This is easily the most common question we get asked by people contemplating a ride with us. Given the mixture of terrain you can expect on many of our tours – from smooth tarmac two-lane roads, to rutted and muddy tracks in the countryside, and everything in between – choosing an appropriate bike for the tour is no easy task.
Here are the three principal options, in our opinion:
Mountain Bike with Front Suspension
A hard tail mountain bike is the most versatile choice, as it provides suspension for the off roads, relative comfort, and with a thinner set of tires it also provides a decent ride on paved roads. The drawback is that with smaller diameter tires and front suspension, it will be a little slower, a little heavier, and a little less efficient than other bikes on pavement. Having locking front suspension is useful, as you can “lock out” on the smooth roads and engage the suspension on the rougher roads. Some mountain bikes come in ‘29er’ size – meaning the wheel diameter is larger, like a cyclocross bike, giving you a little added momentum on the rough roads. This is a common choice on our most difficult of tours.
Cyclocross or Touring Bike
This option is becoming more and more popular among our clients, as it combines the ruggedness of a mountain bike, with the speed and efficiency of a road bike. With slick tires these bikes are fast on the good roads. A word of warning though! While cyclocross/touring bikes do accommodate wider off road tires they do not have suspension, and riders will be seriously challenged on the rougher off-road sections. Cyclocross bikes are recommended for relatively fit and strong people who can handle the abuse of the rough roads while benefitting from the increased performance on the good roads.
Make sure that your cyclocross bike can accommodate wider tires. Ideally you should be able to fit a tire that measures 700 x 40. These wider tires will help provide a bit of comfort and traction on the rough roads. For our tours that are mostly on paved roads, this is a great option also. Our friends at Cinelli have designed us a Tour d’Afrique Cinelli cyclocross – check it out!
Hybrid Bicycle
This bike has the same wheel size as a cyclocross bike, but with straight handlebars instead of road style drop bars. Hybrids often also have front suspension and suspension in the seatpost. Hybrids are designed more for comfort and leisure rather than performance, and have more of an upright sitting position. This is a very popular style of bike for our North American and European tours, but also works for our other tours.
We always preach to riders that simplicity and durability are best because the availability of replacement parts is greatly limited in most of the countries on our tours, and our mechanics will not have some of the tools or skills to work with complex or unusual assemblies. A steel frame is preferred (if not steel than aluminum is the best choice), with simple components, simple suspension, and no hydraulics.
Still not sure? It’s not an easy choice, so send us an email and we will help you figure it out.
Many airlines now charge a set oversize or sports equipment fee for bike boxes ($ or Euros 100-150 is typical) which you will be lucky to avoid and should anticipate paying upon check-in with the airline. Other airlines will simply consider your bike box as your 2nd or 3rd piece of checked luggage and charge you accordingly. Most bike stores will be able to help you package your bike in a cardboard bike box for the flight. This involves removing the pedals, turning the handlebars sideways, deflating the tires, and ensuring the key parts of the bike (ie the drive train) are well protected by foam tubing or clothing inside the box. Make sure the box is well taped and labeled. We generally recycle the boxes of participants who join the tour along the way. Otherwise, we will locate a cardboard box for you at a local bicycle store or elsewhere at the end of the tour. Please note no bicycle hard cases are allowed on tour as space is limited.
The most common thing that interrupts riding on tour is soreness. Sore knees, sore backs, sore butts…. The best way to combat this is to ride regularly in the run up to the tour. At a minimum we suggest you start some dedicated training 3 months before the tour starts.
Riding at least three times a week for a minimum of two hours each time. This could be in the form of cross training or bike rides at a steady pace. This will get you to the tour start with a base of fitness and well adjusted to your bike. A recommended training schedule is provided to registered riders or you can read more here.
Tour d’Afrique is only one of our tours that is both a competitive cycling race attracting talented athletes, and an expedition for individuals whose intention is to traverse Africa at a more comfortable pace. All our other tours are currently untimed, and riders cycle at their own comfortable pace.
Whatever your aim, we like to think of these tours simply as personal challenges. All of us challenge ourselves in different ways. Some measure themselves against others, some against their personal best, some want to do something that has never been done before, and some want to make the world a better place for future generations.
