Selling up, getting a bike, no real plans, how crazy?
 

I keep having stupid (?) thoughts about just selling up, picking up a decent bike, tent, etc and just setting off, with no real plans, apart from a general idea of a route I might ride till the money runs out, the real appeal is the cost of this, wild camping and all my real need will be for food, if I need need to take a plane, I could just take my luggage and get rid of the bike, like russia > USA?

I realize transport long haul, such as planes and boats would be the most expensive problem and having enough food on me to last me weeks at a time, i'd possibly have to find someway to make money on the road, as my funds aren't huge, but respectable

How crazy is this?

My route goes something like,
Starting in UK, ride to hull, get the boat across to somewhere in skandi, then riding down to the Baltic's, heading towards Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, towards Magadan, then getting a plane across to Canada, riding down towards the USA, doing the USA, visiting most states, down one coast, across, up the other coast then do the middle... Then possibly head towards the middle east, Indonesia, china, Aus, Asia, even china...

How crazy would just be setting out without any real plans, just a bike, passports, food and some money?

Would it be as stupid as other people tell me it is?
:confused1:

Sounds perfectly sensible to me..

A little forward thinking considering VISAs and entry requirments maybe a good idea though, apart from that.... Go for it :)

I'm with Ted - sounds good to me; expensive though - even on $50 per day it's gonna cost you about $20,000 per year.

Would suggest some forward planning though....

And then what?

Sherlock

With a little more forward planning, I guess I would have to get a route of country's I would like to travel through?

So world map > Research which will need visa's etc?

Wondering, $50 a day you say?

How come you think so much?

Wild camping, then food is my only real essential?
Rice, pasta, porridge can be bought in big loads and cheaply, pre-forward it to destinations to pick up, as I go along, would mean I'd have a bulk of food to go on.

Ofcourse, i'm been totally optimisitc and it could all go wrong, but that's the fun, right?

I think I read about that guy that circumnavigated the world by only human power traveled for 16 years and cost him £150,000 I believe. Or something like that.

$50 per day is pretty low, I think - think;

food
fuel
insurance - bike, self, medical evacuation
running costs for bike
beer
maintenance - oil, tyres, chains, sprockets, the unexpected

and that's just for starters....and you gotta buy the bike and/or prep it in the first place.....

I think we are talking about a push bike:oops2:

:rofl:ha ha ha ha ha

Stupid me!!!

I thought this was a motorcycle forum!!!!

Sherlock

If that is what you'd like to do and you have the opportunity, the only stupid thing would be NOT to do it...

The only crazy thing in that idea is that it goes against the way "normal" people would behave: what better reason do you have to actually think for yourself and do what you want, rather than what conformity preaches? :thumbup1:

As mentioned Visas are probably further planning ahead for or you may find you have some long waits when you could have been on the road to the next new secion of horizon.

Other than that a vague route is the best way to go: almost anyone on here will tell you that to have successful trips flexibility is paramount and that even the best laid plans usuallly go out of the window within a week of setting off.

In other words planning is more something to spend time on before the trip happens rather than being particularly useful once on the trip.

Go for it and don't worry: something always turns up, when you're in a pickle!!

The OP just needs to realize from the start that in the absence of any sense of how such things work (which is what his/her two posts indicate), it's not going to turn out the way he/she dreams it will.

Personally, it doesn't sound like a pushbike sort've a tour to me; this would take many years, perhaps decades. And no one who's not tried it can really predict whether they'll be able to sustain carrying, for example, food to last "weeks at a time," while "wild camping" even in Europe or North America, much less elsewhere on a pushbike. And no matter whether pushbike, motorbike, backpack or whatever--probably it's better to ease in gradually rather than burn all bridges in pursuit of a totally unsustainable pipe dream.

But maybe that's just me and my old, tired, worn-to-a-frazzle middle-aged sensibilities speaking.

Good luck!

Mark

Have a look at Lonely Planets bike section and get some inspiration.

Also crazy guy on a bike site.

For a cheap trip look for south east asia. You don't even need a tent there.

Wild camping sounds cheap and romantic but isn't possible everywhere

Sounds like great fun to me!

You wouldn’t need food to last weeks at a time – maybe a couple days at most in less populated areas. Always some granola bars or similar as an emergency reserve. Clean water will be an issue in some areas, meaning you pack a filtration system or buy bottles.

You’d probably want to research visa duration and possible extensions … if some country provides two-week visas and it’s gonna take you a month to cross it, you’d need to figure that out.

