You know Spain will be a top travel destination when even Conde Nast’s Wendy Perrin adds it to her list of 2014 travel trends. Perrin lists Spain (along with Germany and Ireland) among the most affordable European countries to fly to in 2014. If you’ve been thinking of booking a self-guided cycling tour to Spain, now is the time to start planning and booking!
Once you’ve checked booking airfare off your to-do list, next is researching essential gear for a cycling trip in Spain. To get you started, here is Pure Adventures’ list of 5 must-have items.
Rough Guides Spain Tour Books and Apps
The Rough Guides brand of tour books have long been a Pure Adventures favorite, and their guides to Spain are no exception! Their E-books and apps are a convenient way to take their detailed guides on the road with you.
OopsMark Bicycle Wine Rack
Pure Adventures’ Spain Gastronomic tour winds its way through Spain’s famous vineyards. While your pannier will do the trick when carrying your favorite wines home from the wineries you visit, this handsome handmade leather wine rack makes taking a bottle out on a picnic during the tour a pure pleasure!
GoPro
A GoPro is the best way to document your self-guided bike tour in Spain. Not only is a GoPro great for capturing the sights and sounds of the route that you cycle, but a great idea if you plan on taking in one of the many festivals hosted in Spain each year. Check out this video from Pure Adventures travelers who visited Catalonia last year.
Rapha Touring Cycling Shorts
We all know that spandex and a comfortable chamois are integral in a pair of well designed cycling shorts. But spandex is, well, spandex, and not always flattering. Rapha Touring Shorts are baggy like mountain biking or commuter shorts and can be worn over a pair of bib shorts. Light and breathable, they’re a top pick among many long distance cycle tour riders.
Contact cards
Friedel and Andrew from Travelling Two have cycled all over the world (38,000 miles and counting!) and one of their bike touring must-haves might surprise you – photo contact cards. “It’s always nice to trade details with friends you meet on the road but writing out your email address time and time again gets tiring after a while,” say the couple on their blog. As an alternative to pricey business cards, Travelling Two opts to hand out their favorite printed photos with their contact information to the people they meet and want to keep in touch with.