Bike Culture – A Community of Adventurers and Wanderers
Cycle touring is all about exploring lesser-traveled roads. It involves finding destinations through paper maps and accidental detours: crumbling castles, hidden alleyways and road-side stands of delicious road-side figs are just a few things one might find during their adventure.
pedaling alone can be an enjoyable, meditative experience that teaches independence – something essential in areas where there may not be as much assistance available.
A Community of Adventurers & Wanderers
No matter whether it’s your inaugural tour this year or an experienced biker looking for new challenges, there’s always something new to discover. Joining our community of like-minded explorers offers you an incredible opportunity to push boundaries, create lasting memories, and interact with the world on an intimate level.
Cycle touring (or bikepacking) is an emerging subdiscipline of cycling travel that includes road-based multi-day journeys with no fixed itinerary, often led by adventure travel companies or undertaken alone with self-supported gear. It has quickly gained in popularity and nearly every major bicycle manufacturer now provides bikes that are “bikepacking-friendly”, or include mention of it within their marketing materials.
In less-populated areas, riding two wheels can create an almost meditative state. Surrounded only by yourself, your bike and nature – no distractions from city life to worry about – cycling becomes an immersive experience that connects you more deeply to both yourself and the natural world than ever before. As you discover new maps and compass skills; camping hacks; and ways to cook food over an open fire you may even develop a closer relationship with both food itself as well as yourself!
A Culture of Sharing
Bike touring’s increasing popularity has proven beneficial to many cities and towns’ economies, providing jobs to custom frame builders, artisan rack welders, biking-friendly bars and app developers among many other businesses that thrive due to it.
Entrepreneurs have expanded their offerings to fill niche needs. For instance, one company that produces custom bamboo bikes in D.C. is now serving international markets.
These initiatives complement bike-sharing programs and citywide initiatives designed to support urban cyclists. People who rely on their bikes for work, school or errands don’t just ride for exercise; they do it to feel freer, happier and happier! For them biking not only builds strength physically and emotionally – it builds communities.
A Culture of Exploration
Travellers who choose bike travel typically embrace the idea of experiencing their destinations rather than simply passing by them from behind a window or train door. Biking allows travellers to stop and linger at art galleries, explore ruined castles or indulge in authentic Tanzanian dishes – something only available through traditional transportation methods.
Travelers on foot have more time to appreciate the sights, sounds, and experiences that comprise a landscape or city street without being distracted by ticking watches or headphones. Furthermore, they’re free to explore hidden alleyways and deliciously ripened fig trees along their journey.
Bike touring can be done alone, with friends or as part of a commercial tour company that arranges lodgings and organizes an itinerary plan. Tent and sleeping bag rentals may also be provided as an option – or you could carry all your gear (bikepacking). Bike touring can be as casual or adventurous as desired!
A Culture of Gratitude
Bike touring (and its sister activity “bikepacking”) offers those seeking adventure an ideal form of travel. This multi-day cycling excursion lets you seek out less-traveled routes while visiting scenic locales or traversing across borders.
An appreciation for bikes runs deep within this community. Riders acknowledge how cycling provides them with access to see and experience life more directly than driving a car or flying an airplane can.
While many towns and cities could use more bike infrastructure, creating a bicycle culture requires an active community of all ages and abilities coming together to support each other, become visible within their communities, and coordinate advocacy. This bottom-up approach is one way of creating strong bike towns.