Winter cyclists not only need special types of clothing for their cold weather bike rides, but they need to understand how their various layers of clothing are meant to overlap and inter-work with each other. This video demonstrates one technique for dressing for the bike in cold-weather winter conditions. The clothing system detailed in this video will allow you to cycle in temperatures that range from 32 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to -40 degrees Celsius).

Got any other hints, tips, or suggestions for riding your bicycle during the cold winter months? Leave a comment below!

I’ve been wanting to experience Iceland for myself for several years now… and I’ll be getting that chance this coming May!

On May 4th, I land in Iceland with my friend and college roommate, Brandon Roesler, and together we will cycle approximately 800 miles around Iceland over a period of 24 days.

24 days may seem like a lot of time to see such a small country, but bicycle touring is a slow endeavor and we plan to do more than just rack up the miles while in the country.

Above you will see a map of the approximate route we plan to take around Iceland on our bicycles… and a more in-depth breakdown of this route can be found below.

Fly Into Keflavik International Airport

We fly into Iceland on the morning of May 4th. After we land, we’ll assemble our bicycles and take off toward Reykjavik. It is a short 30 mile ride from the airport to Iceland’s capital, so that’s probably all we’ll do on day number one.

Stock Up In Reykjavik – The Capital

We’ll spend a day or two in Reykjavik – both exploring the city and stocking up on food and supplies for our venture into the wilderness. While in Reykjavik, we’ll also be participating in a short one-day bicycle tour with Reykjavik Bike Tours.

Explore Our Surroundings At Thingvellir National Park

We’ll then cycle north toward Thingvellir National Park. Most of the campgrounds in Iceland don’t open until May 15th or later, so we’ll have to fend for ourselves and camp in the wild without access to toilets, showers, or any modern amenities.

Marvel At The Geyser in Geysir

Then we’ll ride a short distance further north-east to Geysir, the location of Iceland’s most famous hot-water geyser.

Off-Road It To Friðland Að Fjalllabaki

After Geysir we begin a long and beautiful off-road ride toward an incredibly scenic and remote area of Iceland known as Friðland Að Fjalllabaki. We plan to spend several nights camping in this isolated region of the country before continuing south and hitting up with the Ring Road.

Roll Onto the Ring Road At Kirkjubaejarklaustur

The Ring Road is the 832 mile (1,339 km) road that runs around the perimeter of Iceland. We had originally thought of cycling all the way around this road while we were in the country, but decided that doing so would prevent us from seeing some of Iceland’s more isolated regions.

Camp On The Edge Of The Vatnajokull Glacier

Traveling north on the Ring Road, we will cycle our way to the base of the Vatnajokull Glacier and camp out for a day or two in the Skaftafell National Park. During our time here we will explore the nearby glacier and take in the beauty of the sea.

Head West On The Ring Road

Then we’ll jump back on the Ring Road once again and head south, back in the direction we previously came from, and continue past the village of Kirkjubaejarklaustur, back towards Vestmannaeyjabær, Pörsmörk, and Selfoss. We’ll then cycle back through Reykjavik and continue cycling north towards the Snaefellnes Peninsula.

Cycle Along The Snaefellnes Peninsula

It will take us about three days of heavy cycling to reach the peninsula, but once we get there we will be able to take in some of Iceland’s most beautiful beach-side landscapes. I’m hoping to see some puffins and other native wildlife as well!

Soak It All In At Snaefellsjoekull National Park

Then we’ll finish the trip with a quick cycle around the Snaefellsjokull Glacier, before turning around and heading back to Reykjavik and the airport at Keflavik. At this point, Brandon will fly home, back to the United States, and I will continue on the United Kingdom and mainland Europe after that.

Note: This route around Iceland isn’t necessarily set in stone, and I’m sure that our travel plans will change a bit once we land in the country. But hopefully this gives you a general sense of where we plan to go during our 24 days in the country, and the type of scenery we expect to encounter along the way.

What do you think of the route we have planned? Do you have any suggestions on what else we should see and do while we are there? Leave a comment below if you have a question or a comment.

Photos by dumbledad, pocius, axelkr, exfordy, Land Rover Our Planet, giam, o palsson, benfff85, gladas_f, benfff85

The first eight months of my bicycle tour will take place in Europe… and the last four to five months of the tour will take place in southern Africa.

Below you will find a detailed breakdown of the European leg of the trip. This breakdown includes a list of the main cities I plan to visit and when (approximately) I plan to be in these locations. The dates and places may change a bit once I get on the road, but this will give you a good estimate as to where I am going and what kind of distances I will be covering on my bike.

