Ever thought that self-powered metal thing in your garage – aka your bike – could take you around the world? Because it can! You do not have to be a world-class athlete to go from strolling through your neighbourhood to pedalling the roads of China.

It may be daunting to wrap your head around the idea of powering your own transportation, but those who have done it before call it the best way to travel. Bike travel gives you heaps of freedom, plus it is eco-friendly and a great form of exercise.

Luckily bike-travelling is not something you will have to figure out on your own. There are tonnes of resources out there, so start researching! To get you going, here is a guide to some things you need to consider:

How long do you want to go?
While many of the blogs or websites talk about biking around the world, it is important to recognise that just because you cannot take three years off to bike everywhere, there is always the option of going for a month, or even a week or two. Like any other trip, you just have to make sure that the time you allot is sufficient for the distance you want to travel.

Where do you want to go?
Because people have been travelling by bike for several years now, it is no surprise there are plenty of maps of bike routes all over the world. These are very useful when you are planning your own bike tour. If you prefer, you can take guided bike tours as well. Make sure to go where you actually want to go, not just where the trails are easy. And do not forget to consider the weather conditions at the time of year you plan on going. Once you knew where you want to go, check out these sites: Adventure Cycling Association (North America), Planning your own European Bicycle Tour, Spice Roads (Asia), Tour d’ Afrique Ltd (Africa), DuVine Adventures (South America) and Cycling Tours Australia and New Zealand.

What kind of shape are you in?
To ride for potentially 70km straight and climb mountain trails, you need to be in decent shape and good health. If you have not taken many trips on the bike you will be riding, start logging some kilometres before you begin your trip. Strength training will also be really helpful. Remember that you will build up your stamina on your trip, so it will get easier. Do not tell yourself that it is not possible -- no matter what your age, just go at your own pace. You will be so preoccupied by the stunning scenery, you will not even feel the burn!

Hotels, hostels or camping?
Some companies set out maps that have places for you to stay at the end of every day of your journey. Depending on how well you plan, it is more than likely it will not always work out that way. If you are exploring some rural part of Asia or Africa, for instance, a tent will be necessary. Look for a durable, compact tent with high circulation – the North Face clothing company has some good options.

What should you bring?
What you definitely need: helmet, appropriate clothing, phone, passport (with visas), water and snacks. What else you bring depends on the circumstances of your bike tour (think available bathrooms – will you need to BYO toilet paper?). Check out this interactive checklist before you start to pack.

How heavy a pack can you carry?
If you are biking across the Mojave Desert, you are going to be doing some camping and you are going to need food – all of which is going to increase the weight of your pack. Make sure if you have a heavier load to carry, your bike can support it. Also take some rides with the predicted weight you will be carrying. This will help you determine exactly how much you can handle.

Have you practised?
If you are planning your biking adventure yourself, it is best you break your touring bike in before you leave (even if you consider yourself an expert cyclist). Go on a weekend tour with a pack of the realistic weight of the bags you will be taking. If you can, do this several times. It will only make you more confident with your abilities. Doing this will also give you an idea of your riding pace. Factor this pace into your travel plans. Terrain, weather, sites along the way and especially your conditioning highly affect the distance you can cover.

你是不是想到过，你车库里放着的那部人力机器——也被称为自行车的——能带着你周游世界？它确实能！你不必是一个世界级运动员，就可以从你家门口骑车一直到中国去。

当你想到使用人力的交通工具时也许会感到胆怯，但曾经骑车旅行过的人认为这是最好的旅行方式。骑车旅行能给你带来极大的自由，而且它是一种环保的旅行方式，也是一种很好的体育运动。

幸运的是你不必为骑车旅行独自煞费苦心，有太多的现成资源可用，现在就来研究一下吧。以下就是一些对你骑车上路有用的资讯：

你想去哪里?

人们骑车旅行已经有许多年，所以有许多世界各地的骑行路线，就不是一件奇怪的事情了，这些路线对你计划骑车旅行会很有帮助。假如你愿意，也可以参加有导游的骑车旅行。一定要去你真正想去的地方，而不是仅仅考虑骑行路线的难易。不要忘记考虑你出行时当地的天气情况。一旦决定了旅行目的地，可以去查阅一下有关的区域性网站：Adventure Cycling Association，（探险骑车协会，北美）Planning your own European Bicycle Tour，（欧洲）Spice Roads ，（亚洲）Tour d’ Afrique Ltd （非洲之旅公司，非洲）DuVine Adventures ，（南美）和Cycling Tours Australia and New Zealand。（澳大利亚，新西兰）

你身体情况怎样？

为了能在必要的情况下每天骑行70英里，或攀爬上坡的山路，你需要有良好的体型和健康状况。假如你以前骑车旅行的机会不多，在出发前可做一些跑步训练，力量锻炼也会很有帮助。记住，耐力会在旅行途中逐渐增加，所以骑行会变得越来越容易。不要对自己说不可能——不管你是什么年龄，只要按照自己的节奏前进就可以了。在路上你会被美丽的风景所吸引，甚至会忘了疲劳。

住酒店，客栈还是露营？

有些公司提供的线路，在每天行程的终点都有可供住宿的地方。事情取决于你事先计划的周详程度，经常会有节外生枝的情况发生。假如你在亚洲或非洲的乡村地区骑行，就需要带上一顶帐篷。最好是一顶体积小，经久耐用而且市场反应良好的帐篷，如有些North Face公司的产品就是不错的选择。

需要带些什么东西？

必需品：头盔，适量的衣物，电话，护照和签证，水和点心。其它物品视情况而定，如考虑一下路上的卫生间情况，是否需要带上手纸？在开始行李打包前核对一下物品清单。

能带多重的行李？

假如你要骑车穿越莫哈韦沙漠，那么就要带上露营装备和食物，所有这些都将增加行李的重量。假如你的行李很重，要确认你的自行车能否承受得了。带上预计的重量进行试骑，这样你就能够做到心中有底。

你有过实际骑行经验吗？

假如你准备独自骑车旅行，最好在出发前拆解一下你的自行车——哪怕你以为自己是骑车行家。带上相同重量的行李去做一次周末骑行，如果有可能的话尽量多去几次，这样会使你对自己的能力更有信心。试骑也会使你对自己的骑车速度有所了解，然后你可以在将来的旅行中掌握好自己的速度。地形，天气，沿途营地等因素，特别是你的自身状况，都会对骑行距离产生影响。