Five useful tips to ensure that your bike ride abroad runs smoothly
In our previous blog read how Jean-Jacques François and Winfried Hoenselaar experienced the Manali to Leh Highway tour. Riding this sort of bike ride abroad naturally requires a lot of preparation, your flexibility is also put to the test. How do you ensure that your trip runs smoothly? Jean-Jacques and Winfried give you five useful tips!
1. Familiarise yourself with the country of destination prior to the trip
‘It is important to read up on the country you are going to. Many people experience culture shock. If you don't prepare properly for that, it will have a negative effect on your emotion. Emotions influence your energy, so prepare well by looking at the culture, weather conditions, road conditions and so on.
2. Work on your physical condition enough in the months beforehand
“To be able to ride such a long and intensive tour, you need to be in good shape. From the moment we booked we started training like beasts. In addition, I (Winfried) lost about fourteen kilos, because I was really overweight. In the end, we trained both solo and together.”
3. Make sure you start the bike ride with a good mindset
“The mental aspect is a bit underestimated. Imagine that you are just going to suffer – in our case ten days. Be aware that you are doing this for yourself and try to enjoy it to the fullest, which was our motto. That also helped us through when things got really tough. That compensates so much, then you forget all the little things.'
4. Keep an eye on your nutrition during the journey, both on and off the bike
“Good nutrition is crucial on a trip like this. It is very tempting to score your food at roadside stalls, but this is often just not fresh. Since you sit all day, your intestinal system is already very sensitive. You can therefore not afford to get sick, no matter how delicious the food along the road looks. Therefore limit yourself to the kitchen of the organization and bring your own sports nutrition.
5. Travel to your destination earlier to get used to the altitude
'At a great height you notice that there is less oxygen in the air, which makes you sleep more restless. To ensure that you do not end up in hospital with altitude sickness, it is wise to travel to your cycling destination a few days earlier. By arriving at your cycling destination a few days earlier prior to the tour, you give your body the chance to get used to the altitude.'
1. Familiarise yourself with the country of destination prior to the trip
‘It is important to read up on the country you are going to. Many people experience culture shock. If you don't prepare properly for that, it will have a negative effect on your emotion. Emotions influence your energy, so prepare well by looking at the culture, weather conditions, road conditions and so on.
2. Work on your physical condition enough in the months beforehand
“To be able to ride such a long and intensive tour, you need to be in good shape. From the moment we booked we started training like beasts. In addition, I (Winfried) lost about fourteen kilos, because I was really overweight. In the end, we trained both solo and together.”
3. Make sure you start the bike ride with a good mindset
“The mental aspect is a bit underestimated. Imagine that you are just going to suffer – in our case ten days. Be aware that you are doing this for yourself and try to enjoy it to the fullest, which was our motto. That also helped us through when things got really tough. That compensates so much, then you forget all the little things.'
4. Keep an eye on your nutrition during the journey, both on and off the bike
“Good nutrition is crucial on a trip like this. It is very tempting to score your food at roadside stalls, but this is often just not fresh. Since you sit all day, your intestinal system is already very sensitive. You can therefore not afford to get sick, no matter how delicious the food along the road looks. Therefore limit yourself to the kitchen of the organization and bring your own sports nutrition.
5. Travel to your destination earlier to get used to the altitude
'At a great height you notice that there is less oxygen in the air, which makes you sleep more restless. To ensure that you do not end up in hospital with altitude sickness, it is wise to travel to your cycling destination a few days earlier. By arriving at your cycling destination a few days earlier prior to the tour, you give your body the chance to get used to the altitude.'