Clothes

You’re going on tour! Now, what should you wear?

You’ll want to spend your tour time exploring villages and talking to locals – not doing laundry or waiting for clothes to dry! Here are a few tips to help you plan, pack, and tour in comfort and style.

• Try to bring fast-drying clothing, from undergarments to pants and shirts.
• Avoid cotton, if possible. It can be a cyclist’s worst enemy due to the fact that it holds moisture, amplifying both heat and cold. Synthetics or synthetic blends are best.
• Don’t forget raingear, even if it’s a light-weight emergency poncho.
• Wear padded shorts. They really make extended rides more comfortable, and they don’t have to be tight-fitting Spandex. Mountain bike shorts (available at your local bike shop) tend to be more loose, just as comfortable, and fine for doubling as casual shorts.
• If you want pockets, bike jerseys are a great option and come with 2-3 pockets on the back. They don’t have to be loud colors like racing jerseys, and the pockets are convenient for everything from digital cameras to sunblock. It’s faster to grab from a pocket than to get off your bike and search your bag.

Check out our helpful packing list for all of our packing recommendations.

Bicycle clothing and accessories

PerformanceBike.com
Nashbar

Travel clothing and accessories

Magellan’s Travel Supplies
REI