What to Bring on Your Epic Adventure
Hey there, Ride and Seeker! Let’s chat about packing for your upcoming journey with us.
Our Epic Adventures are seriously amazing trips, but they do involve some tricky logistics – especially when it comes to luggage and bike gear. We’re not trying to be the packing police, but after years of running these tours, we’ve figured out what works best for everyone.
Space in our vehicles is pretty limited, and we’ve gotta think about our awesome guides who’ll be loading and unloading your stuff throughout the trip (their backs will thank you!).
We typically run our tours with two vans, but given that the vans serve as our bike workshop, baggage courier, sag wagon, lunch restaurant and taxi service, among an array of other functions, space is of a premium.
We want to keep things flexible and fun, but a few guidelines help make the adventure smoother for the whole group. Check out the details below so you know exactly what to bring along for the ride!
Your Main Luggage
Bring just one suitcase or duffel per person, please! We ask everyone to keep it under 23kg (about 50lbs) – think airline checked bag rules.
Your guides will appreciate your cooperation more than you know when they’re playing luggage Jenga every morning. Thanks for helping us keep things running smoothly!
Day Bag
The day bag is on us. If this is your first tour with us, we will give you a personalised Scicon kit bag (pictured). For those regular flyers among you, please bring the bag you were given on a previous tour. We love these bags for the way they keep things orderly in the van and for their fantastic functionality. The bag is big enough for anything you might need access to during the day. This video shows how it works – Scicon Kit Bag
So, in conclusion, one main piece of luggage will suffice, and we provide the day bag.
Foldable Bike Cases
We can only accommodate foldable bike cases on our tours. Those rigid hard cases might offer great protection, but they’re absolute space hogs in our vehicles, and honestly, shipping them ahead has become a logistical nightmare these days.
The good news? There are some seriously impressive foldable bike cases on the market now! Brands like Evoc, Scicon, and Bike Box Alan make soft cases that offer excellent protection during travel but then collapse down to a fraction of their size once your bike is built up. These genius designs give your bike the safe journey it deserves without commandeering half our van space for the entire tour.
Some of our favourites include:
The Evoc Bike Travel Bag Pro (collapses to about 1/3 its original size)
Scicon AeroComfort 3.0 (folds into itself when empty)
Pika Packworks EEP (folds flat for easy storage)
If you have questions about specific bike case models or need advice on the best option for your ride, just give us a shout before your trip!
The ‘Classic’
And don’t overlook the classic cardboard bike box, folks! These old-school champions are still a fantastic option if you know how to pack your bike properly.
The humble cardboard box has been protecting bikes in transit for decades, and for good reason – they’re lightweight, surprisingly sturdy, and get the job done without fancy features or hefty price tags. Plus, they score major points in the sustainability department!
Here’s why we love them:
> We’ll fold down your cardboard box at the start of the tour and safely store it
> At the end of your adventure, we’ll help reassemble it for your journey home
> Your environmental credentials stay firmly on point with this recyclable option
Many local bike shops are happy to give you a box for free (or at minimal cost) when they receive new bikes. Just make sure to grab one a few days before your trip so you have time to pack properly, or better yet, ask your local bike shop to pack the bike for you. Our guides will then be at hand to help reassemble the bike at the other end and pack it up at the end of the tour.