You know you've got a bike tour coming up this year, so you want to make sure you're ready for it. What are some things to do to make that easier in the bike touring offseason? On this episode, some insight into my plans this offseason plus tips from ACA, REI and other experts!

Offseason Training for Bike Touring   Covered this a bit in Pedalshift 158   Quick review of training philosophies

• Train like hell vs.
• Ride your way to touring shape vs.
• Somewhere in the middle

This winter I'm going to try to do a few things in prep for my winter tour (preview coming next episode!)   Goal 1 - lose 10 pounds from 1/1 to day 1 of tour (stretch goal 12) Goal 2 - Train a minimum of 30 minutes per day 3 days/week (indoor or outdoor) Goal 3 - Plan and begin upper body and/or circuit training   My shifting philosophy on training - easier to just jump on the bike when you're younger and fitter!   Other/more aggressive philosophies:   biketours.com - riding average daily distance several times per week well in advance of the tour (IMO this is total overkill)   ACA - Focus on time in the saddle first, seek hills, build endurance, ride with weight (VERY smart)   REI - sample training week with fantastic exercise routines, with focus on flexibility. Much more in the train like hell philosophy but excellent things to consider adding to a "somewhere in the middle" routine.