The ONE Mistake Every New Adventure Cyclist is Making!

[@debrahall902]

( 57F , obese with many medical issues ), I starting slow cycling during Covid and last year strapped a tent to my bike , I had never been camping before and took way too much stuff , didn't use most of it , found out that there were lighter / smaller but still super cheap alternatives and that I am too scared to go wild camping but with trekkers tent sites at 15-20 euros it is cheap enough . I enjoy the border area of North Brabant / North Limburg and the area of Germany around Kleve and Goch . I travel alone , stop when it suits me for food or potty breaks and I don't like cold or rain . In the winter I go for 300km month , in the summer up to 1500km a month . Thank you for your informative insights .

[@redsorgum]

Yes, slow and steady, step by step, you begin to be more comfortable and confident. 👏👏👏👏✌️

[@pavelg4990]

Way to go! Good job!

[@WheelstoWander]

That sounds fantastic! Thank you for sharing your story 😊 Wishing you many more magnificent miles 🍀

[@BiKEnBiTES]

Doing better than I 😅

[@jieqiufeng5422]

繼續踩單車 狀態日日新 本人踩單車朝聖旅遊從退休開始，至今整整10年（不算瘟疫3年）。

[@jeffandersen6233]

This is my second viewing and what struck me was your introduction for "bicycle travel". Not bike packing or bike touring, just getting around by bike. That's my new mindset with my bike. Thank you

[@WheelstoWander]

Cool you made that your new mindset! Thanks & All the best!

[@Saguache]

I love that you two are still touring on refurbished mountain bike frames. It's a testament to the resistance and utility of "old" gear that no one else seems keen on talking about.

[@WheelstoWander]

I believe there are lots of viable old school options out there. New gear sure is nice but definitely not necessary to enjoy bicycle travel or many other things for that matter. All the best!

[@Frostbiker]

The more I watch bike touring and camping channels, the more I appreciate the trove of wisdom shared by Wheels to Wander. No-nonsense super practical real-world advice (and gear). I particularly appreciate how they don't shy away from showing the tougher side of things as well as the good moments. They don't always tell us what we want to hear, but I what we need.

[@caribooskidoo3997]

Yup. This channel and "Nomads Trails" are two of my favourites.

[@omare_biketonature]

@@caribooskidoo3997Payman hasn’t been as consistent as Eric and Maudi, it seems like Matilda was the one behind the KZbin video editing, I also prefer a channel that stays in one platform, keeping the format and true to what you subscribed for which is long distance traveling by bike and everything associated to that.

[@caribooskidoo3997]

Yeah, I agree. I definitely haven't enjoyed the channel as much since Matilda left. She was such a nice person.

[@jonathanm8197]

Yes, this is definitely one of the best bikepacking channels. I also recommend Two-wheeled Chronicles (a Ukrainian couple).

[@caribooskidoo3997]

@@jonathanm8197 , thanks. I will check them out.

[@normanrussell5526]

What amazes me, is the different terrain you traverse. Nothing seems to faze you both. I love watching your experiances.

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks Norman 😊 Best wishes!

[@theskids6]

For me personally, my problem is over-preparation! I haven't toured in really remote places (only in Western Europe) but I do tend to plan way too much beforehand - every single piece of gear researched and carefully chosen, a route carefully planned and so on. That means I rarely encounter a problem I can't overcome, but I know need to relax a bit and embrace spontaneity and a sense of adventure, which is all part of cycle touring. Another great video btw, but eagerly awaiting the next tour videos!

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks! It is a challenge letting yourself go into the moment. We also had to learn that and is still, and perhaps will always be, a work in progress. Wishing you all the best!!

[@commoneuropeanstarling]

Excellent! Welcome back again! Very professional stuff.

[@WheelstoWander]

Thank you 🙏🏼 Happy to hear you enjoyed the video! All the best!

[@AdamTravelsTheWorld]

This maybe the only real channel that gives the best and most practical tips and advice for bike travel.

[@WheelstoWander]

🙌🏼 Thanks!!

[@Murat-Explores]

i like the simple way of your thinking. as an outdoors adventurer simplification of gear and right to the point way of thinking resulted in a more affective and less problematic adventure in every way. all in all, an enjoyable experience. thanx for the rational and yet fun video flow :)

[@WheelstoWander]

Thank you Murat :) Happy to hear you found it helpful. Best wishes!!

