Rider in the Spanish mountains

How To Choose Your Next Cycling Journey

Find your own epico adventure and discover new routes to ride.

Choosing a destination for a cycling holiday doesn’t have to be difficult. With careful thought and preparation, you can find the perfect place for an epic adventure that ticks all of your boxes.

Luckily for you, our pedalling experts have put their brains together to create a detailed guide on how to choose your next cycling journey. Follow our tips and have yourself an Epico adventure!

What do you want to achieve in your cycling journey?

When choosing your next cycling trip, the first thing you need to ask yourself is “what do I want to achieve?“. Consider the objectives of your trip and why you want to do it. They can vary wildly, so identifying them early on in planning will help.

Need some inspiration? These are some reasons why we pack our bikes for new journeys:

    • Discover a new country or region on two wheels.
    • Take in the ‘off bike’ experience, enjoying the local culture, food, and architecture.
    • Challenge yourself physically, conquer new cols, and push your endurance. All while enjoying epic natural surroundings.
    • Focus on becoming a better rider, improve your bike handling skills, and maximise performance in perfect cycling conditions.

What level of difficulty are you after?

Next up, you need to think about the difficulty of the rides. Whilst related to your objectives, this is matched to your current levels of fitness – how strong and experienced you are or will be at the time of the trip. How hard you are willing to push yourself?

You might be a beginner or an expert rider. You may want to focus on a pure riding camp or perhaps keep the heart rate low with more relaxed rides. Understanding your abilities is key to selecting the correct tour for you.

Road cycling, touring, or MTB?

This is fairly obvious. The style. It’s no good choosing a downhill trail park if you want to explore gentle rolling roads for a touring holiday. What form of cycling do you want to take part in?

    • Road cycling – riding a road bike in with a competitive feel.
    • Cycling touring – slower and more relaxed riding, more focused on sightseeing and experiencing the landscape and towns/villages (often happens on road bikes).
    • Gravel – riding a gravel bike mainly on non-asphalted paths, from easy to technical difficulty.
    • MTB – riding an MTB bike on trails of varying technical difficulty, from very easy to challenging.

Think about the weather & culture

Climate is a hugely important factor that often goes underestimated. Make sure it’s not too hot if you are not very heat tolerant. And if it’s cold, choose and pack the right kit. This is, unfortunately, more complicated than it seems. For example, not all of Spain is hot in the summer, and parts of Italy can be close to freezing even during the warmer months. High altitudes can chill you to the bones even when it’s hot in the valleys.

Follow our advice and information on various cycling places and destinations. Ask us if you are unsure to ensure you make the right decisions for your trip.

Fancy some culture and entertainment? Some cyclists only want to travel to pedal through the most jaw-dropping landscapes. While others want to experience a wider range of local tastes. Some tours offer wine experiences, others will show you the architectural jewels of the area. Cultural experience is a prominent part of any bike trip, so make sure you get what you want and know what is available to see in each region.

Rider on beautiful road in Murcia, Spain

Road Trip vs. Cycling the Area

Every rider is different in what they prefer.

A road trip is when you cycle between accommodations. You ride your bike town to town, exploring the area on two wheels. You might end up back at the start point, or you might end up a thousand miles away from it. 

Cycling the area from a fixed base means your accommodation is in one place and you explore the surrounding areas by bike, returning to the start point each day. Most destinations have diverse enough routes and networks to avoid covering the same tracks twice. With a fixed place of accommodation, you have more time to experience the local culture and region.

There are pros and cons to both types of trip. It is down to you to decide what you want to get out of the cycling adventure.

What about accommodation?

Let’s face it. Where you unclip and unwind after a long day in the saddle can make a difference. There are several types of accommodation to think about. Apart from the star rating of the hotel, and the amenities that it offers, accommodation type can differ.

Classic hotel, rural guesthouse, or even a stand-alone villa. While all options will do the purpose, make sure you are aware of the type of accommodation and that it matches your personal requirements.

Every Epico Tour has detailed information regarding accommodation, along with relevant details on climate and terrain, to help you choose your next cycling journey. Feel free to connect with us and ask any questions.

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