Tips for Planning Your First Multi-Day E-Bike Adventure

If you care about both the environment and your own fitness, you might be considering getting an e-bike. It can give you a workout when you choose it, but you can also rely on it to do the work for you if you don’t quite feel up to it. You may be more motivated to ride it to work or on errands than you would with a regular bike. However, if you like taking multi-day cycling trips, you might be hesitating. How practical is an e-bike in that situation? The tips below can help you plan your first e-bike adventure that lasts for more than a day.

Staying Charged

One of your biggest concerns is probably getting and staying charged. First, you’ll want to specifically look for a bike that can travel longer on a single charge. However, you’ll still need to plan ahead for locations where you can charge along the way. This might mean staying in motel rooms instead of camping. Another option is to use solar power to keep your battery charged.

Traffic Laws and Regulations

Another thing you’ll need to investigate is what kind of laws exist around e-bike usage wherever you are going on your trip, especially if you are leaving your home state. Laws vary from state to state. For example, some require you to wear a helmet. Some require a license. You might not be able to use bike paths everywhere you go. In general, do your research before you pedal off into the sunset.

Practical E-bike Adventure Planning

Some elements of planning your e-bike adventure are the same as they would be with any other bike trip. One thing you’ll want is a particularly good lock since your bike may be more attractive to potential thieves. If you plan to drive at all between locations, you should also buy a good bike rack for your vehicle. Price is not the only factor in choosing the best bike rack, you should also consider the vehicle it will be attached to as well as if you need it to transport multiple bikes at one time. If this is your first multi-day trip, plan conservatively for the number of miles you’ll do each day. There are route planning apps that can help you choose the best way to your destination.

Review your budget, but even if you have enough money to eat most of your meals out along the way, you should bring along some snacks in case you get hungry or lose your way. You should also include a bike repair kit. However, knowing what not to bring is just as important as knowing what you should. It’s important to reference a multiday touring checklist for essentials only and pack light. It’s good to have a spare tube for your tire, but you’re not going off into the wilderness, so if you decide to leave something behind and later realize you’d like to have it, you can pick it up at a store.

Flying

If your trip starts from your front door or from someplace you can drive to, you don’t have to worry about this part. However, if you plan to fly with your bike, you may need to think about how to transport the battery separately since its size might mean airlines do not allow you to bring it on board. Options include shipping it ahead to your first destination or buying one when you get to your new location.