One of the most common questions people wonder about when thinking about heading out on a cycling adventure is how to train for a bike tour. And this is such an important question because proper training is a great way to prevent injuries, saddle sores and mental fatigue.
So today I thought I’d share some of the tips I’ve learned and experiences I’ve had when it comes to training for a cycle tour.
Check out the 5 steps I use to create a bike tour training plan in THIS VIDEO. (And I’ll also share a time I didn’t listen to my own advice!)
How to train for a bike tour
Step 1: Get some basic cycling experience
No matter the length or type of tour planned, basic cycling experience is key. Ensuring that your bike is comfortable and fits you well will help reduce the risk of injuries on tour. In addition, practicing on the bike you’ll be riding will improve your cycling skills and help ensure you’re able to manoeuvre safely on the road.
Step 2: Assess the time you have to complete your tour
I’ve found that if I have a lot of time for my cycle tour and am not married to a specific route, I can actually do some of my training while on tour. I take it easy for the first few weeks and let my body slowly get accustomed to longer riding days.
If, on the other hand, you have X amount of time to get from point A to point B — ensuring you’ve trained enough ahead of time to comfortably do that mileage is key.
Step 3: Slowly build mileage and intensity
Whether you are doing all your training before your tour, or doing some of it during your actual tour — building mileage and intensity slowly is always going to be important. In addition, slowly incorporating carrying your gear into your training rides may be helpful too as the added weight will affect your effort, speed and balance.
There are plenty of cycling training plans available online, or working with a trainer could be helpful, to help you slowly prepare your body and mind for this exciting adventure.
Step 4: Consider your experience level with road and weather conditions
Training your body to cycle long distances is important. But we mustn’t forget that other unexpected challenges can come our way on a bike tour as well. We might end up needing to ride on gravel, sand, mud or snow. There may be pouring rain or harsh winds. And there may be difficult traffic conditions.
Are you someone who will excitedly and skillfully embrace all this as part of the adventure? Or might a little training in these areas help you go out with confidence and have a better experience overall? Consider whether practicing in some of these different conditions might be an asset to your bike touring adventure.
Step 5: Other aspects to train
Lastly, consider the other training that might help with your bike tour. Training ourselves in how to properly fuel our bodies with adequate food and water can increase our safety and wellbeing on a bike tour. Practicing camping ahead of time may be helpful as well. And learning more about bike mechanics and how to change a flat and do other minor repairs could be a good idea too.
Bottom line, there are many different ways to train for a bike tour and there is no one size fits all approach. But training, as a whole, is a great way to help ensure we have as fun and safe a bike tour as possible.
More Bike Touring Videos
How to stay positive on a bike tour
Budget bike touring tips
How to get your best sleep camping
***DISCLAIMER: All content and opinions expressed are general in nature and provided for informational purposes only. Anything discussed is not a substitute for medical advice or care and is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure. Consult your health care practitioner(s) before implementing anything mentioned in this video or on sheelaghdaly.com.***