What should you pay attention to when traveling by bicycle?

Information:

A map is of course a must. Don’t look for flashy tourist maps. It is best to find a map for drivers with very detailed mileage. We also need to collect all kinds of information on all riding routes. There is a lot of information on the Internet now. The Sina Travel Forum is a good place, there are many donkeys. Regarding cycling information, I think many of them are too fancy and exaggerated and not suitable for us migrant workers. The experience of Da Hu, a long-distance cycling expert, is worth reading.

Route:

If you want to enjoy the scenery along the way as much as possible, it is best to bring a bicycle and use other means of transportation (such as taking a truck) to reach the best section before riding. Don’t arrange the same route on the return trip. For example, if you start from Shanghai to ride a bicycle in western Zhejiang, it is best to take a ride to Hangzhou and then ride. There is no scenery at all along the Shanghai-Hangzhou line and you can only eat exhaust fumes. If you want to enjoy the ride itself, keep your head down like a mule. Train shipments often cause damage to the car, but taking a truck is a pleasure.

Car:

Of course, a better car will make riding more comfortable. I understand this, but my pocket may not be able to understand it. Generally speaking, avid cyclists can use any car to travel. The cheapest travel car I have ever seen on the road is a 30 yuan second-hand car, which does not even have brakes. The owner of this car has ridden it for at least 1,000 kilometers. At that time, he The "foot brake" was used to control the car to rush down the 4,000-meter high mountain. What impressed me most was that the 70-year-old gentleman took his almost 100-year-old mother on a long trip on a three-wheeler. So, if you really love bicycle travel, don’t worry about whether your old donkey that has been with you for 8 years is up to the task, just pack up and hit the road.

However, I still recommend using a mountain bike with a transmission as much as possible. Generally, there will always be hills on the route. The transmission will save you a lot of energy and time. Other parts can be neglected. The transmission is the first thing to consider. Of course, Shimano is the best, this thing is really strong. Another point is that if you are traveling for a long distance and have to carry a lot of things, it is best to use a diagonal beam women's car without a crossbeam. Because there are too many things bundled in the back, it is inconvenient to get out of the car with your legs up, and it is also difficult to get out of the car by stepping over the crossbeam. Convenient, and it is easy to get off the diagonal beam in an emergency. Of course, the car lock must be very strong. Losing your donkey will make you cry for a while. There must be a chain lock that can lock the car to a fixed object. It's best to have a schoolbag rack. I really don't understand why foreign mules like to carry everything on their backs. They're not tired but they're very hot!

In addition to looking more professional and cool. Tie all the supplies that are not commonly used on the schoolbag rack. It is strongly recommended to use elastic ties. Each one costs only one yuan. Things tied with inelastic ropes will loosen quickly, and things tied with tie It is much stronger. If the items are heavy, especially if the bag is long, it is best to add horizontal strips to the schoolbag rack. Aluminum alloy strips are absolutely not suitable as they will break in two days. It is best to use small wooden boards.

It is highly recommended to have a front basket for maps, water, food and medicine. When the wind is not strong, you can use a clip to attach the map to the faucet, so that you don’t have to get off the car to read the map. Of course, you must pay attention to safety while reading the map while riding. Water and food are often needed, so of course it is best to put them in the front (all tied up at the back). The medicine may not be used throughout the process, but once it is needed, you will find how good it is to have it in front of you. It must be noted that the front basket is very flimsy, both the basket itself and its mounting. If it is a wire basket with fine lines, it is best to replace it with iron bars, and the installation must be re-reinforced. Especially if your route is in poor condition, use any exaggerated method you can think of to reinforce it. Because there is water in the front basket, it is generally relatively heavy. The bumps on the road can easily damage the basket. Another advantage of a strong front basket is that it can balance the load. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to hold the faucet.

Adjust the bike before setting off so that it is comfortable for people to ride on. Don’t pretend to be a racer with your butt higher than your head. After a day of riding, you will know your body by asking your neck. The consequences of leaning too far forward. The seat height is more important. If it is too high, your feet will not be able to touch the ground in an emergency, which is dangerous. If it is too low, your legs will not be able to stretch when riding, which will be uncomfortable, so you should adjust it carefully according to your own situation. The direction of the brake is placed in the direction that is easiest for the hand to grasp. If there is a horn on the handle, you can change the gesture, which will be more comfortable.

Apply oil everywhere, tighten all the screws, and don’t let the wheels drift. Placing a canvas belt between the inner and outer tires will reduce a lot of tire puncture troubles.

The recommended vehicle repair techniques you should learn are to repair tires, replace brake pads, adjust transmissions, remove wheels, remove tires, replace tires, and then reinstall wheels. If the tire is leaking, you may not be able to find water to check the leak point, so you have to remove the wheel and replace it with a spare inner tube, and then you can repair the tire after camping at night. It is more difficult to master the wheel mounting. Of course, if you are quick release, I have nothing to say. The key areas to check are the transmission, tires, brakes, as well as the screws of the wheels and pedals. The main problems encountered while riding are tire blowouts, transmission adjustment problems and screws falling off. In addition, I rarely encounter problems with broken chains and broken spokes. It is more convenient to use special tools to connect the chains. It doesn’t seem to be difficult to smash them by hand, but I I didn't take it myself. If your car has to walk through mud, it's best to go to a high-pressure car wash and wash it with a water hose, then apply oil. Every night no matter how tired you are, you must check the car.

