Holiday time? Pack your bike.

Going to Brittany this summer as a family, I want to take the bike.

We have a roof carrier, but the ferry was booked without this provision. We have a rear bike carrier, but it will obscure the brake lights and I have no lighting board as yet.

So, will the road bike make it into the boot ??

I would happily sacrifice taking ANY clothes (except cycling clothes).

It's an MPV style car, a Mazda 5 in fact.

I reckon it might go in.

It better.

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plan, plan, plan...

Sometimes, planning is not required. I know for some they cannot go anywhere without a fifteen page spread sheet, and fair enough not knocking that, but it does restrict slightly the spirit of adventure. New lanes, new climbs, new descents, new excursions; I have found, all have a neat habit of presenting themselves to you. When travelling to new and far flung destinations, to research, and, for specific routes/races you may want precise road/track/lane details.
I've had some great rides just cycling out of town/campsite/hotel in new destinations and explored all day long, finding true gems of rides.
One of the best rides came from the most unexpected. A wedding took me to Alicante and a hop on the train (small gauge coast network, stand at a location and put your hand out, like it's a bus) took us up to the Spanish megladom resort of Benidorm. A quick sprint along the drag strip and then sweep away from the sea to the mountain ridge behind. And, within minutes the crassness of English tourism (of which I am one) and genetically modified tomato fields are left behind, replaced with arid hillsides, vine grown toms, rustic restaurants, limestone reveals on high arêtes, small villages where Hola replaced Hello, and tapas replaced chips and gravy.

Tomorrow I'll buy a ticket to cross to France, will drive to somewhere near Bourg d'Oisan and set up camp, ride whichever direction takes my fancy for a few days. Then hop over a couple of valleys, take a few uplifts, and explore some more. Just need to do a quick service on the Road bike and VTT, bung stuff in a bag. Actually, I guess that is a plan, albeit sparse...

That's why your other bike should always be a Brompton which will tuck away inside one of those blue bags from Ikea. And if you took a folding bike trailer for the 4 year old together with their bike and a bag of old crusts for the ducks, you could earn sufficient Brownie points to last all week .....

I entirely agree that having to go on holiday without the bike would be quite a wrench. I am from Devon (though living in London at the moment) and love going back home to cycle, although I always forget how hilly it is.

This time of year lots of people take to the unfamiliar roads of the countryside, and it's great that they have the opportunity to do so. Following a recent issue during a visit "home" I wanted to highlight for any holidaymakers that rural road etiquette does differ slightly from the towns. We are used to having farm machinery, horse riders and stock using roads at a slower pace than cars are used to.

On single carriage lanes, it is generally considered good manners for the slower user (whether horse, cyclist or pedestrian) to pull into the verge/gateway/lay-by to enable cars to pass. (We all know tales of tractor drivers who don't do this but highlighting that point is much like blaming all cyclists for the few who do go through red lights at junctions!).

I am a pedestrian, cyclist, horse rider and car driver and offer up the above advice having seen a couple who were obviously out of town occasional weekend cyclists holding up cars on a back lane for several miles - they were obviously lost and were doing approx 10mph (less at times) but did not pull over to let the backlog pass (much to the embarrassment of the cyclist in me) despite many opportunities. It is important for all road users to show courtesy and I completely understand that town dwellers might not be aware of country manners: hence this comment which I hope helps people enjoy their holidays!

Would not put a carbon bike on the back or top of car.
You only have look at how they sway around when you are driving behind somebody.

Obviously it works for race teams (top mounted) but thats a different level of rack investment and the riders don't pay for their bikes!

Or.....

Put a few of your worldly belongings on a pannier rack including a tent and make the journey, the holiday and a bike ride all in one!

Alright we don't have kids but as alluded in the main post I'm a recent convert to cycle touring - last weekend was our first attempt and we loved every minute of it.

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the only navigation I have is an iPhone with no reception and a photograph of the local area taken from the AA Road Atlas out of the car.

Buy a second £1.99 AA road atlas and rip out the page you need. Slip it into a polypocket and stuff that in a jersey pocket. Navigation sorted.

Often it's the details that capture the imagination. That gate hook image is far more intriguing (and memorable) than any panorama of distant hills.

What's wrong with sticking it on the roof?

Nice post, I know what it is like trying to ride wherever you travel, whenever you can. I'm off to Madrid soon and already thinking how I can cycle there... Without taking my bike. All hail city hire bikes!

Good to know there's someone as precious about their bike as I too. Even though it is ancient!