Whatever the reason, there has never been a better time in history to find a bicycle touring companion!

In this resource, I’ll be sharing the best websites to find a partner for your next bike adventure. You can either jump in on somebody else’s bike trip or cast your proposal into the ocean of bike travellers to see if you get any bites.

If you are sharing a touring proposal, I’d recommend including:
– A photo of yourself with your bike (a picture is worth a thousand words, right?)
– Your travel style (do you like to stop at museums, or go for day hikes, or try the ice cream in every town?)
– The start and finish locations and an approximate timeframe
– Your fitness level and expected distance per day
– The number of days off you prefer per week
– Your preferred accommodation (camping, hotels)
– Your approximate budget (are we talking two-minute noodles or Michelin star restaurants?)

Without further adieu, I’ve ranked the best places to find a bicycle touring companion or bikepacking partner.

Cycle Touring Companions Facebook Group

How Active? 5 to 15 trip proposals per month
Link: HERE

Cycle Touring Companions is a Facebook group of 5000 members (July 2021). You will need to request access to this group, but the admins approve requests pretty quickly. Now you can wade through the trip proposals or add your own.

Warm Showers Request Companions

How Active? 8 to 10 trip proposals per month
Link: HERE

WarmShowers is a popular hosting website for bike travellers. On the website, you’ll find a forum section specifically for adding your trip proposal, and it’s pretty active too.

Adventure Cycling Association Companions Wanted

How Active? 5 to 10 trip proposals per month
Link: HERE

The Adventure Cycling Association mostly provide resources for bicycle touring in North America. On their website, you can find a page for companions wanted. These are mostly USA-based trip proposals, and conveniently, they are organised into regions or specific routes (there are a smattering of trip proposals for Europe and Asia too).

CrazyGuyOnABike Companions Classifieds

How Active? 1 to 4 trip proposals per month
Link: HERE

CGOAB is mostly a journaling website for bike travellers, but if you dive into the classifieds section, you might just find your touring or bikepacking partner here.

CycleTouring.org

How Active? 1 to 2 trip proposals per month
Link: HERE

CycleTouring is a bit less active, but the trip proposals are seemingly for big overland journeys that are further into the future.

If you know of other *active* websites for finding bicycle touring companions, please let me know in the comments.

The post How To Find A Bicycle Touring Companion or Bikepacking Partner appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

Their experience of cycling around the world is very different from mine. I am two metres tall and never have to deal with any physical or verbal confrontation. I don’t have to manage a period, politely turn down sex, discuss why I’m not married or think too much about my personal safety.

Going on your first bike trip alone can be a nerve-racking experience. The instinct is to team up with a partner or friend, but it’s not always possible – I’ve previously found that waiting for others has held me back from going on adventures…

In light of this, I’ve created this portal to provide women with enough resources and inspiration to go from dreaming about a bike trip, to building the confidence to get out there and explore the world on a bike. I believe that by understanding how to deal with various situations (perhaps more so as a solo women cyclist), you can reduce any fears or anxieties you may have.

I haven’t listed any specific advice for women travellers here. Instead, click through the following links with the contact information for the solo women cyclists I’ve met, hosted, cycled with, read about and followed on social media.

These women are great role models, and many have written on their blogs about how to deal with issues unique to travelling as a solo woman. I hope this portal helps!

Touring Websites and Groups For Women Travellers

Women Cycle The World – A handful of profiles on solo women travellers
Bicycle Travelling Women – More profiles on solo women cyclists
Bicycle Travelling Women – Facebook Group with 6000+ members
Solo Women Cyclist Interviews – A series of interesting interviews by Heike Pirngruber

Around The World – Solo Women Cyclists

Ann Johansson – Mairawa – Cycled Sweden to Tajikistan and Sweden to Thailand
Anna Kitlar – Bikexploring – Cycled North America, Asia to Europe, Africa
Anne Westwards – Anne Westwards – 1.5 years through Asia and the Middle East
Astrid Domingo Molyneux – Cycling Full Circle – 2 years through Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America
Blanca Fernandez – Blanca on a Bike – Cycled London to Asia, now travelling Africa
Blandine – Kick The World – 5 years, 57000km, 37 countries
Barbara Graf – Caretaker – Long bicycle journeys all over the world
Carmen Mickley – Vegan Cycling – 41,250km, 31 countries, three continents, three years
Cinderella Servranckx – Cycling Cindy – 50000km across 45 countries
Dervla Murphy – Full Tilt – Ireland to India on a bicycle… in 1963! Check out her book on the experience.
Dorothee Fleck – Women’s Cycling Guide – 12 years, 98 countries, 180,000km by bike
Eleanor Moseman – Wander Cyclist – 2 years, 26,000km, China, Mongolia & Central Asia
Emily Chappell – That Emily Chappell – Europe to Asia, North America and currently focussing on ultra-endurance cycling
Ewa Świderska – Ewcyna – Travelling by bike around the world since 2013
Fredrika Ek – The Bike Ramble – 1000 days around the world, 51000km, 45 countries, 25 years old
Gaëlle Bojko – Bike to the Blocks – One year around Europe, Lake Baikal in Siberia (lots of snow!)
Genevieve Fortin – On The Bike Again – Has cycled dozens of countries since 2006
Heike Pirngruber – Push Bike Girl – Travelling by bike around the world since 2013, an amazing photographer
Helen Dainty – Hels on Wheels – Cycling for six years (so far!), three continents, 43 countries on the bike
Helen Lloyd – Helen’s Take On – 45 countries, 45,000km, four continents
Hera van Willick – Wild Awake – Cycled extensively in Europe, Asia, North & Central America
Hyojin “Jin” Jeong – Universe With Me – 80000km around the world since 2011
Ishbel Holmes – World Bike Girl – Cycled 20 countries over three years
Jeannette Gagne – A Voyage of Mysterious Me – Cycled to the “North Pole”, in Oceania and currently in Africa
Jenny Graham – JennyGrahamIs – Fastest woman to cycle around the world (124 days)
Joanna Kaszewiak – On By Ways – Europe to Asia by bike, bus and plane
Josie Dew – Josie Dew – 35 years of solo adventures, author of seven bicycle touring books
Jude & Astrid – Foons On Bikes – Australia to the UK, then the UK to South Africa
Juliana Buhring – Juliana Buhring – Around the world in 152 days, ultra-endurance extraordinaire
Kate Leeming – Breaking The Cycle – Lots of big bike expeditions since 1993
Lael Wilcox – Lael Wilcox – Extensive touring experience with her ex-partner, more recently has won ultra-cycling events solo
Leana Neimand – Leana Neimand – Around the world since 2007, 89 countries, seven continents
Loretta Henderson – Solo Female Cyclist – Cycled five continents, 51 countries, author of a book for solo women cyclists
Louise Sutherland – Louise Sutherland – Cycled 60,000 kilometres through 54 countries in the 1940s through to the 1970s
Lydia Leibbrandt – Lydia Leibbrandt – The Netherlands to China as a 20-year-old
Mareike Dorf – Mina Travels The World – Cycled Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia and NZ
Marielle Jauring – The Biking Viking – 39000km across Australia, NZ, USA and Canada
Martina Gees – Colorfish – Five years, 25 countries, 60,000km in multiple continents
Mirjam Wouters – Cycling Dutch Girl – Cycling all over the world, now with a toddler!
Nicole Heker – Unlearning By Bike – 22 countries, 377 days, Thailand to Spain
Phoebe Tan – Riding Cyclette – Northern Europe to South East Asia
Sarah Outen – Sarah Outen – London to Russia’s far east, also long-distance ocean rower and kayaker
Snezana Radojicic – Snezana Radojicic – Cycling around the world since 2011
Tara Weir – Margo Polo – 21 countries, 37,000km, extensive travels through Asia in particular, but also Aus, NZ & N.America
Valentina Brunet – Valentina On Wheels – 25000km from Vietnam to Italy

