Bicycle tourists are people who are ready to devote their free time to traveling, going both to one-day trips to nature and quite complicated multi-day treks. The main reason for such ventures lies in the desire to enjoy nature and feel the freedom that can give your favorite vehicle – electric bicycle. Traveling on an electric bicycle provides much more opportunities than hiking, and even traveling on traditional models of bicycles.
An electric bicycle allows you to develop good speed, easily climb up hills, and carry rather heavy loads. In order to join the bicycle tourism is not necessary to join any specialized clubs or undergo special training. The main thing that is necessary for the realization of the dream of a pleasant pastime – it is, in fact, the desire of a person, well, and, of course, a bicycle, and best of all electric (well, how can it be without it!).
Buying a bicycle that is suitable for cycling is not a problem. The problem is choosing the right arsenal of electric and other bicycle accessories. If a person has a bicycle that can be used for trips outdoors, it would not hurt to better equip it and prepare it for long rides.
How to dress for a cycling trip?
One of the most important things to consider before setting off on a cycling trip is the selection of suitable clothing for the trip. Properly equipping your electric bicycle is of course very important, but you should not neglect the preparation of suitable clothing for a cycling trip. The ideal clothing for a long bicycle trip is the one that is most comfortable to ride in and best suited to the weather conditions and air temperature. For traveling on an electric bicycle is suitable for any sports clothes, but the most comfortable is still the one that is designed directly for cycling.
It is desirable to choose clothes of bright colors, noticeable to others from afar, especially in low visibility. In addition to the clothes that the cyclist will wear directly on the trip, it is desirable to take with you a spare garment – it may be needed, for example, in the evening, when the temperature drops significantly. There is no need to deny the possibility of rain, so it is a good idea to bring a special protective cycling jacket or cape, as well as a pair of spare warm socks.
Protect your eyes from dust, sun and intrusive insects with cycling goggles and your hands from scratches and abrasions with protective gloves. Never neglect such an individual means of protection as a bicycle helmet. Safety must come first for the cyclist!
The correct choice of footwear is very important. Cycling shoes must be not only comfortable, but also have a relief hard sole, providing good grip on the pedals.
What is a must take with you on a bicycle trip?
Bicycle tourism can be divided into two types: bicycle tours and bicycle treks. Bicycle tours, in fact, are lighter versions of hiking. Trips of this kind do not assume overnight stay in tents, and independent transportation of a significant amount of things needed on the road. What kind of trip a cyclist plans to go on will depend on what kind of equipment he or she will be carrying with him or her. Participants of bicycle tours stay overnight in hotels, so, accordingly, such things as tents or sleeping bags they never have to take with them.
Let’s try to understand what things will be necessary during a multi-day trip on a bicycle. In addition to a set of change of clothes, you should bring food, drinking water and dishes, documents and a certain amount of money, a repair kit of a cyclist, a medical kit, a charger for the battery of an electric bicycle. As for utensils, a standard camping set (bowl, spoon, mug, flask and knife) will do. For a group trip you will also need a pot for cooking hot food: everything is very simple on a camping trip – make a fire and cook a meal. It would also be nice to get a portable gas stove, on which you could cook a delicious lunch or dinner. This is a very convenient device for hiking, and if it seems in nature at hand – you will not have to agonize with the search for firewood or lighting a fire in wet weather.
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An electric bicycle that is to be ridden at night should be equipped with visual warning devices: a red rear light and a bright white front light. In case a multi-day trip is planned, and it will be necessary to make a break with an overnight stay in nature, the cyclist should not forget to bring a sleeping bag or a comfortable tent. Of course, you can try to book a comfortable hotel room for the night, but I think that a cycling trip is a trip that should include the possibility of a night’s rest right in nature. In this case, the tent becomes a home for a cyclist, and a sleeping bag and a mat – a warm blanket and a comfortable bed. However, it is still possible to stop for a cup of tea at a café or hotel on the way, because from time to time it will still be necessary to replenish the charge of dead batteries.
Even if the cyclist does not plan to make a big ride, the electric bicycle must have a small bike
bag, which performs the functions of a medical kit. Its minimum equipment includes a sterile bandage, absorbent cotton, band-aids, rubber tourniquet, iodine or greens, hydrogen peroxide, medical alcohol, aspirin, validol, activated charcoal, scissors and ammonia, and, of course, medicines that the cyclist needs to take regularly. In bicycle travel can happen quite unpleasant things, such as falls, so you need to be prepared for any surprises.
How Long Does It Take To Charge An Electric Bike?
In my experience, it takes 3-4 hours to fully charge an e-bike battery. Typically, a battery will last for anywhere between 30 – 70 miles on a full charge, but if you manage your power well enough, it can last longer. The type of terrain and power needed will have an effect on your battery life so it can be important to plan ahead when tackling large hills and rough roads where you need a lot of assistance. Some bikes allow you to choose different levels of assist to prioritize speed or battery life, which can help you manage battery life on a longer trip.
