Cycling holidays as a corona trend: expert tips for a successful tour

With the plane into the sun, that has been done for most of the people this year. Corona is a clear line on the bill for many holidaymakers, about every second German will spend the summer at home this year. In order not to just sit around in their own garden, many people use their bikes to enjoy nature and explore new areas. The Saxon company Pendix, manufacturer of electric motors for bicycles, interviewed experts on this subject to find out how modern cycling holidays work.

Expert advice before the tour saves trouble

Interview partners were Maik Herkelmann from bicycle outfitter Herkelmann and Nele Steurer from Radweg-Reisen on Lake Constance. Herkelmann reports on how the focus of his company has increasingly shifted from racing bikes to high-quality touring bikes over the years. He explains that

expert advice when buying a bike makes the tour as relaxed as possible: »If someone wants to explore Iceland, for example, we recommend a belt drive and the right tires for the terrain. And of course we prepare our customers as well as we can for possible breakdowns. «A detailed breakdown briefing has saved many a cyclist on the way, which is why it is worth asking an expert before setting off.

Bikepacking bags and luggage transport

Steurer explains that the age group between 45 and 65 years likes to make use of additional services. Younger people usually prefer to plan their bike trip themselves, but the more mature cyclists often prefer professional tour planning with hotel bookings, a selection of maps and possibly even luggage transport. This makes the bike trip much more comfortable and, above all, more predictable, the holidaymaker can “fully concentrate on cycling.” Herkelmann takes up the luggage issue: “Most people want to take as much equipment as possible with them,” he says. And solutions urgently need to be found, for example with streamlined, well-placed bikepacking bags, »two pockets on the back, two pockets on the front and one on the luggage rack

Cope with demanding routes with the e-bike

Steurer reports that one in four of their customers is now asking for an e-bike. »Some do this to treat themselves to something, to take a leisurely ride or to master stages that would be too demanding without an electric drive. But some of them just want to test an e-bike. «An e-bike can be rented as a trial, but if you have enough money you can of course also buy one. Retrofit motors offer an interesting alternative, so (almost) every normal bike can be converted into an e-bike. Pendix drives look something like a drinking bottle, there is no wiring to the handlebar and an app replaces the bike computer. For the conversion, however, a bike should not be older than 10 years and in good condition.

So a modern cycling holiday is anything but the notorious leap into the deep end. Well-planned, such a tour can be quite comfortable, and it will always be exciting.