Plan your bike tour

A good bike tour looks effortless from the outside: rolling along a quiet trail, stopping for coffee, arriving at a comfortable bed in time for a shower and dinner. Behind that is a bit of planning. Choosing the right trail, splitting the distance sensibly, booking accommodation, arranging transport and knowing the rules all make the difference between a great trip and a tough one.

This hub brings together our planning guides and the key decisions you'll make before you go.

Step 1: Choose a ride

Start with what you want from the trip. A gentle wine-country ride with long lunches? A multi-day rail trail through country towns? A remote, self-supported adventure? Browse our rail trails and epic rides hubs for ideas, and be honest about your fitness and experience.

Step 2: Work out the days

Once you have a trail in mind, work out how many days you need. Our ride planner takes the trail distance, your average speed and the number of hours you like to ride each day, and splits the trip into days. Then look at where towns and accommodation fall along the route, and adjust. It's usually better to plan shorter days than you think you can manage, especially on a multi-day trip, so you have time to enjoy the places you pass through.

Step 3: Guided, self-guided or independent?

There are three common ways to do a bike tour:

• Guided tours - an operator plans the route, provides a guide and often a support vehicle, handles accommodation and meals, and moves your luggage.
• Self-guided tours - an operator books accommodation, provides maps and notes, and often moves your luggage, but you ride on your own schedule.
• Independent touring - you plan and book everything yourself, and carry your own gear or arrange transfers.

Read our guided or self-guided tours guide for the pros and cons and questions to ask operators.

Step 4: Bikes and gear

You can tour on your own bike, hire one in a trail town, or take an e-bike. Make sure your bike suits the surface: gravel trails need wider tyres. Get your bike serviced before a long trip, and learn to fix a puncture. Our packing guide covers bikes, repair kits, clothing and a checklist.

Step 5: Know the rules and stay safe

Australian road rules apply to cyclists on roads, and rail trails have their own rules about sharing with walkers and horses. Key points:

• Helmets are required when riding in every state. Australia was the first country to make them compulsory, between 1990 and 1992.
• Passing distance: in jurisdictions including NSW, SA and the NT, drivers must leave at least 1 m when passing a cyclist in a 60 km/h or lower zone, and 1.5 m above 60 km/h.
• Footpaths: rules differ by state.
• Hand signals: rules also differ. In Western Australia and Tasmania, riders must use both hand signals, according to Wikipedia.

Read our road rules and safety guide for more on heat, fire, wildlife and riding in remote areas.

Step 6: Book accommodation and transport

Popular trails can be busy during school holidays, long weekends and the peak spring and autumn seasons, so book accommodation early. Wikipedia notes that accommodation on the Otago Central Rail Trail should be booked well in advance during busy periods. For one-way rides, work out how you'll get back to your car or the start, using shuttles, public transport or a luggage transfer service.

Step 7: Check conditions before you go

Check the official trail website for closures, detours and conditions. After heavy rain, floods or fires, trails can be closed for long periods. In summer, check the fire danger rating every day. In the wet tropics, check flood warnings.

Budgeting

Costs vary widely with your choices: camping versus hotels, your own bike versus hire, guided tour versus independent, and how you get to the trail. We don't publish prices, because they change often, but build a simple budget covering transport, accommodation, food, bike hire or servicing, luggage transfers, insurance and a contingency for breakdowns or weather delays.

Travelling with kids

Rail trails are great for families. Choose short sections with smooth surfaces and plenty of stops, consider trailers, tag-alongs or cargo bikes for young children, and make sure everyone has a properly fitted helmet. Plan for ice creams, playgrounds and swims, not just kilometres.