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Before leaving
1. Choosing the course : for a first time "cycle tourist",it is absolutely essential to choose a simple course, with little difficulty and that allows an easy re-entry. It is useless to face exhausting itineraries, in places that are not well known, because the risk is that you will never want to hear about cycle tourism ever again.
2. Obtain all the necessary documents beforehand : by surfing on the net you can obtain all the necessary information, by visiting the pages of the itinerary and special offers by Associations. In the Province's tourist guide, there are numerous links or you can buy a guide and specific maps about the course. Doing this is also a good way to start enjoying your journey, in anticipation.
3. Physical preparation : the cycling preparation should go hand in hand with general physical preparation. It is not essential to train as you would for competitive sport, but it is important to arrive at the start of the course in good physical shape. More specifically, the preparation should centre on the creation of a good basis and in the habit of staying in the saddle for quite long periods. Generally a journey does not require intense exertion, but an approximate preparation can mean that you could pay the price. The scarce ability to recover is a problem that could arise after the first few days of travel. In the months prior to leaving, it is therefore recommendable to go out cycling on a regular basis, favouring distance rather than short and intense outings, making sure that you have at least one trip out a week, of more than four hours. Much depends also, on the course you are going to do.
4. The choice of crew: as for any other do-it-yourself journey, you need a good dose of team spirit among the participants. Travelling 10-15 km per hour ( which is really little if you try it) you will manage to cover interesting distances, having also time to stop to visit cultural assets, to take photographs or just to enjoy the view. Go out together before leaving. You will only need a few hours every now and again, to know how both you and your companions are getting on.
5. Alimentation: pedalling is predominantly an aerobic activity, that brings about a high expenditure of energy prolonged in time. Alimentation during your cycle trip should respect one principle fundamental : when you are in the saddle and if you feel hungry or thirsty, then you should never wait. When the symptoms arrive, it is already too late. Therefore to avoid your lights going out and your legs becoming weak, you must consume liquids regularly, once every 15-20 min and take solid energetic foods, in small quantities that are easy to digest, but continuously, once every 40 or 50 min. Salts must be reintegrated in the final part and above all after cycling activity, while sugar must be easily absorbed but never abused. Being practical? In your rucksack and at hand, you should always have some fruit ( an apple, a banana, energy bars made of dried fruit and cereal). In your water bottle, tea which is enriched with honey.
6. Clothing: the difference between a cycling holiday, compared with the customary day trip, is that rarely you wear yourself out on a continuous pedalling trip. During a cycling holiday, the stops are more frequent and often the cycling stretches are divided into morning or afternoon, breaking the cycling stretches with a snack or a light lunch. So this signifies that your chosen clothing must be comfortable, even for the times when you are not in the saddle. The sports market promotes articles of clothing that have technical characteristics, but at the same time present an aspect of �free time�. But this a personal choice. You should not be without technical articles of clothing : shorts, underwear, gloves, sunglasses, a helmet which is essential, a windproof jacket and a change of clothes for the longer pauses. Footwear : those for competitions are not recommended, while the choice falls on those recommended for common use, but they must be good for pedalling and walking.
7. Accessories: if you have to buy a new one, then we recommend a bike for tourists : they are usually robust, they have gear change and allow for a comfortable posture. If you have a mountain bike and want to use it, then you should have the foresight to substitute the original tyres, with smoother ones. It will be an expense that you will not regret. Obtain also a cycle computer and somewhere to carry your bag. For this last outlay, buy one which is robust (the very light ones break very easily) and take into account that the ones at the back give more stability, than those at the front. You should know that the bags are never big enough. Try to get a small bag that you can tie to the handlebars: they are useful for keeping your camera in, money, documents and they usually have somewhere to keep your map on the upper part. Don�t forget a full water bottle and the equipment for the first stage.
8. Luggage: here you will need to limit yourself. If you have decided to travel around for a while, then you must resign yourself to the fact that you will have to wash some things. Some soap for washing clothes, takes up far less space than a complete set of T shirts for twenty days.
9. Respect the Highway Code: the cyclist must respect the Highway Code, like any car driver. For reasons of security, always go the same way that the traffic is going, keeping to the right, always keep in the right lane for going round bends, make the correct hand signs and stop at traffic lights and at stop signs.
10. Basic techniques: maintain a moderate rhythm. Learn to change speed so that you can proceed without tiring yourself and go at a sensible speed. If your legs are �burning� then this means that the gear is too long and so change to a shorter one. If your lungs are burning, then change to a higher gear. Relax on the uphill parts. Sit up straight, with your shoulders relaxed and open. This position helps you to breathe. Alternate the position on the uphill climbs. On longer uphill stretches, change position often to allow the muscles to relax. Remain sitting with your hands on the straight part of the handlebar near the mount. Occasionally put the handlebar at the same height as the coupling and stand up on the pedals. By standing, more power is transferred to the pedals, but this asks for more physical exertion. Pedal also when you are going downhill. On the routes where you are going up and down, try not to go in free bursts of speed, put the longer gear on and keep pedalling. The rush that will follow, will allow you to accomplish, the following up hill climb without any problems.
