Planning a bike tour means deciding how far to ride each day, which route to follow, and where to stop for rest, water, and shelter. Whether you are new to bicycle travel or refining a multi-week itinerary, a thoughtful plan helps you stay safe and enjoy the journey. This guide walks you through the key steps, drawing on advice from the Adventure Cycling Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Weather Service.

Short version: Start by setting a realistic daily distance based on your fitness and gear weight, choose a route using established cycling networks, plan rest days every 10 days, treat all backcountry water, and know what to do when thunderstorms threaten.

How far can you ride in a day?

Daily distance depends on your fitness, the weight of your gear, the terrain, and your personal goals. Adventure Cycling Association’s Bike Touring 101 guide offers a starting point: an average physically fit adult carrying less than 20 pounds of additional gear can expect to cover about 65 miles per day on paved roads. With a load of 20 to 45 pounds, that average drops to around 55 miles per day. Their distance-focused article provides similar numbers: 60 miles a day for light loads (under 20 pounds) and 50 miles a day for self-contained touring with 35 to 50 pounds of gear. If the terrain is particularly flat or mountainous, the average will increase or decrease accordingly. For mountain-bike travel, these distances can be cut in half or more, depending on the ruggedness of the terrain.

First-time tourers should plan for half to two-thirds of their normal comfortable mileage, according to the distance article. Both guides recommend planning at least one rest day for every 10 days of riding, and carrying no more than 45 pounds of gear if possible. Keeping your itinerary flexible lets you adjust for weather, mechanical issues, or interesting side trips.

Choosing a route

Adventure Cycling Association’s Route Network, which began with the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail in 1976, now spans 50,000 miles of scenic and historically significant bicycling routes across North America, including the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS). Their Bike Touring 101 guide also points to state tourism agencies, bicycle and pedestrian offices, advocacy groups, and local bike clubs as valuable resources. Look for low-traffic routes and roads with good shoulders. Keep in mind that popular destinations like national parks can be choked with traffic and may be less enjoyable for cycling. For more on finding and navigating routes, see our Route Navigation page.

Planning stops and rest days

Building rest days into your schedule is essential for recovery and for handling the unexpected. The Adventure Cycling Association suggests planning at least one rest day out of every 10 riding days. Use those days to explore a town, wait out bad weather, or simply let your body recover. Always plan time in your day, and days off in your trip, for unexpected challenges and good opportunities, as the Bike Touring 101 guide advises. If you are new to multi-day riding, our Bike Touring for Beginners article can help you build a solid foundation.

Water sources and treatment

According to the CDC, water from lakes, rivers, or streams may contain germs that cause diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain, even if it looks clear. The safest approach is to treat all water before drinking. Boiling is the best way to kill germs: bring clear water to a rolling boil for 1 minute, or 3 minutes at elevations above 6,500 feet. The next best option is to filter water and then disinfect the filtered water.

A filter with an absolute pore size of 1 micron or smaller will remove parasites, but not viruses or all bacteria. A filter with a pore size of 0.3 micron or smaller removes bacteria and parasites, but not viruses. Reverse osmosis filters remove parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Chemical disinfectants such as unscented household chlorine bleach, iodine, or chlorine dioxide tablets kill viruses and bacteria, but may not kill parasites. The CDC notes that chlorine dioxide tablets can kill Giardia and are somewhat effective against Cryptosporidium, but filtering first is still safest. UV light devices can kill parasites, bacteria, and viruses in small amounts of clear water, but the water must be filtered first because cloudy water blocks the light. Pregnant people, those with thyroid problems, and anyone with an iodine sensitivity should avoid water disinfected with iodine; no one should drink iodine-disinfected water for more than a few weeks at a time. Bury human waste at least 8 inches deep and at least 200 feet away from any natural water source, and wash hands or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. For more on staying fueled and hydrated, visit our Food and Hydration page.

Weather and lightning safety

The National Weather Service emphasizes that there is no safe place outdoors during a thunderstorm. The safest action is to get inside a substantial building or a hard-topped vehicle. If you are on a bike and see threatening skies in the distance, pull over and wait 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder before resuming your ride. Avoid open fields, hilltops, tall isolated trees, water, and metal objects such as fences and poles. A tent offers no protection from lightning. If you are camping in an open area, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low area. In mountainous regions, thunderstorms often develop in the early afternoon, so plan to ride early and be down by noon. For a deeper look at preparing for weather, see our Weather Preparation guide.

Lodging choices

Adventure Cycling Association’s Bike Touring 101 guide suggests first deciding whether you want to camp or stay in hotels. Camping is inexpensive, independent, and keeps you closer to nature, while hotels offer comfort and reduce the amount of gear you need to carry. Tourism agencies, chambers of commerce, and many cycling maps list campgrounds, motels, and bed-and-breakfasts. For a detailed comparison of overnight options, read our Accommodation article.

A planning timeline

Adventure Cycling Association’s bikepacking trip-planning checklist breaks preparation into three phases. One to three months before departure, ride often, pick a route, make reservations for popular campgrounds (especially during high season), arrange transportation for yourself and your bike, and start learning basic bike maintenance. Two to four weeks out, acquire all your gear and do a trial run with it on training rides, inspect your camping equipment, review the route and navigation plan, get a bike tune-up, and consider a fully loaded overnight shakedown ride. In the final two weeks, download offline maps and route notes, check your satellite messenger subscription, taper your training, do a final bike check, pack your food, watch the weather forecast, and complete a full test pack to make sure everything fits. For longer or international trips, add steps such as arranging pet or home care, putting a hold on mail, filling prescriptions, checking visa requirements, and considering travel insurance.

Frequently asked questions

How far should I plan to ride each day?

If you are new to loaded touring, aim for half to two-thirds of the distance you can comfortably ride unloaded. Adventure Cycling Association’s guidelines suggest that an average rider with under 20 pounds of gear can cover about 60 to 65 miles on pavement, while a load of 35 to 50 pounds drops the daily average to around 50 to 55 miles. Adjust those numbers up or down for flat or mountainous terrain, and always build in rest days.

What should I do if a thunderstorm approaches while I am cycling?

Stop riding and seek shelter in a substantial building or a hard-topped vehicle. Stay there for 30 minutes after the last thunder. If no safe building or vehicle is available, avoid open fields, hilltops, tall trees, water, and metal objects. A tent or picnic shelter will not protect you from lightning.

How do I find safe water on a bike tour?

Treat all water from natural sources, even if it looks clear. Boiling is the most reliable method: bring water to a rolling boil for 1 minute (3 minutes above 6,500 feet). Filtering followed by chemical disinfection or UV light treatment is the next best option. Always check the filter’s pore size and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

For more detailed planning advice, visit our Trip Planning page.

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