The Americas – Solo Women Cyclists

Anna Kortschak – A Thousand Turns – Alaska to Argentina (Europe too!)
Anna McNuff – Anna McNuff – Bolivia to Patagonia and 50 states of the USA
Anna-Luisa Becke – Radmaedchen – Canada to Guatemala, 10000km, 10 months
Cynthia Valladares – En Bici al Fin del Mundo – Ecuador to Patagonia as a 24-year-old
Hilde Green – Working On My Calves –  30,000km bike trip from Alaska to Argentina
Juli Hirata – Juli Hirata – Alaska to Argentina
Kate Rawles – Carbon Cycle Kate – Brazil to Patagonia on a bamboo bicycle she made herself
Leah Manning – Cycle South Chica – Cycled from the USA to Argentina
Maria Garus – Solo Woman Cyclist – Alaska to Argentina, 24000km, 33 months
Stefania Cioldi – She Is Around – Cycled about South America with a very cute cat
Sissi Korhonen – Strangerless – Argentina to Mexico over three years
Wiebke Lühmann – Pack and Tri – Colombia to Argentina over six months as a 23-year-old

The Big Women On Wheels Book

There is a book you can buy that has personal accounts from more than 100 solo women cyclists!

This book has opened my eyes to the myriad of techniques women sometimes employ to travel the world on a bicycle. One technique that sticks in my mind is to not smile at men in various parts of the world, as it implies you’re open to sex.

Big Women On Wheels is US $8.50 and you can get a copy HERE. 

Am I Missing Any Women Who Have Conducted Big Solo Bike Adventures?

My criteria for this list (just to keep it somewhat exclusive):
– The rider has completed one or more solo 10,000km+ bike journeys.
– The journey is across multiple continents (eg. Europe to Australia, Europe to South Africa, North & South America).

The post These Solo Women Cyclists Have Epic Bicycle Touring Experience appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

Sorry Android users, this is just a quick public service announcement to iPhone users…

Here’s Why MapOut Is King For Navigation

1. The maps are offline – you just download the tiles you need (only a few megabytes each) and you can roam anywhere.
2. Contour lines and hiking trails are shown.
3. You can choose A and B locations, and MapOut will create a route based on walking, cycling, road size and elevation gain.
4. You can draw routes with your finger and see the distance, elevation profile and vertical metres gained in real-time.
5. You can adjust routes with your finger too, just trace from your existing route to the roads you want to use.
6. Analyse specific sections of your route by adjusting the A and B points.
7. 3D tilt allows you to see what the terrain looks like!
8. Instant point-to-point elevation profiles by holding two fingers on the screen.
9. Easily import GPX routes that you’ve created or downloaded from elsewhere.
10. Easily export GPX routes that you’ve created or modified in the app.

What Are The New Features?

When you click on a segment of your route:
– It will tell you the elevation gain and loss for the section between your A and B points (you can adjust them).
– It shows the maximum gradient up and down.
– It gives both estimated walking and riding times (riding time is without much luggage).

You Can Get MapOut In The App Store For $4.99, No Subscription And Free Map Tiles For The Entire World!

The post MapOut, The Best Smartphone Mapping App – Just Got Updated! appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

You start with the book, Touring With A Sense Of Urgency.

The Comprehensive Guide To Bikepacking Racing

Bikepacking racing is a new and unique skill set, thanks to its self-supported nature. You ideally need to understand a lot about bikes, equipment, nutrition, hydration, training, psychology, weather conditions and sleep management. It takes years to build a sound understanding of all of these topics.

After years of experience, ultra-athletes Jesse Carlsson and Sarah Hammond have put together the book they wish they had before their first bikepacking race.

Here’s why Sarah and Jesse’s book is the best information you’ll find on bikepacking racing:
1. They know more about bikepacking racing than almost anyone else on the planet.
2. They’ve run one of the only training courses specifically for bikepacking racing.
3. They’ve played a big role in preparing other Australian ultra-athletes to win events like the Tour Divide and Trans-Am.
4. They’ve designed and tested numerous bikepacking-specific race bikes under the brand Curve Cycling.
5. Jesse is the mastermind behind Australia’s two biggest bikepacking races – the Indy Pac and Race To The Rock.
6. Amongst their palmares are 4x Race To The Rock wins, a Trans-Am win, a 2nd place in the Tour Divide (behind the unstoppable Mike Hall) and a 3rd place in the Indian Pacific Wheel Race (at the time it was tragically cancelled with only a few hundred kilometres remaining).

With this kind of background, it is not surprising Jesse and Sarah spend half their life talking about bikepacking. I’ve personally seen them pour huge amounts of time into immediate responses to Instagram DMs in between sips of beer.

“We get asked countless questions by people interested in bikepacking racing, bike touring and flashpacking. At times the volume of questions has been incredibly overwhelming. Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day to respond to everyone.”

– Jesse Carlsson

The 290-page book they’ve just finished piecing together not only answers everything they’ve ever been asked, but it fills any possible information voids by laying out their complete approach to racing. I’ve just finished reading the book cover-to-cover and I’m certain there is no stone left unturned. This really is the comprehensive guide to bikepacking racing!

You can get a digital copy of their book for AU$35 (US$23/€21/£18 at the current exchange rate).

Book Chapters and Page Samples

Chapter 2: WHAT IS UNSUPPORTED BIKEPACKING RACING?
Race Tracking
Why Is Bikepacking Racing Special?
Why Do We Love Bikepacking Racing

Chapter 3: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO RACE?
Why Do You Want To Race?
How to Choose a Race
Working Out a Budget for Racing

Chapter 4: TRAINING FOR BIKEPACKING RACES
Bike Fitness
Mental Strength
Experience

Chapter 5: TRAINING PLANS FOR BIKEPACKING RACING
Strength on the Bike
Power
Recovery

Chapter 6: RACECRAFT
Daily Distance Target
Sticking to Your Plan
Getting the Fastest Time Possible

Chapter 7: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SLEEP AND THE LACK THEREOF
How to Stay Awake
Discover the Beauty of Power Naps
Efficient Sleep Systems

Chapter 8: COURSE RESEARCH
Race Logistics
Elevation Profiles

Chapter 9: LET’S RACE!
Mental Preparation
Race Day

Chapter 10: THE LONG HAUL – BEYOND DAY THREE
The Emotional Rollercoaster
The Seven Day Barrier – Resisting the Urge to “Just Finish”
Various Health Issues

Chapter 11: THE RECOVERY
Physical Recovery
Mental Recovery
Tips to Help with Recovery

Chapter 12: RACE NUTRITION
Electrolytes
Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements
Important Foods

Chapter 13: WATER
Water Consumption for Experienced Racers
Water Storage
Water Treatment

Chapter 14: THE PACK LIST
Clothing
Sleeping Gear
Tools and Maintenance
Spare Parts and Repairs

Chapter 15: HOW TO PACK YOUR BIKE
General Principles
Bike Bags
How to Pack a Bike

Chapter 16: SELF CARE AND AVOIDING OR MANAGING COMMON INJURIES
Self Care Routine
Saddle Sores
Hand Damage
Neck Issues
Hot Foot
Knee Pain

Chapter 17: BIKE SET-UP
Tyres
Aerobars
Saddle

Touring With A Sense of Urgency Can Be Downloaded HERE

The post The Comprehensive Guide To Bikepacking Racing: Learn Everything In One Book appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

The way I’ve ranked this list is simple. Each of the 150 cyclists got three votes to cast, and I simply tallied up the results. In the end, 80 different countries were favourited, which is pretty cool because that means most corners of the world have something, for somebody.

