I’ve put a lot of effort into this one and I’m really curious to find out what you think of this new format. Please share your thoughts in the comment section. It will help me in numerous way, both as feedback for upcoming videos. Plus your engagement will also help this video reach a bigger audience. Can’t wait to read what you think about it!

@charlesgould8047

3 жыл бұрын

Honestly, I like one longer video per day rather than one long one with all 3 days.

@cjsa9253

3 жыл бұрын

I really enjoyed your compilation of the 3 days Mike. It has given a great flavour of the route and your production quality is very high (particularly liked your music choice). Your series has inspired me to tour with small weekend steps now planned and hopefully longer tours next year. Thank you.

@paulthomas7766

3 жыл бұрын

Beautiful scenes of nature captured for the rest of us to enjoy, Sweden looks an amazing. Watching your videos has resulting in my first touring frame set being purchased and delivered yesterday. These videos are extremely motivating and inspiring, I have learned a lot so far. So keep them coming because, I need to take on as much advice on offer, I may get to see those glorious scenes of nature for myself one day soon. Thanks, Mike!

@AshcanPete

3 жыл бұрын

@@paulthomas7766 this format is nice. Tells the story very well. many thanks for your efforts.

@rturas

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Mike. I came across your channel when searching for some tent reviews. Having looked at this video, I enjoyed it very much. Beautiful nature, calm pace, great looking bike, the video itself not over-edited. Loving it so far. Will check out your channel a bit more. Thumbs up and keep on riding, greetings from Lithuania.

I like the calm, no drama added content of your videos. I really like the way you have both nature and town bits to watch. Keep on, please.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it!

Very good quality on the video. You can see that a lot of effort has gone in to the making of it. You really managed to capture the beauty of the Swedish landscape. A job very well done 👍🏼

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your kind words Wessam!

Love your channel, only found it thanks to your review of your Naturehike tent. Best wishes from Australia.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Zac! By the way, I am planning to do a new review of that tent in a couple of weeks time since that video is pretty old. But I still really enjoy using the tent, and I guess I must have used it for about a hundred nights by now.

charles gould 42 seconds ago Mike, you inspired me to do my first overnight bike tour last week. It was exceptionally fun and I'm now looking for more routes every day. Thanks!!

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad to hear this Charles. And that you liked it right away as well. In many cases bike touring/bikepacking can be classified as "Type 2 fun". And I must admit that is like that for me some times as well. Anyway, glad to hear that you survived and looking forward to many more adventures ;-)

Success always Mike Amen from jakarta indonesia love bike

I like the format. Very inspiring and making me want to go on one myself. Keep up the great work !!

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Frank! Glad you enjoyed the video.

Calming, restful and enjoyable. As ever.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed following along Don!

Thanks for all your hard work my friend!

Nice vieuws again, you make me love Sweden. I have a tip for your groceries, you can buy a collapsable messenger bag or back pack, you find these at Decathlon for instance, so you shop and put the food in the back you can either attach to your other packs or carry it on you. That's how I do when bike packing I bough a 15 l messenger bag at Decathlon and now I use it very frequently.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

I actually have exactly one of those from Decathlon, but I forgot to bring it this time. I always seem to forget something when I go on my trips. But like you say it's great to have when your at the supermarket. I also use mine when I go onspontaneuos visits to the supermarket.

Thank you for creating and sharing your adventures Mike! I love the gentle, peaceful tone of your videos and, having been to Sweden several times, I can also say I love your home country. Greetings from New York, USA!

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Your feedback confirms the type of mood I want to set with my videos.

Enjoyed seeing the bike pack setup Mike! 🤠

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Dan! I will roll out videos in the coming weeks reviewing each of the bags in the setup.

Mike, at 7:30 I noticed that you were enjoying Darren's favorite cookies! LOL! He made them sound so delicious! Are they THAT good? And, very nice video, Mike. You matched some very nice, relaxing music to your video! It was very peaceful to watch your video! Great job!

