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How Does Bicycle Touring Change Your Life?

How Does Bicycle Touring Change Your Life?

So, you are thinking about giving bicycle touring a try but are unsure whether it’s really worth it. 

You probably like to ride bikes and want to do something different that will positively change your life. 

Think about something that will provide both physical and mental accomplishments. Leave alone the unmatched fun you get to enjoy when riding a bike. 

See, when I started going for bike tours, I never expected it to be so beneficial. I thought that cycling around the world and sleeping in the woods was just a simple undertaking. 

But the experience turned out to be totally different.

I think one must go for bicycle touring in order to comprehend how this way of traveling the world makes life to be better and enjoyable. 

Even though I’ve been an outdoor lover my whole life, I didn’t know that being outside would be far more enjoyable when pedaling to different parts of the world and meeting new people.

Bicycle touring changed my traveling perspective for the better. 

I realized that there are just so many ways one can make positive progress in their lives by accepting to challenge themselves on a cycle tour. 

Bike touring can help use change our habits and make realizations that we would never have made in daily lives. 

If you are wondering what the benefits of bicycle touring are, read on to discover how navigating trips on a bike will transform your life. 

How Bike Touring Will Change Your Life

How Bike Touring Will Change Your Life

Allows You to Live Minimal

Minimalism is one of the most significant things I have learned from bike touring. When I’m out there, life has to be as simple as I can get. 

When packing for bike touring, I only carry the essential things that I cannot survive without while out there. 

This experience has made me realize that we actually don’t need lots of luxurious things to live happily and enjoy life. 

Modern-day marketing encourages us to buy many things that we even realize later that are not worthy. And a lot of people, including young and old, are falling for this trap. 

I, too, found myself caught in this trap so often when I was younger, as I would update my accessories almost every year. As a result, I would use most of my money as soon as I earn it. 

While buying lots of new things pleased me, this kind of happiness wouldn’t last long as I needed to live a happy and fulfilling life. 

But after going for several trips around the world by my bike, I was able to embrace minimalism. 

Nowadays, I live with items that are absolutely essential even at home while I’m not on a bicycle tour. 

Being a minimalist saves money and makes you more creative, productive, and free. I have actually sold the rest of the things I don’t really need that much and am still super content. 

Don’t get me wrong, the idea of minimalism doesn’t mean that you ditch everything.

Some items in your house can make life easier, and it’s good to have them. What I mean is that accumulating lots of stuff won’t really make your life fulfilling. 

The experiences I get and the memories I make with new people in different places during my travels have inspired me and filled my life with long-lasting happiness. 

You Can Reflect On Your Life Direction During a Bicycle Tour

When traveling the world by bike, you have a lot of free time to meditate and reflect on your life and think about your future. 

I have done several long-distance solo rides, and all I can say is that the experience was great. Wild camping after a long cycling day puts me in a meditative state. 

Being in a meditative state allows me to think about my life, where I am, and what I have accomplished. 

And when I meet new friends on the trail, and they have loaded bikes too, it’s a great ice breaker. We ride and wild camp together as we possibly can to share our experiences and passions. 

This has made me discover many new ideas and get inspired to continue traveling with my bicycle. When I get lost in nature, it’s easy for me to find myself and every day of my tour becomes a chance to grow. 

If you are struggling to find yourself in your everyday routine, you may want to try bicycle touring. It will help you develop your interests and find your passion. 

Helps You To Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Travel More

Helps You To Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Travel More

Many travelers can attest that exploring the world is a fantastic way to improve our worldviews.

Before I decided to start bike touring, my outlook on the world was pretty negative. With all the bad news we get every day, it’s easy to believe that the world is dark and wicked. 

But in real life, it’s such a beautiful place to be. You only need to get out of your comfort zone and make a biking trip across the globe to see how amazing it is. 

Most of the people I interacted with during my pre-travel ages usually get surprised at how my belief system has changed drastically. 

During my travels, I interact and communicate with different people, which makes me feel that I can function well in different parts of the globe. 

Apart from seeing the world differently, I’ve also learned to be ready for changes and embrace them. When traveling the world by my bike and things don’t go as I planned, I don’t get stranded. 

It’s now easy for me to accept change and cope with challenges no matter how terrible they seem or how hard they hit me. Overcoming troubles also ensure that my trip is alive.

