As our time in Izmir was winding down, we figured we would head to Fethiye next. Selim had heard nice things and there were lots of lovely beaches so why not? He thought he could cycle there and I could take the bus and meet him. This seemed very reasonable and was the working plan until I texted him to ask if I could ride with him there by bike. That seemed a little less reasonable given that I didn’t have a bike and had never cycled a long distance. Quickly the plan turned into a cross-country bike tour that would start on Monday (it was Saturday).
1. Hire Selim
It helps that he was already my partner and he enjoys spending time with me. He also enjoys cycling so it was a winning combo. Selim has cycled through Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea and owns a bike café and tour business so he was more than qualified to help me. I texted him that I wanted to join on his bike trip and he quickly activated his expertise and contacts to find me a bike. He even went to the bike shop to preview the bike while I was working before we went to purchase it the next day. He also checked the maps, planned our first day, found us a host for the first night, got our luggage ready, etc. Let’s just say step 1 is fairly important. I have decided to trademark Nomadic Bike Consulting for this reason.
2. Buy a bike
As previously mentioned, it’s good to know someone who knows something. Selim will talk about this a bit:
First thing I did was to check Facebook cycling groups around Izmir so I could reach out to an administrator of a fb group. When I did so, they suggested some shops. I checked bike prices online and then headed to a shop close by. The owner used to be a professional cyclist and visited Tunisia once for a cycling competition. I sympathized with him and talked about his trip to Tunisia. He suggested a nice Carraro bike with a size that would fit Alyssa, took some pictures, and showed it to her, and came back with her late to get it. The guy was nice and gave us a good deal. Alyssa tried her new bike and liked it. It was time to ride around Izmir and let the adventure start!
I just asked him what type of bike it is and he said it’s a VTC (vélo tout chemin) or all terrain bike. He also said it’s best to get one with tires on the thinner side because it’s better for long distances. Less contact with the ground makes it easier to ride further and faster. Evidently this is something people who ride bikes know but something I just learned. So hopefully you learned something too!
3. Ride to Decathlon
Test out your new bike! I mean, this isn’t the purpose of the ride as you’ve already purchased the bike so hopefully you’ve already tested it out. But we didn’t have much time to get supplies so it was convenient to have a bike. Also, it prevented us from buying more than we could reasonably carry on two bicycles.
Sidenote: I love Decathlon. A lot. This is a French sports store that has only barely made its way into the American market. I believe there are only two stores on the West Coast of the US so it was a new discovery for me when I went to Greece and was a place I sought out when I needed sportswear in Europe or North Africa.
When we headed to Decathlon, we were well prepared with a list…that I left at the apartment. OK, these things are actually important to get: a helmet, lights for the bike, a water bottle/water bottle rack, a tent, and a bell. The one thing I bought that I didn’t end up needing was a rain cover for my little backpack. It hasn’t rained once since we’ve been here. One thing that is on Selim’s must-have list but not on mine is an inflatable pillow and a camping pad. I use my backpack as a pillow and the sleeping bag Selim brought as a pad or just the ground. But Selim swears by the sleeping pad so you know, you make the decision.
4. Get rid of most of your belongings
There are bags that you can get for your bike that hang on an installed cargo rack on the back of your bike. They are very popular with bike-packers, super convenient, and practically a must-have. I did not have these. So I would be responsible for porting the tent, Selim’s mattress, and my small backpack. Selim had his two cargo packs that he had brought with him as well as my huge Cotopaxi traveler’s backpack. Each item matters when you’re lugging it day in and day out and even more so if someone else is lugging it for you. So I sadly said goodbye to my sneakers from the Tunisian fripe and various other clothes of huge sentimental value but minimal monetary value. As Selim wisely told me, even if you can’t get rid of everything you need to before the trip, it’s much easier after the first hard day of hills. So if you are doing a bike trip, you can look forward to being free of your stuff sooner or later. It’s one way to embrace minimalism.
5. Download podcasts
Disclaimer, Selim did not recommend this. In fact, when I first put in my earbuds, he told me it might be better to just keep one in so I can hear the traffic and be safe. I really really value my podcasts as I could not bike across Türkiye without listening to innerFrench, shoutout to Hugo! Don’t worry, I can still hear the traffic. I trained for all of the running events that I’ve ever done including a marathon by listening to podcasts so it’s just part of my happy place when I exercise.
P.S. bike safety is actually really, really important especially in countries where there’s not so much awareness about sharing the road and infrastructure for cyclists.
6. Put on makeup and go
This first part is optional. I don’t usually wear makeup especially while exercising. For some reason, it seemed reasonable to me that on the first day of our bike trip, I should wear makeup and jewelry. It felt like a special occasion to me. The second part is mandatory. You just have to start. Looking back, it wasn’t the best idea to start at 11 AM. Earlier is a lot better when it’s hot out but a girl’s gotta have as much coffee as possible in a leisurely fashion before a day of riding 80+ kilometers.