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Haha! Keen eye! They are great, but I try only to eat them when I'm out touring. They are probably not that good for you. But they are cheap (about 1 Euro) and does the job when I feel a slump coming.

Really lovely video mate. So soothing to watch. I bought myself a 27.5 mtb to go bike packing and it was the best thing I did. All the roads and gravel out here in Australia is rough so it makes for easy riding. Thanks again for posting. All the best from the land down under Australia.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

G'day mate! Thanks for the feedback, that was exactly what I was aiming for. Love your country by the way and hope go there once again when things get back to normal again. Cheers!

Outstanding balance with this video. Just the right amount of everything. What a beautiful time of year. Take care and stay safe, Al

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback, Al! May-June is probably my favorite time of the year. The nights ar endless and you feel like you have the whole summer in front of you. Plus the mosquitoes haven't arrived yet. ;-)

I love the longer videos, I watch them when I am on the stationary due to bad weather. This makes me want to visit Sweden!!!

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome anytime!

That was better than travel shows I've seen by tv companies. It's better because it's real, personally presented and informative without being a "how to". Good stuff Mike.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your valuable feedback Mark! Glad you enjoyed following along.

Beautiful video! Very soothing, and now i totally want to experience the calmness of sweden again :)

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your kind words!

Great format and nice content! 👍

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Andree!

Great stuff as always Mike! It was relaxing as well as inspiring. My wife and I were commenting on how nice it would be cycling the long days. Not a fan of the cold weather. You are tougher than I am!

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

I am so used to having these long days as we have here in Sweden, so when I'm touring in other countries further south I always get surprised when the sun starts to set early in the evening. It's great to have the long days, since your can pretty much choose when you want to do your cycling, for instance on the third day of this trip I didn't get going until 11AM as I knew it would get a little bit warmer by then. It's also great if you're not a morning person and don't want to get up at 6AM.

Great content Mike! Your production is getting better and better. Your humble and genuine manner is really addictive. Thanks for creating and sharing!

you have a great bikepacking setup.Enjoy !

Absolutely beautiful mate 👍

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Ian. I hope you're doing well!

@OldBumOnABike

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike I am thanks mate. Slowly but surely back on the bike and getting some trips in. Hopefully head of the middle of June for the next one. I've also modified the Kona a bit. Keep up the great work 👍👍

Lovely video, thank you Mike!

I really like the idea of those secure bike storage bins. It would be great to see them at supermarkets to encourage more cycle- less car usage.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Around here they serve two purposes, both to prevent bike theft and also to provide protection from the elements. We have a lot of percipitation here, both in the form of snow and rain.

excellent photography

Love this video of your 3-day tour along the Euroveto 7. You do a great job, love the format, the various camera angles and your music selections. Thanks for sharing!

Hi Mike I have found your wonderful biking KZread channel, thanks to Ryan Van Duzer. Keep on "Biking Nature's Beauty " We are fortunate to have an amazing 904 km long hiking trail, the Bruce Trail here in Ontario/Canada. From Queenstown Heights to Tobermory. I love that trail so much, and I'm currently hiking it for the 3rd time. I'm out there nearly every weekend. Cheers Lucia "Hiking Nature's Beauty "

@BikeTouringMike

10 ай бұрын

Welcome to the channel! Looking at pictures from that trail, it looks stunning!

Amazing how quiet the roads are.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, they are almost abandoned at times. Like during the evening of the second Day. It was a Saturday night and I knew that I was basically going to have the roads all to myself.

Awesome video. Maybe we'll check out Sweden next summer!

@BikeTouringMike

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! You're very welcome. It's a wild camping paradise here in Sweden, so I’m sure you'll find it great. I've really been enjoying your videos from the Swiss alps lately. Gives me lots of inspiration for a potential tour there in the future!

Nice video Mike. Sweden is truly a beautiful country. Thanks for sharing

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed following along!

