Bike touring is the act of bicycling from one location to the next, kind of like backpacking but with a bicycle. Self-contained bike touring means the tourist is carrying their own gear as they travel from place to place. 

Bike touring takes place on paved roads and designated bike paths and trails. While similar in concept, this is different than “bikepacking,” which is conducted predominately on off-road trails using a different gear set-up.

A bicycle used for self- contained bike touring will have a rear and/or front rack carrying panniers. Panniers are like saddlebags that attach to the sides of a rack to hold belongings. 

Belongings needed on a bike tour include everything one would need to eat, sleep, change clothes and fix their bike while traveling. Self-contained bike tourists carry sleeping bags, tents, sleeping pads, tools, clothes, camp cooking gear, and any other personal items on their bicycles while traveling to destinations along their tour. (However, on a Teen Treks’ tour, we supply group cooking gear & tents!)

Many bike touring companies offer supported bike tours instead of self-contained. Supported means there is a van that follows the bike touring group, carrying their sleeping gear, cooking and bike equipment, and helping them out during bike mechanic issues.

Teen Treks has proudly been one of few bike touring organizations in America still offering self-contained bike tours for teenagers. This style of touring enables the traveler to be self-sufficient and gain the knowledge in maintaining their own bicycles, carrying their own gear, setting up camp and cooking. It also offers the simple satisfaction of knowing everything you need is strapped to your pedal powered vehicle as your travel freely!