Incredibly, 18% of all long-distance cyclists in the survey agreed on one country in particular – and I don’t think you’ll be able to guess which country it is!

Data sources:
Bicycle Touring Infographic (2016)
Best Bicycle Touring Destinations and Blogs (2019)

Kyrgyzstan (10th Place)

Coming in at #10 is Kyrgyzstan.

This Central Asian country is exactly as exotic as it sounds, offering wild camping under picturesque mountain backdrops, along with gorgeous traffic-free backroads and challenging remote cycling routes through the grassy hills of the western Himalayas.

The Kyrgyz families you’ll meet will be exceptionally-friendly – they spend about half their time with huge herds of horses in the most isolated pockets of the country, welcoming you into their yurts – gold smiles glimmering – to experience one of the last truly nomadic cultures. My advice to you is to politely decline the fizzy horse milk that will inevitably end up in your hand!

Buzzwords: robust and rich culture, Silk Road history, most beautiful country, stunning geography, beautiful, Himalayan mountains, grassy hills, exotic, undiscovered, interesting, remote, entrenched in nature, challenging, no traffic, camping, people, vibe, welcomed into yurts.

Kyrgyzstan was favourited by 12 long-distance cyclists.

Chile (9th Place)

Chile is over 4000km long, which allows it to offer almost unbelievable geographic variations, from the high altitude moon-scapes and crystal blue lakes of the north, to the temperate rain forests of the south, to bobbing icebergs in the Patagonian Ice Field and jagged peaks of Torres del Paine National Park.

In Chile, you’ll find endless dirt roads across dry deserts, past picture-perfect lakes, over 5000m high passes, and through fresh conifer forests – and you can basically throw a stone and it’ll be the perfect place to pitch your tent.

It’s worth noting that long-distance cyclists often voted for Chile and Argentina together as the region known as Patagonia. I decided to award half a vote to both these countries, but if Patagonia was a country, it would rank third on this list.

Buzzwords: otherworldly, surreal, expansive, mountain passes, snowy mountains, big skies, clouds, herders, 6000m volcanoes, nature rules, harsh, camping, altitude, mineral deposits, salt flats, blue lakes, desert, rugged, flamingos, alpacas, involved riding, gravel roads, remote tracks, demanding, solitude, adventures, people, little traffic, rewarding.

Chile was favourited by 13.66 long-distance cyclists.

Mexico (Tied For 6th Place)

Running an equal sixth place with two other countries, Mexico is a developing country gifted with incredible landscapes, a fascinating history, a rich culture and a world-famous cuisine. You will find yourself cycling through vast deserts, across rugged mountains, into evergreen jungles, and along endless beaches.

Go off the beaten track to discover the most-friendly Mexicans, including large indigenous populations who speak languages you didn’t even know existed. And make sure to immerse yourself in the expansive ancient ruin sites to imagine what life would’ve been like as a Mayan or Aztec all those years ago.

Buzzwords: deserts, mountains, ocean, sparsely-populated, undeveloped, camping, skies, nature, hilly, jungles, canyons, beaches, ancient ruins, wildlife, people, kindness, quiet roads, food, indigenous, authentic, cheap, low traffic

Mexico was favourited by 14 long-distance cyclists.

India (Tied For 6th Place)

There is nowhere on Earth like India.

When you first arrive, it’ll be an attack on your senses, with vibrant colours, the best and worst smells, loud horns and the excitement for life that Indian cities are renowned for. The rough roads in the breathtaking mountainous north are the popular zone for bike travellers – there you’ll discover quiet roads, hill tribes, clifftop monasteries and traditional cultures.

For a real challenge, check out one of the highest roads in the world in Ladakh, which exceeds 5000m in elevation.

Buzzwords: North Himalayas, north-east (Sikkim), north-west, dramatic landscapes, colourful rocks, quiet roads, Buddhist monasteries, stunning valleys, dirt roads, sandstone, rivers, big sky, waterfalls, tribal, food, colours, smells, buzz, diversity.

India was favourited by 14 long-distance cyclists.

Australia (Tied For 6th Place)

As an Australian, I’m pretty stoked to see my own country liked by so many bike travellers!

Australia is the world’s sixth-largest country by landmass, and is home to a continent’s worth of different landscapes, along with the oldest continuous culture in the world – the Aboriginal Australians. The crimson red centre offers never-ending dirt roads, open horizons and a very testing climate. Tracing the coasts, you’ll find everything from the best beaches in the world, alpine terrain (complete with snow cover), colossal-sized coral reefs, lush rainforests and an abundance of strange animals – which I think are the coolest on Earth.

There are hundreds of little historic towns in between the very cosmopolitan cities; make sure to drop past the pubs to discover the one-of-a-kind Australians that frequent them.

Buzzwords: long mountain ranges, scenery, outback, rainforest, alpine, farming, small towns, beautiful, beaches, cities, red, horizons, big, vast expanses of nothingness, vibrant, crimson-coloured tracks, challenging, sense of achievement, never-ending tracks, kangaroos, solitude, climate, temperature, freedom.

Australia was favourited by 14 long-distance cyclists.

Iran (5th Place)

Iran is the most misunderstood country in the world, both culturally and geographically.

The Iranian people could not be any more different from the governments representing them. Iranians will stretch your perception of what it means to be kind and open, and they will show you just how much more you can give and share in your life. As a cyclist, you will be offered friendship, city tours, food and a place to stay almost every day, with no strings attached.

The landscapes are also much more than a desert – Iran has four seasons, a mountain range with peaks towering over 5000 metres, dense forests and an abundance of wildlife. Mix in the unique Persian culture, and long and fascinating history, and it’s not hard to see why Iran is a touring favourite.

Buzzwords: misunderstood, mountains, beautiful, landscapes, diverse nature, deserts, mind-blowing, world’s friendliest people, loving people, welcoming, open-hearted, interested, generous, helpful, most-hospitable, ancient sites, architecture, cheap, music.

Iran was favourited by 16 long-distance cyclists.

China (4th Place)

Along with India, China is one of the most polarising destinations in the world.

The culture feels foreign to even the well-travelled, so it’s the kind of place you need to take by the horns and accept the myriad of challenges it will throw at you. As you make your way across the provinces, you’ll be discovering some wildly curious people who live in a country that operates very differently to your own. Immerse yourself in the historic towns, amazing food

If you’re drained by the idea of a large population, 19 out of 20 Chinese people live in the eastern provinces, which leaves the rest of the country surprisingly empty with vast areas of gorgeous nature.