Great to see you again on road! I'm still impatiently waiting for my first tour on this year while recovering from my surgery. Nice video!

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Hpoing for a fast recory so you'll be able to go out on the roads soon!

i lived in Västernorrland,close to Kramfors,for five years. it was like paradise,especially in winter. i miss it a lot... enjoy your rides! thanks for sharing. greetings from Liechtenstein

Nice peaceful video! Once you get used to bikepacking frame bags and taking less, the frame bag system works great for off road tours. Took me a while to make the switch. Panniers are still great for commuting, and grocery shopping. On the GDMBR I managed to carry two days of food, gear, etc, with resupply at towns every two days. Filtering water along the route, and water carry in some areas takes creativity. You show beautiful scenery, thanks mucho!

I was so excited when finally making the bike trip to the river side for a BBQ. It was just a half hour trip and we rode there many times. But this time is different as we get to bring along the meat and other cooking gadget in my Ortliebs. I am surprised but minimalist I was. Usually of travel by car we would have broufht heaps of stuff. It was dark too as we rode back home. We had our 7 and 11 year old with us too. Feel like an adventure to me. Maybe it's the first step to doing a bike tour in the near future 😁😁

ser allt jättefint ut Mike! Diggar musiken också. Tack för dina videor

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Tack Marcello! Hur gick det med dina tältfunderingar? Köpte du det till slut?

@marcellopacifici

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike vad roligt att du kom ihåg! Jag köpte just igår en Nemesi 1 av Ferrino, ett historiskt italienskt varumärke. Stolparna är vara 35cm långa, vilken är mycket bra med bikepacking väskor. Det kostade ungefär lika mycket som en naturehike. Kan berätta mer då den levereras

Mike, a particularly nice ambience on this tour, serene and peaceful. Love the music and the spare but appropriate commentary. Perfect. Thank you

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the insightful feedback Brian! Glad you enjoyed it.

Mike, excellent video as always! You are a very good travel guide as well! I really enjoed the scenery and your comments. Thanks!

Great video! I hope to cross the same path one day

Beautiful Video, Mike! Thank you!!

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed following along Frank!

Every time I watch one of your videos all I want to do is stop everything, load up one of my bikes---a Surly Karate Monkey and a Surly Pugsley (much modified)---and head out. Right now I am nursing an injured knee; when that heals I'm off to Idaho (I live in Oklahoma City) on my Pugsley. I'm using the large Ortlieb seat pack and the Ortlieb fort pack. Great video, Mike.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your kind words Mike! hope your knee gets better soon!

@mikeaustin3485

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike Mike, I should have mentioned that I got those Ortlieb bags after your review of them. Great bags!

Nice video, I've watched all of yours! Other video makers could learn to keep background music low and at a level you don't need to adjust the volume between speech and just background music. Well done for getting it right.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for noticing. It takes a bit of effort but I agree with you that it's annoying to have to adjust the volume when you're watching.

@tonypaddler

3 жыл бұрын

I fully agree with the music volume Colin, I can’t watch some KZreadrs’ as I get fed up of loud music after a calm and peaceful scenic section. Mike’s videos are spot on.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Tony! It's great to get this sort of feedback.

@tonypaddler

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike you deserve the feedback Mike, your videos are faultless, every aspect is spot on. I appreciate the time and effort you put into them. Cheers 👍

I loved it, Mike. It had the pace of a bike ride - relaxing and for me it had the benefit of exploring with you places that are likely too far for me to visit myself. Much of the scenery looks like where I live now in Maine. We just had a garage fire and I lost my gravel bike (Salsa Warbird), but will be getting my new bike (Ibis Hakka) this Friday and can't wait. I have a room full of gear ready to put on the bike when it comes. Thanks for the video, which gives me a way of enjoying cycling even when I can't do it myself for now.