Have a good trip!
2. Obtain all the necessary documents beforehand : by surfing on the net you can obtain all the necessary information, by visiting the pages of the itinerary and special offers by Associations. In the Province's tourist guide, there are numerous links or you can buy a guide and specific maps about the course. Doing this is also a good way to start enjoying your journey, in anticipation.
3. Physical preparation : the cycling preparation should go hand in hand with general physical preparation. It is not essential to train as you would for competitive sport, but it is important to arrive at the start of the course in good physical shape. More specifically, the preparation should centre on the creation of a good basis and in the habit of staying in the saddle for quite long periods. Generally a journey does not require intense exertion, but an approximate preparation can mean that you could pay the price. The scarce ability to recover is a problem that could arise after the first few days of travel. In the months prior to leaving, it is therefore recommendable to go out cycling on a regular basis, favouring distance rather than short and intense outings, making sure that you have at least one trip out a week, of more than four hours. Much depends also, on the course you are going to do.
4. The choice of crew: as for any other do-it-yourself journey, you need a good dose of team spirit among the participants. Travelling 10-15 km per hour ( which is really little if you try it) you will manage to cover interesting distances, having also time to stop to visit cultural assets, to take photographs or just to enjoy the view. Go out together before leaving. You will only need a few hours every now and again, to know how both you and your companions are getting on.
5. Alimentation: pedalling is predominantly an aerobic activity, that brings about a high expenditure of energy prolonged in time. Alimentation during your cycle trip should respect one principle fundamental : when you are in the saddle and if you feel hungry or thirsty, then you should never wait. When the symptoms arrive, it is already too late. Therefore to avoid your lights going out and your legs becoming weak, you must consume liquids regularly, once every 15-20 min and take solid energetic foods, in small quantities that are easy to digest, but continuously, once every 40 or 50 min. Salts must be reintegrated in the final part and above all after cycling activity, while sugar must be easily absorbed but never abused. Being practical? In your rucksack and at hand, you should always have some fruit ( an apple, a banana, energy bars made of dried fruit and cereal). In your water bottle, tea which is enriched with honey.
6. Clothing: the difference between a cycling holiday, compared with the customary day trip, is that rarely you wear yourself out on a continuous pedalling trip. During a cycling holiday, the stops are more frequent and often the cycling stretches are divided into morning or afternoon, breaking the cycling stretches with a snack or a light lunch. So this signifies that your chosen clothing must be comfortable, even for the times when you are not in the saddle. The sports market promotes articles of clothing that have technical characteristics, but at the same time present an aspect of �free time�. But this a personal choice. You should not be without technical articles of clothing : shorts, underwear, gloves, sunglasses, a helmet which is essential, a windproof jacket and a change of clothes for the longer pauses. Footwear : those for competitions are not recommended, while the choice falls on those recommended for common use, but they must be good for pedalling and walking.
7. Accessories: if you have to buy a new one, then we recommend a bike for tourists : they are usually robust, they have gear change and allow for a comfortable posture. If you have a mountain bike and want to use it, then you should have the foresight to substitute the original tyres, with smoother ones. It will be an expense that you will not regret. Obtain also a cycle computer and somewhere to carry your bag. For this last outlay, buy one which is robust (the very light ones break very easily) and take into account that the ones at the back give more stability, than those at the front. You should know that the bags are never big enough. Try to get a small bag that you can tie to the handlebars: they are useful for keeping your camera in, money, documents and they usually have somewhere to keep your map on the upper part. Don�t forget a full water bottle and the equipment for the first stage.
8. Luggage: here you will need to limit yourself. If you have decided to travel around for a while, then you must resign yourself to the fact that you will have to wash some things. Some soap for washing clothes, takes up far less space than a complete set of T shirts for twenty days.
9. Respect the Highway Code: the cyclist must respect the Highway Code, like any car driver. For reasons of security, always go the same way that the traffic is going, keeping to the right, always keep in the right lane for going round bends, make the correct hand signs and stop at traffic lights and at stop signs.
10. Basic techniques: maintain a moderate rhythm. Learn to change speed so that you can proceed without tiring yourself and go at a sensible speed. If your legs are �burning� then this means that the gear is too long and so change to a shorter one. If your lungs are burning, then change to a higher gear. Relax on the uphill parts. Sit up straight, with your shoulders relaxed and open. This position helps you to breathe. Alternate the position on the uphill climbs. On longer uphill stretches, change position often to allow the muscles to relax. Remain sitting with your hands on the straight part of the handlebar near the mount. Occasionally put the handlebar at the same height as the coupling and stand up on the pedals. By standing, more power is transferred to the pedals, but this asks for more physical exertion. Pedal also when you are going downhill. On the routes where you are going up and down, try not to go in free bursts of speed, put the longer gear on and keep pedalling. The rush that will follow, will allow you to accomplish, the following up hill climb without any problems.
Have a good trip!