Buzzwords: Yunnan, Sichuan, West, Karakorum, jungles, Tibetan Plateau, stunning, remote, wild, scenery, deep indigo sky, turquoise lakes, cultural challenge, curious/nice people, traditional old towns, red lanterns, polarising, Tibetan culture, low traffic, yaks, food, vast landscapes.

China was favourited by 17.5 long-distance cyclists (the other 0.5 was awarded to Pakistan as part of the Karakorum Highway).

Tajikistan (3rd Place)

Coming in at number 3 is Tajikistan with its famous Pamir Highway cycling route.

Although a superhighway of bike tourers in the summer months, the route is still rough and testing of you and your equipment. Ride along rollercoaster sections of road, past rusting tanks and crumbling watchtowers and parallel to mountains that are so remote they’ve literally never been summited.

Buzzwords: Pamir Highway, Wakhan corridor, beautiful, remote, challenging, rough, rewarding, high altitude landscapes, flowers, rusting tanks, crumbling watchtowers, turquoise rivers, ever-changing mountains, breathtaking, otherworldly, terrain, moon-like, silence, space, adventure, fresh produce, camping, kindest people, most curious people, traffic-free.

Tajikistan was favourited by 23 long-distance cyclists.

United States of America (2nd Place)

The United States of America is home to a diverse network of ever-changing environments, making it ripe for being explored on a bike. The landscapes include everything from wild rock formations, through to deep canyons, vast desert expanses and pristine redwood forests.

If you prefer solitude, there are enough low-traffic roads to keep to yourself, but if you’re feeling more social you can take on popular bike routes such as the Pacific Coast to bump into like-minded travellers. The best cycling routes have been mapped by the Adventure Cycling Association, who provide information about their touring network which currently spans a staggering 47,000 miles. Although the big skies make it feel like it, you are never too far away from services in the USA.

Buzzwords: Alaska, Pacific Coast, Great Divide, canyons, deserts, infinite skies, changing environments, forestry roads, mountain views, wilderness, animals, forests, rock formations, lots of cyclists to meet, facilities, good roads, camping, silence, vast.

The USA was favourited by 24 long-distance cyclists.

Turkey (1st Place)

The country voted the long-distance cyclist’s favourite is Turkey. It’s also right up there for me, but I had no idea that 18% of bike travellers agreed!

Turkey is a dream destination that offers the complete package, from quiet roads, to idyllic towns, sunny beaches, diverse landscapes, and a very interesting cultural bridge between Europe and Asia.

Turkey has a long and fascinating history, with ancient ruins dating back as far as 12,000 years, along with cheap and tasty food and a great climate for cycling, even in winter. The cherry on the top is the warm and welcoming Turkish people who offer extreme kindness to bike travellers, inviting you over to share a sweet çai (tea), a game of backgammon and maybe even a place to stay.

I really shouldn’t be surprised by Turkey coming in at number one, it pretty much ticks all boxes – from comfort to curiosity. As a result, I think it certainly deserves the top spot on this list.

Buzzwords: Eastern Turkey, Istanbul, Cappadocia, Anatolia, South Coast, a cultural bridge between Europe and Asia, warm/friendly/generous/welcoming/hospitable people, extreme kindness, invites to tea, untouched, quiet roads, village life, idyllic towns, few tourists, landscape diversity, turquoise sea, snow-capped mountains, high altitude plains, narrow canyons, deserts, campsites, feeling of adventure, fruit direct from farmers, delicious food, baklava, weather, history, interesting culture.

Turkey was favourited by 27 long-distance cyclists.

Were You Not Surveyed But Love Crossing Continents? I’d Love to Hear Your Three Favourite Countries In The Comments Below

1st – Turkey (27)
2nd – USA (24)
3rd – Tajikistan (23)
4th – China (18.5)
5th – Iran (16)
=6th – India (14)
=6th – Australia (14)
=6th – Mexico (14)
9th – Chile (13.66)
10th – Kyrgyzstan (12)

11th – Scotland (11)
12th – Argentina (10.66)
13th – Peru (10)
14th – Bolivia (9.66)
15th – France (9.5)
=16th – Laos (9)
=16th – Colombia (9)
=16th – Thailand (9)
=19th – Canada (8)
=19th – Japan (8)

Other Countries By Points
7.33 – Norway
7 – Oman
6 – Switzerland, NZ
6.5 – Italy
5 – Spain, Morocco, Mongolia, Namibia, Nepal, Albania
4.5 – Pakistan
4 – Indonesia, Kenya, South Korea, Cambodia, Sudan, Vietnam, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Bulgaria, Ecuador
3.66 – Tanzania
3.5 – South Africa, Germany
3.33 – Sweden
3 – Cuba, Greece, Malawi, Armenia, Angola, Denmark, Myanmar
2.5 – Austria
2 – Montenegro, Iceland, England, Romania, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan
1.66 – Uganda
1.5 – Russia
1.33 – Finland, Rwanda
1 – Brazil, Bhutan, Zambia, Afghanistan, Mali, DRC, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Trinidad
0.5 – Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Liberia
0.33 – Kenya

The post The Top 10 Countries To Travel By Bike (According To 150 Continent-Crossing Cyclists) appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

Inside you’ll find:
– 2019 events
– Training advice
– How to pack ultralight
– Tracking information

Make sure to click on the magazine to go full screen.

https://readymag.com/1244754

The post The 2019 Ultra Endurance Bike Racing Manual – By Apidura appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

Lots of people in the ultra-distance bike racing world have shown how minimal you can go if you have the impetus. It still impresses me that some riders complete three-week races with less than 10 litres of total volume (eg. half frame bag + xs saddle bag). While being this minimal gives us a glimpse of what’s possible, this article will add a level of comfort and practicality to ensure the advice is as realistic as possible for self-supported bike adventures.

Right, let’s get stuck into it!

General Advice For Creating An Ultralight Bikepacking Kit

Take only what you need.
It’s obvious, but it’s time to be realistic about the necessity of each item. I learned how to pack less gear by restricting my bag volume. With just 30-litres, you’ll be forced to think super hard about every single item you want to take.

Multi-use items.
Clothes are the prime example. Wear your rain jacket as a warmth layer when it’s cold. Ride in t-shirts and shirts instead of cycling-specific jerseys. Wear running shoes that you can ride and hike in, or clip-in shoes for everything if you’re not the walking type. Another multi-use item is a smartphone because they’re capable of meeting your navigation, communication, photography and research needs.

Food and water are heavy.
You only need to take the food and water you’ll use between each re-stocking point. Eat big in towns and snack in between. Dehydrated foods are obviously a real winner for backcountry stuff. Think pasta, rice, oats, lentils, mushrooms and dried fruit. High-calorie foods go a long way too, I tend to always have a stash of nuts and seeds.

Start reducing the weight of heavy things first as they often have the most weight to lose:
1. Bike (7-12kg)
2. Tent (sub-1500g)
3. Sleeping Bag (sub-1000g)
4. Sleeping Mat (sub-500g)
5. Cooking equipment (sub-500g)
6. Lightweight clothing and accessories (sub-200g, but the total suite can add up)

Bikepacking and Light Touring Bikes

If you’re packing light, your bike is a great place to drop lots of weight. Some individual components offer big savings if you’re savvy enough.