Wonderful video! Thank you so much. Two things I noticed. When you were in Robertsfors you had a picture of the Missionkryckan. My wife’s farfar was a pastor of one of those churches further south. The other one was that I too noticed your choice of Darren’s favorite cookie. Last time I was in Sweden I bought some and they are good. Thank you for all your work it is deeply appreciated and enjoyed!

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Even though Sweden is one of the most agnostic countries in the world we sure have a lot of churches. Especially in the rurual areas. Like I wrote in an other comment, those cookies are really good, and cheap. But I try to limit myself to only eating them when I'm out on tour :-)

@garylindberg2492

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike I would imagine your wife bakes great cookies.

Great video Mike. Like the format too. You can buy small fold up backpacks for when you go shopping. Osprey and sea to summit make them. They fit in the palm of your hand.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

I have one of those from Decathlon, but I forgot to bring it this time. I realized that just as I was about to enter the supermarket. I always seem to forget something when I go on my trips. :-)

Your videos make me want to go to Sweden!

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Mission accomplished then!

@lytrya4507

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike ahh so you are funded by the Swedish national government.. 😉👍😂

Thanks Mike, great ride...had to grin during the "mark you spot" segment...thought you were leading up tought loosing your helmet. I guess I knew you had it figured all along, but there was that brief moment... Thanks again Mike...hope you and family are all well.

I really enjoyed your new video. We didn’t make it to Västerbotten and Vindelälvsleden due to the cold and rainy weather. Instead we did a 4-day trip in northern Roslagen. But Västerbotten is still on the bucket list🚵🏻‍♀️🚵🏻😎

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

I was almost assuming that you would have problems going, since we havent really had a window with nice weather for a longer period around here. I'm glad I was able to squeeze in this 3 day trip, because now it's just miserable outside. It souldn't be snowing in late May. Anyway, I hope you're able to go on your trip at another time!

@henrikhallgren1871

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike It seems like better weather is on it’s way. And that means more cycling and FlyFishing🎣🚴‍♂️

Nice video. Really made me miss bikepacking!

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Glad you liked watching it.

Great video and editing Mike. The trip was great also. Umea looks like a nice place and I wish the park and bike would catch on here the the states. We are so far behind in a cycling infrastructure. I thoroughly enjoyed your trip. Take care and atb, Tony

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

I guess Sweden is a bit ahead of the States when it comes to cycling infrastructure. But it can be really bad around here as well. Earlier this year the government proposed a bunch of new laws that would just make everything more difficult for us cyclists, such as banning cycling on roads if there is a nearby cycle path. This might seem reasonable, but when the whole system of cycle paths is like a patchwork quilt, it makes commuting really diffucult. It means getting on and off roads all the time, which in my mind is a lot more dangerous than cycling on the same road for a long time. The problem is that these decisions are made by people that have never ridden a bike since they were kids. So they basically have no idea what they are talking about. Anyway, enough with me complaining. Have a great weekend Tony!

Thnx for the vid. In September I go bikepacking in Sweden (Småland). Looking forward to it

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Peter! They have a lot of nice cycle trail down there. Sweden is a really outstretched country so I've never gone down there to ride my bike unfortunately.

Great video, thank you! Panniers have always worked well for me over the years I don’t think I would use bike packing bags.

Interessant å følge med på, Mike. Tommel opp! 👍

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Tusen takk Haakon!

Hej Mr Ambassador Sir, the production quality of your films is just getting better and better. Glad you’ve had some better weather, I can’t remember the last time I saw blue skies. I was going to ask if you ever lived/studied in Umeå, but didn’t need to. Loved the game of spot the helmet, we laughed and laughed!! Much love to the family Ed

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Haha! Sort of like where's Waldo! Well, when we finally get some nice weather it rarely lasts more than a day or two. Rights now it's +3C outside, with pouring rain shifting into snowflakes every now and then. Midsummer is only four weeks away and we're getting snow. Sometimes I think I know why people get a bit depressed living up here.

