Top Tips For Choosing A Bike For A Bicycle Camping Tour

There is a vast selection of camping bikes available in the market today. A good bike is essential for a smooth trip. When you go on Cycling Tours try to get answers to some of the frequently asked questions that will help select the perfect bike. 

What do you need

Before doing extensive research, ensure you’re certain of the type of cycle tour you want to take.

  • Do you prefer to ride slowly or quickly?
  • Do you plan to go on regular bike trips? 
  • What is the load you will carry?
  • Is the majority of your path on or off-road?

Your budget

Prices for bikes begin at around 1000 euros. These bikes typically differ from their more expensive siblings by having cheaper drivetrain parts (such as gearing systems), rim brakes, a simple pannier rack, and cheaper aluminum frames. 

Key features of touring bikes

Frame of the bike

Bikes made especially for cycle touring are built to be stable and comfortable even while pulling a hefty load. The majority of tour bikes have lengthier wheelbases than road bikes to achieve this.  In general, longer wheelbases provide smoother steering and better stability when towing a load. 

Wheels

When evaluating the wheels of touring bikes look at –

  • Number of spokes: It is generally advised to select wheels with at least 32 spokes because stronger wheels tend to have more spokes. If you’re going to be riding on hard terrain or carrying a lot of weight, wheels with 36 spokes are a better option.
  • Wheel size – The typical road wheel size, or 700c, will work just fine for most tourers who stick to paved conditions. However, choosing smaller 650b or 26-inch wheels may be the best option if you’re planning a long-distance tour that will take you on dirt and to far-flung international locations. 

Additionally, you want your tires to have puncture resistance,  some tread for better traction, and a size that is at least 35 mm.

Gears

You may keep things simple by selecting a bike that is made for the type of riding you want to do; a bike made for touring will almost probably be equipped with suitable gear to fulfill your needs. If you want to geek out on it, by all means, go ahead. This means having a 3x crankset with a 9- or 10-speed cassette for the majority of bike tourers.

Brakes

When embarking on a long-distance tour while carrying up to 30 or 40 pounds on a bike, it is advisable to plan how you will slow down and halt when necessary. Rim brakes and disc brakes are the two principal techniques for doing this. Disc brakes might be a better option if you want to ride uphill routes in all kinds of weather because they will offer more stopping power. Rim brakes, however, might be the ideal option for you if you intend to travel widely and have low maintenance.

Conclusion

We hope this blog helps you select the perfect bike for your requirements. Thanks for reading.