Folding Tyres
The most effective location to reduce weight is your tyres. Tyres come in two varieties: one uses a wire bead to give the tyre its shape, and the other a folding kevlar bead. Many bikes come stock with wire bead tyres which are heavier and use low-grade rubber compounds. Folding tyres work out more expensive, but the dollars-per-gram saved is often excellent. Keep in mind that a heavier tyre may actually have a lower rolling resistance, resulting in faster cycling speeds!

Lightweight Tubes or a Tubeless Setup For 2.0”+ Widths
Tubes can be heavy. A thin, lightweight tube is often only a little bit more expensive than a regular tube but it can be less than half the weight. If you’re running wide tyres, tubeless setups tend to offer the lightest solution and the sealant does a great job of sealing small holes. For spares, the Tubolito tubes are almost certainly the lightest (and most expensive) out there.

Wheels
If you upgrade the wheels on your stock bike, you can likely drop 500+ grams. It’s not necessary to use expensive carbon wheels either; you’ll find sub-1500 gram road wheelsets and sub-1600 gram off-road wheelsets built using aluminium rims. The main benefit of a carbon rim is the increased wheel stiffness they offer.

Mountain Bike Fork
If your bike has suspension, do you really need it? A carbon rigid fork can weigh between 500-600 grams which will be a huge saving from the usual suspension fork weight of 1500-2500g. Aluminium rigid forks are a more cost-effective option, typically weighing between 600-1000g.

Seatpost
Many stock bikes come with very heavy aluminium posts. I recommend fitting a carbon seatpost to save 100-200 grams, but more importantly, to achieve a smoother ride due to the additional flex built-in.

Rack
If your bike came with a rack, the chances are it’s heavy. You can get away with lighter racks with reduced payloads when you’re packing minimally.

For US $1000 you can expect:
– Your road bike setup to be under 10kg
– Your cyclocross bike setup to be under 11kg
– Your mountain bike setup to be under 12kg

For your ultralight kit, aim to have everything under 20kg, including the bike.

Luggage

If you’re currently using four standard panniers, you can get some pretty decent weight savings with a change of luggage. By switching to bikepacking bags you’ll get the aerodynamic advantage too.

Panniers
Arkel DryLite 30 Litre Panniers – 540 grams
Tubus Airy Titanium Rack – 233 grams
Tubus Vega Evo Steel Rack – 440 grams

Bikepacking Bags
Wild Cat Handlebar Harness + Drybag 13 Litres – 214 grams
Lone Peak Handlebar Hauler + Drybag 13 Litres – 325 grams
Ortlieb Handlebar Pack 15 Litres – 430 grams
Ortlieb Seat Pack 16.5 Litres – 417 grams

I’ve written in detail about the bikepacking bag vs pannier weight difference HERE.

Shelters

Shelters are an ok way to shed some weight, but they can sometimes have a significant effect on your comfort without dropping the grams to match. Double-wall tents offer excellent comfort and are available sub-1000 grams. The tent inner keeps the insects out (especially mosquitos and sand flies) and the fly is a delight to have on those rainy days too.

Pyramid tarps are the lightest 4-season capable shelters. These are often modular allowing you to choose whether you want to pair it with a groundsheet or mesh inner. The tarp itself is around 500 grams, and it’s another 500 grams for a pole, groundsheet and stakes.

The classic ultralight option is a bivy and/or tarp setup. A bivy is just a waterproof sleeping bag cover which is best suited to cooler climates. You can find emergency bivys are as light as 120 grams, but the weatherproof and featured bivys will typically weigh between 350-600 grams. Tarps with a carbon pole (70 grams) will afford you a bit more comfort, and you can pitch them anywhere too. By pairing a tarp with a tub groundsheet you’ll find it’s an excellent warm weather shelter under 300 grams.

Hammock and tarp setups are similar in weight to the UL double wall tents. Given you don’t need a sleeping mat, hammocks can work out to be very light. Side benefits to a hammock including being better suited to warm conditions and the fact they double as a chair. In sub-zero temperatures make sure you insulate your hammock from below!

Products we like:
Hyperlite UltaMid 4-Season with pole, groundsheet and stakes – 1060 grams
Tarptent Bowfin 1 tent – 1060 grams
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV1 Platinum tent– 822 grams
Hyperlite Echo II with an inner net – 815 grams
Zpacks Solplex with freestanding tent poles – 796 grams
Tarptent Notch-Li with support poles – 779g
Mountain Laurel Designs SoloMid Tent with carbon pole and stakes – 515 grams
Sierra Designs Backcountry Bivy – 386 grams
Mountain Laurel Designs Event Soul Bivy – 340 grams
MontBell Breeze Dry-tec Bivy – 180 grams
Zpacks Hexamid Pocket Tarp with carbon pole – 179 grams
Zpacks Hexamid Pocket Tarp groundsheet with attachments – 102 grams
Hennessy Hyperlite Zip Hammock with rain fly – 793 grams

Sleeping

Sleeping Mats

For a great night’s sleep, I’ve found that a high-quality sleeping mat is key. Modern blow-up mats tick all of the boxes: they’re comfortable, compact and well-insulated from the cold ground. But that doesn’t stop ultra racers sleeping on even lighter pieces of closed-cell foam. For cold conditions, you’ll want a mat with a good warmth-to-weight ratio. Sleeping mat ‘warmth’ (or resistance to heat loss) is measured using an R-value. A pad with an R-value of 5.0 is five times warmer than a pad with an R-value of 1.0. Warmer mats allow you to use sleeping bags with less fill because the ground is such a large source of heat loss.

Products we like:
Thermarest Neoair Xlite (R3.1) – 340 grams
Thermarest Neoair Xtherm (R5.7) – 430 grams

Sleeping Bags and Quilts

Sleeping bags and quilts are an excellent place to shed some weight. I say this because the majority of people I meet use bags rated far lower than the conditions they endure, which makes sense; you can use the same bag for all conditions. But for a weight-optimised setup, you’ll want to use a bag with a ‘limit rating’ a few degrees above your expected overnight lows.

Sleeping quilts typically offer the best weight-to-performance because you sleep directly on the mat. Logically, they make a lot of sense as well because the bottom of a sleeping bag is compressed when you lay on it, offering little extra warmth. But keep in mind quilts are prone to cold drafts if you move around a lot in your sleep. Sleeping directly on the inflatable mat can feel a bit yuck too.

If like me, you find the down feather industry absolutely deplorable, I’d recommend picking a synthetic fill option. While syn bags are heavier for the equivalent warmth, they do have the benefit of being more effective when moist. Plus you aren’t paying people to make the life of ducks and geese utterly miserable.

Products we like:
Mont Zero Superlight Down Bag (2C) – 427 grams
Mountain Hardwear UltraLamina Spark Synthetic Bag (1C) – 830 grams
Enlightened Equipment Enigma Down Quilt (-1C) – 421 grams
Enlightened Equipment Enigma Apex Synthetic Quilt (-1C) – 639 grams

Headlamps

While you can use your phone or a bike light as a torch, I haven’t found anything that rivals the practicality of a head torch. Some headlamps are 3-4x heavier than others, so this can be another good place to drop 50-100 grams.

Products we like:
Petzl e+LITE – 26 grams

Cooking Gear

While many UL folks don’t take any cooking equipment, for you this might be a deal breaker. The best way to keep everything light is to use a single pot and make it your bowl/plate/cup too. Don’t want to carry a stove and are handy with an open fire? That might be the lightest stove/fuel you’ll find.