@edlaws6867

3 жыл бұрын

Haha, we were just glad it wasn’t poking out of the bottom of your shorts!! Ever thought of doing a video with Erik Nomark? I think he lives in Skellefteå

This is the dream

Nice looking bike packing setup mike. But i think 1 to 4 panniers are much better and simpler to use for any trip. The plus here is that it is more aerodynamic.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

There are pros and cons with both setups, and I guess it comes down to what type of trip you're planning on doing, ie how far you plan on going each day. Considering where I live, a classic touring setup is probably to prefer for me, since I need to bring a lot of warm clothes and sleeping gear for most of the year. But if I were doing a tour in a warmer climate I could definitely see some benefits in going witha bikepaking setup.

What happened to good old fashioned pannier bags, theyre a mature product, tried and tested over a lot of years. I still use them. I dont fall for these new fads. Its just a money making scam. i really enjoyed the video though, looked like a great ride and a good time. Thats a lovely part of the world you live in. Thanks for sharing.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Regarding the bags, I'm just trying to cover all bases here. There are several ways of carrying your gear, and I'm trying to showcase that in my videos. I will probaly stick to my old fashion panniers for the forseable future, since I need a lot of space for all my camera gear. But it's nice to try out different ways of bike touring.

@tonydean2541

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah definately , it wasnt a dig at you in any way Mike its just some of the stuff they introduce just because sales figures for the standard stuff has tailed off a bit annoys me. Anyway, love your videos they really do have some of the best advice with no bullshit, just good honest stuff. Take care 👍

Great video - one of your best How do you like the front bags? I used to have a traditional front rack with panniers but didn't like the way the bike felt as far as steering so I changed over to fork bags similar to what you have and I hardly notice they are there. In a future video tell us how you like the bikepacking set up. I hope to get to Sweden for a bike tour in 2022 - I want to camp in those shelters. Also in a previous video I think you went to Spain or somewhere, how was it getting your bike on the plane?

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Hi James! I will start to do review videos of all the bags starting this week, so the one covering the fork pags will probably arrive in a week or two. But generally I'm pretty happy with them, to be honest with youI didn't really noticed them being there during the trip. I chugged my down bag in one of them and the other one I filled with food and other misc. stuff. Bringing your bike on a plane is always associated with some level of stress, but I've only had good experiences so far. My general tip is to be at the airpost as early as can be, so you're able to check in the bike while you still have plenty of time if some problems we're to occur. I've flown with my bikes packed in a plastic bag most of the times, and I've don a video about this. But I might do another video on how to pack your bike in a bike box in the future.

I like the plastic bag on the Brooks 0:24. Saves it from the overnight dew.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Got to keep it basic ;-) I noticed that it was still on when I started editing the video. I usually put a plastic bag over the saddle during the night if there is a chance of rain, so I don't have to run out in the middle of the night. Or like you say if there is dew in the air like I was expecting that particular night. Lyckily there weren't any.

Thanks for the video Mike. I was curious if there is a prevailing wind along this route.

Nice

Would be cool to see how you packed it, tent stakes in frame bag? Great video!

@BikeTouringMike

2 жыл бұрын

I will try to do one the next time I'm going away on a bikepacking trip. Yes, I try to put them in the bottom of the frame bag.

@jasboehlke

2 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike Thanks, just getting into this, commuted in past. Using a gravel bike w panniers this route for multi-use utility and can swap rack to road bike for road tours, through axle mount and seat post clamp as I have no brazeons.

I’ve really enjoyed this journey Mike. I was guided here after watching the bikepacking bag videos. I’m about to buy similar bags and I’d love to know what kit you took on this three day trip and where you packed it all. Did I see a Trangia set in there. Thank you.

Great video Mike; really chilled. So I am wondering will the next trip be back with panniers or bike packing gear.... Be interesting to know how the experience compared.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you RC. I think I'm going to decide depending on what type of trip it's going to be. There will definitely be a comparison video coming up soon.

