Top 5 Ways To Prepare For Your Cycling Holiday
Whether you are cycling across the Alps or over the Brecon Beacons, there are many things that you need to consider when on a cycling holiday. From differing weather conditions to preparations for food, it’s important to be prepared for all possible situations.
Preparing for your cycling holiday can seem overwhelming and stressful, however, if you take into consideration these tips and tricks, the process will seem a lot easier.
Here are 5 ways to prepare for your cycling holiday:
- Work Out Your Cycle Journey
- Check Your Bike
- Extend Your At Home Workout Routine
- Equip Your Bike For Different Weathers
- Prepare A Food And Drink Guide
Work Out Your Cycle Journey
When planning your cycling holiday, you first need to work out your journey. Decide what route you’re going to cycle, what time you’d like to achieve each stretch, and when you plan to rest.
Make sure to schedule adequate recovery days. These may be ad hoc or scrapped when at the location, but when you are scheduling your journey, be realistic about you and your holiday mates’ abilities.
Additionally, time will need to be spent checking the routes’ inclines, terrain types, and weather coverage that may impact your route.
Check Your Bike
Maintaining the quality of your bike is incredibly important and will enable your bike to last and thrive throughout the entirety of your holiday.
With long climbs and descents, the last problem you would want would be a failing gear or brake. To ease this stress, try to replace your brake pads, brakes, and cables before you go.
If your route is going to be challenging for your bike, such as going through rough terrain, inspect your bike and make any necessary changes before you leave, e.g. changing the wheels or adding a mudguard.
Extend Your At Home Workout Routine
Cycling holidays can be exhausting, especially if you are not prepared for the long hours on your bicycle.
Make sure your saddle is appropriate for long stretches of cycling – I think it’s better if you said what your saddle should be here, e.g. your saddle should be comfortable, the right size, the right angle etc.
It’s also a good idea to test yourself before going on a cycling holiday, as you might not have cycled for long periods prior. To prepare yourself, slowly start adding more miles to your usual cycles a few weeks before you are due to depart – this will help to acclimatise you for your holiday.
Equip Your Bike For Different Weathers
Rain or shine, it is important to be prepared for all types of weather. Cold weather, stormy weather, extreme heat or other sudden turns of weather can all affect your cycling ability, and how far you may be able to cycle that day.
Heat exhaustion, dehydration, and sunburn are also genuine concerns when dealing with extreme heat. To fix this you may need to equip yourself with appropriate, breathable cycling clothing that will protect your body from the sun, and allow for increased sweat production.
With stormy weather, your brakes will need to be in great condition to allow for harsher conditions.
Prepare A Food And Drink Guide
On a cycling holiday, it is important to be fed, hydrated, and rested to have the energy to power through the long stretches of your holiday.
Packing your usual energy drinks, gels and bars will be a great option. Why? Packing energy drinks, gels and bars will keep your energy up on long stretches.
On the subject of drinks, it is important to keep hydrated and know where your next source of water is coming from. This is to avoid dehydration, which can lead to fatigue and muscle weakness.
Preparing your schedule around food and drink is a great way to add incentives to your trip; having a goal can help you keep going on the longer stretches.
Written by Luthien on behalf of bike maintenance online shop – Mackadams.
