How to pack for a cycling holiday

Maybe you've been there. You've set off on a cycling holiday and you've forgotten a few things that you knew you would need. We often get questions from our customers about what to bring on any cycling holiday. We'll go through this in the following post.

There are two essential bags on a cycling holiday. Your suitcase and panniers and how you pack them will make or break your trip.

The cycling helmet
This one gets its own section before we get into everything else. Not only are cycle helmets just a good idea, they're also mandatory in most countries. You can bring your own helmet or you can buy, rent or borrow a helmet on your cycling holiday. The options vary from trip to trip, so check the trip description under the 'Bike hire' section.

Here you can see all our cycling holidays

The first considerations
There are some important considerations to make before any cycling holiday: What is the weather like at the destination, what temperatures can we expect, how many kilometres will we cycle per day. Once you've considered these questions, you can start packing. The weight of your suitcases doesn't matter as we'll be transporting them from hotel to hotel (and there may be restrictions if you're flying to your destination), start thinking about what sights you plan to see on your trip - if you'll be visiting a lot of churches, for example, it's a good idea to cover your knees and shoulders.

What to pack in your suitcase
There's always plenty to see and do during a cycling holiday of a week or longer - so pack accordingly. Here are a few things that should always be included:

• Functional underwear for the entire trip
• Short and/or long cycling shorts depending on the weather (it's also good to be able to change on the go)
• Useful t-shirts
• Plain clothes for the evening
• Trainers
• A warm jumper
• A light jacket

What to pack in your bike bag
Bike bags are always included in the bike hire. In this you should pack the necessary items for the day, as well as ID cards, money, phone, etc. Tools, pump, lock and hoses are included in the bike hire and there is always someone to call if there are any problems with the bike.

• A few tools, such as a wrench, tyre iron, Allen set
• Repair kit
• Extra bike inner tube
• A pump
• Bike lock
• Rain gear
• Sun cream
• Sunglasses
• Bug spray
• Lunch/snacks (e.g. fruit, muesli bars or a sandwich)
• Water (preferably 2 bottles)
• First aid kit
• Safety vest (so you're sure to be seen if it gets dark)

That's a quick list of things that should always be included on any cycling holiday.