Touring - Any bit of advice if you could give it!

Hey all,

Im new to this and the reason im here is i want to travel the world (beginning with Europe of course as im in ireland).

What do i need? are there any good lists of the neccessary articles anywhere? Any advice on carrying luggage with panniers etc? Are they simple to put on-ive never dealt with them

And mainly- i want a damn good bike that is easy to service (i am inexperienced as a biker and in taking bikes apart!) Anywhere in ireland i can get them or do i go foreign?

What should i get? And how much would it be? I would like it lightweight, good enough gearage for helping me take on slopes-but i dont require that it look flash for my ego! Is it possible to get bike and its accessories for a budget of 500euro...ive no knowledge so its flexible!

I realise im asking a lot-but maybe you could just answer parts if they are deserving more detail-any feedback will be totally apprecitated

Ive been bitten by the bug of biking and im a tad scared!

Hi Darlett do you mean doing a world tour or travelling the world bit by bit :eek: ?
Hey all,

> What do i need?

The minimum you need is a good and reliable bike. If you are buying new consider a touring bike if you already own a decent mountain bike you might be able to use that instead with some minor modifications like fitting a rack for panniers and changing to thinner and slicker tyres.

>I want a damn good bike that is easy to service (i am inexperienced as a biker and in taking bikes apart!) >Anywhere in ireland i can get them or do i go foreign?

Mountain bikes as well as touring bikes are particularly suited for this because they are built to resist more stress than normal. Like yourself I am not great at fixing broken down bikes but sofar in the tours I have done I have never had any major issue. Provided that you bring it to your LBS for a thorough check before you leave there is not much that can go wrong. Most damages that can occur on the road will still allow you to carry on until you find a shop able to fix them. If you have a major break down you will find that generally people will be willing to give you a hand a lift or whatever is necessary. Stranded cyclists normally are not considered too dangerous :) Of course should you go into remote areas with little chance of finding shops you ought to learn to fix most breakages such as gears/brakes cables, chain, wheel spokes, etc.

>What should i get? And how much would it be? I would like it lightweight, good enough gearage for >helping me take on slopes-but i dont require that it look flash for my ego! Is it possible to get bike and >its accessories for a budget of 500euro...ive no knowledge so its flexible!

Weight should not be your priority as bear in mind that you are carrying lots of stuff with you so spending much money in a light component for bike touring is not worth it! Reliability and should be your only concern when buying a bike. 500 Euros should be just enough to get you a decent mountain bike. Touring bikes might be slightly pricier but not too much. Go to your local shop and see what they can get for you.

>Ive been bitten by the bug of biking and im a tad scared!

So have I! I maintain a site dedicated to bike touring where you can find lots of travelogues and articles so have a look here too!

Good luck, Gianni

http://www.cyclingtheworld.org