Budget bike tour: How to do your next adventure on the cheap

 In the UK, we love to go away for the summer. And naturally, for cyclists, our favorite travel companions are on two wheels.

One of the main perks of cycle touring is that it’s cheaper than your standard getaway. It’s also a great way to meet new people (cyclists or not) while discovering lesser-known sights and making impromptu pub stops – all rather spontaneous.

However, be careful not to rely too heavily on your future self. A lack of planning (trust me, I’m well versed in this area) can lead to stress, dead bike light batteries in the dead of night, and in many cases, wasting your money.

Do your research

Being clued up ahead of the tour will save you time as well as money.

Lookup route essentials like nearby rest and food shops, bike shops, and diversions. Have Plan B routes and accommodation in mind should your journey take longer than expected.

You could miss out on must-see sights like historic buildings, markets, or viaducts if you don’t do your research first.

In the UK, we love to go away for the summer. And naturally, for cyclists, our favourite travel companions are on two wheels.

One of the main perks of cycle touring is that it’s cheaper than your standard getaway. It’s also a great way to meet new people (cyclists or not) while discovering lesser-known sights and making impromptu pub stops – all rather spontaneous.

However, be careful not to rely too heavily on your future self. A lack of planning (trust me, I’m well versed in this area) can lead to stress, dead bike light batteries in the dead of night and in many cases, wasting your money.

Sort the core details out before you set off and your trip will run as smoothly as some freshly-serviced brakes. Try these tips to save some cash while you’re at it.

Use the Warm Showers website

The first place to shave your costs is accommodation, and with Warm Showers, you can stay with a fellow cycle enthusiast for free.

Warm Showers is essentially Couchsurfing for cycle tourists. Just create an account that says a little more about yourself and your adventures and search for people to stay with on your next trip.

The idea is that you would host them and other cyclists in the future. I can’t host as I live in private shared accommodation, so I give my hosts wine or chocolate instead.

Oh, and mention dietary requirements on your profile too – you don’t want to get there starving and be given something that you can’t eat.

Some areas are a little sparsely populated when it comes to hosts so in those cases you can either try finding a place to stay through Couchsurfing or by heading down a more traditional camping/hotel/hostel route.

Do your research

Being clued up ahead of the tour will save you time as well as money.

Lookup route essentials like nearby rest and food shops, bike shops and diversions. Have Plan B routes and accommodation in mind should your journey take longer than expected.

You could miss out on must-see sights like historic buildings, markets or viaducts if you don’t do your research first.

And if the book you’re eyeing up is a behemoth, you can rip out the pages you need and take them on the road with you.

Pack food and drink before you go

It’ll soon become apparent how important food is to your journey and you may not always be in a town or village with food shops.

But when you need to eat, you need to eat – otherwise, you’re going to bonk. Expect to chow down by the roadside with drivers thinking you’re rather peculiar.

Find discounts where you can

It could be yellow sticker items in the supermarket or a pre-trip sale on bike essentials.

You might even find a last-minute offer on accommodation if it’s piddling down and you don’t fancy another night in the tent. Getting to know the locals helps too as they might know cheaper places that aren’t so touristy. For the best and most affordable Bicycle Accessories visit our website at www.souke-sports.com