Cycle Around Iceland

May 3 – May 27

I’m beginning this year-long bicycle tour with a flight from the United States to Iceland. Once in Iceland, Brandon (one of my roommates from University) will be joining me and together, we will spend 25 days cycling approximately 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) across the country and camping almost every single night. This will be Brandon’s first bicycle tour ever, so I am excited to have him along with me and to be able to show him how much fun bicycle touring can be.

London, England

May 28 – June 3

After Iceland I will fly into London, England. I plan to spend about 5 days in the London area before cycling east toward Belgium and then north toward Amsterdam. This part of the trip should tack on 400 miles (650 km) or more.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

June 9 – 14

Once in Amsterdam, I will only have five short days to see and explore the city. From Amsterdam, I will travel to Cologne (Koln), Germany and add another 160 miles to my journey.

Cologne, Germany

June 16 – 25

In Cologne, I have plans to meet up with a friend of mine named Fee who lives nearby. I will stay with her at her house for a little over a week. We’ll be off the bike most of this time, but hopefully I can get her to join me on a short bike ride in the area.

Follow The Tour de France Bicycle Race

June 30 – July 9

I will then follow the Tour de France for the first eight or nine days of the race (approximately 990 miles/1600 km). Each night I plan to camp out along the race route and wait around during the day for the peloton to pass. I’ve always enjoyed watching the Tour de France on television, so it should be a blast to actually experience the race in person.

Bike Switzerland – Guided Bicycle Tour Across Switzerland

July 10 – July 20

I’ll then cycle my way down to Geneva, Switzerland for the start of a cross-country bicycle tour with European tour company, Bike Switzerland (350 miles/560 km). This is going to be my first multi-day guided bicycle tour that I’ve ever been on, so I am really looking forward to it. In fact, if you are interested in joining me for this leg of my trip, you can! Read all about it right here. The last time I checked, there were still a few places left in the tour group.

Zurich, Switzerland

July 21 – July 25

At the end of the Bike Switzerland Challenge Tour I will travel to a city just outside of Zurich and stay with some friends. Not only will I have a week to visit with old friends, but I will also have a week to rest my body and catch up on some work.

Basel, Switzerland

July 26 – July 30

Then I’ll spend two short days riding to Basel, Switzerland (90 miles/130km) where I will be staying with my friends Ben and Sabine, whom I met last year while traveling around the South American country of Peru. After visiting with Ben and Sabine for the weekend, I will pedal back to Zurich and fly out of the country.

Istanbul

August 1 – 14

I’ll fly into Istanbul with my bicycle and rent an apartment in the city for a couple weeks before continuing north. I spent a single day in Turkey during my 2009 bicycle tour and I absolutely loved it, so I am looking forward to seeing a little bit more of the country.

Cycle From Istanbul, Turkey to Kiev, Ukraine To Krakow, Poland

August 15 – November 5

After leaving Istanbul, I don’t have any hard or definite plans. Instead, I am simply going to let the wind blow me where it may. I’ll pedal north from Turkey through Bulgaria and Romania, before crossing through a small section of Moldova and then cycling through a major chunk of the Ukraine. The plan, however, is to be on the border of the Ukraine and Poland sometime around the first of November.

Krakow, Poland

November 6 – 13

Once in Krakow, I will rent an apartment and stay in the city for approximately a week. During this time I will be resting, exploring the city, and catching up on my computer work, emails, etc.

Warsaw, Poland

November 19 – 26

After cycling from Krakow to Warsaw, I’ll again stay in the city for about a week before cycling north toward Gdansk.

Gdansk, Poland

December 1 – 5

Located on the shores of the Baltic Sea, Gdansk is one of Polands larger cycling cities. Since I won’t be getting to Gdansk until early December, however, I look forward to seeing whether or not there are any other cyclists out on the roads (besides me).

Poznan, Poland

December 10 – 17

Then I’ll circle south from the Baltic and head toward the city of Poznan. The people at Poznan, I Love You sent me a dozen or more email messages saying that I absolutely must come to their city, so I’m going to make the effort to do exactly that!

Christmas Markets in Berlin, Germany

December 22 – January 2, 2013

Finally, I will pedal my way to Berlin, Germany, just in time to see some of Germany’s world-famous Christmas markets. I hope to stay in or near the city of Berlin during Christmas and New Years… and as soon as 2013 arrives I will jump on an airplane and travel with my bicycle to southern Africa, where I will begin the second major leg of this epic bicycle touring adventure.

