Touring - the fundamentals for a beginner

[PaulSB]

I have to say, I am a little worried about clothing. Just got in from a 20 mile ride today, covered in mud, painfully cold feet, I could've been a lot wetter to be fair, but if I was camping I certainly wouldn't want to be getting back into those clothes in the morning. I dare say washing and drying isn't difficult at most campsites, but if there's an abolutely essential item of clothing then I'd like to know about it.

As has already been said watch out for the Aldi sale - go to their website and sign up for the bi-weekly newsletter whcih gives about 4 days notice. The waterproofs, gilets at around £7-10 are very good value. Personally I wouldn't buy cycling shorts at Aldi but everything else is fine. Buy the best shorts you can afford, and find a shop where you can try them on first

Also, I'm currently riding in a pair of running shoes (they provide the best grip in the wet) but they're not water friendly.

Have you tried putting plastic bags on your feet, over your socks. I use the sandwich bag size. On very cold days I do this as an added layer. My walking boots have developed small leaks and I spent all day yesterday in the with perfectly dry feet - walking not cycling that is.

 

[Dayvo]

Lots of good advice above;
Being able to sleep/rest comfortably is a huge must, otherwise your mood and humour will defeat you.
Make sure your sleeping bag is suitable for the season you will be away for; you don't want a sleeping bag that'll keep you warm as toast in the middle of the summer, or a light summer sleeping bag in colder weather.
And I thoroughly recommend an Exped airbed. They keep the ground temperature away from you body and fold up very compactly!

 

[JackE]

Would agree with the advice not to buy too cheap a tent. Having done it myself years ago, it's a complete waste of money. Terra Nova have a "clearance" section on their website and, if you persevere, you could get a bargain.
This may sound obvious, but I would recommend a dark green tent as you "blend into" the background more when wild camping. Some of my most memorable pitches have been "wild" ones and when you're on a tight budget, they stem the flow of cash too.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I also have an alpkit mat...and my tent is black and so inconspicuos.

if it is of any interest here is a thread about my first tour as a beginner tourer last august:

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=2185&highlight=east+anglia+tour

 

[Odyssey]

I went camping with the girlfriend in the lakes a couple of years back and it could not have rained more. It was obviously monsoon season. By morning the tent had 2 inches of water in it. If it weren't for a gigantic inflatable bed we may have drowned. I definately don't want to cut corners on a tent.

 

[TipTop]

Hi everyone, I'm in exactly the same situation as Odyssey, I too have casually ridden all my life and have always enjoyed random excursions with mates so with my A levels soon to be out the way I've decided what I'd love to do is take a child excursion to a new level and ride down the West of France and while I'm doing it I thought why not do it for charity. It's quite a way down but I'm pretty sure me and my friend can do it. I can't thank you all enough for the great advice posted and it's made me feel a lot happier now I know more about what I've let myself in for. What I'm just wondering is what is the best way of planning a route? How much detail do I put into planning? And lastly whats a realistic distance to travel each day, bearing in mind we're not looking to do much sight seeing? Sorry about the long windedness of this post I'm just very excited. Grateful for any input. vbmenu_register("postmenu_222769", true);

 

[Gary Cummins]

'Just got in from a 20 mile ride today, covered in mud, painfully cold feet,'

I am jointly leading a tour of 16 folk into the mountains of Scotland this weekend, and would reccommend one thing to help with feet, I got hold of pair of gore-tex socks, they go inside shoes, but over thin socks, and do seem to keep my feet comfy.

I found them very hard to find, but got one pair from an army surplus store on the advice of a canoeist chum. These have really helped.

I'd suggest avoiding cotton garments, T shirts in parlicular, as these never dry.

Good luck with your trip.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

Tip top checxk out www.bikeroutetoaster.com for route planning. I had planned to go down th ewest coast of france this summer but instead I am riding from Bremen to Basel and then home via rotterdam. Distances...well how fit are you, how old are you what bike are you on, what load are you carrying etc....they all make a big difference....but I am aiming to cover 80-100km a day this summer for your guide....and I am not th efittest rider out there!

 

[Lone Rider]

Another option is to travel light and use Youth Hostels. They cost more than camp sites, but are a lot more comfortable and you don't need to carry so much on your bike. Then, if you enjoy touring, you can start to buy camping gear.

Remember that good quality material works better and lasts longer.

 

[Tony]

Some good advice there.
Cheaper panniers and binliners: spot on.
Good mat.
A luxury of some kind--mine is a packable pillow.

Daily distance is unimportant. Some days you will fly and cover 80 miles, others will have hills and wind, or just somewhere nice to stop, and you'll do 20. The important thing is to enjoy it.
What I would suggest is the shake-down. Load the bike. Ride it and get used to the handling. Then find somewhere reasonably near and ride there with full load, camp a couple of nights, and ride home. That will help you find out what you really need and what is superfluous.