Beyond the essentials that should hopefully be with you on every ride, having a longer day in the saddle or riding more remotely means you will need to be self-sufficient. These tips don’t cover everything, but will help you to pack and prepare for your next adventure.

We’re an island nation and that means we have some excellent long distance routes to tick off. From city-to-coast classics like the Dunwich Dynamo, coast-to-coast challenges, the round trip of Scotland that is the North Coast 500, and off-road epics like the Traws Eryri, there is some incredible riding to be had.

But if you up your mileage and take yourself away from regular re-supplies, your pre-ride planning needs to step up a notch. Plus you can easily apply the same principles to night riding and simply heading out solo, when you might not have someone on-call to collect within a few minutes.

Extra layers

We’ve covered extra clothing in the article linked above, but if you were to have to stop for a long period your first priority should be yourself. An insulated gilet or wind/rain jacket will really help to keep you warm as your body temperature lowers and – when combined with sweat – makes you feel really quite chilly.

Plus evening and night rides can feature quite dramatic temperature gradients. You might be setting out in great conditions, but think ahead to what it may be like when the sun goes down – particularly if you’ve been delayed or have stopped for refreshments after a group ride.

Thermal blanket or survival bag

It might seem extreme, but these items pack up small and can easily be slotted into a jersey pocket or rucksack. Even if you don’t use it for years, having something to wrap yourself in to stay warm – or lend to another – could really pay off.

Plus they may come in handy when volunteering conditions at an event become a little more... challenging (as pictured above).

Lights

No matter what time of year you ride, it can be easy to get caught out by fading light. While many people ride with lights for visibility to other road users, switching to lighting your way may require extra lumens.

Consider riding with extra lights on your bike (or stowed away) to be used if the weather closes in, or you risk reaching the end of battery life. Plus it’s worth remembering that batteries can degrade and you might not get as long out of an old light that you used to.

Battery pack

Using your phone for navigation, to take photos or record your ride can use up valuable battery, but a battery pack stowed away is a great way to ride with peace of mind. Remember to waterproof it against the elements – but also sweat from your body. Plus it can easily be something carried in a frame bag.

Sharing with GPS

Whether you do it for safety, to facilitate meet-ups or to help plan family life, sharing your location is a great way to also add a layer of safety. From using the functionality on Google Maps through to the ‘Locate Me’ option on OS Maps, Strava Beacon or in-built Garmin tools, there is a myriad of ways to share your live location with others.

Knowing you can get home

Cycling gives you independence and freedom, but checking in with a friend or family member to know that someone would be around to pick you up may pay off.

And while it’s not something we want to think on for too long, if you were to have an incident - either becoming injured or damaging your bike to the point it is unrideable – the personal accident cover included in our Premium membership includes £50 to cover a taxi or public transport to get you home.

Plus members have access to a Rewards Hub, with lots of big brand discounts to save on purchases and subscriptions that would support almost everything mentioned in this article.

We're sure you have other tips and items for your own riding. The important thing is to give thought to 'what if...?' every now and again - and keep your bike in good working order in a bid to keep rolling. But most of all, enjoy the ride!