If you believe the best way to see a place is on two wheels, powered by your own legs, you may have considered bike touring (that is, if you haven’t already tried it). While you can hire a bike touring company to take care of the logistics, if you’re looking for a little more independence, flexibility, and adventure, a self-guided bike tour might be right up your alley.
If that’s what you’re after, keep reading to find out what you need to consider when it comes to where to go, which bike to ride, what to pack, and how to approach your first self-supported bike tour.
What is bike touring?
While there’s no standard definition of bike touring, it generally means riding your bike from destination to destination over a period of at least several days, if not weeks, or even months.
While you can do a supported bike tour, where a company or professional guide gives you a route, provides support along the way, and arranges your meals and lodging, you can also do a self-supported bike tour, where you’re carrying your own gear. If you plan to camp and prepare your own meals, that includes a tent, sleeping bag, and a campstove.
With the exploding popularity of gravel cycling in recent years, you’ve probably heard a lot about bikepacking, which differs slightly from bike touring. While the two certainly overlap, “bike touring generally tends to cover longer distances, mostly on paved roads, and carrying more gear, often in panniers, whereas bikepacking tends to be shorter trips, ridden on more remote roads and challenging trails, and featuring a lightweight, streamlined bag setup,” says bike touring expert and video creator Sheelagh Daly.
How do you plan a bike touring route?
When it comes to deciding where you want to go, how much ground you want to cover each day, and how long your tour will last, the options are limitless. Below are a few factors to consider that will help narrow things down.
“If all of this feels overwhelming, you don’t have to start from scratch,” says Daly. She suggests exploring pre-constructed routes online, which will likely have a GPX file or a paper map to follow, signage to help you stay on track, and easily accessible resources such as food, water, and bike shops en route.
Other resources to help you plan include Google Maps, searching bike touring Facebook groups, or searching in an app like Komoot or Ride with GPS to see what other riders did in a particular area, says Daly, who has explored multiple continents by bike.
“It’s helpful to remember that no route-creating app is perfect,” Daly says. “Road conditions can change, construction can pop up, or an app can deem a road okay for cyclists that you do not feel safe on. That’s why I’ll often punch in where I’m heading from and to in two different apps. In this way, I can compare them and choose the one that feels best, while potentially having a back up if needed.”
Personal preferences
Think about what you value as you look at different routes, suggests Macs Adventure sales specialist Gavin Hermann. How much will road quality impact your enjoyment of the ride? Are you a foodie who wants to explore the local culinary scene? Do you want to be accessible to hotels? Would you rather explore the mountains or the coast? Are there certain historical or natural landmarks you’d like to include? All of these questions should come into play as you decide where to go, says Hermann.
Your fitness level
As you plan your route, consider how fit you are and how much you want to suffer during your bike tour. That means being realistic about how you’ll handle significant elevation gains and/or high mileage days, especially if you’re on a tight timeline and don’t have the flexibility to take a shorter day or a day off if you’re fatigued or not feeling well.
Logistics
You also need to decide where you want to stay each night, says Daly. Before planning your route, determine whether you’re looking for campsites, hostels, hotels, or a mix of all three. She also reminds would-be self-supported touring cyclists to think ahead about where you plan to get your food and water, and to plan a route accordingly.
“It’s also important to consider what types of roads you want to be on,” says Daly. Think about whether you prefer dirt roads versus paved roads, or busy roads with wider shoulders to quieter roads with small or no shoulders. Then ask yourself what types of roads your bike and set up are best suited for, she says.
Finally, look at whether there are any safety considerations on these roads or in the region, says Daly. Factors to consider may include crime rates, wildlife, and natural disasters that may affect the region you aim to explore.
Which bike should you ride on a bike tour?
“There’s a saying in the bike touring community that I love: ‘The best bike is the one you have,’” says Daly. In other words, there’s no need to worry about being on the “perfect” bike. As long as your bike is safe and comfortable, Daly suggests using whatever you have available.
That said, if you have a few options at your disposal, here’s what different types of bikes have to offer.
Touring bikes
“Touring bikes are going to be a hybrid between road bikes and hardtail mountain bikes,” says Hermann. As such, the frame will generally be heavier and the tires will be wider than a traditional road bike, making them sturdier and well-equipped to carry heavier loads. And with mounts built into the frame, they make it easy to carry all your essentials.
