Five Touring Myths Exposed...

[HobbesOnTour]

Not normally a fan of videos I watched this one and thought it useful for any dreamers out there (with some interesting shots for everyone else).

The 5 myths are:
The need to be fit
The need for best/lightest/most modern bike and gear
Every day is fantastic
Danger is everywhere
Bad hygiene kills

Best of all they are using my (new) tent!

View: https://youtu.be/L5_pVhnDJIE


So what myths have you busted?
Or more importantly, what's holding you back from busting them?

 

[Teamfixed]

That you don't need to carry your house with you

 

[Oldhippy]

I do prefer the have everything just in case approach myself.

 

[Sallar55]

That you don't need to carry your house with you

Have ever been away where you can have the 4 seasons in a week or its below freezing in the mornings and high 30ies during the day?

 

[classic33]

Have ever been away where you can have the 4 seasons in a week or its below freezing in the mornings and high 30ies during the day?

Ireland.

 

[Sallar55]

Ireland Only answers the 4 seasons of slightly colder rain and normal rain.😂

 

[HobbesOnTour]

That you don't need to carry your house with you

I do prefer the have everything just in case approach myself.

Two contrasting approaches and I tend to favour the second.

But there's layers to the issue of what, and specifically, how much to bring.

A weekend away I can bring just enough oatmeal, coffee, toothpaste, soap etc for two days. A longer trip? I'm going to need more. A really long trip and I'm going to be adding half a kilo of this and half a kilo of that when something runs out.

A weekend away I can pack for the forecast. A longer trip and that is more difficult.

A short trip and it's quick and easy to research where I'm staying so can leave that chair or stove behind. On a longer trip I wouldn't be without them.

One myth I've well and truly busted is that bike touring is about big distances and long days. It's my tour, my rules.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Some nice pictures of where they were.

Not something I have any desire to do myself, but I do like to read about and see pics of this kind of expedition. I'll stick to the occasional night in a B&B (with a shower)

 

[Moodyman]

I like how he says you don’t need expensive bike/kit and yet has a well moulded Brooks saddle in the background. Some things are a must.

 

[Ian H]

The last 'tour' of any distance I did carrying a tent, cooking stove, etc was twenty years ago. The one thing we didn't have was bikes. Just 17kg rucksacks - a couple of weeks in Corsica. In general terms I prefer a credit card to a tent.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

That a cycle tour has to involve carrying a tent and cooking equipment

 

[Dogtrousers]

That a cycle tour has to involve carrying a tent and cooking equipment

Interestingly in the video he never said "touring" he always said bicycle travelling (or travelling by bicycle). Obviously a subtly different thing.

 

[All uphill]

That it must involve hardship and misery.

Before I did my four mini-tours (to date) I had the strong impression that touring was about big miles through snow, ice and baking sun chased by wolves and assaulted by hostile local people before spending nights with venomous spiders in a leaky tent.

My version is moderate miles between bed and breakfasts, lots of snacks and sight-seeing all taken at a leisurely pace. I've been so pleasantly surprised by the pleasant people I have met. I admit I have been rained on, but didn't melt once.

I love it!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Obviously a subtly different thing.

Or maybe just that English isn't their native tongue.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Interestingly in the video he never said "touring" he always said bicycle travelling (or travelling by bicycle). Obviously a subtly different thing.

Well travelling by bike could mean riding to the shops.