed, identify your top three that you would want to travel to in the next 6-12 months.

• Research your top three destinations

Find out when is the best time of the year to visit, weather patterns, requirements to travel to the destination and the local language of the country. Also consider whether to bring your own bike or rent, whether you will need to hire a cycling guide, the kind of terrains and trails in the country and regulations on cycling in the country.

Do extensive research of your destinations to identify possible trails, places to visit, activities to undertake and accommodation options. Read reviews given by people who have already visited the destinations to have a perspective of what to expect on your trip.

Consider whether you will be traveling alone or with your friends. It can be scary to travel alone to a foreign country. If you feel hesitant, consult a travel company to help you with planning your trip. Consider taking a guided biking trip for your first adventure bike trip in a foreign destination.

• Create a budget

To travel with your bike on an adventure is costly. It will cost you travel fees, luggage charges, tourist charges, food, and accommodations, among other expenditures. The extent of the cost will depend on your destination, activities you will undertake and the amount of time you will spend on the trip.

Be realistic about much it will cost you to take your dream bike trip. Do you already have a bike to take on your trip? If not, you can get the best mountain bike under $1000 dollars or a mountain bike under $500 to fit your budget.

Compare the destination country’s currency with your home country’s currency as exchange rates will affect your budget. Determine your daily travel budget in regards to accommodations, activities, food, and entertainment. Your largest costs will be travel and travel insurance costs.

Once you have come up with a budget estimate, set up a dedicated account to raise the amount of money you require to take up the trip. You can give your bank standing orders to deposit a given amount to the travel account, take an extra job to raise money or commit to saving a given amount every month towards your bike trip expenditure. Besides the estimated budget, ensure you set up an emergency travel fund in case of emergencies that could emerge while on your trip.

• Create a realistic timeline

Determine when you will travel and for how long. This will help you work around your work schedule and deadlines and family events. Look at your calendar to see what’s scheduled for the rest of the year and block a given time for your trip. The timeline should be realistic enough to help you raise the money you will need for the trip as well as to be able to achieve your other goals. Consider weather conditions in your destination and plan accordingly. If traveling in a group with family, friends or other cyclists, consult with each other to come up with a convenient time for the trip.

4. Commit

Once you have done your research, identified a location, come up with a plan for your trip, you will need to commit and follow through with your plan. Save as you planned and organize your activities throughout the year so that you free up the time you blocked out for your trip.

While you enjoy the thrill of just jumping on your bike and getting out to explore trails in your locality, traveling for an adventure to a new destination will be an experience of a lifetime. It will feed your mind, your body and your soul. While traveling with your bike on an adventure abroad can be stressful and expensive, the tips above will help you plan for a successful bike adventure to a location of your choice. Plan thoroughly and follow through with your plan. Soon you will have knocked off “Travel on a bike adventure to (a location of your choice)” from you bucket list.