@rasmuswi

3 жыл бұрын

I typically use bikepacking bags if I'm sleeping in hotels or hostels every night, and panniers if I plan to sleep outside.

Hej Mike, thanks for your inspiring films! Can you tell me, is Eurovelo 7 in Sweden signposted well? And in case you used gpx data, where did you get it from? I couldn‘t find any on the euro velo website. Best wishes from Germany! Julie

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Julie! No, unfortunately it isn't signposted at all. At least the stretches that I've ridden hasn't been. There are some maps with corresponding gpx-files. If you search for Eurovelo 7 Sweden Bikemap you will find them.

Wonderful video..... can you tell me why the colour of the water in the river is brown in sweden... when i went to sweden by bike on my trip to north cape i saw this colour of the water..... anyway wonderful places.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! This is actually a question I can answer rather easily, since I majored in geology during my University days. The abundance of forest covering the terrain results in a thick layer of humus on top of the topsoil. And it when the snow melts the water in the creeks gets colored by the humus. It also affects the pH level by lowering it quite a bit.

Very well made, great views and I like the music. I have the same setup as you apart from the fork bags. How are they? Also like the look of your jacket what make is it and what does it cost. You have had much better weather than we have here in Göteborg. 25 grader amazing we are lucky if we get over 10 .

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Well, believe me we don't have that weather this weekend. Right now it's +3 outside with rain, that sometimes turns into snow. So I guess I was really lucky when I went out cycling last weekend. The fork bags were nice, they are kind of mini versions of Ortlieb's roll up panniers. They don't fit that much though. I was able to cram my sleeping bag into one, and in the other one I stored my food, cooking utensils and other miscellaneous stuff. Watch out for a review soon!

Great stuff Mike. I’ll be interested to watch your review on the front fork packs & what you packed in them etc. - I’m tempted to buy a set bu they look a bit small?

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mark! A review is coming in the next couple of weeks. The fork bags were nice, they are kind of mini versions of Ortlieb's roll up panniers. They don't fit that much though. I was able to cram my sleeping bag into one, and in the other one I stored my food, cooking utensils and other miscellaneous stuff.

Another nice video, with nice views!! Congrats Mike!! I´m sorry , but i have a question: Why almost all the houses are painted of same red color?? Regards from Brasil!

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

That's a great question! I was just wondering why no one has ever asked that question before. Anyway, in Sweden we have a lot of mines, and back in the old days the used to take pigment from the copper mines to make paint, which colored the paint red. This paint was a lot cheaper than other paints at the time and also more dureble, so it quickly became the most popular paint here in Sweden. Basically every wooden house built during the 19th centure and the first half of th 20th century was painted with this Falu rödfärg, as it is called.

Hi Mike, thanks for this great video! My first one from you. I found it by searching for 'Bikepacking North Sweden' in KZread. I subscribed your channel and saw that you also biked in Norway. This brings me to a question: I am planning to bike from Bavaria to the North Cape this summer and basically saw 2 routes: one going via the Norwegian coast (from my place 4,300km with 40,000 altitude metres), the other one going via Sweden (3,400km and only 20,000 altitude metres). I would love to experience Sweden (and a piece of Finland) but people warn me about the Swedish mosquito summer. Is it really that bad? Which month is the worst? And what is the best way to protect yourself?

Hello Mike, I'm planning to do my first bike tour in Sweden with my e-bike and solar power. I'm 72 years old. I have one concern and that is how do you deal with ticks in Sweden?

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Well, I'm maybe not the right person to talk to about this since I live way up north and we don't really have a tick problem over here. We have bigger issues with the mosquitoes. ;-) Ticks are mainly found in the southern half of Sweden, about up to Gävle. However during the last couple of years they have begun to spread along the coast almost up to where I live. Just last weekend we found a tick on our cat. But I have never gotten one up here myself, only when I've been vacationing down south. My advice would be to check yourself every evening and morning if you're touring in those areas. I have also taken a TBE vaccination to be on the safe side.

