The essentials to take when travelling by bike

How to prepare for your cycling trip?

Preparing your cycling trip and cycling tour is quite an art. For your first time on a cycling trip, don't be too ambitious about the distance: adapt your route to the weather conditions, the traffic, the existence of cycle paths, the different gradients. The trick is to plan your route gradually, with distances increasing every day. 40 km on the first day, 50 on the second day...100 on the last day. You won't even notice and you'll become a real cycling enthusiast!

How not to be overloaded on your bike

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In order not to be overloaded when cycling, it is absolutely necessary to distinguish between the essential and the superfluous by making your equipment list with your essentials. It is also necessary to take quality equipment. Without it you can have some nice surprises during your holidays, nothing worse than a breakage at the wrong time and in the wrong place.

We've listed some of our must-have gear to help you on your bike trip:

What to choose between your mountain bike or VTC bike:

The mountain bike, the MTB, is a bike intended mainly for outings on paths, in the undergrowth, off the tarmac roads. Thanks to its adapted wheels and tyres, it is to be preferred if your cycling trip itinerary consists of paths.

With regard to the VTC, mountain bike, it combines the characteristics of the city bike and the mountain bike. It is intended to be used both for urban use and for riding on paths. Its tyres are thinner than those of a mountain bike. The mountain bike is ideal for touring cycling on trails, roads and marked routes. If you are travelling with a child, and using a bike trailer, opt for the mountain bike instead.

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The essential cycling accessories

• A bike! This is the essential equipment for your cycling trip. Before you leave, it is mandatory to check its condition: brakes, fixings, frame, inflation. Choose a bike that you have already ridden a few kilometres on,
  
  
• Rear panniers: you don't travel with a backpack on you while riding. Think about your balance to preserve your back. To store all your stuff, opt for panniers that offer a large volume. This pair of panniers, made from polyester canvas, has a PVC coating, a benchmark material in terms of water and dust resistance. Its airtight closures keep your belongings clean and dry inside the bag in case of rain. Offering a large storage volume (2 x 20L), they allow you to carry a lot of stuff and will meet all your needs for your bike trip. 
  
  
• A handlebar bag - cockpit, to hold your maps of your trip (because without them, you'll unfortunately go nowhere), your wallet, your sweet snack, your portable battery, your lamp and your tool kit... Perfect for your bike trips, compact and handy. The handlebar bag allows you to store your small items within easy reach. You are on your way for miles.
  
  
• A butterfly handlebar: recommended for long journeys. It allows you to regularly change position, so that the ride is more pleasant.

A little extra? The smartphone support, ideal for following your route without stopping all the time, and without letting go of the handlebars. You can of course find it on our website in the category equipment then accessories.

For your safety, the safety of others and your bike:

Helmets are highly recommended. And if you're not a fan and you've never found one that melted your heart, you're bound to find something you like on our site!

• Lighting: essential to ensure your visibility and safety. Don't be afraid to shine brightly.
• A safety vest (a yellow waistcoat or a Mondrian safety vest: just as safe but much nicer in terms of looks and with improved features: windproof, waterproof, pockets for your personal belongings)
• A antivol U to protect and secure your bike
• A rearview mirror, handy so you don't miss anything coming up behind you, without taking your eyes off the road.
  
  

For clothing:

Choose clothes that are appropriate for the season, climate and regions. Whatever the season, a jumper and protection against rain are essential. Quantities depend on the length of the trip, but pay attention to the weight of your clothes so that your panniers do not weigh too much.

• T-shirts
• Shorts and trousers: Shorts are more comfortable, practical if they have large but not loose pockets to slip your mobile phone and keys into (without losing it while riding).
• Sunglassesl and caps / hats
• Rain cape or rain skirt/pants.
• Good waterproof shoes and an airy pair, such as flip-flops for when you are resting
• A scarf and/or scarf, to cover yourself from the wind
• Some gloves against the cold or to protect your hands from the handlebars while riding

Tools for repairing your bike while travelling

One part you shouldn't neglect on your bike trip: the cyclist's repair kit (which you can also find on our site under my bike then repair kit!)