You’ll Learn How to Communicate Better

Bike touring will give you an opportunity to meet new people and talk to them. You’ll learn to ask questions and initiate conversations to get to know the friends you meet on the trail. 

I often think that cycle touring has improved my social skills more than anything else in my life, as I’m always interacting with people and gaining new friendships on the road. 

It feels great when you meet someone and hear that they share the same interests with you and are naturally interested in interacting with you. You can inspire each other to keep going.

I have realized that people are usually interested when they see a loaded bike, even if they are not cyclists. They want to know your story, where you come from, and why you are doing what you are doing. 

And when you get to talk to such people, you feel satisfied and not judgmental. Sometimes you’ll learn some tips from people and other times you’ll have something to teach them.  

But in most cases, cyclist travelers learn more from the locals. I have always been surprised by the tremendous amount of inspiration I get from local people when I talk to them. 

Most of them are willing to help in whatever way they can, from opening their house for you to spend the night to refilling your water bottles and offering some food.

When you travel to countries like Portugal, New Zealand, and Ireland, you’ll be mesmerized by how people can be friendly and welcoming. And if you can communicate with them, you’ll have your hope for humanity restored. 

You Become a Better Storyteller

Whether I’m doing a cross-country tour or exploring another country, I usually come back with lots of amazing stories to tell my family and friends. 

You guys know how exciting it feels to narrate your interesting undertakings to your friends and family when you are back home. With modern technology, it’s also possible to keep your fans updated on your epic adventure every day. 

Also, when you are out there and meet people who want to know more about you, being open and friendly to them makes you a better storyteller. 

I found that most people who were shy when they traveled by bicycle became outgoing eventually. The inspiration to be a better person is just inevitable. 

Boosts Your Confidence

Boosts Your Confidence

Many people often underestimate the impact cycling can have on one’s mental health and overall wellbeing.

In my opinion, there is no better way to boost your confidence than cycling across the world. I wouldn’t have become so positive about myself without bicycle tours. 

See, when you go out for a cycling trip, your body releases a mood transmitter known as serotine that enhances good feelings of self-confidence. This is a perfect way to improve your self-esteem and develop a positive mindset. 

For example, when you set yourself to do a mountain biking challenge on your bike tour, you feel powerful when you achieve your climbing dream. 

Bike touring can help you relieve stress, realize yourself, and improve your general attitude and view towards life. 

Whether in my home country or abroad, riding my bicycle makes me believe in myself and learn to enjoy life more. 

When you want to ride to the most amazing places in the world, you can do anything to ensure that your bicycle touring adventures are successful. 

You feel obliged to overcome any barriers, enjoy every moment, and achieve your travel dreams.

I see the challenges I face on my cycling trips as triggers for creativity and deep focus rather than interruptions meant to break me down. 

You Can Easily Get into Shape

Do you want to get in shape when still exploring the globe and enjoying life? Grab your 2-wheeler and use it to travel your next trip. 

Bicycle touring is definitely a healthier way to travel. It can help you lose some weight and feel refreshed during your vacation. 

There are so many people across the globe suffering from different health issues that could easily be solved by simply losing weight. And bike touring is a great way to shed off some extra kilos. 

Another thing I love about bike touring is that it requires beginners to be physically fit, especially when they want to do a long-distance bicycle tour. 

Now, during the training process, you’ll have to lose excess weight and build strength for your cycling tour. 

Once you set off for a biking adventure, you’ll pedal throughout the journey and become even more fit. This will make you feel active and confident about your body. 

While most types of vacations involve over-indulging on each day of the trip, bike touring is quite a different way to travel.

The types of food, drinks, and the activities we participate in when traveling by other means often put our health and fitness in the back seat. But when you are exploring the globe on your bicycle, there is the benefit of better fitness. 

Although sometimes it can feel a little more inconvenient, considering that you have to survive with fewer items on the road, the positive results are long-lasting.  

Cycling adventures also force you to prioritize healthy eating and depend more on good calories that will let you spend more time on the saddle. 

Have Some Quality Time with Family and Friends on a Bike Tour

If your family members love cycling, you can happily plan for a short-distance bike tour that will take a week or a few days. 

