I think it's long gone, We carry all the information on the phone, navigation to get anywhere. Garmin wahoo etc with Komoot and other apps to guide you from A to B.The only hiccup is the weather. Even back in the day of the Lonely Planet and Footprint guide books you had most of the info. It was a few years out of date.( Places closing or new ones not in the books)
Does Adventure cycling exist nowadays
- Thread starter Sallar55
- Start date
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steveindenmark
Legendary Member
Explain what you think adventure cycling is. Gps replaces a map in some instances. What else has changed?
dimrub
Senior Member
Are you saying "adventure" begins where something goes wrong? If so, there's still plenty of potential for "adventure", though I personally am a proponent of a slightly different definition - getting out of one's comfort zone, experiencing new cultures, peoples, foods, new kinds of nature. It's all still there, regardless of whether you navigate by Komoot or a paper map.
Alex321
Veteran
- Location
- South Wales
Why would "adventure cycling" mean only cycling where you don't know where you are or where you are going?
And of course, you can still do that, even with all the modern aids. You don't have to plan a route using them.
And of course, you can still do that, even with all the modern aids. You don't have to plan a route using them.
chriswoody
Legendary Member
- Location
- Northern Germany
Colin Mortlock's book Beyond Adventure, "Mortlock, C. (2001) Beyond Adventure. Reflections from the wilderness: an inner journey." It prescribes a four stage model for adventure which pertains to the individual and their own experiences, which then leads on to how you label adventure personally.
I keep in mind his four stage model a lot and when I am planning my bikepacking trips, especially my summer trips, I will often keep in mind that I will want a good proportion of the ride to be at the frontier adventure level.
By keeping in mind that this model pertains to the self, this is based on my current skill levels and mindset. For others more experienced, what constitutes frontier adventure for me, would only be play for them.
I feel by saying that there is no more adventure cycling, that you are making a value judgement based on what you see from the outside, rather than what the individual themselves is experiencing on the trip.
This also doesn't just apply to off-road riding, bikepacking or extreme sports in any way. It can be applied to any individual or trip. For example just dipping into the travelogue section here, there are many trips were the individual was stretched and I would argue was operating at frontier adventure for portions of their trip.
I keep in mind his four stage model a lot and when I am planning my bikepacking trips, especially my summer trips, I will often keep in mind that I will want a good proportion of the ride to be at the frontier adventure level.
By keeping in mind that this model pertains to the self, this is based on my current skill levels and mindset. For others more experienced, what constitutes frontier adventure for me, would only be play for them.
I feel by saying that there is no more adventure cycling, that you are making a value judgement based on what you see from the outside, rather than what the individual themselves is experiencing on the trip.
This also doesn't just apply to off-road riding, bikepacking or extreme sports in any way. It can be applied to any individual or trip. For example just dipping into the travelogue section here, there are many trips were the individual was stretched and I would argue was operating at frontier adventure for portions of their trip.
a.twiddler
Veteran
Even the most mundane trip can turn into an adventure if you're not properly prepared. A change in weather, multiple punctures or some unlikely mechanical problem, a medical issue. Just overcoming problems so you can get to where you intended to go can give a lot of satisfaction as well as increasing your confidence in yourself and your bike. You could throw loads of money at a specialist bike or ride a budget clunker that you've modified to suit yourself. In the end it boils down to just you and the bike, and what you do with it.
When I started out my inspiration came from "Journey through Britain" by John Hillaby (a walking book but very much a journey of the mind), "Adventure Cycling in Britain" by Tim Hughes and similar publications. I didn't become a club cyclist or join the CTC until much later. I was just an isolated bearded weirdo on a bike until I realised that there were indeed other non sporty cyclists like myself and there was a body of knowledge that I could access. That was a time of pushing the boundaries and finding what I could do, on road and sometimes off road. Definitely Colin Mortlock's stages 3 to 4 at that time.
Over the years, despite enjoying being out on a bike, things became a bit humdrum and life sort of became an obstruction to longer trips. A lot of stage 2.
More recently with retirement I began to cycle more but during lockdown I discovered recumbent bikes and every ride, no matter how short, became an adventure of self discovery again. Riding a recumbent bike has revitalised my cycling life and I've cycled further recently in a day than I have for decades. Initially stage 4 (at least in perception - from "Oh God! I'm gonna die!" to "Whee!! This is great!" and sometimes back again.) but settling down to more stage 3 as my skills and knowledge improved.
