What to Pack on Your Biking Adventure

Transport cycling is the most common form of biking in the world. This is the type of biking that’s used just to get people from one place to another. But this isn’t really adventurous, and you don’t need a special type of bike for it.

These days, more people are buying specialized bikes to use for more exciting forms of cycling. Road biking generally consists of races or marathons that take place on paved roads. These are usually longer races (20 miles and up), and may take place mostly on flatter roads, or even over mountain roads.

There are also shorter road races in which cyclists race over a track or inside a particular town. Off-road biking is generally more challenging than road biking. There are many forms of off-road biking, including mountain biking and downhill biking.

Mountain bikes are generally used, because they’re made to be safer and more durable on rocky or rough terrain. Mountain bikes have tough tires and strong frames, and are built to absorb shocks well. For this reason, most off-road cyclists do prefer to use a mountain bike rather than a standard bike.

Rough-Stuff bikers are off-road bikers who take off-road cycling to the extreme. They don’t just enjoy riding over rocky areas or areas with a lot of roots, mud, or other obstacles. They take their biking far into the wilderness and will even carry the bike through the areas that are impossible to ride through.

Some Rough-Stuff bikers don’t even use a mountain bike at all! All bikers need more gear than just the bike. Some need helmets, gloves, sunglasses, and attachable water bottles if they’re going for a long ride.

Although little more is needed for most cyclists than a bicycle, some extra equipment can certainly made a ride a lot more comfortable. Cross-country cyclists and adventure cyclists generally need to take some additional gear.

• A bike water bottle is very important. You need a good, insulated water bottle to keep your water cool. These can be refilled at water fountains at various locations, so you won’t have to keep spending money on expensive bottled water. It is critical to stay hydrated, so don’t forget to bring this along for any ride over 20 minutes.
• All cyclists should wear a helmet. It may not look cool, and it may be a bit uncomfortable, but a helmet is vital for protecting your brain in case of an accident.
• Gloves are a good idea for mountain bikers and road cyclists who will be traveling longer distances. The vibrations that go through your handlebars can be uncomfortable, and may even cause blisters on some people.
• A bike kit is important, especially for longer trips. You need a spare tire tube and tools for changing tires and making small repairs.
• If you have the room, a small pump is a very good idea. Flat tires are very common, and it can be hard to find a place to fill your tires if you’re on a long trip.

When you train for a long road biking trek, you want to do more than just condition your muscles. You want to plan your body for the excursion well in advance, and that means conditioning your body with a good nutritional balance.

Aside from drinking plenty of water on and off the trail, you want the right nutrition to fuel your body throughout the day. You want to eat foods that help with muscle fatigue as well as give you plenty of energy to make it through the ride.

You may not have to eat during a 2-hour ride, but you will need to drink. Take a clip-on water bottle for the sake of convenience. If it’s longer than 2 hours, you may need some snacks in the form of carbohydrates.

The key for hydration is to drink one water bottle per hour. But if it’s unusually hot, then you’ll need more than one bottle of water each hour. Food-wise, your body needs carbs before and during the ride, but you can resume normal eating afterwards.

Try not to eat foods high in fats before the race for at least 4 days. Keep everything lean and healthy and it will optimize your body to function during the cycling portion of your week.