Archives: FAQs

On our trailers we put all things that our Biketour group needs and cannot be distributed by the participants: Some food, cooking pots, stoves, flyers and other equipment. They can load up to 35kg. We take turns to carry them and everybody can do it, if you want you can also share it for a day with someone else and change half-way. The Biketour owns two bob-trailers who have only one wheel. Thus they are slimmer but not as stable as 2-wheel trailers. They are fixed with a quick-release skewer, so in order to be able to pull them you…

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All you need is a rack and panniers (bike bags) attached to the bike. Two separate panniers are much better than just a big one (it is easier to take them off, and we need to do it every day). There’s also the possibility to carry four – two at the back and two at the front. Bike Panniers which are separate, light weight, waterproof and a good shape, can be pretty expensive. On the web you can find several DIY projects on how to make your own from (recycled) material (e.g.: here). Some people take a trailer instead of a…

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No. Ecotopia Biketour is a DIY tour – this also involves repairing one’s own bikes. There is always somebody that knows a bit more about bike repairs and that will be glad to teach and help. You may be cycling in small groups, so you should bring your own basic tools and ask somebody beforehand to show you how to solve common problems that you will have – then you can pass on that information, too.

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One of the good things about a bike is how easy it is to fix it. Flat tires and broken spokes are the most common problem. Within the biketour community, we are carrying some parts, which can be communally used. Try to bring things in any case, which your bike requires: correctly sized inner tubes, spokes and brake shoes, pump and basic tools for your bike. Other things highly recommended: chain oil, bike lock (don’t forget the key!), rain protection for you, the bike and your equipment on it, lights (front and rear), water bottle holder.

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We have noticed some people travelling with just one gear, but if you want to have a less painful trip (and avoid pushing your bike up hills), you should be sure to have at least some light gears. Maybe you want to take a look at the topography of the region where you are planning to join the biketour and think about whether you want to take a bicycle with racing, touring or mountainbike gears. Remember that there are always hilly parts as well!

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The one that you already have. Any kind of bike will do (many years of the biketour tell us so!), but clearly some bikes will make it a lot easier. In the ideal case we would recommend using bikes invented for travelling: trekking and touring bikes. If you have a mountain bike, don’t forget to put road tires on. If you have a road (racing) bike, don’t forget to put more rough tires on. This will make your life much easier, we don’t always know beforehand how the road surface is going to be. New super-cheap bicycles from a supermarket…

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For 2014, look in the Wiki for more detailed information. Sometimes it can be a hassle to travel with your bike when not riding it, but it’s totally worth it! Trains, buses and ferries all over the world often accept a bike as a baggage, you should check your luggage dimension restrictions, and sometimes you will have to pay for extra luggage. What you have to do is pack and protect your bike and other things to prevent them from being damaged – especially the deraillers for the gears. Sometimes you will have to dismantle your bike, front or both…

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Yes! In that case you should write to the organising team well in advance. We will put you in contact with the local bikekitchens or ask the projects we will visit for a bike for you. If you have the time to arrive early enough, there are some in most big cities where you can try to build a bike cheaply or for a donation. In the past some participants have built their own bicycle out of recycled parts and gave them away at the end of the tour. On previous years some people bought cheap-crappy bikes and later the group…

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