Hello i like to ask this Naturehike tent are you recomended this? I was thinking to get one i go my first Bicygle trip and i need good tent

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

I am planning to do a new review of that tent in a couple of weeks time since that video is pretty old. But I still really enjoy using the tent, and I guess I must have used it for about a hundred nights by now. For a tent at that price it's a bargain.

@mauritzallberg7302

3 жыл бұрын

I have just got one, good for the mony, payed 120 us iam happy whit it.

@mauritzallberg7302

3 жыл бұрын

Love your videos Mick. It was good editing in the film. No fuzz talk, north swedish man, down to earth, both feet on ground. When i bike north sweden i will have a coffe whit you. Keep it up

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mauritz. Appreciate the feedback!

This is a lovely video Mike, what did you do when you're tyres were jammed up? Pick it all out or did it eventually fall out? So inspiring, thank you, be well

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

I wish I would have filmed more about that because my tyres were all jammed up. No space between the tyre and the fender. Sometimes those dire situations make for great video. But when you're in the moment it's easy to forget picking up the camera. Luckily I found some puddles just a couple of minutes later. And just riding through them did the trick. Otherwise there was a small town with a gas station coming up, so I had that as an option as well.

Mike is such a pleasant person. I would really like to spend a few days cycling along with him. However, I suspect he prefers to ride alone...?

Is that path mostly separated from other vehicular traffic or do you share the road with cars most of the way?

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

I have just started planning the route, and from what I have learned so far most of it is on shared smaller road, both paved and gravel. There are some sections with separated traffic, but not that much.

Looks amazing up there in northern part of the country! Snow finally melting there I see. We had a similar short bike tour last weekend in Skåne minus the camping. The weather was much cooler and we also got some rain. Otherwise it was amazing, and nicely flat for the most parts :D But I have a question for you. I would like to get my bike with me to Luleå this summer but I do not own a car. I was thinking of packing my bike to take it with me with SJ night train, but they have quite strict requirements about the size and weight of the package. I do not have any experience packing and unpacking my bike. Do you have any tips how to do this? Have you taken your bike with SJ before?

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

I would stay out of taking myon the train in Sweden. Weirdly enough in lots of other countries it's no problem but here in Sweden it has been very difficult throughout the years. Recently they have actually started allowing bringing bikes, but you have to keep your bike in a designated bike bag within the limits of 140x85x30cm, max 25 kg. I would just take a flight instead, I have had great experiences flying both SAS and Norwegian. I've planned to do a video about packing my bike in a bike box for ages, but have never come around to actualy doing it. But just do a youtube search, and I'm sure you'll come up with a lot of videos showing you how it's done. Usually I've just flown with my bike in a CTC plastic bag insteead, and I've done a video about that. You can find it here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/eIqf1dSzk7aWcqg.html

@suippii

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike Great, thanks! I somehow was in the impression that flying would be even more troublesome with a bike due to all the hassle at the airports regarding luggage and security. I'll look into Norwegian and SAS.

How do you navigate? Is that a Garmin Edge 510, how dependent are you on following known paths with that?

@BikeTouringMike

Жыл бұрын

Yes, it's a very old Garmin. I mainly just use it to monitor my distance and speed, and to save the route that I've cycled during the day. Sometimes I'll upload a gpx-track to it, but around here there aren't too many roads to choose from so it's quite easy to navigate, so I mostly use my phone when I get a bit lost.

Hey, thanks for the nice video. Is it possible to get the track as GPX file?