Then you can look for routes that are not too hilly and enjoy biking with your family. This will provide a perfect activity for chatting, laughing together, and making memories. 

You can let younger kids cycle on a tag-along. But if you have older children, they can easily keep up with your pace as long as you are not riding too much each day. 

Cycling with best friends is also a great way to enjoy your adventures. You can strengthen your relationships and inspire each other during the long rides.

FAQs

FAQs

Q: What is the Advantage of Touring Bike?

A: A touring bike has many benefits over other types of bicycles when it comes to traveling around the globe. 

Touring bikes feature sturdy frames and wheels that allow cyclist enthusiasts to do their bicycle travel with ease. 

Although most touring bicycles are a little bit slower than race-style and road bikes, they can handle different types of terrains really well. 

With a good touring bicycle, you can carry a significant amount of weight on the frame and racks for a self-supported adventure.

Another advantage of touring bicycles is that they offer unmatched flexibility. You can use them for various activities, including touring, shopping, and daily commuting. 

Q: How Did Cycling Change Your Life?

A:  Bike touring changed my life in many different ways, from physical health to mental wellness and making exceptional memories. 

The great feeling that comes with riding a bicycle makes you want to pedal more. Not to mention how amazing it is to meet new friends on the trail. 

As a cycle touring person, I often feel that being on the road has helped me inspire other people to challenge themselves regarding their adventure dreams. 

Cycling has also given me a great sense of gratitude, especially when I see how friendly strangers can be to cyclists. 

Speaking of gratitude, cycling around the globe has also taught me that enjoying life doesn’t mean having lots of stuff. 

As I said earlier, minimalism is something crucial that I have learned during my cycling adventures, and it enabled me to discover the importance of focusing on what matters in life. 

And in this case, the only thing that matters to me now is living a happy and fulfilled life. So, I’m not going to spend all my money trying to acquire heaps of unnecessary physical things. 

With regular cycling, I am now open-minded, and my horizons are broader than I would ever imagine. I’ve also grown out of my comfort zone, knowing that there is a whole lot of benefits that come with cycling. 

These are just a few ways in which bike touring changed my life, and hopefully, I’ll continue to go for many biking trips in my home country and abroad. 

Does this inspire you to go for a bike tour? Feel free to chase your dreams and see how your life will transform.

Q: Why is Cycling So Addictive?

A: While there has never been a study explicitly done on cycling addiction, so many people are kind of addicted to it. And I’m sure most cyclist fanatics can attest to that. 

In its fundamental nature, cycling is a feel-good activity that delivers great pleasures. 

In addition to the pleasures, cycling comes with some bonuses, including becoming physically fit and healthy.

So, the more you ride your bicycle, the more likely you’ll cross the thin line from dedication to cycling addiction. 

If you think you are already addicted to cycling, my advice is that you take your time to assess your life. You might detect negative feelings that could be forcing you to cycle more to cover them up. 

Conclusion

conclusion

Whether you want to challenge yourself physically or mentally outside your job, bicycle touring is a perfect way to explore the world.

It has allowed me to rethink my life and enjoy unique experiences. And meeting new people while on a bike tour has challenged the way I think and see the world. 

If you want to get started at cycle touring, that’s a brilliant idea! Just get a good bike and appropriate gear and hit the trail. 

Trust me, you’ll find so many wonderful reasons to carry on with your bicycle travel while out there.

The good thing about bicycle touring is that people from all walks of life can do it and achieve a great experience. It doesn’t matter whether you are young or old, rich or poor, man or woman, experienced cyclist or a beginner rider. 

So, what are you waiting for? Get on your loaded bike and give bicycle touring a try. You’ll be surprised at how helpful this undertaking is!

Of course, using a bicycle to travel to different parts of the world, such as Africa, South America, and Asia, won’t be the same as bike commuting to work. You don’t need any preparations for the latter. 

Bike touring requires adequate preparation to ensure that you have all the essentials you need for the long journey. You also need to choose a destination and plan your route beforehand. 

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Lisa Hayden-Matthews

Lisa Hayden-Matthews

An avid Skier, bike rider, triathlon enthusiast, amateurish beach volleyball player and nature lover who has never lost a dare! I manage the overall Editorial section for the magazine here and occasionally chip in with my own nature photographs, when required.

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