Don't tell me you can't use a wrench!

How many tools and parts you carry depends on the route, road conditions, and each person, because these things are too heavy. If the road conditions are good and there are dense crowds along the way, you can bring less. A multi-purpose wrench can solve some minor problems. In the worst case, you can stop a truck and go to the town to solve the car problem; if the road conditions are bad, the people are sparsely populated or you are a car repair enthusiast, Then carry more guys on your back. If there are girls in the same group, do you need me to tell you? Learn the techniques well, carry all the tools on your back, and get ready to show off! If you really don’t have a chance, you can get ahead of them and give them a thumbtack! Generally speaking, it mainly includes a micro air cylinder, an adjustable wrench, a thin wrench (very useful when putting on the wheel), a screwdriver, pliers, a small file for tire repair glue, an inner tube, two brake pads, brake cables, transmission cables, and valve cores. , a few wire screws, choose your own. The outer tire cannot be folded, so it is not very convenient to carry. You need to carefully select the micro-inflator before setting off. Many of them are parallel imports, which is very difficult to work with. If you want a "complete collection of vehicle repair tools", look for reference on cycling on the Sichuan-Tibet Southern Line written by homeless people, haha.

Clothes:

We are not talking about professional cycling clothes. I have never seen them myself, hoho.

It is recommended to wear long-sleeved and long-trousers, which are very effective in preventing sun burns. If the weather is a little cold, be sure to find more windproof clothes. It is really uncomfortable when the cold air blows into the clothes while riding. It is recommended to wear a long-brimmed hat that is suitable and breathable. Otherwise, after a day of riding, the ash in your hair will be caked and it will be too dirty. If the sun is strong, sunglasses are of course very comfortable. If you are short-sighted, you can wear clip-on glasses. The disadvantage is that they break easily. Wearing sandals while riding is not recommended. A pair of light and breathable sneakers are very comfortable and easy to handle in various environments (if you bring a pair of slippers or sandals in your backpack, they will be very comfortable at night). As for whether underwear will abrade the skin, I always thought it would, but after riding many times, this problem has never happened to me. I have also asked some cyclists, and they have not complained about the saddle abrading the skin. If you are worried, wear some tighter underwear without pleats and it should be fine. If the road conditions are very poor, it will be safer to have a bicycle helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads. In particular, elbow pads and knee pads are very useful to prevent bruises from falling.

Drugs:

Vitamins: Jinshierkang

Diarrhea drugs: berberine, norfloxacin (anti-inflammatory drugs, used for diarrhea, urinary tract infections, etc. )

Trauma medicine: Baiyao, Band-Aid, Musk Zhuifeng ointment, alcohol cotton balls, gauze

Cold medicine: Gram sensitivity

Antibiotics: Amoxin (Oral penicillin, anti-inflammatory)

Analgesics: Painkillers

Altitude medicine: Baifu Ning, Rhodiola Rosea, Diazepam

Others: Fengyoujing, Gao Potassium manganate, chloramphenicol eye drops, chlortetracycline eye ointment (can be used for dry nasal cavity), sunscreen, lip balm (to prevent cleft lips when going to the plateau, haha, you won’t laugh at me when you use this stuff) ), mosquito repellent, American ginseng, Voltaren, motion sickness medicine. Don’t worry, the above is a complete list of long-distance riding, haha, choose according to your situation and the route.

Recommendation: alcohol cotton balls (absolutely good stuff, you can give it full use of your imagination to put it to many uses), white medicine (necessary), band-aids (use less in hot weather unless necessary) Protect wounds), Musk Zhui Feng Ointment (put a piece on it at night when you have backache and enjoy it), berberine (it is difficult to master food hygiene outside), g-single (don’t find a cold that makes you fall asleep after eating it) medicine), Fengyoujing (also multi-functional), chloramphenicol eye drops (my eyes and nose often get dry when riding), sunscreen (I’m not afraid of tanning, it hurts even after I wash my face after a day of riding) Not happy).

Other equipment:

Try to reduce the weight of the backpack. Don’t bring everything with you as if you were moving. You thought you were riding in a high-end RV. Please, it’s your 8 Year old donkey!

It will be very convenient to have a small waist bag to hold documents, papers, and pens (for recording at any time), but it is best to tie it inside the coat so as not to be conspicuous.

Food is very important. Compressed biscuits, beef, milk powder, and chocolate are all good things. If the journey is not very far, don’t be so exaggerated. Steamed buns and pickles are very comfortable. Don't forget to bring a little salt, it's very useful to replenish moisture and clean wounds. You need a big water jug, I don’t like using a small mouth pot, filling it with water is too troublesome, haha.

Whether you bring a sleeping bag, moisture-proof pad or the like depends on where you are going.

Knives (daggers, large fruit knives, etc.) are very practical. The Swiss Army Knife is very good but too expensive. I once proudly bought a multi-purpose knife for 10 yuan

and it still works. It was broken before starting. In addition, there are string, needles and thread, matches, flashlights, plastic bags, postage postcards, toiletries (don’t use electric razors, which are big and require batteries, the blades are good and multi-purpose), rolling paper, and watches.

Wearing glasses