I believe that cycling is one of the loveliest ways of travelling, and that anyone can have as much of an adventure cycling to a town or village twenty miles from their home as travelling to the other side of the world. I’m only seven years into my cycle touring experiences, but I’ve spent nine months of those last seven years on cycle tours, from nine-week long trips around France to weekend jaunts around north Wales where I live.
Read the Intro and Chapter 1 here!
Cycle Touring For Beginners has twin aims:
The first is to encourage you to try cycle touring as soon as possible, especially if all you can manage is a weekend away. It doesn’t have to be a months-long expedition on another continent; you can experience the freedom that touring by bike gives by riding away from your front door and exploring areas close to home.
The second aim is to share what I have learned over the last seven years. I am a great believer in using the tools and kit that are available to you now and not waiting for perfection – and I keep repeating this point in the book – but I’d also like to help you avoid some of the more unpleasant experiences by sharing tips I’ve learned, so you can make it a little bit easier on yourself from the start.
With a bike, you travel slowly enough to see everything in detail yet quickly enough to cover lots of ground. Even cycling thirty miles from where you live, using roads you don’t normally take in a car, makes you see your area in a new light and turns what is familiar into an adventure. In the book I constantly encourage the reader to try with whatever equipment they have available, whether it’s for a couple of nights or for a couple of months.
The book covers:
- Reasons to try cycle touring.
- What sorts of bicycle you can use, with advice on gearing, basic maintenance and safety.
- Fitness and staying healthy on the road: advice on eating and drinking to keep you cycling happily all day, stretching to avoid aches and pains, and the importance of caring for your skin.
- Where to stay, whether to travel alone or with others, and the advantages and disadvantages of having a plan.
- Advice on tents and camping accessories.
- Tools and repair kits, from the minimalist puncture repair kit to a comprehensive kit for longer trips.
- Cooking equipment and the importance of hygiene.
- Clothing for on and off the bike, toiletries and what to include in your first aid kit.
- Maps, guidebooks and the importance of luxuries.
This concise guide encourages you to try exploring your world by bicycle. A tour doesn’t have to be an expedition! With dozens of tips on everything from how to eat to keep yourself healthy to what to bring in your toolkit, Cycle Touring For Beginners will have you itching to saddle up and start your own cycle touring adventure this weekend.
Here’s what some readers have said:
“The best thing about this book is that it is inspiring, not in the “wow, perhaps maybe I can dream of doing a bike tour some day” kind of way, but in a “wow, I can actually do this, today!” kind of way.As someone who is just getting back into biking and am thinking about doing some travel with my bike, this has made the idea far less overwhelming, while giving me plenty to think about.” –Smashwords Customer Review
“I was really impressed by this guide, it’s manner of delivering the information is down to earth, very practical, funny and witty, but most importantly inspires and encourages. I’ll keep this one on my Kindle for my travels.” — Amazon Customer Review
“Inspired me to, literally, get on my bike and just do it. Cheerful, practical and very encouraging – if you want to cycle tour but are nervous about actually setting off on your first trip, this book will help you on your way.” — Amazon Customer Review
“As a starting point, this is an excellent book, both for its common sense and its enthusiasm. It is easy to read, without being simplistic; it covers a wide-range of topics without baffling the newcomer with arcane cycling lore; it is humorous, but informative; it is enthusiastic and encouraging, but realistic; it should inspire as well as empower.” — Steve Dyster, Editor, Seven Day Cyclist (Read the full review at https://www.sevendaycyclist.com/cycle-touring-for-beginners)
E-book available now from my store on Payhip: Cycle Touring For Beginners eBook.
Or from Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, and other online stores.
Print edition available from Amazon. Very soon you’ll be able to order it from your favourite independent bookshops. Watch this space!