Stoves

Alcohol stoves are undoubtedly the lightest and most compact solution for short-term UL cooking. With about 15 grams of alcohol, you can boil 500ml in about 9-minutes. In comparison, a canister stove will use about 7 grams of fuel (at a rate 4x quicker). While the canister system is heavier without fuel, it offers a better fuel weight per litre of water boiled. The canister system is, therefore, lighter overall after boiling ~8 litres of water. Based on weight alone, this means that on trips longer than 4-8 days and you’ll probably be better off with canisters.

Products we like:
Evernew Titanium Alcohol Stove + Stand + Empty Bottle – 57 grams
MSR Pocket Rocket 2 Canister Stove + Empty Canister – 188 grams
Clickstand T-2 Titanium Stand for Alcohol Stoves – 77 grams

Pots, Cups and Utensils

Here’s a great place to apply the ‘multi-use’ principle; use a single pot to act as your plate, bowl and even cup. Some UL folk use plastic cutlery, but aluminium and titanium gear is not significantly heavier and offers long-term practicality. If you like cutting fruit and vegetables, you’ll want a decent paring knife. I’ve found the Victorinox knives to be the best.

Products we like:
Evernew 1300ml Titanium Pot – 162 grams
Evernew 900ml Titanium Pot – 99 grams
KeepCup 340ml Plastic Cup – 47 grams
Victorinox 8cm Paring Knife – 25 grams
Snow Peak Titanium Spork – 16 grams

The Smaller Things

Toiletries

– Soap is soap. Use a small bottle of liquid soap to wash your body, hair, clothes and dishes! You can get environmentally-friendly liquid soaps from most outdoor stores.
– Tiny travel towels work to a great effect after a minute of drip-drying. Don’t expect to dry your hair with them though.

Electronics

– You can do everything with a smartphone these days. It’s your camera, navigation device, research station and mode of communication.
– The Nitecore F1 charger (32 grams) with 18650 rechargeable batteries (48 gram for 3400mAh) is the ultralight USB charging option of choice. You can then bring only the batteries that you need. If you need more than 10000mAh of stored power, it will pay off to use a powerbank.
– The Anker Powercore 13000mAh offers a very large capacity at only 240 grams (54mAh per gram).
– A Kindle eReader (200 grams) is essential for those who like finishing the day with a book. The battery life is incredible too.

Casual Clothing Advice

– Again, it’s all about taking only what you need for the expected weather conditions.
– Combine your casual and riding clothes; there’s no need for both in many cases.
– It’s easy to wash a single set of clothes regularly. Wear them into the shower after a day of riding and give them a clean. In warm climates, your body heat can be used to effectively dry clothes.
– Use a single pair of shoes for everything. If you like being clipped-in and are not planning on hiking all the time, your cycling shoes will be perfect. I’ve done many 20km hikes in my SPD sandals without issue (check out the Japan video for more). Quite a few people also travel with ‘Crocs’. Crocs are under 400 grams, they’re really comfortable and they can dry almost instantly.

Riding Gear

– The rain jacket is one of the best places to shed weight. Lightweight jackets like the Patagonia Storm Racer Jacket (170 grams) can be less than a third of the weight of a standard waterproof jacket.
– When combining waterproof rain pants with leg warmers, you can have a very light and warm setup for sub-zero.
– I use ‘undershorts’ which are mesh padded shorts that fit under my lightweight swimming shorts.

Putting Weight Into Context

I need to stress the relevance of weight: bike and gear weight is part of a system.

When considering a one-kilogram weight saving from your bike or gear, you need to think of it as a weight saving from your total weight, that is, body+bike+gear+food+water. If you weigh 80kg and your loaded bike is 20kg, that’s a 1% saving from the total.

I’ve done some real-world weight testing and determined that for me each extra kilogram is worth somewhere between 10 seconds (flat) and 90 seconds (hilly) over 100km. If you’re spending $1 per gram saved (not unusual at all), big spending can add up to very little gain in speed.

Just keep this in mind before you go nuts on titanium.

I’d Love To Hear Your Ultralight Tips! What Can You Add?

The post Guide: How To Put Together an Ultralight Bikepacking Kit appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

Let’s take a close look at the things I will plan, and the things I will improvise.

The Things I Will Plan A Lot (Before Departing)

What I Want To See. I’m currently creating a map with dropped pins showing the national parks, mountain passes, towns, landscapes, monuments and people that I want to see in the Americas. These locations essentially dictate my route as I attempt to link everything up.

Climates. Weather planning is pretty important for most bike trips because there’s always an ideal temperature range and rainfall period. I try to link suitable climates together, avoiding weather extremes where possible. Head HERE for my detailed weather planning information and tools.

Rough Dates. Sometimes visas will lock-in some dates for you, but I find that having target dates along the way, as well as a rough finish date will help me determine the pace of my journey.

Cycle Routes with Limited Services. In remote areas I try to research what services are likely to be available. When I have an idea for the temperature ranges, water and food sources, elevation profiles, and general road quality it helps me to mentally prepare for that section.

Flights. If I need to take flights during my trips, I try to organise them a few months in advance while they’re cheap (I’m not planning on taking any flights for the Americas, however).

My Gear. I’m a gear freak, so most of my trip planning is thinking about what to take (jokes… but serious). The reality is that you can’t really know what you’ll want (or use) until you’re actually out there and using it. If you’re unprepared with your gear, it’s really not a problem; I’ve purchased gear along the way and even had packages delivered to me from all over the world.

The Things I Will Plan A Lot (On the Road)

Bike-Friendly Routes Into Cities. I normally spend a lot of time looking at Google Maps and Komoot to find a bike-friendly route into busy cities. Sometimes it doesn’t quite work out, but good preparation will often get me into a city centre completely stress-free.

Breakfasts. The most important meal for me is breakfast. I eat rolled oats almost every morning, no matter where I am. To make it as nutritious as possible I try to mix through all kinds of nuts, seeds and dried fruit. The issue is that these ingredients are sometimes not available, so I therefore carry large supplies until I know I can restock! Head HERE for some of my porridge tips.

Money. ATMs are not always commonplace, so do some research on where you can get your money out. Some banks will favour Mastercard over Visa (or vice versa) and sometimes they will have a cash limit. You’ll of course need to do some budgeting to work out how long your money will last until the next ATM.

Visas. Sometimes it’s important to know where you can apply for visas, and how long the visa application process will take.

The Things I Will Plan A Little

Distances. I normally plan 120-150km per day based on the terrain and services available (I’m rather fit/experienced). I then add in a handful of days just in case I meet someone, or want to explore somewhere further. For example, when covering 1000km between point A and B, I would allocate eight days for the riding and perhaps 2-3 days just in case I feel the need to stop.

Riding Hours. When the temperature is too hot during the middle of the day, I plan to get up around sunrise and finish before lunch. Conversely, when the temperature is cold overnight, I tend to be up later when the sun can keep me warm.

Budget. I try to save more money than I think I will need so that I don’t have to ever stress about it. You’ll need to factor in a bit extra for additional purchases along the way (heck, I bought a tandem on my last RTW trip). Budget planning is important mostly so that you know how much cash to carry between ATMs.

Route. Sometimes I go for minor roads, other times I go the most direct route if I’m short on time. I normally check my route on MapOut or RideWithGPS to investigate whether the elevation profile will be suitable given my time constraints. I then note down towns or landmarks along the way which help me plan for food, water and accommodation.

