Packing Essentials

Five things you should never forget for your cycling holiday.

Congratulations! You’ve booked your bike trip, you’ve got a training plan and now its just counting down the days until your adventure starts.

If your trip is point to point you probably want to travel on the light side, as you will be visiting many different hotels over the week- but if you are in one place, you can afford a bit more luggage. Of course, your provider will be stocked with many things, and most importantly will have all the local knowledge, in case of an emergency purchasing need.

Different bike trips come with different things included so be sure to check the fine print, but here are some essentials you should ALWAYS bring with you, no matter what the trip, the country, the route or the level:

Two pairs of your favourite padded shorts. Some trips will provide new and branded kit, but if you have a long week planned on a bike, you don’t want to be breaking in new shorts, and experiencing any um… discomfort that can go along with it. Pack your favourite two pairs, so you can wash one and wear one each day, knowing that your pain face is only from the effort up the hardest climb!

2. Adaptors and a power strip! It seems like so many bike accessories these days need charging- whether its the groups, the computer or the lights, and then of course our phone, laptop, camera and any wearables… it can be a lot. We never leave home without a power strip, in case the hotel room has just one outlet- pro tip, be prepared to charge wherever you are!

3. Pedals and shoes: even if your tour provides a bike, bring your own pedals and shoes always! And cleats of course. This ensures a balanced contact touch point, even if you have a fancy new frame to try. For good measure, throw a spare set of cleats in the bag too, for just in case emergencies.

4. Phone with working data roaming. Seems simple right? Not always as simple as it seems, especially for the far flung destinations. Check with your local provider and bundle together some data. Its a good safeguard in case something goes wrong and you just need to get those google maps working. Alternately, buy a local sim card when you arrive to make sure you are covered.

5. Lastly, a good attitude. Your cycling trip will probably have some new faces, and some days might be perfect and others could be tougher. Remember, its the memories that last a lifetime, so show up with an open and encouraging attitude, and get ready to spin those legs as hard as you can, not just for you but for the whole group! And then of course, reward yourself with local wine after.

Happy travelling everyone!