Why not? If you’ve got the time and funds and the will to do it, do it. You’ll find out soon enough if you love it or hate it. It does require a particular personality (i.e. slightly whacked!) to make it over the long haul especially if you are going solo.

Really the transport shouldn’t be that costly. Airfares are down these days, and all airlines last I knew will transport a bicycle in a box for … hmmmm not sure. It was $75 USD when I was doing my long-distance bicycle touring in the late ‘80s.

Upfront costs might be a hit if you select the best -- i.e. lightest & most durable -- gear. And some hotel costs, or costs for a proper campground with shower … you can’t really wild camp every single night, can you? I couldn’t! :rolleyes2:

Good luck, sounds like a blast. :thumbup1:

Just ride until you run out of money...

You will learn far more on the road than from a forum !!

Going by push iron means you wont have any legal complications with your vehicle.

Hah! No wonder we had conflicting views, this is in the bicycle section isn't it? :)

On the food note - that was on the basis of the book such as ''Into the wild'' and that guy that tried to be self sustainable in Canada for 90 days for a TV programme.
You could look at it that way, but when you currently have no real bridges to burn, with my somewhat warped sense of relationships and so, I don't have any real problems, I do realize the length that I am talking, I know it could take years, that's the whole point, if I wanted a 6month blast I could use my motorbike, if it goes tit's up, I can always go home and say I tried.

That's a good idea, thanks, will defiantly check out Lonely Planets section.

I guess it isn't always possible, but will hopefully be my main form of sleeping arrangements.


Thanks for the more positive words, I assume selling my motorbike will fund most of what I need to buy, good tent, sleeping bag, £3000 or so should get me a damn good bike and equipment...

I guess the length of the ride is the big thing, visa's would be a consideration.

That's what I really want to do! But I guess it's not that possible...

Things I seem to need to worry about is:
1. Visa's, including a general route of country's that I want to go through
2. Some type of routine, ie 1 night every 10 in a hotel or real campsite, as you say, complete wild would make some hygiene problems and what not.
3. How much weight I could carry on a bike,
4. Keeping in contact and mapping, I assume it would be hard keeping people updated with my movement, it would limit the possibility of GPS and such, unless I can get an alternator powered by peddling. :eek3:
5. Do I have the balls!

You dont give any indication as to your skills.
I would suggest you camp some where locally for a week, and just move on a bit each day. That will allow you to rethink the equipment you need.
It can be done, but I would like to have a phone number that could put funds in my hand in an emergency. Maybe a friend or relative. This is in case you lose your possessions. Carry only emergency rations (especially canned meat/fish) and buy food locally as you travel. Buy what is on obvious offer as being local it is likely to be cheap and in season.
You need to carry a day or twos water supply.
Note there is an often misquoted reference to needing two litres a day.
This is actually wrong as they are only quoting half of the quote. The original is " a man needs about two litres of water per day MOST OF WHICH WILL BE OBTAINED FROM FOOD". Naturally some foods contain more water than others. Unlevened bread can be made easily and very cheaply. It can also usually be bought locally for not much more in countries that use it.
I generally use a posh campsite once every 4/5 days if possible. Sometimes BnB or cheap hotel. Sometimes you need to recharge your own batteries.
Truck stops often are a source of cheap good food. ( only pick a well used one. if it is empty probably for a reason). I generally make my own breakfast, buy ingredients for a salad/snack type lunch, and make own evening meal. If a promising opportunity to buy value for money meal comes along, I may well take advantage sometimes as a 'treat'. In France this usually takes the form of a 'routier' at lunchtime. Some also often have showers (as do many of the laybyes in France). It is sometimes possible to stop for a shower and maybe eat, then ask where you can pitch a tent for the night. Many places ( including some resturants ) provide overnight camping for camping cars etc when in the smaller towns and villages.
When wild camping be either completely out of sight or in full view (especially of the lorry drivers) DO NOT be the only person in view on a small unmanned lay by visible to the passing road traffic..

While motorcycling across siberia in early June this year I overtook two cyclists, each about 4 days apart, betwen Tomsk and Novosibirisk. Seeing bikes with panniers I recognised them as fellow aventurers (mode of transport is immaterial to me - if it has 2 wheels I talk!) and stopped for a chat. The first was a German guy who I later met my pure chance on Ohlon Island in Lake Baikal and the other was Sam Gambier, a young man from Cornwall.

I overtook Sam a few weeks a 1,000 miles further down his road approaching Irkutsk. I had deviated to the Republics of Altai, Tuva and stopped for days in other places.