Although I like to plan stuff on line, generally I use paper maps on the road. Each to their own. I generally cycle alone, so am pretty self sufficient.
The main thing about whether something is an adventure or not is whether you yourself think it is. Other people (especially non cyclists) are amazed that you rode "How far? Where? You must be bonkers!" on a bike. Maybe some forum members might scoff at others' achievements too-"Ha! Call that an adventure? I could do that in my tea break!". There is no definitive answer. It's purely subjective.
As @chriswoody suggests, it's a state of mind as much as anything else.
When I started out my inspiration came from "Journey through Britain" by John Hillaby (a walking book but very much a journey of the mind), "Adventure Cycling in Britain" by Tim Hughes and similar publications. I didn't become a club cyclist or join the CTC until much later. I was just an isolated bearded weirdo on a bike until I realised that there were indeed other non sporty cyclists like myself and there was a body of knowledge that I could access. That was a time of pushing the boundaries and finding what I could do, on road and sometimes off road. Definitely Colin Mortlock's stages 3 to 4 at that time.
Over the years, despite enjoying being out on a bike, things became a bit humdrum and life sort of became an obstruction to longer trips. A lot of stage 2.
More recently with retirement I began to cycle more but during lockdown I discovered recumbent bikes and every ride, no matter how short, became an adventure of self discovery again. Riding a recumbent bike has revitalised my cycling life and I've cycled further recently in a day than I have for decades. Initially stage 4 (at least in perception - from "Oh God! I'm gonna die!" to "Whee!! This is great!" and sometimes back again.) but settling down to more stage 3 as my skills and knowledge improved.
Although I like to plan stuff on line, generally I use paper maps on the road. Each to their own. I generally cycle alone, so am pretty self sufficient.
The main thing about whether something is an adventure or not is whether you yourself think it is. Other people (especially non cyclists) are amazed that you rode "How far? Where? You must be bonkers!" on a bike. Maybe some forum members might scoff at others' achievements too-"Ha! Call that an adventure? I could do that in my tea break!". There is no definitive answer. It's purely subjective.
As @chriswoody suggests, it's a state of mind as much as anything else.
Adventure cycling is not having a pre made plan, just a map and today a credit card. Not carrying a phone would give a real meaning to Adventure cycling. Years ago it was not a problem finding accomodation if a b&bb / hotel/ hostel was full. People would put you up for the night if you asked where the nearest accomodation was. Today far too many post up on the internet about free accomodation, and others will always look for a freeby rather than going onto the likes of Booking.com etc. The world is a very small place today.
dimrub
Senior Member
That doesn't sound like a very useful definition, given that it rules out some obviously epic cycling adventures. Any modern circumnavigation to begin with, but many others too.
Alex321
Veteran
- Location
- South Wales
Not sure many here would agree with your IMO rather restricted definition.
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
If it feels like an adventure it is an adventure.
It's easy to get jaded doing similar things multiple times. When that happens it's time to do something new.
Cycle the length of India, take up wild swimming, skydiving or caving.
It's easy to get jaded doing similar things multiple times. When that happens it's time to do something new.
Cycle the length of India, take up wild swimming, skydiving or caving.
This guy took a bivvy, a phone and a drone so likely doesn't count as an adventure. All he did was collect a bike from the Giant factory in Shanghai and cycled it back to the Giant sales office in the Netherlands. Just another cycle delivery - not an adventure. Worth watching though.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmdxs_0yYwc
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmdxs_0yYwc
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
a.twiddler
Veteran
No phone, no credit card, just a map. Years ago what people today call adventure cycling was called ...cycling! Sometimes getting temporaily lost for a while can be very liberating, too.
Gillstay
Über Member
I used to go with a mate and we did not take a map. Wanted to go south of Normandy so get a ferry and then go south.
If your both there then your not lost. We had great adventures and occasionally we even bought a map later.
Though one day in the Tatra mountains my mate tore it in half and gave the best bit away as a very nice French lady was lost.
She was shocked, and we thought it hilarious.
If your both there then your not lost. We had great adventures and occasionally we even bought a map later.
Though one day in the Tatra mountains my mate tore it in half and gave the best bit away as a very nice French lady was lost.
She was shocked, and we thought it hilarious.