Hi Mike, Me and my girlfriend plan to go to the north cape from the Netherlands departing next month. Is there a gpx file for the eurovelo 7? Are the rough gravel roads official EV 7? We are really looking forward traveling north. Kind Regards, Erwin

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Erwin! It's no official gpx-file but this one is pretty accurate: www.bikemap.net/en/o/3232816/#7.14/56.362/12.657 www.bikemap.net/en/o/1773067/#4.38/64.81/19.23 Regarding the road quality I can only speak about the roads up around hre where I live. There are some gravel roads along the EV7 but most of them are in pretty decent shape. As you could see in the video, I used a touring bike and managed to get through them. I rode this part of the EV7 in May and this is where they usually prep the gravel road with a lot of small pebbles for the summer so that the forestry trucks and mchines are able to drive on them. With time, say in July most of those pebbles have either disappeared or gotten pushed down in the road, so the surface is a lot smoother to ride on. If you are planning on starting in July, when are you planning on reaching the North Cape? I'm just wondering since the weather up there can be really horrendous when the autumn arrives. There is this guy that went there in July last year and had +2C and rain/wind for several days on end. He has a channel called Matthewnorway. I suggest you check out his videos before going to the North Cape. Let me know if you have any other questions! / Mike

@erwinhartenberg9294

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike We know the channel of Mathew. We plan to arrive at the north cape mid August. We know we can be lucky or really bad luck. We shall see. We planned some spare time. Thanks for the advise.

great video...but why don't you just use regular panniers?

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Most of the time I do use normal panniers, but I wanted to try a a lighter setup. The main reason is that I want to trim down my weight for when I'm taking my bike+gear on a flight. It's always a hassle trying to get everything with you when you're flying, plus I really want to get down to being able to get my total weight below 23 + 8 kgs which many airlines have as a limit. That way I don't have to pay extra for my bike when I'm flying with it. I'm still probably going to use panniers when I'm touring around here, since a colder climate means bringing a lot of extra clothes.

What model Kona do you ride? /Älvsbyn

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

I have a 2018 Kona Sutra.

@Ade5

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike Nice, been thinking about getting a Sutra and do some touring this summer..

hej, jag har en fråga Hur ska jag veta var jag kan tälta eller inte tack så mycket

@BikeTouringMike

Жыл бұрын

Hej! Jag ska försöka göra en video om Allemansrätten, där jag går genom vad som gäller. Men generellt gäller att du får tälta en natt på annan persons mark, så länge som du inte stör personen som bor där. Om personen kommer och vill att du flyttar på dig bör följa dennes önskan.

Do you get problems with tics at this time of year?

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

This far up north ticks aren't really that big of an issue. We have bigger issues with the mosquitoes. ;-) Ticks are mainly found in the southern half of Sweden, about up to Gävle. However during the last couple of years they have begun to spread along the coast almost up to where I live. I still haven't found one when camping up here.

@Biking360

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike Appreciate the info.

Mike buy a e-bike might be a better option!

Hi mike how are you doing?

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

Just fine thanks. How are you?

@michaelmatthews4096

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike I'm great healthy and happy

@michaelmatthews4096

3 жыл бұрын

Do anyone in your country ride e-bikes ?

@michaelmatthews4096

3 жыл бұрын

@@BikeTouringMike i ride a Mustache e-bike designed in France

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

E-bikes have gotten very popular here the last couple of years. In fact they were sudsidised by the government for a couple of years. On my daily commute I estimate that around 50% of the cyclists I meet are on e-bikes.

Do you plan to get a dedicated bikepacking bike, like an Open U.P or some other gravel bike? That touring bike is a lot of weight that you don't really need when you don't have panniers. I'd say one of the main benefits of my bikepacking setup is that the bike plus the luggage weighs about the same as just the touring bike without luggage.

@BikeTouringMike

3 жыл бұрын

No, I don't think so. I already own 5 bikes and we have 15 bikes altogether in our household. So, I don't think I have space for yet another bike. I don't really mind the weight, since the bike handles so well. And I'm not interested in competitive bikepacking either, never have been, never will. So I'm happy with what I've got.