Whether you are holidaying overseas, inter-state, or even an hour away from your home – nothing can be more relaxing than just getting away. If you are an avid cycler, then you probably want to keep cycling on your holiday as it is such an integral part of your life and something that gives you great enjoyment. There is also something exciting about discovering new paths in a new destination, so let’s cover a beginners guide to biking holidays.
To hire or bring your own bike?
Should you hire or bring your own bike away with you? This is a loaded question, and everyone will answer differently depending on where they are going and how comfortable they are using different mountain bikes. If you choose to hire a bike when you are away, do your best to figure out what bike you will hire and give it a road test at home before you arrive in your destination and find out if it’s ticking all the boxes. If you are bringing your own bike, make sure that you can stow your bike safely, so it is not damaged in transit rendering it useless on holidays and at home when you arrive back.
Research biking destinations
Don’t just assume that every place on your wishlist has incredible terrains and tracks waiting to be discovered, because you might find that you arrive in a fully-grassed place with no roads or paths close, or that the paths available do not challenge you in the way you had hoped. Not surprisingly, there are a number of bike holiday destinations that have been vetted and written about by other avid bikers, so start your research there and see if anything grabs your attention. From there, you can find appropriate accommodation that is close to the tracks and is going to set you up for an easy transition to the road.
Maps and directions
The best part about biking at home is that you can lose yourself in a bike ride and always know exactly where to go on autopilot, as you have taken these tracks so many times before. You don’t have the same luxury when you are on holiday, so be sure to have a map with directions so you can find your way back when you have got your fill on the bike. The last thing you want when you are on holidays is to be stranded in the middle of nowhere with no energy left to cycle home. There are many bike track apps that can record your rides and times, and actually have a map function that you can follow to return home so be sure to download and test these before you arrive on your holiday.
Find a community
Cyclers are certainly social folks, and you might even find yourself meeting others on biking holidays when you are away. Cycling with others can be a lot more interesting than cycling on your own, so consider reaching out to a community who live and ride in your holiday destination, or try and sync your holiday up with a rider from your hometown. This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but a hobby shared with friends makes the experience that much richer so don’t be shy and tap into a biking community to get the scoop on your next biking holiday destination.
