General Tips From Our Trips
Welcome to our "Tips from Our Trips" page, where we share valuable insights and experiences from our adventures. We hope a few helpful hints can make your own travels memorable and enjoyable!
Bike Box Reinforcing
After hearing too many horror stories about bike boxes being crushed during flights, we decided it wasn’t worth the risk — we reinforced ours. After all, we wanted our bikes to arrive in one piece, ready to ride. While you can travel with a hard bike case (they offer great protection but can be heavy and are more expensive) we chose to cut down the cardboard box our bikes came in to meet airline size requirements and added reinforced handles to make it easier for baggage handlers. Click on the video to see how we did it!
Our Bike Gear Checklist
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Spare inner tubes (at least 2)
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Portable bike pump
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Tyre levers
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Multi-tool (with Allen keys, chain breaker, screwdriver heads)
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Chain lubricant (small bottle)
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Patch kit
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Cable ties (handy for quick fixes)
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Small roll of duct tape
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Spoke key
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Brake pads (spares if your trip is long)
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Extra chain links
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Small rag/cloth (for quick cleaning)
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Rear light and front light (USB rechargeable preferred)
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Bike lock (Insurance worthy – check your insurance requirements)
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Helmet
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Padded cycling shorts (at least 2 pairs)
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Padded cycling long pants/tights
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Short-sleeve cycling jerseys (breathable, quick-dry)
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Long-sleeve cycling jersey (for cooler days)
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Rain jacket (lightweight and waterproof)
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Wind jacket (packable)
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Cycling gloves
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Sunglasses (with UV protection)
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Cycling shoes
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Warm layer for cycling (light fleece or thermal top)
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5 cycling under shirt (t-shirts)
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5–7 pairs of cycling socks (quick-dry)
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Neck gaiter or buff (useful for wind, dust, or cold)
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High-visibility vest or bright gear (optional but good for safety)
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Water bottles or hydration pack
Bike Tools
Bike Clothing
Casual Clothing Off Bike
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2 dresses or casual outfits
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2 pairs of trousers or jeans
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5 casual T-shirts
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2 long-sleeve casual top
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Lightweight puffer jacket
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Beanie or warm hat
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Sunhat or cap
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Trench coat (optional!)
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Casual shoes (sneakers and sandals)
Battery Advice
When it comes to travelling with an e-bike, you can't take a lithium-ion battery on a plane. So we purchased a battery pre trip and picked it up in Paris when we arrived. When we departed, we left the battery with a friend so we have it for our next trip. If you’re only travelling for a short period, it might be easier — and cheaper — to hire a battery instead of buying one. We had no problem purchasing ours from a bike shop near our hotel in Paris.
Things We Wish We Knew
1. Carry a Quick-Link for Your Chain
If your chain snaps (especially under heavy load or steep climbing), a quick-link lets you reconnect it in minutes without special tools. Lightweight, cheap, and a trip-saver.
2. Split Your Essential Tools Between Riders
If touring as a pair or group, split spares (tubes, lube, tools) across bags.
If one bike gets stolen or bags lost, you don't lose everything.
3. Bring Spare Brake Pads — and Learn to Change Them E-bikes are heavier.
Brakes wear out faster on long descents or wet rides. Carry a spare set and watch one YouTube tutorial on swapping them, you'll thank yourself when you're stuck in a mountain village.
4. Panniers Must Be Waterproof. Not Just "Water-Resistant"
Water-resistant panniers will still let rain in after 2 hours.
Invest in IPX-rated fully waterproof panniers or pack everything inside with drybags inside your panniers.
5. Bring Chain Lube. Not Just Oil
Dusty gravel or wet country roads kill chains fast.
Pack a tiny squeeze bottle of proper chain lube (not random WD-40) and reapply every few days. Quiet chain = longer trip.
6. Carry a Spoke Key (and Know What It Looks Like)
Loaded bikes + e-bike motor torque = high chance of bending spokes on bad roads.
A broken spoke isn’t the end of your trip, but a simple spoke key lets you true the wheel enough to keep riding.
7. Check Your Firmware is Updated Before Departure
Some motors (Bosch, Shimano) release firmware updates that fix bugs or improve efficiency.
Update before you go. Don’t risk an old error-prone version.
TOP TIP: Bring an octopus strap! We used ours to secure broken panniers, to secure additional baggage and purchases to the bikes.