7 Tips for a Safe Solo Bike Tour

Is it safe to do a solo bike tour? It’s a question I’ve been getting a lot over the last few months while I’ve been out on a solo cycle tour from Scotland to Croatia. I completely understand the question because I had my own fears and anxieties about cycling on my own.

I truly believe solo bike touring can be a safe and enjoyable experience. But if it’s your first time and you’re feeling nervous, a little information can go a long way to help you feel prepared and comfortable on the road. To get started, here are 7 of the steps I take to help me feel safe when I’m out cycle touring.

1. Research your destination

Doing a little research on the place you want to cycle tour can help you choose a destination where you’ll feel comfortable and also ensure you feel safe and prepared while you’re there. Some things to take a look at are whether there are any particularly challenging weather conditions in that region, what the social and political climate is like, what wildlife you might be dealing with and whether there’s a language barrier to keep in mind. With the information you gain you can determine whether you feel ready to bike tour in that place or if you maybe want to start with something smaller and build your way up.

2. Know your lodging options

Do you want to camp? Wild camp? Use hostels or Air B&B? Stay with other cyclists through warmshowers.org? Likely you’ll end up using a combination of some or all of the above. For me, personally, I don’t enjoy riding all day without some sense of where I’ll be spending the night. So the day before I will always look up a few campsites/hostels where I’m hoping to end up as well as one or two along the way in case I need to stop early. It’s always safer to call it a day earlier if you’re feeling tired, rather than to push when your brain just isn’t thinking clearly.

3. Track your locations

This is totally optional but it gave me (and my family!) a sense of security to have people know where I was. I tracked where I was staying using the app TrackMyTour and shared it with friends and family. As an added bonus you have the benefit of ending up with a nice map of all the places you visited and stayed at the end of your trip!

4. Be visible

As a cyclist it’s always important to be as visible as possible. But especially because you may be travelling on a road or in a location where drivers aren’t expecting cyclists, it doesn’t hurt to be extra prepared. Lights, reflective tape, a high-visibility jacket or vest. There are plenty of ways to make sure you feel safe and visible on the road.

5. Look up bike routes & use bike-friendly apps

Bike routes are a great way to get away from busy roads. And they have the added benefit of helping you cross paths with other cycle tourers who will look out for you should you have any questions or mechanical issues. Of course not everywhere has bike routes. And when that’s the case, apps like Komoot and Maps.me will let you choose “bicycle” as your method of travel and put together a route for you.

6. Ask questions

Never be afraid to ask questions and to seek out more information. Facebook groups like Bicycle Travelling Women, Solo Male and Female Solo Touring Cyclists and Bicycle Touring & Bikepacking are filled with knowledgeable cyclists who can answer virtually any bike touring question you can think of!

7. Trust your gut

I truly believe 99.9% of people in this world are good. And when you travel solo you’ll really see that for yourself. People will offer you food, a safe place to stay, mechanical support, a kind chat. The world is filled with kind, generous people who will look out for and take care of you the same way you would them. But if any person or situation makes you feel uncomfortable, trust your gut and remove yourself from that situation however you can. You don’t have to justify it or have it make sense — just take care of yourself and get yourself to safety.

I hope you found these 7 tips for a safe solo cycle tour helpful. Happy bike touring!