One of the best parts about bikes is that they take us places we would not otherwise be able to go. However, even the longest bike ride won't get you to all of the places in the world that you want to visit. A wild imagination and a wandering curiosity spark many cyclists to pack up their bikes and hit the road for a cycling vacation. This is sometimes one of the best big cities for biking in the US where they can ride around and see all the sights. Sometimes this means driving across the country so that you can discover a new national park or bike in different terrain—say, in the Rocky Mountains or along the sandy shores of Lake Michigan. Depending on the time of year and your appetite for adventure, the list of places is nearly endless. But taking a cycling vacation and planning a trip are two completely different things.
When planning a trip for a cycling vacation, you have to be mindful that traveling with an e-bike adds some complexity to an otherwise ordinary trip. You will likely put a lot of time and effort into the planning process so that once you are on your vacation you can enjoy cycling and all of the great benefits that come with it. To do this, there are some things you need to keep in mind for making traveling with an e-bike the smoothest and most exciting trip you have ever taken.
Keep These 6 Things in Mind for Your Next Cycling Vacation
While there are many things you need to remember when planning your next cycling vacation, these six things are some of the most important to keep top of mind.
1. A Specific Packing List
Putting together a packing list for a vacation is a basic aspect of traveling. However, putting together a packing list specific to a cycling vacation is its own task. Packing for an ordinary vacation requires ordinary things: clothes, toiletries, cell phone, wallet, maybe a camera. When traveling with an e-bike, you need to remember things that will be helpful while riding all day long in whatever weather gets thrown at you. Remember the essentials, but also think about things such as nutrition, bike accessories, and repair kits. The better packed you are, the more prepared you will be overall on your trip.
2. Rules About Flying
Not all biking trips require flying—sometimes you can strap your bike on the back of a car and drive to your destination. But if you are flying and you want to bring your e-bike, be aware that you likely cannot bring the battery. Airlines have strict safety limits for the size battery you can bring on a plane. This often means having to either rent a bike, rent a battery, or buy a new battery when you get to your location—if you want to take advantage of the electric capabilities of your e-bike. You could also consider shipping your battery to your location ahead of time.
3. Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is one of those things that many people do not think about until, well, you need it. When out on a cycling vacation, the last thing you want to worry about is something going wrong. For big trips, consider purchasing travel insurance so that you know your e-bike is protected the entire time you are away from home.
4. Understanding Local Cycling Regulations
Riding around your local area, you probably have a firm understanding of the laws and regulations about where it is acceptable to ride your e-bike and where it is not permitted. But not all places have the same laws about this. It is important that before you take a cycling vacation to a new place, you look up the local cycling regulations so that you know exactly where you can ride your bike and where you should avoid it. This will also help choose the place to travel and also putting together your itinerary.
5. Hydration is King
Cyclists probably do not need to hear this because it is so incredibly important to maintaining proper health while riding your bike, but remember when traveling with an e-bike for a cycling vacation that staying hydrated should be your top priority. Riding long distances and exerting intense amounts of energy causes you to lose a lot of fluid over time, so remembering to always keep plenty of water on hand and stay hydrated is important. It will help you feel better throughout the trip as well.
6. Use an Itinerary
Sometimes, traveling the world without an itinerary can be fun. The spontaneity can be both freeing and fulfilling. However, because you can only travel so far and so fast on an e-bike, sticking to an itinerary on your cycling vacation is key. Ahead of the trip, you will want to plan things like how far you will ride each day and where you are going to stop and stay overnight. Without sticking to your itinerary, you may find yourself missing some of the places you wanted to visit, or worse, you might get stranded on the trail before reaching your destination. This isn’t to say you can’t veer off to see something you did not expect to see, but sticking closely to your itinerary will make the trip smoother, less stressful, and more enjoyable.
At the end of the day, traveling with an e-bike for a cycling vacation should be one of the best experiences of your life. Do not let the failure of planning a trip properly derail the actual trip itself. There is a lot that goes into planning a trip, but when traveling with an e-bike take care to keep the six tips above at the top of your list. Having a grasp of a basic packing list for a cycling vacation, understanding the rules about flying with an e-bike and the local biking regulations where you’re going, buying travel insurance, remaining hydrated throughout the trip, and sticking strictly to your itinerary are all important aspects to ensuring your trip goes off without a hitch.
