What to Take with You for a Long Bike Ride

Long bike rides are the perfect way to spend a warm spring or summer afternoon. Few activities manage to trigger the sense of true freedom in the same way that a long bike ride does.

When heading out on long bike rides, it is essential to prepare in advance and ensure that all of the essentials are on hand for when you need them. Unlike short commutes through towns, long bike rides tend to be much more remote, which makes having food, water, and all of the basics even more vital.

Here are some of the essentials to consider taking on long, adventure-filled bike rides.

Food and Drink Essentials

Having the right food and drinks on hand is a must for any long bike ride. It is important to ensure that the body gets enough calories to compensate for the extended period of exercise, so packing calorie-dense snacks is a must.

Picnic-style meals work great for long bike rides as they can be kept out of the fridge for hours and are generally easy to eat without a full table and cutlery setup. Protein-rich sandwiches, dairy-free salads, and cold pasta make for excellent meals while on long biking adventures.

It is also important to have snacks and meals prepared that maintain motivation and morale, especially when faced with challenging terrain and weather. It is, therefore, a good idea to pack some snacks to eat either while cycling or during short breaks.

Bike ride snacks like CBD gummies and CBD protein cookies are two excellent options, providing a quick burst of energy alongside the many other benefits linked to CBD. Making CBD edibles at home can also be fun by adding products like CBD oil 1000mg 30ml to baked goods.

First Aid and Emergency Kits

It’s always good to have a first aid kit on hand when heading off on long outdoor adventures. Even the most minor fall or scrape can cause problems when away from home, and immediate medical assistance is unavailable.

Packing a first aid kit and a few other emergency essentials is a must that can be the difference between having to cut a bike ride short or being able to carry on with the adventure. Most standard first aid kits are ideal as a starting point; they have all the basics and can easily be upgraded with extra items.

Beyond the essentials that make up a first aid kit, it is also worth considering a few extras that can make all the difference when dealing with a bike accident. One of these is some form of pain relief to minimize immediate pain and allow the injured party to continue on their journey home.

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    Traditional pain remedies can work, but other options provide a more natural source of pain relief. CBD topicals, for example, can be applied to painful areas of the body and provide fast-acting pain relief.

    When packing for a long bike ride, it is worth checking out CBD oil shops and seeing the different options for pain relief and first aid kit essentials. CBD oils and capsules can also be useful items to have on hand in case of a sudden injury or pain flare-up.

    Bike Repair Tools

    There is nothing worse than heading out on a long and carefully planned bike ride only to run into bike troubles that you do not have the tools to fix. Packing a simple bike repair kit can save hours of being stranded and having to wait for help to arrive.

    Every bike repair kit should have the essentials needed to patch a tire and fix a misaligned bike chain. Depending on the remoteness of the bike trip, it can be worth spending a little extra for a more extensive kit that has the necessary tools to fix other bike-related problems.

    Extra Clothing

    For long bike rides, it is a good idea to take a few spare clothing items. When cycling off-road, it is hard to predict the entire route and the obstacles along the way.

    Deep puddles and sudden rain can leave clothing wet and uncomfortable to wear. Thick areas of mud can also be problematic and result in clothing becoming thick with mud reducing their flexibility.

    Packing a change of socks, a t-shirt, and even an extra warm layer can prevent hours of uncomfortable cycling. Having additional layers can also be helpful as the temperature changes throughout the day.

    Final Thoughts on What to Take on a Long Bike Ride

    Just like when packing for a holiday, it is almost impossible to get everything right the first time around. There will always be a few items you don’t use and some you wish you had packed.

    For super long, multi-day bike rides, it can be a good idea to make a much shorter practice trip beforehand in order to see what adjustments need to be made. It’s much better to realize which items are unnecessary on a shorter trip when you’re not away from home for so long.

    Equally, identifying the items that may not have seemed obvious at first but are actually essentials is much better on a shorter trip than on a multi-day trip when you might not be able to source them.

    It can also be useful to spend some time online talking to other long-distance cyclists and seeing what they feel are essential items for a long bike ride.

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