[@nasirmahmood5684]

@3:41 ouch! I know that feeling of cold, wet, hungry and tired. Makes one question the sanity of leaving a comfortable home to self-punish. But, 6 months later, these are the moments one remembers and talks about with others. The warm, sunny days become a fading memory.

[@krølle-1]

i have an experience in sweden 2 summers ago,it was a heat wave, and my best cycle trip so far. so it work in both end on the scale. :)

[@davidgriffin8717]

Thanks for this! This is Great “off season/non-travel” content!

[@tomsitzman3952]

Any season is on season if you have the right equipment and number of experiences and training.

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks David 😊 All the Best!

[@philipcaldwell3187]

The gold standard for learning how to prepare for all individually supported multiple day outdoor off the grid adventures. Thanks Eric!

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks so much Philip 🙏🏼 Best wishes 😊

[@stephenking27]

This is great advice. I’ve been cycle touring for years and still use some gear from the '90s. My tourer is a 2008 Surly LHT with V-brakes. It’s robust and simple.

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks! Nice setup 👍🏼 Have fun out there!!

[@johnarnebirkeland]

Straight to the truth that you can only find with experience.

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks 🙏🏼 Happy to hear I talked some sense 😉

[@dooley-ch]

Excellent as always and thanks for sharing. I started touring in 1978 and I use the same touring bike today that I bought back in 1990. By now of course pretty much every component but the frame has been replaced, but at 60, I reckon it will do me the rest of my life or at least until I need to get an EBike. I grew up on a farm, the grandson of a blacksmith, so being able to maintain and repair machinery was just something you learned a long the way. I can't actually remember a time when I did not know how to fix a bicycle!

[@WheelstoWander]

Love hearing that! There are even possibilities to upgrade your existing setup to an e-bike. I bet that would make for a nice project. Thanks & Best wishes!

[@redsorgum]

Again, more useful information. Learning to fix the most common problems is essential. I think if we are not careful, we will overthink things and sometimes make it worse. ✌️

[@WheelstoWander]

Haha, yes! I have overthought many things in my life. It's about finding that balance. Thanks & All the best!!

[@mysurlytrucker7510]

Hi guys i found myself in glen nevis with what i thought was a great lightweight tent a three season bag and a summary bag and a hot water bottle, i also had a tri alps mountaineering jacket from superdry, besides wet weather gear etc ,it had been a sunny day, and i prepared everything for what was to be a chilly nyt thinking as my backup that i can boil water and the hot water bottle will keep me just fine ,i quickly found out a interesting bit of information minus 9 to 10, the h w bottle and my gear just doesn't work well enough, you need to heat up water every fourth five minute's to 60 minutes its just not practical, and that loosing weight of your tent , only works in summer i froze most of the night ,i just wasn't warm enough but i won't forget the valuable information i learnt great video Eric and maudi be safe .

[@WheelstoWander]

Thank you David! We all make those mistakes 😉 Everybody is different too so often we have to check and see what works. Best wishes from the both of us!

[@mysurlytrucker7510]

@@WheelstoWander love you guys look after your self's.

[@MarcMallary]

I had an air mattress fail and was not able to repair and I got very cold from the ground. I will carry a short foam pad, for backup now, with some shiny mylar space blankets on my tent floor, to reflect heat up.

[@WheelstoWander]

Nice backup system 👍🏼

[@tomsitzman3952]

Great Job. I have spent a lifetime in the outdoors, doing farm work, cross country ski trips, ice skating on lakes, kayaking ice flows, canoe trips, snow shoeing, backpacking, and bike touring. For many years I lead every type of trip I listed. the last thing I ever wanted to do was put anyone or the whole group in danger because of one little problem that turns out to be a big problem to the groups safety. Every time I replace or update a piece of equipment before going on a trip I take an all day or overnight trip to test out the new piece of equipment. To be on the safe side I carry the old piece to compare the two. I want to find the weak point in the new piece and make sure I know how to repair it on an extended trip in the field. If I have a new tent I will take to the back yard and practice setting it up in the dark, wind and rain. Can you set up your tent blind folded? Make sure every item you take on a tour can serve two or more functions. If not why not?

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks Tom! Excellent advise from experience. Never rely on things without a proper test! Blindfolded I am not sure but in a dark wood without moon light I think we will manage. Thumbs up for multipurpose items too! All the very best!