Sleeping in Cities. I book rooms (or organise a CouchSurfing/WarmShower host) in big cities to avoid riding in circles looking for a place to stay. Searching for a hotel can be a big waste of time if you are a price sensitive long-term traveller.

The Things I Will Mostly Improvise

Sleeping. When I wake up in the morning, I almost never know where I’m going to sleep. This method is easy in some places and harder in others. If it’s a region where I know I can probably afford a hotel room, I either arrive without having a hotel in mind, or do a Google Map search for ‘hotel’ or ‘guesthouse’ and drop a few pins in my mapping apps. When hotels are out of my budget, I’ll wild camp by scouring my smartphone maps for large green areas. In many developed countries you will find really handy smartphone apps that list paid and unpaid campsites. And finally, in some countries with ultra-friendly locals I even ask if I can stay with them. Believe it or not, I rarely get turned down!

Eating. In areas where restaurants are cheap, I tend to carry very little food. Otherwise, I like to stock up in supermarkets with 1-2 days worth of food at a time.

Water. I generally ride until I’ve got 25-50% of our water left, then look out for a water source. Taps are found almost anywhere you find people.

Do You Plan Your Trips In A Similar Way? Have You Got Any Other Trip Planning Tips?

The post CyclingAbout The Americas: What Will I Plan, What Will I Improvise? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

I’ve now cycled around 5000km on the four main islands, and it’s safe to say that Japan is one of my favourite bike touring destinations.

Let me arm you with information so you can get the most out of your time in Japan.

Bicycle Touring & Bikepacking Japan

It’s easy to enjoy yourself in Japan but be prepared to work hard for your keep.

Japan is located near multiple fault lines, so it’s littered with mountains, volcanoes and steep winding roads. The backroads are almost always more hilly than the main roads, but this makes them all the more scenic.

What Bike Should You Take?

You can travel around Japan on any bike.

On my first trip to Japan, I cycled on a tandem touring bike with panniers, and more recently I rode a road bike with racing slicks pulling a trailer. I don’t think there is any perfect bike for everyone, but a bike with a couple of panniers will be comfortable, durable and will take you on mixed terrain.

The most important thing about your bike is that it should have a really small climbing gear ratio. I’m a very strong cyclist and found myself in my smallest gear (34x42t) multiple times per day – yep, it’s that hilly.

Click HERE for my low gear ratio resources; I recommend using as close to 20 gear inches as possible.

Routes

There are some excellent bike routes available for Japan. I’ve completed many of the routes listed below and can verify they’re all great.

The big advantage of following these routes is that they’ll shuffle you onto the smaller back roads which you normally wouldn’t find. They also provide the easiest way through the big cities, minimising busy roads and making navigation a pleasant experience.

JapanCycling.org has 4552km (2828mi) of routes from the south (Kyushu Island) to the north (Hokkaido Island). I’d recommend downloading the GPX files to use as a guide as they take in so many of Japan’s highlights.

The Japan Odyssey is a yearly, long-distance cycling event which has riders creating their own route around a series of checkpoints and mandatory roads. The course designers aim to include the best roads in Japan, so I’d suggest seeing if any of the following segments can fit into your tour.

Japan Odyssey segment details:
2017 Odyssey Tour
2016 Odyssey Tour

Rob from HokkaidoWilds.org has been busy establishing some really nice cycling options on Hokkaido. There are 1 through to 10-day cycling routes zig-zagging all over the island. You can easily connect up multiple routes for a month-long tour (or longer).

Given the heavy snowfall in winter, Hokkaido often has road closures. Bookmark this road information website because you may need to plan around them.

If you’d like to go exactly where I went on my 2017 tour:
1. The Tokyo to Hokkaido Commute
2. My Loop Around Hokkaido

Tunnels

You’ll come across multiple tunnels per day in Japan.

Tunnels are extremely noisy to ride in; the smallest cars sound like the biggest trucks. While initially quite scary, you will gain confidence after tackling a few. The Japanese drivers will reduce their speed well below 50kph/30mph in tunnels and only pass you when it’s clear. The longer tunnels have a footpath to the side that you can cycle on. Make sure you turn on your front and rear lights before entering.

Food

The Japanese food is simple, tasty and quite often healthy. Convenience stores are the gem of Japan, offering a broad range of small meals which will fill you up at any moment. You will often find multiple convenience stores within a kilometre of each other.

Supermarkets are located in most towns. They all have a large range of fresh local produce, tofu, noodles, bread, pasta and sauces. I normally prepare my own breakfast and dinner from supermarket produce because I can piece together large, healthy meals at a really low cost. Shop after 6 pm for 20-50% off the HUGE range of pre-prepared food.

Small restaurants provide affordable meals in most towns. Expect to pay between 500-1500 yen (US $5-15) for a lovely traditional meal which is typically only available in the local area. You’ll notice vast differences in the type of food available, region to region. Everywhere has its own speciality.

I travelled to Japan as a vegan (all of my trips are fuelled by plants). It was really easy to find everything I needed in both convenience stores and supermarkets, but a little more difficult in restaurants. I used the ‘Happy Cow’ app to great effect to find vegetarian and vegan places to eat.

Camping

Campsites aren’t too common on the main Japanese islands except for Hokkaido.

But here’s the good news: you can almost camp anywhere in Japan if you’re happy to wait until sunset and pack up early. I’ve camped in parks, temples and even museums. In towns with a river, there will usually be a grassy park running alongside it. The Japanese people are very accommodating and will almost never ask you to leave.

I regularly used this map of free campsites and onsens. I imported the data as a ‘KML layer’ into my smartphone mapping apps (Maps.me and MapOut) so that I could see when I was approaching a potential sleeping or cleaning location.

Note: the paid campsites in Japan very rarely have showers. More on that below.

Hotels, Guesthouses, Rider Houses

Hotels are relatively common across Japan and will typically set you back about 6000 yen (US $60) per night. Airbnb tends to be a more cost-effective solution – you’ll need to plan a bit ahead but you can get far more, for less. Hostels are available in larger cities and towns and you can expect a bed in a dorm for a little over 3000 yen (US $30) per night.

On the island of Hokkaido, there is an ultra-budget accommodation called a ‘Rider House’ available to motorbike and bicycle travellers only. These bare-bones establishments are typically located away from towns and are only open in the warmer months. THIS is a map of all of the Rider House locations on the island.

Trains, Buses, Ferries, Taxis

You can take your bike on trains provided it’s either in a bike box or packed in a ‘rinko’ bag. The latter involves removing the two wheels from your bike, putting them either side of your frame, and packing it all into a lightweight cloth bag. The bag doesn’t have to be fully closed, but it should be enough to not get grease or dirt on anybody.

You can get Rinko bags from all bike shops for between 3,000-6,000 yen (US $30-60), but some people buy bike covers and a bit of tape from a ‘100 Yen Store’ and make do for a one-way or temporary solution. Buses will require you to pack your bike into a Rinko bag too.

You can roll your bike directly onto most ferries. Every ferry I’ve taken has had a place for bikes, and sometimes they’ll strap your bike down to a railing. Ferries are a great way to connect up the hundreds of small islands off the coast of Japan.

When catching taxis, ferries, trains and buses, you’ll need to make sure you have cash. Most don’t accept credit cards, and if they do, they probably won’t accept international cards.