Here are some approximate charging times for different types of batteries to get an idea of what you can expect on more powerful e-bikes:
- 500-watt hours (0.5 kWh) battery: 2-4 hours.
- 750-watt hours (0.75 kWh) battery: 3-6 hours.
- 1,000-watt hours (1 kWh) battery: 4-8 hours.
- 1,500-watt hours (1.5 kWh) battery: 6-12 hours.
E-bikes are great for exercise, as they will improve your leg muscles and your cardiovascular system. They are more environmentally friendly, too, as they emit less CO2 than cars, and don’t require the maintenance that cars require. They are even easier to maintain than your regular bike while traveling since they have fewer moving parts. The benefits of electric bikes are many, including the reduced pollution of fossil fuels, the resulting reduced carbon footprint, and the ability to enjoy traveling with less effort.
Flask – also quite an important element of bicycle touring equipment, the importance of which increases sharply in the days of traveling under the scorching sun.
Even a thorough check and confidence in the serviceability of your vehicle is no guarantee that there will not be some unforeseen situation on the road, which will lead to the failure of a certain bicycle element. No one is immune to unpleasant moments on the road! The most common cause of emergency road downtime is punctured chambers – not an easy thing to do when riding through forests, where every meter can be a surprise. For this reason, a cyclist’s repair kit should include at least two spare cameras, special camera patches (preferably self-adhesive), a set of hexes, a set of wrenches, a bicycle chain extractor, a spoke wrench, a piece of wire, duct tape and a bicycle pump. In addition to all this, it is also advisable to have a cloth for cleaning the bike and your own locking cable (unfortunately, no one is immune to theft of an electric bicycle). A cyclist should always carry a minimum set of tools. A little extra weight will not weigh him down and will save him from the situation of idling with a non-working electric bicycle in the middle of an unknown field.
An electric bicycle that is to be ridden at night should be equipped with visual warning devices: a red rear light and a bright white front light. In case a multi-day trip is planned, and it will be necessary to make a break with an overnight stay in nature, the cyclist should not forget to bring a sleeping bag or a comfortable tent. Of course, you can try to book a comfortable hotel room for the night, but I think that a cycling trip is a trip that should include the possibility of a night’s rest right in nature. In this case, the tent becomes a home for a cyclist, and a sleeping bag and a mat – a warm blanket and a comfortable bed. However, it is still possible to stop for a cup of tea at a café or hotel on the way, because from time to time it will still be necessary to replenish the charge of dead batteries.
Even if the cyclist does not plan to make a big ride, the electric bicycle must have a small bike
Bicycle tourism can be divided into two types: bicycle tours and bicycle treks. Bicycle tours, in fact, are lighter versions of hiking. Trips of this kind do not assume overnight stay in tents, and independent transportation of a significant amount of things needed on the road. What kind of trip a cyclist plans to go on will depend on what kind of equipment he or she will be carrying with him or her. Participants of bicycle tours stay overnight in hotels, so, accordingly, such things as tents or sleeping bags they never have to take with them.
Let’s try to understand what things will be necessary during a multi-day trip on a bicycle. In addition to a set of change of clothes, you should bring food, drinking water and dishes, documents and a certain amount of money, a repair kit of a cyclist, a medical kit, a charger for the battery of an electric bicycle. As for utensils, a standard camping set (bowl, spoon, mug, flask and knife) will do. For a group trip you will also need a pot for cooking hot food: everything is very simple on a camping trip – make a fire and cook a meal. It would also be nice to get a portable gas stove, on which you could cook a delicious lunch or dinner. This is a very convenient device for hiking, and if it seems in nature at hand – you will not have to agonize with the search for firewood or lighting a fire in wet weather.
- Make sure whatever model you choose fits comfortably within your budget while also providing all the features that matter most to you.
- And think about your own comfort too; look for adjustable handlebars and seats and shock-absorbing forks that can provide extra cushioning over bumpy roads.
- E-bikes are quite popular with travelers on long trips looking to carry heavier loads, typically for camping or when traveling with a family and needing that extra gear.
- Depending on what you are packing can depend on the type of bike you need.
- But when traveling with us at BikeHike we always have a support vehicle on hand to take your excess luggage and anything you don’t need on your bike journey so you never have to worry about packing too much.
Let’s try to understand what things will be necessary during a multi-day trip on a bicycle. In addition to a set of change of clothes, you should bring food, drinking water and dishes, documents and a certain amount of money, a repair kit of a cyclist, a medical kit, a charger for the battery of an electric bicycle. As for utensils, a standard camping set (bowl, spoon, mug, flask and knife) will do. For a group trip you will also need a pot for cooking hot food: everything is very simple on a camping trip – make a fire and cook a meal. It would also be nice to get a portable gas stove, on which you could cook a delicious lunch or dinner. This is a very convenient device for hiking, and if it seems in nature at hand – you will not have to agonize with the search for firewood or lighting a fire in wet weather.
