Softies Cycling Guide

Softies
Cycling Guide

For many who are first-time cyclists or new to our tours, it can feel like there are a lot of unique terms and cycling know-how. That’s why we’ve created the Softies Cycling Guide, so you can feel at ease with all the info you could need before heading out on a leisurely adventure. Read on to learn all about how cycling at different elevations feels, as well as what kinds of things to pack on a cycling holiday.

Do I need to do any training before my trip?

The vast majority of our trips are designed to be enjoyed by cycling aficionados and relative newcomers alike and most tend to be pitched at the more leisurely end of the difficulty scale. You’ll notice that each tour has a difficulty grading, explaining how the length and elevation, as well as terrain, may affect the ease of the holiday so you won’t have any unwelcome surprises.

However, we’d highly recommend doing a few “warm-up” rides in the lead-up to your trip. You are best placed to judge your fitness level, but it’s important that you feel comfortable and confident to cover the daily distances, as outlined in the itinerary, and spending some time in the saddle before your tour is the best way to ensure you get the most out of your trip!

E-bikes are a fantastic way to make your cycling that much more leisurely. Many of our tours come with e-bikes as standard, but most of our holidays offer you the chance to upgrade to an e-bike. This is a great option for those who would like a little extra support whilst pedalling.

Do I need to know how to fix a puncture?

Whilst we don’t expect you to be fully-fledged bike mechanics arriving on your trip, torque wrench in hand, there are a few relatively simple fixes that we would expect you to be able to perform yourselves.

Punctures are an inevitability of riding bikes and although our local on-the-ground teams will always endeavour to help resolve any mechanical issues you may encounter during your trip, if you are able to resolve minor issues yourselves such as punctures then you’ll often be back pedalling and on your way again, quicker than our support van is able to reach you! We provide puncture kits to all our clients, so don’t worry about buying or bringing your own.

What should I pack for my trip?

There are a few things we highly recommend you pack. Firstly, a windproof or waterproof jacket is advised. Whilst we hope this one stays in your bag all holiday it is definitely always best to come prepared! A cycling jersey or t-shirt made from a breathable, fast-wicking material is the most comfortable clothing to cycle in, along with padded cycling shorts – these really do make a difference in comfort and can help make the cycling as leisurely as possible. Layering is king when it comes to cycling, so a fleece or a warmer layer is perfect for any cooler days riding. Trainers are the best footwear to bring, and definitely try to avoid riding in any open-toed footwear. Alongside sunglasses and cycling gloves, you’re guaranteed to be prepared for any weather.

Off the bike, there are a few things to consider. Essential items like your passport, GHIC card and travel insurance details are a must, along with cash and credit cards. Your usual toiletries and personal medication should also find their way into your luggage, as well as a plug adaptor. We highly recommend you bring a battery pack – most of our trips rely on using your mobile phone for navigation so it is worth bringing along a battery pack to give your phone an extra boost if needed. High-factor sun cream and insect repellent will help protect you from any burns and bites on your tour. Don’t forget some smart or casual clothes for the evenings, and a swimming costume for those days by the pool (sandals and flip-flops also advised).

Checking your bike before each ride

Before riding your bike each day, we highly recommend performing the ABC Quick Check to ensure that your hire bike is in perfect working condition for the ride ahead.

A – Air

Give both of your tyres a quick squeeze to ensure that they are fully inflated.

B – Brakes

Gently rock your bike forward and backwards applying pressure to the front and then rear brake to check that both are functioning correctly.

C – Chain

Lift your back wheel off the ground and push the pedal through one rotation by hand to check that there are no blockages in the drive chain.

Quick

If your bike has quick release skewers then check that both of these are in the locked position.

Safety whilst riding

Helmets

We highly recommend that all riders wear a helmet at all times whilst riding a bike on our tours. This is mandatory for any guests under 18.

Bike Setup

Please note that on our non-UK tours it is highly likely that the bikes are setup in the European style where the right-hand controls the rear brake and the left-hand controls the front brake. This is the reverse of the UK style so may be unfamiliar to any guests travelling from the UK.

General Guidance

Always adhere to the local highway code, riding in a courteous manner that is respectful of other road users and pedestrians you may encounter en route.

