Expert touring tips
From RIDE readers and staffers
EVERYONE HAS A different idea of what touring is, and how best to do it. Everyone also has a list of pet hates, fears, worries and advice to overcome it all — but what works for one might be disastrous for another. There’s no wrong way of doing it, just what’s right for you. To give you some ideas, we ask a group of RIDE’S highmileage readers to give us their top tips for touring success.
Take an overnight boat rather than Eurotunnel. A beer on board and falling asleep to the rocking of the boat is so much better than standing and queuing for the loo.
Plan your routes following rivers. They usually wind a bit and the roads do too. Scenic as well.
Don’t set huge mileage targets. It’s meant to be fun, isn’t it? Relax, look around, take pictures, have a coffee and cake. Don’t be afraid to have a day off the bike either. It’ll do you good.
Get a cabin when you get the ferry to Spain. We started doing this when one person marked his territory in the overnight lounge by hanging his grotty socks over the back of the seats.
Know what to expect in the hills. It really does take a lot longer than you think to get anywhere on mountain roads. Weather is always changeable at the top and you will encounter unexpected peasoup fog and cows on the roads. Also horses in cafés — yes, this happened.
‘It’s meant to be fun – relax, have cake’
Richard Underdown, 57 has been riding for 40 years and does 6000 miles a year all over Europe on his Ténéré