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Cycle Touring Resources

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A decade of bicycle touring resources distilled into a page of useful links

TL;DR. This Cycle Touring Resources Guide is designed to get you prepared and ready for a long distance bicycle adventure anywhere in the world. Learn the basics, build your kit, steal my route ideas, and ride off into the good kind of trouble.

Quick nav. Start Here . How To and Guides . Skills, Safety and Road Wisdom . Gear and Reviews . Routes and Journeys . Community and Inspiration

hero cycles - the finest bikes in india
Somewhere in the Assam circa 2015, 11,000km into a bike trip

Start Here

If you’re new to cycle touring, don’t overthink it. Start with the big picture. Then work down into planning, kit, and routes.

Bicycle Touring Guides

Helpful guides to getting started in cycle touring.

Bike choice. What actually works on big trips

Steel is real as the saying goes. That’s a universal truth well rememebred when it comes to choosing a bicycle.

The Dawes Galaxy is no longer in production, but the spirit and style of the Ultra Galaxy lives on in the design of modern gravel bikes. Touring ready rigs with wide drops and sports geometry is the standard.

There Are Other Saddles

I’ve tested a lot of saddles over the years. None of them came close to the comfort of a Brooks B17*. It’s well documented in the cycle touring community that for long distance bike travel, a Brooks is the ONLY saddle for the job.

Resource: Why I Love My Dawes Galaxy Touring Bike

a young Kyrgyz boy sits atop a dawes galaxy touring bike in central asia
a young Kyrgyz boy sits atop my dawes galaxy touring bike in central asia

How To and Guides

This is the practical section. Planning, logistics, and how to live well on the road without turning the trip into a spreadsheet.

Planning and logistics

Get good at making and executing a plan and you’ll thrive. Too much dilly-dally and you’ll wish you’d never seen a bike and a map.

Sleeping outside. The art of being comfortable in discomfort

Once you get past the first few nights, wild camping becomes second nature and a skill for life. There’s two forms: big nature wild camping vs urban vagabobonding – better know them both:

bootstrapped budget bicycle travel camping kit and stove in the pamir mountains
wild camping along the pamir highway where a bike touring stove is essential kit

Skills, Safety and Road Wisdom

These posts keep your bike running. They also keep your head in the game when the weather turns feral and the plan falls apart. I wouldn’t be without my Leatherman* on any trip!

Maintenance and reliability

I’ve always been an if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it style oif mechanic. It works for me, that said I do know how to do most things should the need arise. These videos are awesome if you need to learn your craft.

Navigation and route planning

Personally, when I navigate myself, I aim for simple and practical. If I’m with Adrian or a group, there’s a bit more thought goes in to it. Cycle routes prefered, GPS optional, paper essential!

Food, flexibility, and not losing your mind

In terms of philosophy and psychology of long distnace bike touring, ask yourself this – do you even want to cook?

Get clear on this question and you’ll soon realise what kind of trip you’re planning to make and how you’ll mak the most of it.

Resource: Is This The Best Filter Water Bottle For Bike Travel?

a cyclist sits cross legged boiling water on a camping stove by a river in france
camp cooking in France

Gear and Reviews

This is where the nerdy joy lives. Use these to build a kit that lasts, stays dry, and doesn’t make you hate your life by Day 3.

Resource: My Complete Cycle Touring Kit List for Epic RTW Adventures

Bike bags and packing systems

Rain gear and staying warm

Cooking kit and stoves

Sleep systems. Because tomorrow starts tonight

Resource: Is The Hilleberg Nallo 2 GT The Best Tent In The World?

Tools and travel tech

a route around europe drawn on a paper map
The OG; the ride that started it all! 20 Countries in 100 Days

Routes and Journeys

Use these for inspiration and planning. Also, shamelessly steal my mistakes. That’s why I wrote them down.

Big international routes

India and the Himalayas

a bikepacking rig leans on a roadsign on the manali to leh highway
bikepacking high up in Ladakh

Want the full Himalayan experience with support?

If you want high altitude adventure without the logistics headache, check the guided tour options here: View all tours.

UK classics and short tours

two cyclist in the pamir highway
cycling the pamir highway with Adrian

Community and Inspiration

This is the human fuel. Stories, events, and the wider world of people doing big rides on ordinary days.

If you’ve read this far, you’re ready to go! Get the bike loaded up and enjoy the ride!

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