… for a bike tour on the North Sea Cycle Route?
It doesn't matter whether you're on the road for one day or several days - good preparation is important. Perhaps it's also your first extended cycle tour. That's why we've compiled some information for you below to ensure that your bike trip is a carefree adventure and that you successfully master the route.
Whether it's a trekking bike, gravel bike or collapsible bike - picking the right bike is key to how good you'll remember your cycle tour. Experienced touring cyclists will of course know exactly which bike is right for them. If you are setting off on a bike trip for the first time, we recommend seeking good advice from a bike dealer or a suitable bike rental company. For those who cycle little or not at all in their day-to-day life or for leisure, we recommend being thoroughly prepared. This could be integrating cycling into everyday life for certain routes or going on extended cycle tours in your free time. Important: No matter how experienced a cyclist is, everyone has at some point undertaken their first cycle tour. So don't let this put you off a holiday on the saddle, even if you haven't yet embarked on any major tours by bike.
It depends on your preferences and what you can do, of course, as to which time of year is most suitable for you. The off-season periods are particularly recommended for a multi-day tour. You can also find local accommodation spontaneously and adapt and vary your trip from the saddle. Should you decide on travelling in the summer months, e.g. because of the weather, we recommend booking your accommodation in advance. It can be difficult to find accommodation at short notice in the coastal towns during the peak season due to summer holidays.
Anyone daring to venture out in months such as February, March, April or November should bear in mind that the days are very short and that you are at the mercy of storms, snow and rain in open areas.
You'll find both the route track for the entire German section of the route as well as the individual tracks for our stage suggestions on our website. You can upload these to your navigation system. You can use special bike navigation systems or tour platforms such as Koomot and outdooractive here.
It's clear - less is more! Try to limit yourself to the most important things when packing. Rainproof clothing is an absolute MUST, however. An ecological travel detergent is recommended for cleaning items of clothing on the tour.
You'll find a packing list recommendation here:
If you are under no pressure for time, we recommend taking a day to recover. If you have booked the route thoroughly, check the local public transport options. There are sometimes good opportunities to take your bike and luggage on regional trains in the regions. Alternatively, there are special buses such as the "Radwanderbus" cycle touring bus in the Altes Land ((Elbe-Radwanderbus im Alten Land am Elbstrom (urlaubsregion-altesland.de)).
This very much depends on your individual fitness level and your own experience with bike tours and can't be answered generally speaking. It also depends on the type of bike and how you envisage the perfect cycling day. Is completing your journey the goal or do you want to take a relaxed look at something in between? The North Sea Cycle Route is generally very flat, with a few exceptions. This is why daily stages of 40 to 60 kilometres are easily manageable even for beginners. Experienced cyclists can easily tackle distances of 70 to 120 kilometres.
The stages we propose are intended as suggestions, but are of course not set in stone. Those intending to cycle more or fewer kilometres per day can also schedule the stages themselves. When doing so, however, the local infrastructure should also be taken into account. The German section of the North Sea Cycle Route passes through many regions with a rural character and beautiful scenery, but with only a few places to stay overnight, for example. This is why you should take this into account when planning your route and use the stages as a guide.