[@mennodekhuyzen7523]

Bedankt voor deze heldere uitleg. Ik herken me erin!…. Volgend jaar voor het eerst bikepacken voor enkele maanden. Hiervoor bijna alles nieuw aan aan het schaffen. Hiervoor twee maal 6 maanden gereisd met een ligfiets en te veel bagage… (achteraf) nu probeer ik het anders te doen. Je filmpje heeft daar een goede zet in gedaan. Nogmaals dank!😜👍

[@WheelstoWander]

Goed dat te horen Menno! De best wensen voor je komende avontuur 🍀 Groet!

[@setzenmaxette5688]

thank you for your advices and recommendations. I found them very helpful

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks 😊 All the best!!

[@51249ca]

Devinci...good Canadian brand, amd some models actually made (aluminum plant down the road) in Canada

[@davidcawthorne7115]

Keep things simple. Good advice. Nice work.

[@WheelstoWander]

Thank you David 🙏🏼

[@kenprice1047]

Great video as usual! Always one of my favorite vlogs to watch! The best content! Thanks you two! 🚵🏻‍♂️🚴🏼‍♀️🏕️🦋🌻

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks so much Ken 🙏🏼😊 All the Best!!

[@reeceholmes8546]

thanks E&M, your spot on, It's all about the journey, great stuff

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks Reece!! It's a real art to be "in" the journey. Best wishes!

[@reeceholmes8546]

and to both of you, be well@@WheelstoWander

[@chrislonsberry1974]

This was a great video! Full of good common sense. Thank you!

[@WheelstoWander]

Thank you Chris 🙏🏼 All the Best!

[@andrewnorris5415]

Have you done a video on how to cope with wet weather (inc prolonged days and cold). I am pretty experienced but tend to go out when there is no rain forecast for a week, with bailouts by train. I guess same principles apply, be a little over prepped initially to avoid ruining the trip. Still, would appreciate any advice and tips you have.

[@WheelstoWander]

Not yet! Prolonged rain is a hard one to deal with. Some extra layers and longer tent stays are part of our strategy. The main thing is that it's hard to dry stuff so having things not getting wet is important. We haven't found the magic key yet...

[@andrewnorris5415]

@@WheelstoWander Yes good points! I liked how you huckered down in the tent in Iceland till the worse passed. The trouble with the UK is we get such long spells of rain! Not sure if things can dry well in winter. I think bothies near a forest might be an option to run to. Better chances of wood! I guess I can always ride the final day through rain. I quite like spending a couple of days in a bothy in the rain!

[@WheelstoWander]

If you could string Bothies along a route that would be amazing. We sure loved visiting them :) All the best!

[@gatremontigatremonti634]

what a great video. Thank you.

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks 🙏🏼 All the Best!

[@krølle-1]

a pillow was the hardest part for me in my sleep system. ended up with a non air heavier and more bulky pillow. but its worth it.

[@WheelstoWander]

A very important and often overlooked piece of kit!

[@robdawson2]

Will be showing this to my newest group of HS students that are interested in bike touring but not sure where to start....

[@WheelstoWander]

Hi Rob! That is great to hear. I hope they will pick up a few things. All the best!!

[@myronas]

Great video thanks

[@WheelstoWander]

You too 🙏🏼

[@justgo6175]

Simple and right. Thanks. Еxperience comes gradually

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks & All the Best!

[@jaytodd878]

Sure do miss your guys adventures.

[@WheelstoWander]

That's very special to hear! We do too... 🙌🏼 Thanks!

[@matt281075]

Great advice 👌👍

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks Matt & All the Best!

[@sallyrosser4590]

I'm curious if you both wore padded cycling shorts on your travels? I'm thinking it would take awhile for the padding to dry if you wash every night and its not real chamois now but a synthetic material.

[@WheelstoWander]

We didn't like the "diaper" feeling so we got rid of them as soon as we could, that is until our behinds had acclimatised enough to the seats.

[@maximecyclochard6912]

After 25 000 Km +, in europe and asia, I agree.

[@pantaraxia]

Tell us the story behind that broken rim! And what are those crazy pedals?

[@WheelstoWander]

It was worn out! The pedals are from the brand PedalSquad!