Road bikes
This is the most efficient option if your tour will mainly be on well-maintained roads, says Hermann. “You will get the most out of each pedal stroke because you are going to be riding in a more aggressive stance. You will have handlebar drops and typically have two chainrings (one large and one small) which will give you the ability to maintain a more efficient cadence,” he says.
That said, they aren’t designed to be loaded with gear, and will feature much narrower tires than a gravel or touring bike, which isn’t as comfortable on dirt roads or gravel paths.
Gravel bikes
Gravel bikes are heavier and therefore slower than a road bike; however, with wider tires, they provide more stability on varying terrain, says Hermann. They can also be great for carrying gear.
“Most gravel bikes come with mounting points built into the frame so you can attach frame bags thus making for a more efficient way to travel if you plan on bringing clothing, shoes, repair kits, etc with you while you ride,” says Hermann.
What should you wear on a bike tour?
If you’re comfortable in the saddle, you might not notice any bike seat pain, but if you’re not, it can ruin your trip. So, make sure you’re wearing the right shorts. “Invest in a good chamois [padded cycling shorts] that has been tested before setting off on your journey,” says Hermann.
You’ll also want to avoid wearing clothes that absorb moisture or cause chafing. “Always wear quick-drying clothing made of either synthetic or wool material. This goes for biking shorts, shirt, socks, gloves, and any layer that will be touching your body,” say Hermann. “The exception to this rule is a rain jacket, which will be made of a weather resistant shell that has a waterproof membrane.”
It’s also important that you feel good in whatever you bring. “Choose clothes you’re going to enjoy wearing, because you may be in them for many days,” says Daly. Not only should they be comfortable, but they should be clothes you’ve worn on the bike before. The last thing you want on a multi-day tour is unexpected chafing, itching, or other textile-related issues.
And whatever you do, bring plenty of layers so you’re ready for all kinds of conditions. Daly reminds readers to research the weather you can expect along your route and “plan for the worst.” That means not just planning for wet conditions, but also the cold temperatures at mountaintops and the sun exposure you’ll experience all day.
What gear should you bring on a bike tour?
As you would on any bike ride, make sure you have everything you need to fix a flat tire. That includes at least one replacement tube, a pump or a CO2 cartridge, tire levers, tire boot, and a patch kit. It’s also worth bringing a small first aid kit, says Hermann.
For general repairs and maintenance, Daly recommends a bike repair kit including chain lube, a rag, zip ties, a multi-tool, and duct tape. And depending on how long you’ll be away and how remote you’ll be, consider bringing spare parts. “Most importantly, work with your local bike shop or bike co-op to make sure you know how to use your kit,” says Daly. Your tools are useless if you don’t feel comfortable putting them into action.
If you’re camping, bring a reliable tent and sleeping bag, says Daly, adding that it’s even better if you have a chance to practice using them ahead of your trip.
At the risk of pointing out the obvious, make sure you know where you’re going and how to get there before you begin. “This can be as simple as a paper map with a waterproof cover, or an app like Komoot or Ride With GPS on your phone. You can also use a computer such as a Wahoo or Garmin,” says Daly. Whatever system you use, consider using another system as backup, as technology can fail.
Finally, don’t forget your basic safety items, such as a good helmet, a reflective vest, and reliable front and rear lights, says Daly.
How do you pack for a bike tour?
“In terms of bags, we are blessed with an abundance of options,” says Daly. Whether you opt for panniers, trailers, frame bags, fork packs, saddle bags, handlebar bags, or some combination, you’ll find something that works for you.
If your bike can accommodate a rear rack, Daly suggests a simple option of a pair of rear panniers and a handlebar bag. “The panniers give you space to take a few extra things as you figure out what you need or don’t, and the handlebar bag balances out the weight a little and gives you a spot to access your most important items quickly,” she says, adding that she always goes with a waterproof option to keep her belongings from getting wet or damaged.
Whatever you choose, remember to check your bike’s dimensions against the dimensions of any potential storage systems to ensure they’re compatible before you buy, says Hermann.
Pam Moore is an occupational therapist-turned-intuitive eating coach, certified personal trainer, and award-winning freelance writer with bylines in outlets including The Washington Post, Time, SELF, Outside, Runner's World, and others. Listen to her podcast, Real Fit, or subscribe to her newsletter, Real Nourished, at