As a self-organize their first bike tour

How to prepare for a bike tour

1. Plan your route and time

With self-organizing cycling trip will have to start from the route thread scheduling. You can use ready-made routes, laid out on the web, or select the desired direction and to determine what you want to see.

You can combine both methods of planning: to take a few ready-made itineraries, combine them and stretch the thread to the side of your object.

Once you have decided on the route and the need to point to Google Maps, or "Yandex. Maps »Use a ruler and measure the length of the path.

Online maps often do not take into account the peculiarities of the relief, so to the final length you can safely add 20%.

The more mountainous or hilly terrain, the longer it will be the actual distance.

After the construction of the route you need to break it down by day. For beginners it is not necessary to lay more than 60 kilometers per day. On the day of arrival and departure plan no more than 40 kilometers. The figure may seem fantastic, but in fact, it is achievable, because the march you will not be distracted pedestrians, dogs, children, cars and endless borders.

2. Gather all the necessary things

If you're going camping for the first time, you will likely be surprised at how many things you need to buy and take with you. In fact, everything is simple: the most expensive, with the proviso that the bike you already have - it's a tent, sleeping bag and equipment for campfire. Ask for these things with friends, acquaintances and relatives. Maybe you're lucky.

On the trip you will need:

paraphernalia

• Documents and money in a waterproof bag. If you are planning an overseas trip, then pay attention to the expiration date of the passport: it should not exceed 3 months, otherwise you are denied visa. Movement on the bike part of the insurance companies refers to dangerous sports, so be sure to visit, what your insurance covers all injuries. For trips in Russia take a medical insurance policy.
• A mobile phone that is able to determine the geolocation, and charger.
• Cup, spoon, fork, plate.
• Sunglasses. Excellent save from the sun and pesky flies, that and strive to speed to fly into the eye.

clothing

• Personal hygiene items and linen. Pay special attention to the microfiber towels - they take up little space, dry quickly, and instantly absorb water. After the hike, they will serve you very well in the fitness room.
• Thermal underwear and warm socks. No matter how hot the summer, you are not immune from rainy days and cold nights.
• Comfortable clothes. Pants must be tight or normal. If you are traveling in slacks, be sure to secure the right leg reflector or any other tape so that it accidentally hit the circuit.
• Rainwear.
• Shoes with hard soles and tread close to the foot does not slip on the pedals.
• Spare shoes in case of rain.
• Decent clothes if you plan to visit cultural places.
• Swimsuit.

Bicycle and accessories to it

• Helmet - a mandatory thing.
• Veloryukzak "pants" - a special backpack to the luggage carrier of the bicycle. It is better to take it than a regular a backpack. It is also possible to capture a cape of waterproof fabric.
• Cycling shorts with special inserts - an optional thing, designed to protect the most precious thing from rubbing.
• Bike Computer - always nice to know how you did it in a day.
• Cover on the bike, if will travel to transport to the launch pad. Many companies require passengers to get dirty packing luggage. For example, this rule applies to bicycle transportation on the subway, train, plane and some long-distance buses.

Personal camping equipment

• Sleeping.
• Compression moisture protection pouch. In it a sleeping bag takes up minimal space and certainly not get wet.
• Foam.

Equipment for all participants in the campaign

• First aid kit. It should have bandages, set to stop bleeding, pain relievers, drugs required for food poisoning, Warming sports ointment.
• Repellents against mosquitoes and ticks.
• Protective Spray from the sun.
• Power to all participants. If you will be traveling on a remote from civilization places, you'll have to stock up for the duration of the path. If you pass by residential areas exactly where there are shops, you do not load more than, and buy needed while traveling.
• Wet wipes.
• Trash bags.
• Tent.
• Bowler and povaroshka.
• Gas burner with the gas cylinder. It will gain in places where bonfires difficult or prohibited.
• Matches.
• Saw chain and ax.

Equipment service for bicycles

• WD-40, or any analogues of spray lubricants.
• Cable lock.
• Pump.
• Repair kit for the bike: multitul, spare spokes and the bicycle kit for sealing up the cameras.

3. Prepare the bicycle

Enjoy the journey can be spoiled by a breakdown of the bicycle. Refer to the workshop to hike up your spent his checkup, even if you are absolutely sure that the bike is OK. It is human nature to get used to the inconvenience.

Brake pad replacement or adjustment of the shift will take a couple of minutes, but you will feel the difference immediately after leaving the workshop. In the case of serious technical problems, you will get rid of the search an urgent solution to the road.

Practice at home and learn how to change the camera, pull the brake cables and adjust the height of the bicycle seat.

4. Bring yourself into shape before the trip

Take a few training sessions of 10-20 kilometers near his home or in the suburbs. If you are able to overcome the 20 kilometers in an urban environment, the cycling trip and 40-60 kilometers a day no problem.

Ideally, it is necessary to regularly ride for a month before the start of the campaign, or at least a few weeks. During this time, you will return to form and pritrotes to his bike.

If you have knee injuries, then add the personal first aid kit bandages or special knee pads for fixing the knee joint.

5. Install applications that facilitate the life of a traveler

Appendix OsmAnd or other analogues navigators, built on the principle of Open Street Map, - loyal assistant on a cycling trip. You will always see where you are and how far is left to the next point.

In the application, you can mark all the places of interest and share the route with other participants. It will always have at least one phone with the navigator, and in case of illness or injury of one of the participants in the group will be able to continue to go down the route, and some travelers will return to affected.

Free version OsmAnd allows you to upload up to seven cards.

You can also use other navigators, even Google Maps come in handy. In some cases, they surpass OsmAnd accuracy. OsmAnd the right shows the road and objects in areas near settlements, but can tell a lie in the less crowded areas.

Better to install multiple browsers and test them in the vicinity of his home. So you get used to the application and choose the most convenient option. The campaign is good to have several applications with download a map to orient in the situation, when on the road there is a map, but in reality it is not.

What if there is no time or desire to travel organization

If you do not want to risk and spend time organizing independent travel, you can use the services of specialized firms. You only need to the ability to ride a bike and payment of all expenses. Often, even a bicycle have no need: you will be given all the necessary equipment.

The Company undertakes route planning, catering, room reservations at hostels or houses in the campgrounds. With a group of traveling support machine that transports and personal belongings of participants can pick up those who are tired of the way.

You enjoy cycling to interesting places and completely free from organizational issues.

Place the adventure in this campaign, too, but they are usually scheduled.

In addition to the advantages, there are disadvantages: you have to give money for the organization, you are firmly attached to the group and the specific date of departure, can not stop at its own discretion in the way or turn off the route.

This method of travel is suitable for beginners, the doubters and those who have no friends among ardent velolyubiteley.

---

And seasoned travelers, and a beginner will find in the campaign something of their own. For some bike trips - a chance to lay out impressive numbers run in the bike computer and the speed of others - opportunity without haste and heavy backpack to see the place where no doydosh on foot and by car slipped and notice.

Special joy - to live on the road for several days or even a week, and then go back to civilization and at first wonder of hot tap water, comfortable kitchen with a stove and a well thought-out infrastructure cities.

Whether you like to ride a bike? Whether to participate in a cycling trip? Tell us about it in the comments.