First time

[mjr]

As far as equipment goes, I'm planning on taking a handlebar bag, in frame pack, a saddle pack and a light backpack for valuables.

Backpack for valuables? I don't like them out of sight. Can you get a handlebar bag with a shoulder strap and keep them in there?

Then again, I'm often told I'm being paranoid - but the only time I've lost a bag so far was when I left it on a train.

[simonhill]

Don't worry about language. English is very widely spoken/written/understood anywhere in the world. This is not for the benefit of us Brits, but because it is the world's second language. It is how most foreigners speak to other foreigners. Maybe not a in depth conversation on the meaning of life, but usually enough to get what you need.

Basic travelling is not rocket science and people have been travelling to foreign lands for millennia (which is before google translate). Walk into a hotel and there is a pretty good chance they will guess you want a room. Go sit in a restaurant and its unlikely that they will think you have come to read the meter. I travel all over and language is rarely on my list of worries.

I often read here about people worrying about language. I often take it as an excuse not to go.

Re your backpack for valuables - I presume you mean on your back not on your bike (back) rack. If so, I would advise against anything on your back. Your back is a major region for heat dissipation and cycling with what is effectively multi layers on your back in the summer heat is not a good idea. If the backpack is heavy then it can also make yo a bit unstable on the bike.

[millimole]

You will need to have some 'time off'. As in not moving. Things like washing, shopping and seeing things all take time.
I generally plan on 1 day in 7 not moving. That day could be the 7th day, or the 6th or the 8th .. just a day off every so often as you need it or find a present place to stop. You could even have it as 2 half days depending on how you go.

Ok, I guess I was hoping to leave early morning, cycle for 6 or so hours and then have the afternoon to rest and sightsee. I have set a day off in Berlin though and am hoping to set one more day off

Breakfast? If you were relying on the hotel for breakfast, remember that they may not serve it early enough for your early start, and if they offer a packed breakfast it may be (in my experience) pretty grim. In rural parts you may not find shops open before 8 or 9. You will need a hearty breakfast. If you can't take your bike into your hotel room make sure that someone will be around to let you collect your bike when you want to leave if you are going early!

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my wobbly using hovercraft full of eels.

[millimole]

Re your backpack for valuables - I presume you mean on your back not on your bike (back) rack. If so, I would advise against anything on your back. Your back is a major region for heat dissipation and cycling with what is effectively multi layers on your back in the summer heat is not a good idea. If the backpack is heavy then it can also make yo a bit unstable on the bike.

Agreed - a backpack is the worst of all worlds. It may be fine for a short - mid commute but for touring, forget it!
A handlebar bag, or an easily detached bag on top of your rear carrier, is the way to go.

I worry that you don't seem to have done any touring, even multi-day UK trips which would allow you to learn what works for you (and what doesn't) in terms of riding style, type of accommodation, luggage, clothing, distance, and dealing with mishaps like breakdowns or illness. Your reliance on this forum and retailers is optimistic!
I wish you well, and I admire your spirit, but I do have concerns for the success of your trip!
(I should speak - I set off for France in 1972 with a few YHA trips and rides with the local DA under my belt, a failed French O level, a puncture repair kit, a dumbbell spanner, some spare spokes I didn't know how to use, and spare bulbs I'd never need. I survived - and enjoyed it)


I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my wobbly using hovercraft full of eels.

[Sweep]

Walk into a hotel and there is a pretty good chance they will guess you want a room. Go sit in a restaurant and its unlikely that they will think you have come to read the meter. .

Genius common sense simon.

I well remember, along with many others, inter-railing as a keen but ignorant youngster. Never any issues, all worked out somehow - and that included jaunts into the old eastern block where some folks couldn't understand why I wanted to see their countries, let alone speak English. Needs are pretty simple when travelling, unless you are on a diplomatic mission.

[bigjim]

That Merida is not a touring bike. Nice bike. I've hired them a few times in Mallorca, had one two months ago. They come with 25c tyres and I doubt they will take much bigger and I'm not confident the rear wheel would be up to the weight. You will need to tour very light on that machine. Have a read of this guy who tours light on lightweight bikes.
http://ultralightcycling.blogspot.com/

[horizon]

I am leaving early August and am hoping to do it in about 18 days for a charity back home.

This is my first time touring so I have very little clue as to what I need to do etc. other than train. LoL

Is anyone here able to offer me advice? Should I prebook all accommodation before I leave? What equipment is a necessity on my Merida Scultura? Is 100k a day a realistic plan?

Thanks in advance guys

Chris

Chris: which bit of this is for charity? You are asking us to make it easy but surely that's not the point?

[m-gineering]

In rural parts you may not find shops open before 8 or 9.

Most of the route is through Germany. Bakers open early and are easily spotted by the parked vans of the tradesmen enjoying breakfast

[mjr]

I worry that you don't seem to have done any touring, even multi-day UK trips which would allow you to learn what works for you (and what doesn't) in terms of riding style, type of accommodation, luggage, clothing, distance, and dealing with mishaps like breakdowns or illness. Your reliance on this forum and retailers is optimistic!

I wouldn't worry about that. I'd never done any multi-day UK trips before my first tour in the Netherlands - however, I was with friends, including some experienced tourers. That said, we did make some revisions for later tours, mainly setting a 70km target and 100km limit for each day's riding so that we'd have more time to see things and accommodate that it takes longer to move 6+ bikes into and out of most secure parking than one. Each year, we've learned a bit more. So I'd say don't expect your first tour to go perfectly, but hopefully your difficulties will be less self-inflicted than mine! (I bumped up a kerb on the way to Harwich, which would usually be fine but with a full touring load it knocked my headset out of kilter and it took 2 days to find a shop with the right tools for that bike...)

On the language thing: yes, you can get by with English. Rudimentary German, French and Spanish seem to help in much of Europe and the Americas... but if you know where you're going, it's great to learn a bit of the local language. Even if people speak some English, most will be much happier in their own language. Even in Flanders, fairly close to the you can still find Flemish people in small towns who don't/won't speak much English, but even limited textbook Dutch often brings a smile (that, or I've committed a terrible howler by mangling their language!). The worldnomads podcasts are good for countries they cover, people this trip recommended the duolingo(?) app to me and there are usually online lists of the numbers and key words like hello/goodbye/please/thanks/where is.../left/right/straight on with English phonetics.

[crazydave789]

it might be easier to buy cheaper/second hand kit in aus and ship it over once you know what you want to take with you.

alternatively if you have somewhere you can get stuff posted to you can collect it together here.

I got this setup for the wifes bike that works rather well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Loon-panni ... s=red+loon

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Red-Loon-Pro ... Sw4hdXHo4n

[Cyril Haearn]

Most of the route is through Germany. Bakers open early and are easily spotted by the parked vans of the tradesmen enjoying breakfast

Many even open Sundays!

[northernrebel]

For overseas transactions we signed up to Starling Bank this year - https://www.starlingbank.com/
There's a useful Android app that lets you keep track of your cash & spending and there are no European transaction fees. You get a pretty decent exchange rate too. Every time you spend/withdraw you get a notification to your mobile and you can set the security so it only allows card transactions in the same location as your phone.
I just set up a payment from my regular bank, then moved extra cash across using their mobile app as I needed it.