Before setting off, it is worth carefully planning and preparing for the trip. You can use increasingly popular mobile applications or websites to plan a route, but even they do not contain such detailed data as accurate maps (preferably 1:50,000) and tourist guides.
It is a good idea to check (websites, tourist information) whether the marked bicycle routes are up to date. When planning daily stages, you need to take into account different surfaces and the difficulty of the climbs on individual sections.
Tuchola Forest, fot. Pomorskie Travel
The length of the daily stage or the distance of the entire trip should depend on our fitness level, the difficulty of the route and the number of attractions we want to visit. Too long a distance will make us rush at breakneck speed to reach the end point at all costs, instead of enjoying the ride and the landscapes and attractions along the way. The traveling speed of a cyclist on a trip, taking into account the average difficulty of the route and a moderate number of rests and meal breaks (without longer visits to attractions along the way), usually does not exceed 10 km/h.
National Park Bory Tucholskie, fot. Pomorskie Travel/M.Ochocki
Prepare your bike and other equipment
Checking the drive, braking system, shock absorbers and lighting is essential. Don’t forget about spare inner tubes (preferably 2 pieces), wrenches for basic bike repairs, tire levers and a pump. Of course, you should also take at least one type of anti-theft protection for your bike. Moderation is advisable when packing additional equipment. Heavy panniers or a backpack do not slow us down much on even asphalt, but on poorer surfaces or climbs we will feel their weight strongly. They also significantly reduce the manoeuvrability of the bicycle.
Where to go by bike in Pomorskie?
Check out our proposals HERE. We also have some suggestions for bicycle routes for trips with children HERE.
Mennonite Trail, photo: Pomorskie Travel
Safety first!
The law specifies what the mandatory equipment for a bicycle should be. Regardless, we should take care of our own safety and that of other road users.
- It is imperative that you take and use a bicycle helmet;
- Gloves are also very useful and protect your hands in the event of a fall;
- On public roads, a reflective vest and other reflective elements that can be placed on panniers and other parts of the bicycle and equipment are very important. They significantly increase our safety on the road;
- Working front and rear lights along with a spare set of batteries are also absolutely necessary;
- If we are traveling with small children, they can travel with us in special seats or appropriately marked trailers;
- According to road regulations, a compact group of cyclists traveling on a public road should not exceed fifteen people.
Use maps and guides to plan your route
When planning a bicycle trip route, you can use mobile applications and websites, but it is also worth using good tourist publications. Excellent maps awarded in the National Tourist and Tourist Book Competition (2018) dedicated to tourists who want to explore the Pomorskie Voivodeship from the perspective of a bicycle saddle can be purchased in the online store of the Pomorskie Tourist Information Center.