So, there you have it! Those are my general plans for the year! Again, all of this can and probably will change a bit once I get on the road, but now you know what to expect.

I am super excited about everything that I have planned for the rest of this year… and I am even more excited to be sharing my bicycle travels across Europe with you.

Photos by: C. P. G. Grey, Johan J.Ingles-Le Nobel, Jo@net, Wolfgang Staudt, Jon, Or Hiltch, Problemkind, Dennis, Philip Bitnar, Andrew Evans, Feradz, Vasenka, Teujene, Maurice, Artiom Ponkratenko, Jaroslaw Pocztarski, Olgierd Pstrykotoworca, ReneS, K?vanç Ni?, Rennes.i, Leszek.Leszczynski, matipl, Boudewijn Berends

On May 3rd, 2012 I will be leaving my home in the United States of America and taking off on my 12th long-distance bicycle tour. This is going to be my longest bicycle tour to date… as I plan to be on the road for a little over a year and will be cycling across more than 20 different countries in both Europe and Africa. This will be my third long-distance bicycle tour in Europe and my first time ever going to Africa, so I am super excited!

The first eight months of my bicycle tour will take place in Europe… and the last four to five months of the tour will take place in southern Africa. Below you will find a detailed breakdown of the European leg of the trip. This breakdown includes a list of the main places I plan to visit and when (approximately) I plan to be in these locations. These dates and places may change a bit once I get on the road, but this will give you a good estimate as to where I am going and what kind of distances I will be covering on my bike.

Cycle Around Iceland: May 3 – May 27

I’m beginning this year-long bicycle tour with a flight from the United States to Iceland. Once in Iceland, Brandon (one of my roommates from University) will be joining me and together, we will spend 25 days cycling approximately 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) across the country and camping almost every single night. This will be Brandon’s first bicycle tour ever, so I am excited to have him along with me and to be able to show him how much fun bicycle touring can be.

 London, England: May 28 – June 3

After Iceland I will fly into London, England. I plan to spend about 5 days in the London area before cycling east toward Belgium and then north towards Amsterdam. This part of the trip should tack on 400 miles (650 km) or more.

Amsterdam, Netherlands: June 9 – 14

Once in Amsterdam, I will only have five short days to see and explore the city. From Amsterdam, I will travel to Cologne (Koln), Germany and add another 160 miles to my journey.

Cologne, Germany: June 16 – 25

In Cologne, I have plans to meet up with a friend of mine named Fee who lives nearby. I will stay with her at her house for a little over a week. We’ll be off the bike most of this time, but hopefully I can get her to join me on a short bike ride in the area.

Cologne, Germany to Liege, Belgium: June 25 – 29

I’ll then cycle (approximately 75 miles/120 km) from Cologne, Germany to Liege, Belgium, which is where the Tour de France will begin on June 30th. I hope to be in Liege for the opening ceremony and all of the other Tour de France related festivities.

Liege, Belgium to Besançon, France (Tour de France): June 30 – July 9

I will then follow the Tour de France for the first eight or nine days of the race (approximately 990 miles/1600 km). Each night I plan to camp out along the race route and wait around during the day for the peloton to pass. I’ve always enjoyed watching the Tour de France on television, so it should be a blast to actually experience it for myself.

Geneva to Rorschach, Switzerland (with Bike Switzerland): July 10 – July 20

I’ll then cycle my way down to Geneva, Switzerland for the start of a cross-country bicycle tour with European tour company, Bike Switzerland (350 miles/560 km). This is going to be my first multi-day guided bicycle tour that I’ve ever been on, so I am really looking forward to it. In fact, if you are interested in joining me for this leg of my trip, you can! Read all about it right here. The last time I checked, there were still a few places left in the tour group.

Rest in Zurich, Switzerland: July 21 – July 25

At the end of the Bike Switzerland Challenge Tour I will travel to a city just outside of Zurich and stay with some friends. Not only will I have a week to visit with old friends, but I will also have a week to rest my body and catch up on some work.

Zurich to Basel, Switzerland: July 26 – July 29

Then I’ll spend two short days riding to Basel, Switzerland (90 miles/130km) where I will be staying with my friends Ben and Sabine, whom I met last year while traveling around the South American country of Peru.

Basel, Switzerland to Krakow, Poland: July 30 – August 19

After spending the weekend with Ben and Sabine in Basel, I will then begin the long, three-week ride to Krakow, Poland (760 miles/1200 km). I’m not sure which route I am going to take just yet, but I might pass through Munich, Germany and/or Linz, Austria on my way there.

