Sometimes we are not planning to pack and just do that randomly. It causes a few problems on our journey that we made! So I am going to write some bike packing tips so that we can start your next trip organize way.
What We Will Cover
Pedaling Your Way Through The Blissful Wonders
Traveling by no doubt is one of the most exciting and interesting hobbies that you can indulge in. With the whole world to see and variety of people and cultures to meet, traveling has always held its position as something exciting. However, in the mix of airplanes, trains, and buses, people have forgotten what it’s like to feel the road you are traveling. This is why bike packing is so gripping and fascinating. Being able to be alone, feel yourself and ride towards your destination with the gushing wind hitting your face is an experience no first-class flight will be able to give you.
That being said, bike packing is not as easy as it may seem to be. Riding a bike on your block and riding it on the country roads for days are two completely different things. Nonetheless, if you are looking to go bike-packing alone or with your friends, then we will surely help you with that by providing some tips for your next bike-packing trip.
Some of these points may seem very simple and obvious, but at the end of the day, those are the ones that matter the most. So keep that in mind.
Safety First
Riding a bike on the country roads and highways is not easy and contains a significant risk as well. To be always safe, make sure you are wearing a helmet and as well as other safety gear like gloves, knee pads, and ankle pads. If you don’t want bad tan lines then you can wear a pair of sleeves as well.
Stay Hydrated
Riding a bike for such a long time on the trip would make your body tired and dehydrated. In that case, make sure that you are drinking water at multiple intervals. Take as many water bottles as you can. If your bike doesn’t have more than one bottle holder, then what you can do is get extra holders from the local bike store. They will come of immense help. In addition to carrying water, make sure that you have light and dry snacks like nuts and dry cakes as well. Avoid having heavy meals.
CARRY AS MINIMUM AS POSSIBLE
It goes without saying that you won’t be able to carry a lot of backpacks and stuff with you on your bike packing trips. You would need to carry as little as possible. There are different bike packing backpacks out there that you can get for super affordable prices. Do check them out. Another thing to keep in mind is that you wouldn’t want to carry the bag on your back while riding the bike. Rather, what you can do is let the bike carry the weight of the bag by attaching it to the frame of the bike.
Recharge Backup
No matter how much we talk about getting out of our phones and seeing the world out there, we cannot deny that we surely need our phones and smart devices to do that. Nonetheless, you would surely need your mobile phone to help you navigate. So, to keep those devices always juiced up, make sure you are carrying extra batteries and power banks.
Take Break
You will surely get tired on the trip when you will be pedaling for so long, also a bit bored to some extent as well. Nonetheless, to fight that boredom out, you can carry a book with you. Be it a hard copy or a pdf, the feeling that you will get from reading the book on the brink of a mountain or the side of a river is something that is incomparable.
Your Shelter
If you are looking to go on a long bike packing trip and also looking to camp on the road, then you would definitely need a sleeping bag and a tent. That is a must-have, because without that you won’t be able to take shelter anywhere. Luckily, there are small and compact tents designed especially for bike packers. As a result, you won’t have to worry about carrying huge tents with you.
CHECK EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT
As we mentioned before, bike packing has its fair share of risks associated with it. As a result, you would always want to stay as safe as possible. In addition to wearing safety gear, make sure that your tires are nice and hard and don’t have any leaks, the chains swift and smooth, handlebars positioned at your comfortable stance, and all of that. These may seem insignificant, but truly they make all the difference. A leaking tire or a displaced chain can cause severe accidents.
Any Mountain Bike Would Do
There is a misconception that in order to go backpacking out there, you would need to have the best bike out there. Well, not really. You can use a simple bike as well. However, do make sure that it’s a mountain bike because that will help you to ride through all sorts of terrain and roads.
Will To Ride
People often tend to get scared and terrified by the proposition of riding a bike for days. Well, there is nothing to get scared or freak out about. Bikepacking is something that is pretty easy and fun and not to mention exciting. It is not at all as extreme as some people make it be. We can assure you that if you are prepared physically and mentally and follow our trips then you surely won’t face any problem whatsoever.
Best of Luck