A bicycle trip of several kilometers away from home required a lot of preparation, in addition to training you should also take care of practical details such as:
Insurance
During a long bicycle trip around the world, there are many things that can go wrong.
Have an insurance policy covering the most common unexpected expenses (baggage theft, delay or flight cancellation, medical expenses) will make you feel more relaxed.
The price of there policies varies from agency to agency, but generally starts at few euros per week.
Medical examination
Depending on where you plan to travel, it may be necessary to undergo medical examinations or preventive vaccines. You can go to your doctor and also visit the Farnesina website, www.viaggiaresicuri.it, where you will find all the information you need. Finally, it’s useful to carry with you a small kit of medicines.
Clothing
If you intend on rely on hotels, bed and breakfasts and hostels, every evening you will be able to wash your clothing used during the day, so your luggage should be minimize. Waterproof and windproof garments are nevertheless indispensable in any trip, as for the rest limit yourselves to what is strictly necessary.
GPS tracks
Whether it’s a smartphone or a cycle-computer GPS doesn’t matter, load the path you are going to tackle on your technology support before leaving. Once in place you can just think of pedaling.
Passport and phone tariff
Your passport is a fundamental document if you want to travel outside Europe. It must have a residual validity of at least six months beyond the due date for the return (and not the departure). An identity document is important if you are involved in an accident or if you miss the group you are traveling with.
Don’t forget to stipulate a phone tariff that allows you to call without spending a fortune, contact your operator. Alternatively, entrust yourselves to Whatsapp, it will help you communicate with your loved ones whenever you want.
Satellite locationing
If during your voyage you have planned crossing desolate areas where in emergency situations it may be difficult to find immediate help, have satellite tracker can be crucial.
Modern ones are easy to attached to the backpack or wrist and simply by pressing a button will allow you to send a help message to the competent authorities with the coordinates of your position. With another message you can also reassure your loved ones that everything goes well.
White Road Bikes or Gravel Bikes
A white road bike, o gravel bike, is the perfect choice for tacking paths and/or paved roads. It’s a cross between road and MTB bikes, with a racing setting but designed to tackle various types of soil. The gravel bike is also made for carrying weights and luggage, less for the speed and therefore more comfortable. It’s a direct descendant of the models used in the heroic cycling of the years between the two wars and the first postwar period.
It has a less nervous structure, with a less vertical and elongated frame and lower center of gravity that allows an upright setting in the saddle. The distance between the wheels and the wheelbase is greater, because when treading on the dirt roads it’s necessary balance. The gravel bike frames can be made of aluminum, steel or carbon fiber.