How to plan a cycling holiday, from route to bike to bed

A cycling holiday looks simple: a bike, a road, a few days. Then you are on day two with sore legs, a headwind and a hotel that is 20 kilometres further than you planned. The trips that go well are the ones where the distances were sized to the people riding, not to the map.

This guide covers the decisions that matter, in the order you need to make them.

Choose the kind of trip first

There are three broad shapes, and they need different planning.

• Point to point. You ride from one place to another, sleeping somewhere new each night. It feels like a journey, and it needs luggage and a way home.
• Loop or base camp. You stay in one place and ride out and back. No luggage to move, and a bad weather day costs you nothing.
• Mixed. Two or three bases, with day rides from each and a train or bus between them.

If anyone in the group has not ridden a long distance for a while, the base camp version is the kindest. You can add a harder ride later in the week once everyone knows what their legs can do.

Pick a route that suits the weakest rider

The group sets the pace, and the group is as fast as its slowest member on the worst day. Decide the daily distance by asking what the least fit person can ride comfortably with a rest, a long lunch and a headwind, then plan for that.

Things that change a day more than the number of kilometres suggests:

• Climbing. A flat 60 kilometres and a hilly 60 kilometres are different days. Look at the elevation profile, not only the distance.
• Surface. Smooth tarmac, gravel and cobbles all ride differently. A bike that suits one may not suit another.
• Traffic. Quiet lanes and dedicated cycle paths are a different experience from a busy main road. Rivers, canals and old railway lines tend to give you the gentlest riding, which is why so many classic routes follow them.
• Wind and heat. Check the usual conditions for the season you are going. Riding with the prevailing wind is worth a lot.

Map each day as a short list: start, lunch stop, end, and one fallback place to cut the day short. A fallback with a train station or a taxi-friendly town takes the pressure off.

Sort the bike

You have four choices: bring your own, rent at the start, rent in each place, or join a tour that provides everything.

Bringing your own means you ride something you know, but you need to pack it for the plane or train, and airlines and rail operators set their own rules for bikes, so check theirs before you book. Renting is easier, and a good rental shop will adjust the saddle and handlebars for you. If you rent, book ahead for busy seasons, and say what kind of riding you plan to do so you get the right sort of bike.

Electric bikes are a perfectly good answer when abilities in a group differ. Two riders on different bikes can cover the same ground at the same effort.

Whatever you choose, ride a few times before you go, on at least one day that is close to your planned daily distance. It is the best way to find out that your saddle is wrong while you can still change it.

Deal with the luggage

Panniers on the bike are the classic answer, and the lighter you pack, the happier your back and your gears will be. Pack for the daily ride first and the evening second, and plan to wash something each night.

If you do not want to carry anything, some operators and many hotels along popular routes will move bags from one stay to the next. This is a service you book ahead, so ask when you reserve the room.

Whatever you carry, keep the heavy items low and close to the bike. For a longer list that you can adapt, see a packing list that knows where you're going.

What to carry for the ride

You do not need a workshop, but a few things earn their place:

• A helmet, if you wear one, and a light front and back for tunnels and dusk
• A spare inner tube, tyre levers and a small pump, and the knowledge to use them
• Water, more than you think, and something to eat between meals
• Sun cream, and a layer for descents and weather changes
• A phone with a charged battery, and a small power bank
• A lock, for the café stop and the overnight

Padded shorts make a bigger difference than any other piece of kit. Wear them on every ride, and wear them without underwear underneath.

Book stays that suit tired legs

Cyclists are a specific kind of guest. Look for stays that are used to bikes and say so: a secure place to leave them overnight, somewhere to wash and dry kit, and an early or flexible breakfast.

Book the nights early, because the number of beds on a popular route is smaller than it looks, especially at the end of a long stage. For a cycling trip where the towns are small, one booked room per night keeps your day from ending with a long search.

Once you have the bookings, keep every confirmation with the trip, so the address of tonight's stay is two taps away when you are tired at the end of a day.

Plan the day as well as the distance

A comfortable day on the bike is about 4 to 6 hours of riding, not including stops. Leave room for the things that make it a holiday: a long lunch, a swim, a viewpoint, a village you did not plan to stop in.

A rhythm that works for most groups:

1. Ride in the cooler, quieter morning.
2. Stop for a proper lunch around the middle.
3. Ride a shorter second half, or end early and rest.
4. Eat well, and look at tomorrow's route before bed.

Resist the urge to add kilometres when you feel strong on day one. Tiredness builds across a trip, and day four is when you will wish you had been kinder to yourself.

Safety on the road

Ride in a predictable line, signal your turns, and stay visible. Know the local traffic rules, including the side of the road people drive on, and check whether a helmet or lights are required where you are riding. The destination's official travel advice and tourist information are the places to check. For wider tips, see travel safety tips.

Tell someone your route each day, carry your accommodation address, and make sure your travel insurance covers cycling. Policies treat it differently, so read the wording and ask the insurer if you are unsure.

Where to ride

Rather than naming one trip, here is what to look for when you search. Rivers with a dedicated path, such as the great river valleys of central Europe, give you gentle grades and a stay every 40 or 50 kilometres. Island loops and coastal roads are easy to navigate and hard to get lost on. For a country with a strong cycling culture, look at the Netherlands, where cycle paths are everywhere and the land is flat.

Next step

Choose your shape, set a daily distance for your slowest rider, and book the first and last nights. The rest can follow once you know where you will be sleeping.