• A multi-tool is essential to enable you to screw your bike back on regularly,

• A puncture repair kit, should anything happen to you, 

• A key to repair your bike's spokes, 

• Spare cables for brakes and gears

• A frame pump, which allows you to reinflate your tyres, 

• A pocket knife, to easily extract a foreign object from a tyre (very useful for your meals, by the way!)

• A wipe cloth for wiping your hands and parts to change, 

• A chain drift, to quickly fix a broken chain! 

Camping gear for bike riding

For the bivouac: a waterproof tent and sleeping bag. Don't hesitate to invest in a self-inflating mattress and an inflatable pillow to insulate you from the humidity and coolness of the ground, and above all, for your comfort! For the kitchen: above all, do not forget the stove, cutlery, tupperware, gas, lighter, salt and pepper. The water bottle that can carry at least a litre of water is also essential. At Je Suis À Vélo, we tested and selected for you this kitchen set for 2 people for its lightness, space saving and versatility. All utensils fit easily into the pan, which locks into place by folding the handle, there's even room to add a small gas canister and the stove. Its weight is only 472 grams! 

Some advance provisions are essential for a bike trip: 1 emergency dish (freeze-dried) and some dried fruit to deal with the unexpected (late arrival or closed shop).

You can find our list on the right (and you can even download it!)

Prepare your care kit

The survival kit is fundamental for a bike trip. Even if you won't need it, or even very little, it's always important to know you have one handy and in case of a boo-boo or accident. Prepare your belongings and remember to take a survival blanket, a product to disinfect wounds, some stitches and a bandage. Add some medicine for headaches or nausea and mosquito repellent! Sunscreen and aftershave is not to be neglected.

Sunscreen and aftershave is not to be neglected.

When it comes to daily cleaning, be sure to consider:

• an ultra-compact microfiber towel that can accompany you everywhere and dries very quickly,
• a Marseille soap (which washes your body but also clothes by hand and allows to remove difficult stains)
• a toothbrush
• a shampoo (preferably solid so it doesn't run into your pretty bags)
• and rolls of toilet paper! This list is the bare minimum for a bike trip, but you can, of course, make it more comprehensive.
  
  

The survival kit is fundamental for a bike trip. Even if you won't be using it, or will use it very little, it's always important to know that you have one handy and in case of a boo-boo or accident. Prepare your belongings and remember to take a survival blanket, a product to disinfect wounds, some stitches and a bandage. Add some medicine for headaches or nausea and mosquito repellent! Sunscreen and aftershave is not to be neglected.

The plus?

For your relaxing moments and in the evening, don't forget some leisure equipment: a deck of cards, a reader, a notebook, a pen, an iPod, a speaker, headphones, a camera or a still camera. Also think of the old sheet for a picnic in the grass or a nap! You will thank us ;)

You're going on a cycling trip to disconnect from your daily life? Say goodbye to your work mailbox but don't forget your personal mobile phone, because anything can happen to you on the road. Your personal phone can also be used as a GPS, weather forecast, torch or effort manager. Applications such as Strava can be useful. It records your cycling trip via your smartphone GPS and gives you the classic data you need: cadence, distance, route calculation, altimeter, heart rate. GPS bike computer is another interesting app that provides statistics, such as graphic odometer and power meter; your speed from the GPS receiver; your maximum speed during your cycling workout; the duration of your bike ride; average speed (cadence sensor); a calorie counter; and it automatically pauses during signal loss.

And if not, when cycling, remember that the main engine is you! It is essential to prepare yourself physically. Put on a sports outfit and prepare yourself calmly beforehand. Intensive training is not necessary, unless you want to enter the Tour de France...

On your marks, get set, pedal!

Photos by Paul Green; Joseph Sun; Dimitri Vaccinium; Viktor Bystrov on Unsplash.