Sam is still on the road and you will probably learn much from his inspirational blog at Cycling Round The World

As to costs, we on Sibirsky Extreme tried to work on a daily budget of GBP25 for food, accommodation and fuel. Accommodation was what we sometimes exceeded on - but we did not camp if there was a bed to be bought! Actually we only camped about 7 or 8 nights in 4 months.

Once in Russia, if camping 'wild' (which is perfectly accepted) your only real expense is food and that should be well under GBP2 for a really flling, simple meal at the many main road cafes. Cities cost, though.

Good luck. Enjoy it!

cysne

get any bike, and go. go somewhere for a week. then a month. then a year. etc.

you don't need to plan anything, as long as you are just travelling and don't have any notion of an end-point. if you're setting your brain thinking you're heading to russia, then do a bit of planning and sort the visas. otherwise just get on the boat away from this rancid island and go.

have a look at (ie buy) Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook by Stephen Lord.

1. Visa's, including a general route of country's that I want to go through

normally a lot easier than you think, but worth checking in advance

2. Some type of routine, ie 1 night every 10 in a hotel or real campsite, as you say, complete wild would make some hygiene problems and what not.

if you want routine, get a job. the minimum routine you have to do is wake up, pack, ride, eat, sleep, wake up.... for hygiene, some tar soap and get yourself into the nearest river.

3. How much weight I could carry on a bike,

less is better. you have to tour to know what you can leave behind. rear racks are about 25 kg, front about 10 kg. the more weight the more likely you'll pop spokes. remember carrying food and water weight a lot.

4. Keeping in contact and mapping, I assume it would be hard keeping people updated with my movement, it would limit the possibility of GPS and such, unless I can get an alternator powered by peddling.

GPS? why bother? on a cycle you don't really go fast enough to go that far out of the way. and 'out of the way' might be the best place you go. use maps.

5. Do I have the balls!

dunno, do you?

IF you really want to do it then you will soon find out if you have the balls selling up all your unwanted goods to start with will make you closer to realising the adventure and either drive it forward or make you rethink, i personally are not good at forward planning how would i know if i would need a visa for somwhere or when unless i new to the day /week id be arriving (easier with petrol power) Do europe first then build on the trip as you learn BUT go for it ROB

How about buying a cheap motorbike...

My last mountain bike cost £1200... my current travel motorcycle cost £1500 !!!

Go for it, life's too short. $50 a day on a push bike, no way, on our trip on two motorbikes we spend £50 a day in total with plenty of hostel type accomodation included, no rough camping. Only extras were shipping, flights and visas.

Hope to see you on the road one day.

I did exactly what you did in July 2008. I sold my BMW R1150GS and all of my possessions and bought a bike and have been on the road ever since. I'm currently in Chiang Mai, Thailand and I've had a great trip so far. I love motorbiking but I couldn't justify spending my savings on petrol, repairs, spares etc and the less money I spend, the longer I'm on the road.

I got my fix of motorbikes when I was in India though as friends gave me a loan of a 350cc & 500cc Enfields when I was there and I went to Leh (Himalayas).

You can read about my trip here: Bicycle Touring: Acoustic Motorbike - A bicycle journey around this small blue planet

Aidan

Overland Bicycle Travel
 

As have many others reading this thread, I've done some touring via bicycle. A number of years ago I did the U.S. northern route on a mt. bike w/cheap panniers. Seattle to Boston in two months averaging $15 a day. Most small towns are more than happy to let you camp in the local park for free. Just talk to local law enforcement upon arrival. Sometimes they'll even keep an eye out for anyone looking to "borrow" anything from your bike overnight.

During summer, in the U.S., many small towns have swimming pools where parents send their kids to play while they work. I use these for their free showers. I also would stop at campgrounds, not to camp, but to take a quick shower (pay) and do laundry, work on bike etc...

Start out with a general plan and some decent maps and just go. After a few weeks you'll gain confidence in yourself and get stronger. At this point you'll feel comfortable varying from your plan - it's here that you'll become truly free.

That's the cool thing about touring by bike - there's so little to worry about. Cost to fix bike is low. If bike is stolen or trashed, new ones are cheap compared to motorcycles. Don't think you need a custom touring bike to do big tours. I have one and actually prefer the old mt. bike over the $$$ bike any day.

