La Piazza Blog & Stories
Beginner’s Bike Vacation Guide: What to Pack
Beginner’s Bike Vacation Guide: What to Pack
Are you excited about taking your first bicycle vacation, but unsure of what to pack? Or are you considering booking your first cycling tour, but don’t know what you’ll need to bring? No worries, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a list of essential cycling gear to add to your packing list.
Go from drab: To fab:
1. BIKE SHOES
You’ll want to bring the kind of shoes that work best for cycling. We recommend wearing a lighter, tighter, well-fitting shoe with a stiff sole that helps you transfer your power from leg to pedal to bike. For example, a thick-soled, super-padded running shoe would only absorb your energy rather than transmit it. When I was a kid, before the days of click in anything, I cycled all over New Hampshire with my favorite cycling shoe…CLOGS! As you begin to bike more often and fall in love with cycling, the right shoes will be a good investment.
2. WELL-PADDED BIKE GLOVES
Gloves made just for cyclists protect your hands from handlebar vibrations and offer you a better, more comfortable grip than your sweaty palms.
3. A BIKE HELMET
Ciclismo Classico requires a helmet on all of our bike tours. Plus, a helmet that fits you well”and that you like”will make your riding more enjoyable. We can provide a helmet for you on tour, but we strongly urge you to bring your own to get the exact fit and feel that works best for you.
4. ARM AND LEG WARMERS
No, we’re not talking about those ultra-80s accessories from Flashdance. We suggest you bring along a tight, long-sleeved Under Armour shirt and a pair of tight leggings to keep the chill at bay during cooler rides. The added sun protection is a nice bonus.
5. A BRIGHTLY COLORED CYCLING JERSEY
Although you get one as a guest on our bike tours, you should bring two more. Make sure they’re easy to wash and hang dry. For safety’s sake, we recommend choosing bright colors, and for convenience, choose jerseys with pockets in the back to hold a snack, money, small camera, or the figs that you will pick along the way. Back pockets in cycling jerseys are one of my all-time favorite clothing features. T-shirts really serve NO purpose when cycling”they get sweaty, smelly, and if they’re made of cotton, take forever to dry. And they never include MAGIC POCKETS.
6. 3-4 PAIRS OF WELL-PADDED BIKE SHORTS
Trust me, you’ll want to invest here for your comfort on tour. FUN FACT: Underwear is never worn with bike shorts!
7. Optional: Bike Seat
You’re more than welcome to bring your own if you prefer, but trust me, our bike seats are comfortable. Plus, we’ve just upgraded our bike fleet from the famous bicycle manufacturer Bianchi, so you really can’t go wrong.
Finally, to make your Ciclismo Classico active vacation as safe, fun, and comfortable as possible, read our more in-depth packing guides for the kind of tour you are planning to take.
Ready to pedal at a meandering pace, stop to take pictures and savor a leisurely lunch? Enjoy quiet roads along flat and rolling terrain as you zigzag through vineyards, olive groves, and farmland on a Beginner bike vacation.
[CTA?]
https://ciclismoclassico.com/travel-types/beginner/
Go from drab: To fab:
1. BIKE SHOES
You’ll want to bring the kind of shoes that work best for cycling. We recommend wearing a lighter, tighter, well-fitting shoe with a stiff sole that helps you transfer your power from leg to pedal to bike. For example, a thick-soled, super-padded running shoe would only absorb your energy rather than transmit it. When I was a kid, before the days of click in anything, I cycled all over New Hampshire with my favorite cycling shoe…CLOGS! As you begin to bike more often and fall in love with cycling, the right shoes will be a good investment.
2. WELL-PADDED BIKE GLOVES
Gloves made just for cyclists protect your hands from handlebar vibrations and offer you a better, more comfortable grip than your sweaty palms.
3. A BIKE HELMET
Ciclismo Classico requires a helmet on all of our bike tours. Plus, a helmet that fits you well”and that you like”will make your riding more enjoyable. We can provide a helmet for you on tour, but we strongly urge you to bring your own to get the exact fit and feel that works best for you.
4. ARM AND LEG WARMERS
No, we’re not talking about those ultra-80s accessories from Flashdance. We suggest you bring along a tight, long-sleeved Under Armour shirt and a pair of tight leggings to keep the chill at bay during cooler rides. The added sun protection is a nice bonus.
5. A BRIGHTLY COLORED CYCLING JERSEY
Although you get one as a guest on our bike tours, you should bring two more. Make sure they’re easy to wash and hang dry. For safety’s sake, we recommend choosing bright colors, and for convenience, choose jerseys with pockets in the back to hold a snack, money, small camera, or the figs that you will pick along the way. Back pockets in cycling jerseys are one of my all-time favorite clothing features. T-shirts really serve NO purpose when cycling”they get sweaty, smelly, and if they’re made of cotton, take forever to dry. And they never include MAGIC POCKETS.
6. 3-4 PAIRS OF WELL-PADDED BIKE SHORTS
Trust me, you’ll want to invest here for your comfort on tour. FUN FACT: Underwear is never worn with bike shorts!
7. Optional: Bike Seat
You’re more than welcome to bring your own if you prefer, but trust me, our bike seats are comfortable. Plus, we’ve just upgraded our bike fleet from the famous bicycle manufacturer Bianchi, so you really can’t go wrong.
Finally, to make your Ciclismo Classico active vacation as safe, fun, and comfortable as possible, read our more in-depth packing guides for the kind of tour you are planning to take.
Ready to pedal at a meandering pace, stop to take pictures and savor a leisurely lunch? Enjoy quiet roads along flat and rolling terrain as you zigzag through vineyards, olive groves, and farmland on a Beginner bike vacation.
[CTA?]
https://ciclismoclassico.com/travel-types/beginner/