Keeping Clean

The onsen (communal bath) is a cultural institution in Japan.

Every town has one, simply ask around for its location. You’ll fold your clothes into a basket, get naked, wash yourself down and then be able to sit in any of the hot pools for as long as you like. Occasionally the natural onsens are free, but cheaper onsens start at about 200 yen (US $2) while expensive hotel onsens are about 800 yen (totally worth it!).

It’s unusual to find campsites that have showers, so if you’d like to have a good wash, make sure to find an onsen in the nearest town first.

When To Go

Japan is a really long country. This results in vastly different climates between north and south. The island of Kyushu (south) is almost tropical, while the island of Hokkaido (north) is freezing in winter and hot/dry in summer.

Monsoons tend to affect everywhere but Hokkaido, so expect heavy rain between July-September anywhere south of Tokyo.

Cycling in the North: June-August
Cycling in the South: March-May and September-December

Internet

You can find free internet at convenience stores (7Eleven, Family Mart and more recently Lawson) as well as tourist information centres.

But if you want to be a bit more mobile, you can hire an ‘egg’ from the airport which creates a wifi signal that multiple phones can connect to. These aren’t cheap but can be great for a short trip. SIM cards can be purchased from BIC Camera stores if you feel the need to have the internet everywhere you go.

With the abundance of convenience stores (seriously, it’s every corner) you can probably travel without mobile data.

My Recent Japan Adventure

Have A Question? Drop A Comment Below, Or Try THIS Facebook Group of Local Cyclists.

The post Guide: How To Go Bicycle Touring / Bikepacking Japan appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.

The good news is that you can reduce your chance of getting saddle sores by optimising your riding position, using a suitable saddle, using padded shorts and lathering up some anti-friction cream. I also recommend increasing your riding distances slowly because your skin will become less sensitive over time, and your legs will get stronger, supporting more of your body weight while you pedal.

Let’s first focus on how we can prevent saddle sores, then we’ll discuss how to treat them.

Step One: Riding Position

Your position on the bike has a profound effect on whether you get saddle sores or not.

The first step to getting your position right is to make sure you have the correct saddle height and position in relation to your pedals. You should be able to ride without rocking your hips on the seat. If you’re up too high or too far back, the chances are that your optimal saddle can’t work the way it should. Head to a reputable bike shop for help with saddle height and fore/aft.

Unless you’re riding in a performance position, you’ll want to be sitting towards the rear of your saddle. That’s the widest, flattest part of the seat, and the best place to support your weight. If you find yourself sitting on the front of your saddle constantly, that’s often a sign that something is wrong with your positioning. This may be based on your bike setup or even your flexibility.

People with flexible lower backs tend to be able to rotate their pelvis up, and use their sit bones more effectively. If you’re less flexible, you’ll rotate your pelvis forward and experience additional pressure. If this is the case, you’ll need to raise your handlebar height to compensate.

Step Two: Bike Seats

Once you’ve got your body position dialled in, you’ll need to find a saddle that works for you. Bicycle saddles are designed to minimise pressure, resulting in all kinds of different padding types, profiles, curvatures and widths. It should go without saying: the less pressure, the less chance of saddle sores.

The Bontrager diagram above is a useful tool to see how different riding positions affect saddle shape. A good way to determine your riding position is to get a friend to take a photo of you from the side as you ride past.

In general:
– Comfort/upright body positions require saddles with more padding, more width and a flatter top to support your sit bones.
– Performance body positions require saddles that are lightly padded, curved and narrower to support your pubic rami.

Head to my detailed article on bike seats for some recommendations and to understand this topic in much more depth.

Step Three: Padded Bike Shorts

Padded lycra shorts are synonymous with cycling, and for good reason: they distribute the pressure between your saddle and your skin over a greater area. With reduced localised pressure, you in effect reduce the chance of a saddle sore developing. Padded shorts are especially important for those who ride in ‘performance’ bike positions.

Bike shorts are made with lightweight fabrics that can evaporate sweat, keeping you drier and therefore reducing the chance of chaffing. Higher end (expensive) padded shorts use perforated padding to keep you drier again.

In case nobody has told you yet, you DO NOT wear underwear with padded cycling shorts. The seams on underwear cause rubbing and irritation. Cycling shorts are your underwear.

Don’t want to use bike shorts?
Then your bike will typically need to offer an upright body position, putting more of your weight on your sit bones and less on your pubic rami. Couple this with a slightly wider saddle with a bit of give, and padding-free riding may be possible. That said, the more performance-oriented your position, the more likely you’ll need a set of padded shorts to help you out.

Step Four: Chamois, Anti-Friction, Diaper Rash Creams

Call them what you may, these preventative creams are designed to reduce chaffing between your skin and the fabric of your shorts/pants. They are also given antibacterial properties that help with any skin irritations, as well as other properties that reduce the acidity of your sweat.

Anti-friction creams are especially good to use in hot, wet and muddy conditions. This is because damp fabrics with small amounts of grit have much more friction than dry fabrics. Apply the cream directly to the skin location where your body intersects with your saddle, and put your shorts on.

My favourite product for long days in the saddle (or really wet conditions) is Squirt Barrier Balm. It’s super sticky, waterproof and lasts longer than anything else I’ve used. The downside is that it’s sometimes so sticky it’s hard to wipe off your clothes and skin!

For general use, I use Assos Chamois Creme. I’ve also found ‘Bepanthen’ antiseptic cream in chemists all over the world which is suitable for the times when you can’t get the cycling-specific products.

How To Treat Saddle Sores

Take your cycling shorts off. As soon as you’ve finished your ride, change out of your cycling clothes and into loose fitting clothes.
Stay dry. You’ll want maximum airflow to your downstairs region to dry out the infected area. Go without underwear at night and you’ll speed up the healing process.
Stay clean. The best thing you can do is keep your saddle sores clean. Wash them with warm soapy water once a day, or wet wipes when you can. It should go without saying that you shouldn’t wear dirty cycling shorts with saddle sores.
Time off. It’s best to take a rest day if you’ve got some saddle sores. Skin irritations really like having a break from the bike seat!
Antibacterial/antiseptic infection creams. There are many creams on the market, but the popular ones are paw paw cream, nappy rash cream and Sudocrem (with zinc oxide). These thin creams can help treat saddle sores overnight if you apply them directly onto the infected area.
Use different gear. If you have to ride, use a different pair of (clean!) cycling shorts or change your saddle. When I’m not travelling, I use different bikes with different seats and different shorts. With a combination of these, my body doesn’t get the chance to be tired of the one seat.

If the saddle sores are really infected… see a doctor. Like any bad infection, you’ll possibly need to think about using prescription antibiotics. This is not a common scenario, but it can happen.

Summary

Everyone will have a slightly different approach to preventing and treating saddle sores. But arming yourself with the understanding of how they come about is a good start.

There are four steps to preventing saddle sores:
– Make sure your bike is setup for your intended use.
– Make sure your seat is suitably comfortable for the duration of your bike ride.
– Use padded bike shorts to better distribute pressure on the saddle.
– Use anti-friction creams, especially in hot, wet or muddy condition.

If you get a saddle sore, you’ll want to keep the area dry, clean and rested.

Happy cycling!

Head HERE To Read All About The Best Bike Seats

The post Saddle Comfort For Cyclists: How To Treat and Prevent Saddle Sores appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.