[@robertgraves3215]

Absolute TRUTH. Loved the archive footage from like 5 years ago. Maudi crying in Cambodia. Slogging across rivers in Pakistan (or Wherever lol) . My latest gear freakout is Alpaka wool. Is it really 3X warmer than merino? And why? How was that test done? And by whom? Is that still the same yard sale powdercoated Giant on the rack there? I suspect so. Amazing . I just got a Sony RX100 Mark 7 camera . Sold out everywhere because of Covid, and everyone is on Smartphones. I hate smartphones!!! The pics this thing takes are unbelievable. And they are being phased out.

[@robertgraves3215]

We should compare "Bohemian touring" to prepaid contracted "Backroads Touring". Night and day comparison.

[@WheelstoWander]

Hi Robert! Thanks :) I heard great things about Alpaca wool. Curious how you get on with it!? Same old Giant with some new bits and bobs. Really nice the Sony Rx100 series 👌🏼 Enjoy & Best wishes!!

[@robertgraves3215]

@@WheelstoWander we'll see . I just ordered an alpace poncho, Peruvian, has great reviews , the fabric is thinner and pretty soft, the Amazon reviewers say. This is just for sedentary use in the house , but it would be a good liner under the rain poncho. The socks are really my focus now , and I hope they're more durable than merino. Some sort of blend with a synthetic fiber, like Darn Tough (Vermont USA) makes would probably be best for me for outdoor use (I fish a lot) . They're not cheap, but lifetime warranty, which is a bit weird. I am currently surviving with cheap synthetic Wal Mart boot socks that are pretty durable, dry quickly, but they're pilly and kinda crappy looking . 18.99 for 6 pairs. A fun hack I just did is turning an old pair of wool suit and tie dress pants into a light base layer outdoor pant . also waxed cloth stuff , (british/Australian) which is interesting. Just stay clear of the campfire...

[@jeffandersen6233]

Excellent presentation. It could be a college course.

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks for the compliment 😊

[@solarheat9016]

I've been riding bicycles for 35 years and my success rate with inner tube patches is still only 50%. I would never risk riding with a wooden handlebar. Metal is much tougher.

[@WheelstoWander]

Mostly quality patches and glue should hold up much better than your succes rate. The bamboo handlebar is super tough albeit of course not as tough as a metal one. So far so good 🤞🏼

[@johangeens1673]

mooie video 😉dank u

[@WheelstoWander]

Dank je Johan 🙏🏼

[@tacticalskiffs8134]

After telling us that the single biggest mistake people make is to over-complicate, you then go on to make sleeping seem like brain surgery. Obviously if one wanted to bike around the world there would be a lot of different conditions to deal with. But I don't really get why people over-complicate bike touring. It is just riding a bike, and camping. Kids used to do both, and maybe that is the problem. Today is my 65th birthday, and I grew up in a time when we cycled to school, it was normal. We worked on bikes because what else would you do when they developed problems, watch KZbin?. And 10 speeds showed up in NA during the 70s, so we just transitioned to those. I did my first winter camping when I was 12 (Canada). All this stuff was just stuff we did growing up as kids. Some kids did scouting, I was more in the adventure sport side of things. Rock climbing meant comping, there was no money or hotels where the cliffs and ice were. So I am sympathetic if all this stuff is foreign to people. My dad was born in 1925 and he did bike touring with his friends, and later with his wife, it was how you got around. It is sad to me that many people don't grow up doing this stuff. Marketing, both of channels and gear is one of the reasons this stuff gets complicated. Now we have bike packing and we have touring to discus. Totally unnecessary complications.

[@WheelstoWander]

I can resonate with your sentiment longing for more straightforward times. Being Dutch, bikes are everywhere and totally normal everyday items. For many (aspiring) bicycle tourists they didn't grow up with that natural experience you mentioned. Also people want to do a wider variety of possible rides in different environments all over the planet. More and more people are getting into cycling, which is great, and in this information age everybody is looking to get the most out of there time and budget. I do hope to present an uncomplicated view of things but I might fail now and again. For now I see lots of people enjoying getting out and taking on a new challenges. I believe that what it's all about!

