Tips for biking adventures

A biking adventure doesn’t have to be a pipe dream, you can do it! From mini missions to epic explorations, here are some adventures you can try.

Explore somewhere new

This is the first step to all adventures. You could ride down a road near you that you’ve never travelled before, or look on a map to see if there’s somewhere local you’ve not explored. If you’re not sure how to find a safe route, we’ve got an article all about it here.

Ride with friends

Riding solo is great, but adventuring with friends definitely increases the fun levels! Riding with others can help boost your motivation and spread your love of biking far and wide. If you’ve got a friend who hasn’t ridden in years, you could spark their interest. Or, if you have a more experienced riding friend, you could learn from them and build your confidence! 

Ride one way

This is a fantastic way to explore new places without having to ride vast distances For example, if you’re heading somewhere with friends, you could ride there and arrange a lift back, or you could travel somewhere by train and ride home. This method will help you explore further without having to ride too much longer!

Switch up a regular route

If there are places you regularly drive to, see if you can go by bike instead. You could discover new routes that you never knew about or places you’ve never seen before! If you have a local cafe or restaurant that you love to visit, even better - go by bike and treat the destination as a rewarding goal.

Try a mystery ride

No, this isn’t a ghost tour (although ghost tours by bike sound great!) - it’s a trip without a planned destination. Simply pack a water bottle, snacks and your phone and ride out. Mystery rides help you discover new routes and uncover the unexpected! 

Go on a long ride

Riding a long distance is a fantastic adventure. Not only will you connect with your environment, you will probably be amazed by how far you go and what you accomplish! Give yourself a nice round number to go for, plan a route to hit your number and ride. You could earn a distance badge while you are at it!

Go off-road

One of the best things about riding a bike is that you’re not stuck to the roads! Trying out an off-road trail could transform the way you look at riding and give you the chance to really feel like you are riding in nature! If you don’t have a suitable bike, see if you can borrow a friend’s or hire one from a trail centre.

Overnight adventures

This could take the form of touring, bike packing or bike holidays. Overnight adventures take a bit more preparation, but the pay-off can be big. There’s a special kind of satisfaction that comes from carrying everything you need and being fully pedal-powered! Find out more about them here. 

Get your bike ready for adventure!

The equipment you need will depend on the type of adventure you’re going on but here’s the low-down on some of the best adventure accessories:

Water bottle

This is an essential piece of kit, especially on longer rides. Staying hydrated will make sure you can ride further and for longer. 

Snacks

You will be burning lots of energy while you ride, so it’s important to stay fuelled. Cereal bars are great if you’re low on space. Going for a picnic on your adventure? Well, don’t let us tell you how much to pack - that’s up to you!

Lights

If your adventure continues past sunset, or you’ve got an early rise, you’ll need some lights. They’re also helpful whenever the visibility is low, such as during fog or when the sun is low in the sky. Pop a white light in front and a red light behind and make sure you keep them charged!

Power pack

Perfect for charging your phone or bike lights if you’re heading to a remote area. 

Bike repair kit

It’s always good to have some spares whenever you head out. Consider carrying a puncture repair kit, spare inner tubes and patches, and a multi-tool. Your repair kit will be your best friend if your bike needs a fix-up during a ride.

Backpack or hip pack

Sometimes you want to carry a bit more and the humble backpack or a hip pack is a great place to start and better yet, you probably have one lying around!

Panniers and bike bags

Take the weight off your shoulders by investing in pannier bags and a rack. The rack bolts onto your bike (check you have the points to fix one - they look like bolts) and the panniers hook onto the rack.

If you can’t add a rack, bikepacking bags are perfect! Bikepacking bags attach to the frame or seat post of your bike!

A riding app

Apps such as Strava or Komoot can help you plan your adventure. Enter your destination and make your own  route, or if you like the look of someone else’s you can use theirs! Perfect if route-planning is not your jam.

Happy adventuring!