Road Positioning and Riding in Traffic

We have carefully crafted our routes to be as quiet and cycling-friendly as possible, however encountering other road users is an inevitability. Generally, drivers in the regions we offer tours in are well used to cyclists on the road, but it is important to be wary of any traffic whilst riding. This article explains the optimal road positioning depending on the scenario. https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/road-positioning-cycling-explained

Rail Crossings

Occasionally on some of our routes you may encounter a rail crossing. Always follow any instructions at the crossing, and to minimise risk of injury we would always recommend dismounting and crossing on foot.

Cycling and Alcohol

It is important to note that cyclists are treated the same as motorists in regards to riding under the influence of alcohol.

Cycling distances and elevation gains explained

Each of the tours on our website is broken down to show the daily distance and elevation gain. For those relatively new to cycling it can sometimes be a bit confusing to understand what this may relate to in terms of difficulty and perceived effort.

Everybody rides at different speeds but generally riding a hybrid bike at a comfortable, leisurely speed on flat terrain you would probably be covering somewhere in the region of 12 – 15 kilometres an hour. Factor in time spent to explore villages and other points of interest en route and you should have a relatively good gauge on how long the day’s riding should take you.

The other consideration is of course the number of hills en route! For each of the days’ riding, we list the amount of elevation gain which is the total number of metres you will gain throughout the route. Generally speaking, the following should give you a rough indication of difficulty and perceived effort for the amount of elevation gain over a 35km ride:

<100m – This route would be considered pretty flat. There may be one or two very minor ascents but over 35km this should feel very flat.

100 – 250m – There may be one or two slightly longer ascents or more frequent minor ascents although over a route 35km long the majority of the ride should still feel relatively flat.

250 – 350m – The ride will now start to feel a fair bit hillier. There may be longer ascents or more sections of the ride that feel like they are on “rolling terrain”. Casual riders may well prefer to ride an e-bike.

350 – 500m – We would definitely recommend at this stage that casual riders choose an e-bike. More sections of the ride will feel “rolling” and climbs will start to become quite significant.

500m+ – We would recommend at this stage that unless you are a fairly serious rider, you should ride an e-bike. It’s likely that there are now several significant climbs en route.  

Cycling terrains explained

Our routes quite often involve a mixture of different terrain and road types. Below are the four main ones explained in a bit more detail.

Bike Paths

These are traffic-free paths which are generally only used by cyclists and other pedestrians.

Bike Lanes

These are normally designated lanes along the side of roads used by other vehicles.

Minor Roads

These are roads or lanes which you will be sharing with other vehicles (though where traffic volume is generally relatively low).

Gravel Paths

These are un-tarmacked, often quiet, paths but it’s important to be vigilant on these type of routes especially in wet weather as the surface can be slippery.

E-bikes explained

Electric bikes have seen a huge surge in popularity over the past few years and we now see more people using e-bikes on our trips than ever before. To those not familiar with electric bikes or keen to understand more about the ones we generally use on our trips we’ve put together a few FAQs below:

Do I still have to pedal?

Yes, the e-bikes on our tours are pedal-assist, meaning that you need to pedal in order to engage the motor assistance.

I’ve heard they are really heavy, is this true?

E-bikes are naturally heavier than standard touring bikes given the extra weight of the motor and battery. Although they can be a bit more cumbersome when first setting off and at low speeds, you should find that they are well-balanced and handle very similarly to standard touring bikes once moving.

How do I charge the battery?

On most of our hire bikes the battery is removable meaning that at the end of the day you simply need to remove it from the bike and, using the charger provided, plug it in in your hotel room.

Will I have enough battery to ride the whole route?

Battery use depends on a number of factors including the amount of assistance required during the ride, the terrain and the rider themselves. We have kept our routes short enough so that you should have ample battery to see you through each day, but as a failsafe we recommend where possible popping one of the chargers in your pannier bag in case you need an extra boost.

Destination Managers

Our Destination Managers are there to make your holiday as leisurely as possible. Your local cycling experts, they will welcome you on your tour, set you up on your bikes, transfer your luggage between accommodation, and support you in any way you need. Only a phone call away, they’re there should anything happen.

If there’s anything else you’d like to know about our tours, please give our cycle experts a call today; they’ll be happy to answer all your questions.

To find out more about the wine regions in Europe, please call our cycle holiday experts.

Call Our cycling Experts 02074717760

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