[@returnofthenative]

Wow! You speak English far, far, better than the vast majority of native speakers. BTW, very sound advice. Let me tell you a story. About 20 years ago we had an Alaskan American whose name was Robert Boguki here in the north of Western Australia. He was an adventurist who went east into the Great Sandy Desert, unprepared & ill equipped on his bicycle. If you are interested, look to Port Hedland where peak summer temperatures range around 45-50C, then east to Marble Bar 10C hotter, then east again, & then over the Rudall Range you begin to enter this truly grim desert proper, & temperatures increase another 10C+ it becomes red sand dunes. I used to take a roadtrain out to the mines there & have often experienced 65C, day & night. Fortunately it wasn't high summer, but still very, very hot, & as Robert progressed he quickly exhausted his water supply, he then began to jettison his equipment piecemeal, & finally ditched the bicycle & began walking. The trail he left was how he was tracked. Fortunately for him he accidentally stumbled upon the only small waterhole for hundreds of kms around, & got in it; which of course killed all the sparse wildlife dependent on it. Protocol dictates that you take some water & then move well away. The emergency services crew of the helicopter dispatched by locals who had encountered him on the way, & knew what he was getting himself into, said that they found him laying in this remaining small still wet hole & that he asked the paramedic if he was "the Angel of the Lord". The paramedic said that he replied in the affirmative, & told him to climb aboard. Robert recovered in hospital, before returning to Alaska. Maybe 5 years had elapsed before I again heard of Robert Boguki. He had in the interim married, & he took the object of his heart's desire out into the Mojave Desert, where they almost lost their lives, were again fortunately rescued, after which she promptly filed for divorce.

[@WheelstoWander]

Thank you for the compliment! What a story. It sounds like Robert was naive, stubborn and lucky to be rescued twice. Deserts are magical so I can appreciate his attraction. They are extreme places though and it is wise to be open to the dangers. Best wishes!

[@returnofthenative]

@@WheelstoWander The compliment is merited. Now & then I wonder about what happened to Robert. He was very religious, so in the worst case scenario, I suppose he'll be ok. Yes absolutely magical, I spent much of my life in some of the harsh deserts. I'm 70 now, & still ride my old road race bikes daily, or almost so, as I don't drive anymore. I've also been preparing a bicycle & gear specifically for a run out on the Munda Bidi Trail, after the summer has passed. (It is 900 kms in length & it runs through the south west forests from the hills of Perth to Albany, or vice versa, in Western Australia.) Which is how I happened to stumble on your very interesting & informative channel. Thank you very much.

[@Bikepacking]

Over pack is the big one

[@WheelstoWander]

I am happy with a bit more than too little 😉

[@Bikepacking]

@@WheelstoWander i am happy with heavier gear .. it’s lasts longer and more durable

[@maartenvanrossum516]

Good one for the people management speaking circuit! Could have mentioned having an excellent partner in crime helps to get the loot!

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks Maarten! We make a good team 😊 All the best!

[@driewiel]

Always buy a good quality dishwasher.

[@WheelstoWander]

That’s absolutely paramount 👌🏼

[@Azman.Sidek.Cycling]

Great advvice

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks 😊 All the Best!

[@nextsibling]

This is supposed to be fun. I'm so fed up with You tube telling me I'm doing everything WRONG.

[@bulgieR]

Clickbait title was hilariously not backed up by the over-complicated video. Repetitive, lacking in content, too long, all that I can forgive. But the irony is just too rich: "The ONE Mistake" turns out to be "to over complicate many aspects"? Considering how this video over-complicates everything, I wonder if it's meant as an inside joke. I guess the clickbait title did work, since it got me to click (unfortunately for me.)

[@TerryRamsey-jg8fm]

😊MAUDI......

[@peterneumann7145]

Just do your own thing , with a bit of sense

[@WheelstoWander]

Nice summary 😉

[@bolleolympus]

🌹🌹❤❤🌹🌹👍👍

[@WheelstoWander]

😊

[@сергейшевцов-н3п]

👍🚴‍♀

[@WheelstoWander]

😊👍🏼

[@My-bike_My-world]

😍😍💖💖

[@WheelstoWander]

Thanks 😊 All the Best!!

[@erikboschmanfotografiefilm3164]

'Taking other people's words for gospel and suffer the consequences....' That says it al...why bother making and watching KZbin video's like this?🤓

[@WheelstoWander]

If you can take one thing from this video is to develop your own common sense 😉

[@erikboschmanfotografiefilm3164]

@@WheelstoWander exactly not taking other's people words for gospel..........again;-) BTW; the derailleur "protector" I see on your bike is a very dangerous accessory. I.e. if your heavy bikes tips over changes are that your frame bends instead of the derailleur hanger, which is specifically designed to protect frame (and derailleur). And also...the derailleur is, most of the time, protected by the panniers....SHIT, I'm spreading gospel now......

[@WheelstoWander]

Haha, thanks for that insight though 😉