By Dom Clacy

Cycling is a major part of my hobby, triathlon. However when I go camping I love nothing more than to get on the bike and journey around the nearby countryside. It is nice for me to go out on a relaxing ride rather than a serious muscle bursting one once in a while and when camping I have the scenery and the company to make it a great experience.

A cycling trip allows you to see so much more of the surroundings than a car journey and when camping it is a great idea to replace that short car journey to the nearby villages with an easy cycle ride. Of course your riding must suit all abilities in the group and there are so safety precautions that you should be aware of. Always wear your helmet! I am not preaching to kids here but so many times I see riders without their helmets who have the excuse, “I`m just going down the road.” Let me tell you that if an accident is going to happen, it can happen anywhere, any when.

Plan you cycle ride in advance. You may just want to plan a simple looped journey from and to your campsite or you may want to plan a more extensive ride, taking in a few campsites over a weekend or longer. Either way you need to know how many miles you are going to be riding on each stint and make sure you are fully capable of doing these rides already. Remember that when going out on a day trip cycling you will be carrying additional weight in the form of money, back-up clothing, drinks and food all stuffed in your backpack.

If you are new to cycling then find a feature full, flat ride perhaps along an old railway line. A good example is The Tarka Trail in North Devon. Also check the weather and plan your ride on a nice warm, sunny day. Although cycling can be just as fun in the wet! If you are planning a longer ride then book your campsites in advance if possible as it is not like you can just drive to the next nearest site easily if your chosen site is fully booked.

You will also want to have your bike fully prepared, oiled and extensively checked. This means oiling the chain and chain rings and perhaps the brake cables. You will also want to inflate the tires properly and check all screws to ensure they are tight. Some like to weather-protect their frame with a good frame oil. Then make sure you have enough cycling clothing for the journey and if you have not cycled for a while, try it on!

Cycling is wonderful hobby that can be as easy or as hard as you want. It is a hobby that can be great fun in any weather which can be a rarity.

–About–

By Dom Clacy – Follow these tips and let us know how you get on at http://www.gonecampinguk.com

Source: Cool Biking Zone – Your source for great cycling, sports and fitness articles!

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