Live and work in Krakow, Poland: August 20 – September 13

Once in Krakow, I will rent an apartment and stay in the city for approximately three weeks. During this time I will be resting, exploring the city, and catching up on my computer work, emails, etc.

Krakow, Poland to Kiev, Ukraine: September 14 – September 28

I will then cycle from Krakow, Poland to Kiev, Ukraine (550 miles / 860 km). The Ukraine is one of the countries I am looking forward to the most on this trip. It isn’t a place too many tourists tend to visit… and I think that is part of why I am looking forward to it so much.

Rest in Kiev, Ukraine: September 29 – October 7

After I arrive in Kiev, I plan to rent an apartment for a week and simply rest and explore the city.

Kiev, Ukraine to Tallin, Estonia: October 8 – October 27

Then I will conduct another long leg of cycling by traveling from Kiev, Ukraine to Tallinn, Estonia (900 miles / 1400 km). Along the way, I will cycle through Belarus and Latvia. I might even decide to cycle through a small corner of Russia!

Rest in Tallinn, Estonia: October 28 – November 3

I have friends in Tallinn, Estonia, so I hope that once I get there I can meet up with these friends. I plan to stay in Tallinn for approximately one week and might even take a boat over to nearby Finland, just to check the place out for a day or two.

Tallinn, Estonia to Warsaw, Poland: November 4 – November 17

After a week or rest and relaxation in Estonia, I’ll turn around and head south, back in the direction I came just a few days prior, and cycle through Latvia, Lithuania and northern Poland before arriving in the city of Warsaw. During this time, I will be cycling approximately 600 miles / 1000 km.

Live and work in Warsaw, Poland: November 18 – December 5

In Warsaw, I’ll rent an apartment for approximately three weeks, while I rest, explore the city, and work like a mad-man on my computer. By this time of year, I expect it to be very, very cold in Poland and just about everywhere else in Europe, so I’ll be wearing warm winter clothing, both on and off the bicycle.

Warsaw, Poland to Munich, Germany: December 6 – December 21

In early December I will leave my apartment in Warsaw and cycle for nearly three weeks to Munich, Germany. Along the way, I hope to stop and visit with a friend in Poznan, Poland and maybe even pass through Prague along the way (even though I have already been to Prague before). I will cover about 650 miles / 1000 km during this final leg of the European tour.

Christmas Markets in Munich, Germany: December 22 – January 2, 2013

Finally, I will arrive in Munich, Germany, just in time to see the world-famous Christmas markets. I hope to stay in or near the city of Munich during Christmas and New Years… and as soon as 2013 arrives I will jump on an airplane and travel with my bicycle to Nairobi, Kenya, where I will begin the second major leg of this epic bicycle touring adventure.

So, there you have it! Those are my general plans for the year! Again, all of this can and probably will change a bit once I get on the road, but now you know what to expect.

I am super excited about everything that I have planned for the rest of this year… and I am even more excited to be sharing my bicycle travels across Europe with you.

Photos by: C. P. G. Grey, Johan J.Ingles-Le Nobel, Jo@net, Wolfgang Staudt, Jon, Or Hiltch, Problemkind, Dennis, Philip Bitnar, Andrew Evans, Feradz, Vasenka, Teujene, Maurice, Artiom Ponkratenko, Jaroslaw Pocztarski, Olgierd Pstrykotoworca, ReneS

If you already own a bicycle (a road or mountain bicycle perhaps), but you are unsure as to whether or not that bicycle is capable of handling the demands of the specific type of bicycle touring you wish to conduct, please leave a comment below describing your situation.

In your comment, please tell me:

• What type of bicycle you currently have (Make, model, year and condition).
• What type of bicycle tour you are planning to conduct (There are 5 major types of bicycle tours. See this article for more information).
• Where in the world you are planning to go on your bicycle tour.
• How much gear you plan to carry on your travels.
• Whether or not you plan to camp or cook your own food while you are on tour.
• And what type of road conditions you will be covering on your bike tour (For example: paved roads, gravel fire roads, rocky single-track trails, etc.)

After leaving your comment below, I will reply at my earliest possible convenience with an opinion as to whether or not the bicycle you currently have can be used on your upcoming bicycle tour or whether you need to purchase a touring-specific bicycle that is better designed for the type of bicycle tour that you have in mind.

For additional assistance, please see: The Essential Guide To Touring Bicycles