Top tips for long-distance cycling

By Douglas Whitehead Published: 11:01AM GMT twenty-six February 2010

On the highway to China Photo: DOUGLAS WHITEHEAD

1. Keep it cheap. Expensive bicycles with top-of-the-range tools can be a waste if, for instance, they mangle in farming Turkey where theres no goal of anticipating befitting gangling parts.

One man, one bike, 6,000 miles Read Douglas Whitehead"s blogs More tour holidays The Bicycle Diaries: finish of the highway in Amritsar The Bicycle Diaries: the highway to Islamabad The Bicycle Diaries: gunshots in Shangri-La

2. Set off with a small bit as well much. You can regularly sell or give afar things en track if the going gets tough.

3. Save yourself the pain. Buy a used saddle thats already been ragged in by someone else.

4. It doesnt have to be steel. Aluminium-frame bicycles are cheaper, lighter and clever sufficient for the job, on condition that you float sensibly.

5. Travel with 4 panniers. This requires carrying both front and behind frames propitious to your bicycle. Cycling with a carrier is a certain track to behind suffering and misery, whilst towing a trailer equates to dual additional wheels that could humour punctures.

6. Schrader tyre valves, additionally well known as "car-type" valves, are some-more unsentimental than presta valves as they can be arrogant at any garage.

7. Get a Visa withdraw card. These are supposed in far some-more money machines than any others.

8. See crazyguyonabike.com, where you can find dozens of articles about long-distance journeys, as well as contention forums and reviews.

9. Most importantly of all, you dont need to be called Lance Armstrong. Most of the cyclists I met during my tour had no prior cycling experience. It didnt stop them. It wouldnt stop you.