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Bicycle touring is a Leisure Travel activity which involves touring, exploring or Sightseeing by Bicycle . Although the Tour De France and other competitive Sport ing events are sometimes called "tours", this article is about non-competitive touring undertaken for enjoyment and travel. Bicycle Tourism can be likened to Backpacking on a bicycle. Distances vary considerably. Depending on fitness, speed, and the number of stops, the rider usually covers between 50 and 100 miles a day. A short tour over a few days may cover as little as 150 miles, and a long tour taking months or years may exceed 10,000 miles. TYPES OF BIKE TOURING There are many different types of bicycle touring:
THE TOURING BIKE See Also: Touring bicycle Cycle touring beyond the range of a simple Day Trip may need a bike capable of carrying heavy loads. Although many different bicycle types can be used, most cycle tourists prefer a Touring Bike built to carry heavy loads and which can be ridden more comfortably over long distances. Typical characteristics are a longer wheelbase for stability and heel clearance, frame fittings for front and rear pannier racks, additional water bottle mounts, frame fittings for front and rear mudguards/fenders, a broader range of gearing to cope with the increased weight, and touring tires which are wider and more puncture-resistant. "Ultralight tourers" choose traditional Road Bicycle s or "audax bicycles" for speed and simplicity. However, these bikes must be kept on roads, and often riders must take busy highways, especially through mountainous areas. For some, the advantages of a Recumbent Bicycle are particularly relevant to touring. Other tourists find more comfort riding in the upright position. Another option is to pull a Bicycle Trailer . This removes the requirement for a touring bike and provides the option to easily leave gear behind for side trips. Finally, one can be fully supported and carry no gear at all. For this, almost any type of bicycle may be suitable. TRAVELOGUES Many cycle tourists have published Travelogue s of their tours (either traditionally in books or magazines or on the Web ) that are both entertaining and informative. Some notable examples are Thomas Stevens , Ken Kifer , Dervla Murphy , Josie Dew , Heinz Stücke , Alastair Humphreys and Janne Corax . BIKE TOURING ASSOCIATIONS Many associations for Cyclist s, such as the Cyclists' Touring Club in the UK and Adventure Cycling Association in the US, began as small touring clubs, organizing tours and accommodation. The Adventure Cycling Association (then called Bikecentennial) organised a mass ride in 1976 from one side of the USA to the other to mark the nation's 200th anniversary. In France, long-distance cyclists belong to the Fédération Française de Cyclo-Tourisme and to the smaller Cyclo-Camping International, which pools members' experiences and holds an annual conference in Paris. On the internet, the largest collection of touring cyclists' stories is at www.crazyguyonabike.com HISTORY From the invention of the bicycle, it has always been a challenge to see how far it could be ridden. When the limits of a day's ride were reached, cyclists began carrying luggage for an overnight stop, thus creating bicycle touring. Since this was impromptu progression, accelerated when the equally-sized wheels of the Safety Bicycle made it simpler to carry bags, it is impossible to say when it started. By 1878, however, recreational cycling was well enough established in Britain to lead to the formation of the Bicycle Touring Club, later renamed Cyclists' Touring Club. It is the oldest national tourism organisation in the world. Membership of the CTC inspired the Frenchman Paul de Vivie (b. April 29, 1853) to found what became the Fédération Française de Cyclotourisme, the world's largest cycling association, and to coin the French word "cyclo-tourisme". SEE ALSO
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