Bikes are way easier to fly with you if you have to. You travel so slowly you really experience the land and people around you. Plus, most non cyclists feel sorry for you for riding so far on such a heavy bike. Your vulnerability creates an interesting dynamic where the locals treat you like family. This is especially true if you go solo.

erm, you don't have to put fuel into a bicycle (saving £2000 per continent?).. and £1200 for a bicycle ?!? excuse me, but you spend £1200 on a bicycle but only £1500 on a motorcycle ?

either 1) you were had, 2) you are a bicycle snob or 3) you are a motorcycle fool

I assume £1200 buys you a new mountain bike of your choice, and £1500 buys a second hand bike of variable history?

+1 for this site. LOADS of inspirational journals from people who have done exactly what you are asking about ala "push" bike.:thumbup1:

There is plenty on this site too.

Plenty of good advice in this thread alone.

Go for it.

Take a Seat | Catch up | STV Player

Good film of Alaska - Argentina by push bike for those interested (a tandem though...)

Did you ever go for it then Cysne :confused:

So did you do it?
Or do you still wanna do it?
If you want company; i'm up for it!
I have no money though. only like.. 1000€ or so. i can get a little more if i find a effin job.
but i plan on mostly catch my poultry in the wild. do some containerskipping and rely on hospitality!
let me know bro :D

We're in Africa (Gambia) at the moment. We pedalled most of the way from northern Spain on a tandem (www.thespokeandwords.wordpress.com). Also did a 7000km ride round Europe a few years ago. Cost about £11 per person per day all inclusive, self sufficient on cooking and staying in the tent, sometimes wild camping.

Plenty of people do this type of thing. Google it and keep dreaming/researching. That's how most interesting things start to happen.

Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2

Had the pleasure of meeting DuBruyn on his Australia leg. He did exactly what you're thinking: business wasn't going anywhere so sold up started peddling.
Having a charity in mind always helps with finding sponsors etc.

Have a read of their story: Around 7 Continents

DuBruyn's travel blog has some nice info on preparation etc. if you haven't left yet

...

A pushbike has some distinct advantages.

1) Easy to repair.
2) No carnet!!!
3) No fuel other than food
4) Can be taken on planes, buses and trains, often for free.
5) Inexpensive
6) Abandon-able (less expensive and.... no carnet!)
7) Ecological
8) Easier border crossings (no customs documents)
9) No vehicle registration issues
10) No insurance issues
11) Can almost always be taken into hotel rooms.
12) You can go places other vehicles cannot (Angkor Wat Mountain Biking Photo Below)
13) In the same way that motorcycles allow a better connection with the average person than car/truck travel, a bike encourages and even greater connection with the average person.

We've done both motorcycle and bike travel, and enjoy both. The bikes we used in Southeast Asia were purchased at thrift stores in the U.S. My bike cost $29 and Amanda's was $14.99. 1980s mountain bikes are the perfect expedition touring machines.

http://www.vwvagabonds.com/images/Ki...a2-250x187.jpg http://www.vwvagabonds.com/images/Am...ed-250x183.jpg http://www.vwvagabonds.com/images/An...01-250x187.jpg

I'm with Ted on that one, you'll go further faster and have twice as much fun ;-)

My experience suggests

on the motorcycle you pay for petrol (fuel) to propel you forwards.

on the bicycle you pay more for food .. as the 'food' provides fuel for propulsion. As part of the joy of traveling is eating the different food you get more of it on the bicycle.

Having said that .. I also find the human body more efficient than the internal combustion motor .. in terms of $ per kilometer.

Very true, however it's a personal choice and for me an engine + 2 wheels does it ;-)

An internal combustion motor gradually declines and degrades with use. There is an inherent beauty to the fact that the bicycle motor can actually improve with use.

In the same way that a prolific mechanic might set out on an expedition with a rattletrap motorcycle and return home with a perfectly humming machine, expedition bicyclists often set out on an their journeys with stress-riddled, broken-down bodies and return home as specimens of perfect health.

Best of both worlds!
 

What takes just over an hour to ride on a motorbike can take around a day to ride on a mountainbike but you get to see, smell and hear more!

Motorbike and mountainbike are both great ways to travel. This year I'm touring mostly by bicycle(Iceland again) and I'm really looking forward to the challenge aswell as the long empty roads maybe less so for the headwinds.

You always get to meet loads of folk when you travel by motorbike or bicycle which never seems to be the case when you travel by car.......Or at least that's been my experience!

As for the food/fuel thing when I used to ride ultra long distance I swear I was spending as much on café/roadside food as I was on petrol when I was touring on my motorbike but sure enough after a couple of weeks cycle touring with a fully loaded bike I returned home suntanned and much healthier than when I left!

FP.

old thread, did the OP make the trip in the end?