Ebook: Cycle Touring For Beginners: A Guide to Exploring Near and Far by Bicycle

Cycling is one of the loveliest ways of travelling, and anyone can have as much of an adventure cycling to a town twenty miles from their home as travelling to the other side of the world. Cycle Touring For Beginners will help get you out on the road on your bike, no matter your level of experience, your budget or your fitness. (You don't have to be super-fit!)The book 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.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 and

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 luxuriesWith 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. If you think you have to ride around the world to have an adventure on a bike, this guide will put your mind to rest. With encouragement and tips on everything from how to eat to keep yourself healthy to what to bring in your tool kit, this book will have you itching to saddle up and start your own cycle touring adventure this weekend.